The Eagle Tribune
Article by Shawn Regan

HAVERHILL — The focus turns to creating jobs.

In his fourth term, Mayor James Fiorentini said he will work to bring employment opportunities to Haverhill and continue the downtown renaissance that is transforming old factories into upscale housing.

Fiorentini's speech headlined yesterday's inauguration, which also included the installation of a new City Council and School Committee, including three new councilors and two new school board members.

In his speech, the mayor unveiled several plans to spur economic development and bring jobs to the city. A lawyer and former city councilor, Fiorentini said he intends to immediately form a committee to develop new ideas for making it easier for businesses to invest in and expand downtown.

He said that this spring he will ask the council to establish an economic development corporation with the power to raise and lend money to stimulate business and create jobs. A new facade program will lend money to downtown businesses and owners who want to improve the appearance of their properties, the mayor said.

"I'll establish a new ambassador program, and ask the CEOs of businesses we brought to the city to join me in telling new businesses that Haverhill is the place to expand," Fiorentini told the crowd. "We'll use our federal grant money to improve downtown, and starting this summer, you'll see a fresh look and appearance to your downtown."

In his push for jobs, the mayor said he also will focus on the city's industrial parks, including making infrastructure improvements and tweaking zoning so the parks can accommodate diverse businesses.

Fiorentini is beginning his fourth two-year term as mayor, matching the longest run of any mayor under Haverhill's current form of government. His downtown renaissance plan began six years ago, and today more than 800 apartments and condominiums have been built or are under construction or planned in the city's center.

Fiorentini defeated former City Council President John Michitson in the November election.

Several hundred people packed the City Hall auditorium for yesterday's ceremony, which began at 10 a.m. with an invocation by Dr. Charles Crabtree, president of Zion Bible School in Bradford. The Haverhill High School chorus sang the national anthem and several children performed patriotic songs. Judge Stephen Abany, presiding justice at Haverhill District Court, administered the oath of office to the mayor.

Notable attendees included: U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas; state Reps. Brian Dempsey, Barbara L'Italien and Harriett Stanley; and several former Haverhill mayors.

The families of three Haverhill servicemen who died overseas — Nickolas Schiavoni, Dimitrios Gavriel and Evan O'Neill — also were there, as was soldier Richard Poore, who recently returned from Afghanistan.

The last five rows of the packed auditorium were filled with children and teenagers from city schools who participated in the festivities. They included the Golden Hill School Hand Bell Choir and the Bradford Elementary School Chorus.

Fiorentini said he also will move forward with orienting the city toward the Merrimack River. With a new boardwalk just built and opened behind The Tap on Washington Street, Fiorentini said he will begin this spring clearing land on the opposite side of the river for a recreational path. The path is to be along an abandoned railroad bed the city purchased last year.

The City Council — which includes new members Michael Young, Sven Amirian and Colin LePage — was sworn in after the mayor. The council traditionally taps its top two vote-getters from the November election as president and vice president. This year was no different, with Michael Hart re-elected president and Robert Scatamacchia re-elected vice president.

Hart praised his colleagues from the last council for not stifling progress with needless grandstanding.

"We're still at risk due to the poor economy," Hart said. "But in spite of the economy, we are still seeing successes and economic development, especially downtown. ...We've taken advantage of conditions and made the right decisions."

The mayor acknowledged the city's financial challenges, noting it has had to cut services including public safety and education for almost 10 years in a row. Diminishing state aid and the annual $7 million debt on the formerly city-owned Hale Hospital are the main causes of most of those financial problems, he said.

Fiorentini put city workers on alert that he intends to push hard in the new year for health care concessions, which would see them paying more or getting less.

"If we do not change our municipal health care system, then we will have to make cutbacks in every other area of government," he said. "The sad truth is we can no longer afford the employee health care system we have."

The mayor recently formed a new study committee to propose ways to trim health care costs. He favors joining the state health care plan or one that closely resembles it, which could save the city up to $2 million annually, he said.

Fiorentini outlined some of his accomplishments from the prior six years, including overseeing $100 million in downtown housing investment, the new boardwalk and the planned $10 million parking garage near the train station that is expected to break ground this summer.

He predicted Haverhill's best days are ahead.

"Ahead, I see a great city with more and better jobs, improved schools and better parks and playgrounds," the mayor said. "But none of this will happen by itself. Building the future will require us to be bold and innovative and take chances as we strive to bring new business to the city."

Andrew Herlihy, the mayor's aide, said the entire inauguration was paid for with about $2,000 in private money raised by Fiorentini and the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. That included a reception at the mayor's office immediately after the City Hall ceremony and a citizens gala and dance last night at the public library that included a free sampling of food from a dozen local restaurants.

Until this year, it had been customary to set aside at least $1,000 in the municipal budget for the inauguration, but the city could not afford it this year, Herlihy said.