City Manager Tom Ambrosino, recently secured in a new contract, delivered an upbeat State of the City Address at Monday’s Council meeting. During his remarks, he reviewed Chelsea’s 2018 accomplishments and outlined the city’s vision for 2019.
“I feel confident in saying that the state
of our City of Chelsea is very good indeed,” he began.
Looking back at the past year’s achievements, Ambrosino pointed to Chelsea’s strong financial position, with the City closing 2018 holding an excess of $28 million.
“There’s not another city our size in the
entire Commonwealth with that level of reserve,” he said. “That is a testament
to the shrewd financial planning of City Council.”
The city also earned recognition as one of only 35 municipalities nationwide receiving a Bloomberg Challenge grant in 2018, based on its innovative approach to reducing crime through preventative care initiatives.
“Because of that award, our model of
predicting harm and then engaging in cross-sector collaboration to address the
harm got national attention,” said Ambrosino. “It’s gaining interest and it has
people seeking to replicate that, not just in Massachusetts, but outside as
well.”
The City Manager highlighted significant development activity throughout 2018, including two new hotel projects and a major pharmaceutical company expansion. He also pointed to major state and federal investments: a $10 million state grant for Broadway reconstruction from City Hall to the Revere Line, and a $3 million federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant for waterfront renovation. Ambrosino noted this EDA grant ranked among the largest awarded to any municipality nationwide in 2018 and represented one of the few such grants issued in Massachusetts.
“We kept our promises to our residents in
2018 by doing good services,” Ambrosino reflected. “I think we can achieve the
same level of success in 2019 if we have the same level of collaboration from
City Council.”
For 2019, the City Manager’s priorities center on downtown Chelsea revitalization, building on foundational efforts from the previous year.
“We added police, social services, more lighting,
decorative banners, public art,” he said. “We’ve created an atmosphere and
foundation for success, so what we need to do now is finalize the work that
remains.”
Four specific downtown initiatives emerged from Ambrosino’s plan: completing design work for one-way street infrastructure improvements, securing zoning approvals to enhance corridor facades, programming cultural and artistic events, and issuing a request for proposal (RFP) for the former Salvation Army site redevelopment.
Ambrosino voiced support for the Forbes Proposal, scheduled before the City Board of Appeals next month for waterfront redevelopment. He emphasized the project’s inclusion of affordable condominiums for Chelsea residents seeking homeownership.
Infrastructure and capital improvements slated for 2019 encompass work on the Chelsea Greenway, Chelsea Garden Cemetery, and Veterans’ Field, all coordinated within a comprehensive master plan—Chelsea’s first since the 1970s.
The City Manager stressed the need for continued investment in affordable housing and education, particularly grants enabling high-achieving, low-income high school students from Chelsea to attend Bunker Hill Community College tuition-free.
“This idea of public funding for education
beyond just high school is gaining momentum in this nation,” he said. “We can
feel a sense a pride that Chelsea is in the forefront of that movement.”
Those interested in viewing Ambrosino’s full address can find it on Chelsea Community Cable’s YouTube channel at youtu.be/lRVWajXR44w.