Mayor Zanni's Newsletter - December 2012 - Methuen

The Office of Mayor Steve Zanni
Newsletter
December 2012
Dear Friends,
A Special Message
For many families, December is one of the
busiest times of year. But just as it is
busy, December is also a time when
families and community come together to
reflect on the past year, and give thanks for
the good things in our lives.
As my first year as Methuen's Mayor comes
to a close, I remain incredibly humbled by
the responsibilities that our City has
entrusted to me. Serving our City
continues to be an honor that I do not take
lightly, and I live every day
working to move our City forward and be a
Mayor all residents can be proud of.
Much has been done this past year - from settling all union
employee contracts; to putting our high school project back
on schedule and budget; attracting new businesses
while supporting existing business; and
increasing the transparency and efficiency of our local
government.
As I look at the year ahead there remains
much I want to tackle. However, I will
never forget that it is the citizenry that
has placed their trust in me as Mayor -
and I am always interested in hearing
from the people of our City. Please feel
free to contact me at any time with
questions, comments, or ideas on how to
keep Methuen moving in a positive
direction.
From my family to yours I want
to wish you happy holidays. And as always, feel free to
contact me at any time at 978-983-8505.
Enjoy the read!
Steve
I want to take a moment
to offer my condolences to
the victims and families of
the Sandy Hook
Elementary School
tragedy. As a former
educator and the
grandparent of a first
grader here in Methuen,
I've been consumed by
thoughts and emotions
since first hearing about
this horrible event.
I'm sure most residents
had never heard of Sandy
Hook Elementary until this
past Friday; and I would
bet that most residents
never knew the victims.
But I think I speak for all
of Methuen's people when
I say our hearts weep for
the victims, their families
and this town. The City of
Methuen sends our
prayers and love as
Newtown lifts itself above
this tragic event.
Mayor Steve Zanni
December Artist of the
Month

In This Issue
A Year in Review
Meet City Hall: Human Resources
Artist of the Month
The Mayor's Travels
Methuen High School.
A Year in Review
Mayor Zanni named
Michael Karl as Methuen's
December Artist of the
Month.
When I took office, our High School renovation project was
facing several large obstacles. These obstacles included a
contractor unable to meet the established budget; and the
risk that our high school project would not meet the timeline
promised to residents. Given these obstacles, I worked with
City Officials to bring a new contractor on board, and I am
happy to say that Methuen's new High School is on track to be
delivered on budget, and on
time for fall 2014.
A 14-year old who is in
8th at the Tenney
Grammar School,
Michael's art work is
driven by a desire to make
people happy. Michael
specifically enjoys drawing
pictures of town vehicles
and giving them to people.
Just this past month officials
and students gathered to
celebrate a milestone in this
project - the Topping Off
Ceremony. This milestone
is marked by the erection of
the final steel beam of the
project - but not before
students, workers, and officials had the chance to sign their
names.
Responsible Budgeting.
As Mayor, my responsibility is not just to keep our budget
balanced. I believe my role is to constantly monitor our
spending and develop ways that our City can root out costs
and track down savings. While our budget is balanced, I
worked diligently with officials to develop plans to privatize
City services to further reduce costs. This included a plan to
privatize our IT services, with an estimated annual savings
of $200,000 to our City.
Interested in submitting
work to be considered in
the future for Artist of the
Month Submissions can
be made by contacting
Juliette Cormier at 978-
983-8505.
The Mayor's Travels
Welcoming Local
Businesses
In November the Mayor
was joined by local, state

Economic Development.
I have taken a number of steps to strengthen Methuen's
economy and make us as attractive as possible to new and
existing businesses. These steps include:
and federal officials in
breaking ground for the
expansion project at
Century Box. The Mayor
followed this up with
touring the existing
Century Box facility.
Community Development Director. After a threeyear
vacancy that left Methuen at a distinct
disadvantage to our neighbors, I reinstated a full-time
Community Development Director to coordinate our
City's economic development plans.
Business Incentives.
I am working with our
City Council,
Congresswoman
Tsongas, and the
Commonwealth of
Massachusetts to
develop a tax plan that
will attract new
businesses while also
encouraging the
growth of existing ones. Officials already agreed upon
tax incentives which are paying dividends for one local
company. Century Box is a local company choosing to
grow their businesses here in Methuen - and in this
case it will yield almost 100 additional, local jobs.
Strategic Economic Development Advisory
Committee. When developing plans to grow and
attract businesses, what better way to generate ideas
than by engaging existing business-owners This
summer I began having quarterly meetings with a
variety of business-owners to discuss the obstacles
local businesses face; and the ways our City can help
our businesses overcome these obstacles.
The existing operation at
Century Box produces
packaging for a wide
variety of products - and
the company's expansion
will dramatically increase
that production. In fact,
once the expansion is
completed,
approximately 100 new
job will have been created!
Another great sign that
our local economy is
moving in the right
direction is the recent
opening of Taza
Mediterranean Cuisine on
East Street.
Contract Settlement.
When it comes to negotiating with our local unions, it is
important for me to strike a balance between appropriately
compensating our hardworking employees, while also
respecting all Methuen taxpayers. This year saw the
successful settlement of every municipal contract on fair,
respectful terms. Additionally, my administration eliminated
"side letters" - letters and agreements that had previously
awarded exclusive perks, stipends, or extra compensation to
individuals employed by the City.
Solar Energy.
Offering a great selection
of food, Taza is a fantastic
addition to Methuen's
restaurant scene.

Construction has begun on the installation of solar panels at
the City's landfill. Leased out to Borego Solar, the City is
expected to generate 1.6 million kilowatts of energy from this
project; as well as save $1.8 million over the next 20 years.
The panels are already constructed, and it is expected that
the project will be fully operational by March.
Health Insurance Savings.
One of the biggest pieces of our local budget is providing
health insurance to our employees. Because of the scope and
complexity of this service, it is imperative that our local
government continuously look at ways to save money in this
area. After thoroughly reviewing available plans and
offerings, I am excited that I was able to work with officials to
save approximately $1 million a year in this area!
Connecting
with Students
Mayor Zanni resumed his
monthly lunch with local
students. In December
the Mayor joined students
in the first grade at the
Comprehensive Grammar
School.
Transparency & Accessibility.
It is important to me that all
residents feel comfortable and
welcomed at City Hall. I have
pursued this through a
monthly newsletter; a regular
TV show on MCTV that features
myself and at least one of our
Department Heads; and
monthly forums at the Senior
Center that includes City,
State, nonprofit and corporate presentations on different
programs that benefit residents.
Meet City Hall:
Human Resources
Unlike our Police Department or City Clerk's Office, the
Anne Randazzo
City's Human Resources
Department is not one that
most residents have regular
interactions with. That being
said, Human Resources plays
an integral role in the
function of our City and the
in the delivery of the services
we provide. Like many
private-sector HR
While it is always great to
connect with younger
students, the Mayor's
single biggest priority is
delivering a state of the
art facility to our High
School students.
The Mayor was joined by
students, teachers,
parents and workers in
holding a ceremony
commemorating
the erection of the final
steel beam for the High
School's reconstruction.
Pictured above, the Mayor
is joined by School
Building Committee
Chairman Suzanne
Lamoureux and School
Building Authority
Executive Director Jack

departments, our City's HR manages employee benefits, while
overseeing and implementing policies and procedures
meant to protect employees and citizens alike. Methuen's HR
is committed to creating a positive atmosphere in which to
conduct business with the City; and to foster an environment
conducive to productive and satisfying employment for all
employees.
McCarthy in signing the
final beam.
Volunteer at MCTV!
Anne Randazzo is a resident of Methuen who serves as
the Director of Human Resources, as well as the Assistant City
Solicitor. Anne joined Methuen City Hall in February 2012
after serving 10 years as an Assistant City Attorney for
Lawrence, MA. Anne was admitted to the bar in 1981 and has
been a practicing attorney ever since. Anne loves her
community and is involved with the Methuen Sons of Italy,
serving as Orator of the Lodge and as Recording Secretary of
the Community Trust Center. In her free time, Anne enjoys
skiing, golf, bocce, the beach and travelling.
Jill Stackelin is a life-long resident of Methuen who has
worked in Human Resources for 12 years. Jill is responsible
for handling workers' compensation and for the planning of
special events. Jill is an active member of the
community, serving as Chairman of the Youth Commission,
CERT volunteer, a member of the Commission on Trust Funds,
and as an MCTV volunteer.
Connie Sousa is a life-long resident who has worked for the
City for over 35 years, including the past 12 as the Employee
Benefits Manager.
Looking for flexible
volunteer opportunities
Methuen Community
Television is always in
need to enthusiastic
volunteers to help with
media production. No
experience necessary.
FREE Classes on media
production are starting in
January and February.
Please visit MCTV's
webpage to learn more.
You can also contact MCTV
by calling 978-689-8627.
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