Progress report: Mayor Phelan says long-planned projects get under way in 2007

Mayor William Phelan addresses city officials yesterday about Quincy’s progress and the cost of benefits for city employees, which has risen 100 percent in the last five years. (GREG DERR/The Patriot Ledger)

By JESSICA VAN SACK
The Patriot Ledger

QUINCY - In his midterm address, Mayor William Phelan predicted that a series of long-awaited, pivotal projects will materialize in 2007.

‘‘Significant projects that have been planned, debated, discussed for the past 30 years will become reality, seemingly all at once,’’ Phelan told a crowd of politicians and dignitaries at city hall yesterday morning.

Phelan said that groundbreaking for the new Quincy High School is scheduled before the summer, and that significant progress will be made this year on the Quincy Center concourse and the highway ramp to Crown Colony Drive in South Quincy.

Phelan vowed to continue his administration’s campaign, unveiled one year ago, to strengthen the city’s neighborhoods.

‘‘We now have a network of involved, active citizens that are making decisions on how best to improve their neighborhoods,’’ Phelan said.

Phelan, 47, is halfway through his third term as mayor. He took office in 2001 after jumping unexpectedly from the school committee to the city’s top job, beating former Mayor James Sheets by 17 votes. Phelan fended off a challenge in 2003, and two years later sailed back into office unopposed.

For the remainder of his third term, Phelan promised to do the following:

-Invest more than $2.5 million to repair sidewalks throughout the city.

-Continue to plant trees along neighborhood streets.

-Construct a track facility and add amenities to beaches in Squantum, Merrymount, Adams Shore, Houghs Neck, Germantown and Quincy Point.

-Improve technology at libraries and community centers.

Phelan also announced that he intends to establish a fully functional senior center.

At the special city council meeting during which the address was given, councilors re-elected Doug Gutro president of the nine-member body.

Gutro, who represents Ward 5, was confirmed 8-0 in a roll call vote. In a move that baffled some city councilors, Ward 2 Councilor Daniel Raymondi, when called upon to vote, instead uttered the word ‘‘present.’’

Councilors privately said Raymondi’s nudge stemmed from Gutro’s refusal to put an item on the agenda two months ago.

Raymondi could not be reached for comment.

Gutro vowed to work to keep taxes down despite a wide range of expensive undertakings planned.

Phelan cited the city’s financial health as among the successes of the past year. Others, he said, include:

-Creation of a citywide full-day kindergarten.

-Hiring 30 additional teachers and 30 classroom aides.

-Cutting the high school drop-out rate in half.

-Planting more than 100 trees.

-Implementing a nationally recognized 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness.

In a rare acknowledgement of behind-the-scenes wrangling with city unions that have been working without contracts since the summer, Phelan said the rising cost of employee benefits presents a ‘‘crisis that threatens our financial stability’’ and places an ever-growing burden on taxpayers.

Phelan said that the cost of benefits for city employees has doubled in five years.

‘‘Compared to the private sector, our benefits package is almost unheard of,’’ he said.

Councilor at large Joseph Finn disagreed.

‘‘If we’re going to compare to the private sector, we’re going to have to look very carefully at salaries as well, particularly for laborers,’’ Finn said.

The city pays 90 percent of health insurance premiums for most city employees.

‘‘The issue is health insurance, not whether it’s private or public (sector),’’ said Ward 4 Councilor Jay Davis.

Davis said that Phelan’s stance is ‘‘not an easy position to take, but the right one.’’

Paul Phillips, head of the 900-member Quincy Education Association, said Phelan’s comments were ‘‘close to bargaining in public.’’

‘‘Everything in Quincy is great except for the looming disaster of the employees,’’ Phillips said. ‘‘It was pretty close to him saying employees are the problem.’’

To read the mayor’s speech, go to ci.quincy.ma.us.

Jessica Van Sack may be reached at jvansack@ledger.com .

Copyright 2007 The Patriot Ledger
Transmitted Wednesday, January 03, 2007