5 Moments From Framingham's 2021 State Of The City Event

Framingham MA

15 January, 2021

8:03 AM

Description

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham's fourth annual state of the city event was held Thursday night, and it was a remarkably different event compared to preceding years due to the coronavirus pandemic — an event that dominated Mayor Yvonne Spicer's speech. The mayor's 30-minute speech featured no audience and touched on a number of topics, including new initiatives for 2021 — the final year of her first term. Here are five takeaways from the speech: 5 promises to Framingham Spicer gave an update on the five promises she made to residents when she took office in 2017. Those five include: A smooth transition to a city form of government; excellence in education; invigorating the economy; investing in residents; and preserving assets, resources and quality of life. Spicer found positive things to say about each one of the promises. For example, the 2020 budget passed last spring did not include a property tax increase, although it did include department cuts and layoffs. She also named items like the Whole Foods plaza renovation, the Buckley apartment complex and a rebuilt strip mall along Concord Street as economic development achievements. Spicer also highlighted the passage of the Community Preservation Act as a win for preserving community assets. New city department Although details were scarce, Spicer announced her intention to create the Office of Neighborhood Services and Resiliency. The pandemic showed the need for such a department, which would work on things like connecting residents with food and housing resources, she said. "No matter what zip code you reside in, you have a neighbor in need," she said in the speech. "To address this, I intend to dramatically improve the city's efforts to connect people to services, and services to people." New department heads Spicer acknowledged a big transition in departmental leadership in 2020. Framingham got a new police chief, fire chief, public works director and library director. Framingham's health director, Dr. Sam Wong, also left his post, although it's unclear if he will return at some point. Spicer also achieved a longtime goal in hiring the city's first Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. Dr. Maritsa Barros is expected to be confirmed by City Council soon. 'Rocky' relationships Spicer noted her sometimes "rocky" relationships with City Council and the School Committee. In November, a tranche of Spicer's text messages became public, revealing her distaste for some Councilors. She has also had disagreements with the School Committee, including Chair Adam Freudberg, over issues like a lease at the Perini building, and Spicer's plan to use money from the school department to cure a deficit in the water and sewer department. "As Frederick Douglass said, 'If there is no struggle, there is no progress,'" she said in her speech. "I strongly believe that we can do better. We need to strengthen our resolve to have a community that is vibrant and thriving. We can only do this if we pledge to come together and genuinely partner with each other." Karen Foran Dempsey remembered Dempsey, who died unexpectedly on Dec. 24, was highlighted in both a video before Spicer's speech, and during a portion of the speech. Dempsey was a sitting School Committee member, but had served for decades in civic life, most notably as an activist for the disabled. "She was a staunch advocate for disability civil rights," the mayor said. "Her commendable leadership on the Disability Commission and School Committee left an indelible impression on many and Framingham will not be the same without her. My thoughts are with her family." Here's Spicer's full speech: 2021 Framingham State of the City speech by Neal McNamara on Scribd