THE MALDEN ADVOCATE – Friday, February 23, 2018

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Local news online at Advocatenews.net

Vol. 20, No. 8

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Malden-Revere Hockey Tourney Bound

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Officials say respect and tolerance help keep city schools safe By Barbara Taormina arents and students should feel confident that Malden schools are safe. That was the message Police Chief Kevin Molis, Superintendent of Schools John Oteri and Public Facilities Manager Eric Ruben brought to the City Council this week in the wake of the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Malden schools are equipped with surveillance cameras and an enhanced lockdown system which are part of a district-wide emergency plan. School building security is continually assessed; school staff and first responders undergo periodic emergency training and students take part in three emergency drills each year. Molis spoke briefly about those security measures, but most of his message was focused on what he described as an environment of shared responsibility that emphasizes prevention and vigilance. “What goes on daily in a school really affects the overall safety of a school,� he said. “If it’s an environment where people feel respected, where people feel dignified, where people feel they can be who they are, if those conditions exist it can minimize those sad and tragic times in someone’s life when they might feel alienated, alone, frustrated or angry.� “The concept of providing a very good environment where young people are able to feel comfortable with who they are goes a long way toward providing an environment of safety,� said Molis. Oteri also stressed the importance of a tolerant and inclusive school environment. “We are creating and sustaining a culture of respect, making people feel safe and included,� he said. “We are trying to foster that, and considering the diversity of our schools and the city, I think we do a remarkable job.� Molis said the community can help keep students safe by reaching out to the police

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REPRESENTING: The Revere-Malden hockey team is state tournament bound thanks to Wednesday night’s 6-2 win against Amesbury. The co-op hockey team enters the post-season with an 8-7-4 record and still have Friday’s game against winless Peabody to pad their stats and up their seeding. Malden players on the team, shown from left, are Brendan Sweeney, Nick Summers, Kevin Ivanny, Zach Rufo, Andrew Hallahan, Marc Giordano, Captain Mike Giordano, Cory Rufo and Trisitan Goroshko. See story inside on page 11. (Advocate file photo)

Committee delays vote on Demolition Delay Ordinance By Barbara Taormina revised version of the city’s proposed Demolition Delay Ordinance has raised questions and created confusion about the process meant to preserve Malden’s historical cityscapes. A few weeks ago, the Ordinance Committee voted to recommend that the City Council approve a Demolition Delay Ordinance proposed by the city’s Historical Commission. The new ordinance was aimed at preserving the city’s historically significant buildings by im-

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posing a 12-month delay on demolition permits for buildings the Historical Commission determined should be preserved. Architectural features, building styles and ties to the city’s economic, political and social history are among the reasons the Historical Commission may delay a permit to tear down a building. The one-year demolition delay is meant to give city officials and property owners time to explore alternative options that will preserve and rehabilitate historically important buildings and homes. The original ordinance closely mirrored the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s model for a demolition delay bylaw and was very similar to delay ordinances and bylaws adopt-

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ed by dozens of cities and towns throughout the state. But Building Commissioner Nelson Miller told Ordinance Committee members there were problems with the proposed regulations, and he asked for some time to review the ordinance and suggest revisions. What’s now on the table is the proposed Demolition and Alteration Delay Ordinance, a hot mess of restrictions, requirements and timetables that go much further than the original version. The ordinance covers any buildings listed on or located in an area listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But age is also a factor. Members of the Historical Commission believe

DEMOLITION | SEE PAGE 7

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Friday, February 23, 2018

and school officials if they are concerned that an individual’s behavior might be trending toward violence. “The most compassionate act is to let someone know who is in a position to help,� he said. Seeing something and saying something will not cause difficulties for individuals if the problem can be solved through an intervention, explained Molis, adding that police and school officials are professionals who understand discretion and confidentiality. “The worst thing is to have something happen and have someone say, ‘I could have prevented that,’� said Molis. “There’s no penalty for getting it wrong.� The school district’s emergency plan includes prevention strategies such as developing channels of communication for students to report concerns about potentially threatening behavior, conversations or online posts. “We make sure that every student has an adult in the building they can turn to,� said Oteri. This year school officials and Malden police worked together to investigate six tips that ultimately did not uncover any threats to Malden schools. Still the police and school officials were glad that students and parents reached out. While city councillors appreciated the information and advice about school safety, they seemed surprised to learn that the Malden Police Department no longer assigns a school resource officer to any of the city’s schools. Molis was not clear on when or why Malden’s school resource officer program was discontinued. However, he said that neighborhood or sector-based officers are expanding their patrols to include city schools. Molis, who described his own stint as a school resource officer as one of the most satisfying of his career, said that if it were economically feasible, he would embrace the opportunity to put the right person back in the schools.

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