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Vol. 20, No. 43
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Ready, set, vote By Barbara Taormina ith the upcoming midterms being billed as the most important election of a generation, Malden is making sure everything will run smoothly at the polls. The City Council’s Appointments & Personnel Committee met this week with City Clerk Tom Brennan to review the problems that occurred during last month’s primary and to ensure that the right people and procedures are in place for Nov. 6. “We had some hiccups with the primary,� said Personnel Committee Chairwoman Peg Crowe, adding that former City Clerk Karen Anderson has been brought back on board to help with next month’s vote. During the primary, three precincts ran out of ballots around midday, and residents were left standing in line, waiting to vote. Ward 2 Councillor Paul Condon said some of his constituents waited for 35 minutes and then left the poll without casting ballots. “It was embar-
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rassing,� said Condon. “It was nothing you ever want to see, and it should never happen again.� According to Brennan, the number of ballots delivered to the polls early in the morning was based on the Secretary of State’s forecast that voter turnout would be a relatively low 10 percent. But even though the primary took place the day after a long holiday weekend and many candidates were running unopposed, Malden residents still came out to vote. Turnout was 18 percent of registered voters in several precincts, and 25 percent in Ward 3. Brennan said that wardens at each of the polls are supposed to call into the City Clerk’s Office when they begin to run low on ballots. It wasn’t completely clear if Malden’s new city hall features a large open-space lobby, a view of the city council chamber those calls were not made, or from Pleasant Street and a third-floor, roof-top deck. whether no one was available By Barbara Taormina ish Malden’s new City Hall. ative financing� that allowed to pick up the phone. “There Councillors took turns at the city to build a new Police was a breakdown in commuhe City Council unani- the mic to praise the building, Station and a new City Hall nication,� said Brennan. Also, mously and enthusiastical- the Municipal Building Com- as part of an ambitious plan a police officer assigned to ly approved an order to bor- mittee that shepherded the VOTE | SEE PAGE 3 row $5 million this week to fin- interior design, and the “creBOND | SEE PAGE 19
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Malden’s 15th Annual Parade of Holiday Traditions & Christmas Tree Lighting T he City of Malden will kick off the Holiday Season with the 15th Annual Parade of Holiday Traditions on Saturday, November 24 at 2 p.m. The Parade will lift off at the Salemwood School on Waite Street Extension, will bear left
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Santa greets Malden residents during last year’s Parade of Holiday Traditions. This year’s festivities kick off on Saturday, November 24 at 2 p.m.
onto Maplewood Street and will then travel west on Salem Street. The Parade will conclude at the reviewing stand, which will be located at the intersection of Ferry, Salem and Main Streets. All children
should bring their letters to Santa so that his helpers from the Post Office can collect and send them to the North Pole! At the conclusion of the Parade, everyone is invited to the City Christmas Tree Light-
ing on the lawn of the Malden Public Library. Each school will bring its own unique presence to the Parade, either with a float or demonstration, featuring the theme of “Thank you Veterans – we are grateful for your service!� A cash prize of $350 will be awarded to the Art Department of the winning school’s float or presentation. The winner of the float contest will be revealed after the Christmas Tree Lighting following the Parade. This year’s Parade Grand Marshals will be Malden business owners Chris Tkach of Idle Hands Craft Ales and Anthony DeCotis of Mixx 360 Nightlife and Town Line Luxury Lanes for their generous contributions to the City’s efforts to renovate the World War I Memorial. “I can’t think of a more fitting way to honor these business owners who went above and
beyond to make sure we honor all of Malden’s World War I Veterans,� said Mayor Gary Christenson. “I’m grateful to have them help us kick off the Holiday Season.� Free parking will be offered at the Central Business District (CBD) Garage, which is located at 170 Centre Street (across from Walgreens on Route 60). Parking will not be allowed along the parade route from 1-4 p.m., including Branch Street and Waite Street Extension. Violators will be towed. For more information, please contact the Malden Police Department at 781-397-7171. For groups wanting to participate in the parade, please fill out the Application to the 2018 Parade of Holiday Traditions, which can be obtained by visiting www.cityofmalden. org/holidayparade. For information, please email kmanninghall@cityofmalden.org.