IN THIS ISSUE
ON THE RUN
IN MEMORIAM
ARTS
Girls track remains undefeated
Remembering longtime public servant Harry Christensen
‘Variations’ attracts artists coast to coast
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PAID
MARBLEHEAD, MA PERMIT NO. 25
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NEWS FOR PEOPLE, NOT FOR PROFIT.
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APRIL 23, 2025
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VOLUME 3, ISSUE NO. 22
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MARBLEHEADCURRENT.ORG
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ON SOCIAL @MHDCURRENT
LEADERSHIP TRANSITION
Light Commission to replace GM, offers him $200K in bonuses to stay through next spring BY WILL DOWD The Marblehead Municipal Light Commission voted 3-1 on April 15 to offer a retention bonus to General Manager Joseph Kowalik after deciding not to renew his contract when it expires on April 7, 2026. The board approved, with Commissioner Mike Hull in the dissent, a compensation package that includes a $150,000 retention bonus and potential performance bonuses totaling an additional $50,000, according to
documents signed April 15. Commissioner Jean-Jacques Yarmoff emphasized the decision was not related to Kowalik’s performance but rather part of a planned leadership transition. “Joe came on board at a time when we were in a bad way,” Yarmoff said. “We were fighting with the town. We were fighting with the state. The Department of Public Utilities was on our case, and we were fighting with the feds. Joe righted the ship.” The commission’s amendment #3 to Kowalik’s employment
Joseph Kowalik
COURTESY PHOTO
agreement specifies the retention bonus is contingent upon him remaining with
the department through his contract’s conclusion. The document states the commission “discussed with Mr. Kowalik its desire to transition to a new general manager at the conclusion of Mr. Kowalik’s contract.” Vice Chairman Simon Frechette explained the commission’s reasoning behind the retention incentive. “When Joe asked late last year whether we would renew his contract, we were transparent in saying no,” Frechette said.
REVERE’S RIDE, REVISITED
“To prevent the sudden vacancy that disclosure could trigger, we repurposed the year of salary we would owe him if a successor started early into a retention bonus that incentivizes him to stay on board through his contract term ending [April 7, 2026].” Frechette added the payment is intended to “ensure operational continuity, orderly knowledge transfer and completion of critical KOWALIK, P. 3
WARRANT PREVIEW
Founders’ warnings revived at Town Marblehead’s ‘No More Kings’ rally Meeting
gets new guardrails BY WILL DOWD
CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD
Participants in the “No More Kings” democracy rally stand at the intersection of Washington and State streets in Marblehead on Saturday, April 13. The event drew about 600 people calling for constitutional protections and the rule of law.
BY WILL DOWD About 600 people gathered shoulder to shoulder in front of the Old Town House on Saturday afternoon, their handmade signs bobbing above a sea of faces as the “No More Kings” rally for democracy began under clear spring skies. The crowd fanned out along Washington Street, filling Marblehead’s historic downtown. American flags fluttered in the gentle breeze as
attendees listened intently to a reading of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Marblehead resident Judith Black, who read from the Old Town House steps. Organized by the League of Women Voters of Marblehead and the Marblehead Alliance for Democracy, the event was one of more than 800 similar gatherings held nationwide as part of a national day of action under the 50501 Movement, supporting constitutional preservation and
opposing executive overreach. “We’ve got passion around democracy, around rule of law. And this is where it started,” said Marblehead resident Scott Solberg, a Boston University educator. “So now you’re seeing people standing up. This is who we are, and this is what it’s about.” After the reading, the crowd began a peaceful procession uphill toward Abbot Hall, walking past historic RALLY, P. 8
RELIGION
Pope Francis remembered for compassion, humility BY WILL DOWD A framed photograph of Pope Francis stood beside the altar at Star of the Sea Catholic Church Monday morning as parishioners gathered for 9 a.m. Mass, many having just learned of the pontiff’s death hours earlier. Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell announced Monday that Pope Francis died at 7:35 a.m. Vatican time (1:35 a.m. Eastern) at age 88, just one day after making his final public appearance during Easter celebrations. “I turned on my TV first thing, they announced it. I wasn’t on the TV for
BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW
two minutes. I started crying,” said Marge Thibodeau of Marblehead, who attends Mass every day. “I saw him yesterday giving the blessing before I went to Easter dinner with my family. He was struggling with every word.” For Monsignor Timothy J. Moran, pastor at Star of the Sea, the pope’s declining health had been evident in recent appearances. “I had tuned in to his Urbi et Orbi [traditional blessing given by the pope on solemn occasions] blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s yesterday, and I could see that it took every ounce of strength for him just to say just the one
sentence of blessing,” Moran said. “It was pretty clear that he was reaching the end of his physical strength.” Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, was elected in 2013 following Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation. He became the first Latin American pope, first Jesuit pope and first pope from outside Europe in more than 1,200 years. Parishioner Charles Arrigo of Marblehead recalled one of Francis’ most famous statements that characterized his inclusive approach to POPE, P. 7
Nearly a year after a resident threw a microphone onto the stage during a contentious debate, Town Moderator Jack Attridge is implementing new voting verification procedures for Marblehead’s 376th Town Meeting scheduled for May 5. The dramatic incident occurred last May when resident Tom Peach, apparently misinterpreting Attridge’s comments during a heated debate over zoning changes, approached the stage with a microphone and voting device. When Attridge resisted Peach’s apparent attempt to take over the meeting, Peach threw both items onto the stage before storming out. Attridge reflected on the incident during a public primer April 16 at the Judy and Gene Jacobi Community Center, joined by Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer, who praised Attridge’s poise in the face of disorder. “He talks about last year’s Town Meeting — I thought Jack did an outstanding job of handling an emotional meeting,” Kezer said. “He’s the right guy to be up there patrolling 900 cats in a room.” “Last year, we crossed the line a little bit between order and disorder,” Attridge said. “That night reminded me how fragile the line can be.”
New rule to verify motions for reconsideration The reforms Attridge is introducing come as citizen petition sponsor John DiPiano — an outspoken opponent of proposed MBTA zoning changes on last year’s and this year’s warrant — is returning to Town Meeting with a proposal to limit the moderator’s discretion over motions for reconsideration. WARRANT, P. 6
CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer, left, and Moderator Jack Attridge host a Town Meeting warrant overview and take questions from residents during a public forum at the Judy and Gene Jacobi Community Center.