Council Presidency for 2023 On Docket for Jan. 9 Meeting

By Adam Swift

On Jan. 9, the City Council will select a new council president.

Outgoing President Gerry Visconti said there is some speculation out in the city about who will jump in the race, but said he didn’t want to comment on it until the actual vote takes place.

However the vote goes, Visconti said he doesn’t expect any issues.

“I expect it to be a smooth transition, but then again, it is Revere,” he said.

Visconti said he is more than ready to assist with the transition for the new president and vice president for 2023.

Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino is the current vice president. Serino has announced that he will not be seeking reelection in November, but he still has a full year remaining to serve on the council.

Visconti said he enjoyed his time as council president, even with the ups and downs of the past year.

“Being my first time, it was very interesting, and as council president, you get to be involved in so much,” he said. “It was an interesting year, to say the least.”

One large, looming piece of business for the council in the new year is the Revere High School building project and its nearly $500 million price tag.

With deadlines for submittals to the Massachusetts School Building Authority looming, at its last meeting of 2022,the City Council voted to send the project, with its nearly $500 million estimated price tag, to committee for further discussion.

According to Brian Dakin of Leftfield, the $499 million worst case scenario budget estimate needed to be sent to the MSBA in December as part of the approval process of the schematic design process of the project. The MSBA would then review the project budget and timeline over January and February before making a decision in March which would set the state reimbursement rate and clear the way for the city to put the project out for bonding for its portion of the cost.

But a number of councillors balked at having less than a week to review a half-a-billion dollar project.

Once the new council president and vice president are selected, Visconti said the subcommittee memberships and leadership will be determined, with the high school project being sent to the ways and means subcommittee.

Visconti said it is likely the review of the high school project will be slated for a meeting within a week or two of the Jan. 9 organizational meeting.

“There is some information we need to come from the administration and the CFO on the cost and how this is going to be paid for,” said Visconti. “We can’t put the cart before the horse, we need to know how this is going to be paid for. This is the biggest investment the city is going to make.”