Arrigo Steps Down April 21, Keefe To Take Over As Acting Mayor

By Adam Swift

On Monday, Mayor Brian Arrigo announced he is stepping down from office, effective April 21, to take a position as the new commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Governor Maura Healey’s administration.

Arrigo has served as mayor since 2016, and earlier this year, he announced that he would not be seeking a third term. He will take over at the DCR on April 24.

The announcement sets the stage for City Council President Patrick Keefe to take over the reins at City Hall as the acting mayor. Keefe is one of four councillors who have already announced that they were seeking to replace Arrigo in the fall, alongside former mayor Dan Rizzo, Gerry Visconti, and Steven Morabito.

“First I want to congratulate my friend and colleague, Brian Arrigo, on his appointment by Governor Healey to become the next head of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation andRecreation,” said Keefe. “This is an amazing opportunity for someone who has shown himself to be an incredible public servant. Governor Healey is lucky to have Brian join her in leading the Commonwealth, and I know that while Brian is moving on from his time in City Hall, Revere is better off from his time as mayor.”

For Arrigo, taking stewardship of the state agency that oversees state parks and beaches is a natural extension of some of the work he has done in Revere, home of the country’s oldest public beach in Revere Beach.

“I’m honored to join the Healey-Driscoll Administration at this pivotal time for our public lands,” said Arrigo. “I believe DCR lies at the nexus of the climate crisis, economic competitiveness, public health, and equity. Access to well-maintained, healthy outdoor space promotes tourism, builds healthy families, and helps us nurture the next generation of environmentalists. We did this in Revere, and I’m looking forward to stepping up our tree planting efforts, improving park maintenance, and ensuring that every Massachusetts resident can access our beautiful natural resources.”

During his tenure, Arrigo implemented reforms and initiatives to professionalize and modernize the city’s government to ensure city services were provided in an equitable and efficient manner. Under his leadership, the City developed its first master plan in over 40 years – Next Stop Revere. Other initiatives achieved during his time in the Mayor’s Office include the creation of a 311-constituent service office and a Human Resources Office, constructing a new Department of Public Works facility and a new Point of Pines Fire Station, and ushering in hundreds of millions of dollars in public and private investment along Revere Beach, Shirley Avenue, and Suffolk Downs.

During his tenure, there was also occasional tension in his dealings with the City Council, most recently with the vote by the council not to move forward with the plans for a new high school at the Wonderland site.

Arrigo addressed many of his accomplishments and challenges both in his letter to residents announcing that he was not seeking a third term, and during his eighth and final State of the City address in March.

“We have always been focused on moving forward,” the mayor said. “We have always leaned in to change and harnessed it for the good of our residents. Year after year, we’ve kept pushing to be better. Together, we transformed and modernized city services to improve the lives of all of our residents.”

Healey touted Arrigo’s extensive experience in transforming Revere’s waterfront and managing public lands.

“Policy making is about more than laws and budget – it’s about building happy, healthy communities for our residents, “ stated Healey. “I know he will work tirelessly so everyone in our state has access to well-maintained green spaces and fun activities for all ages.”

In his final State of the City address, Arrigo said his administration is handing off a city that is in better shape, across every measure, than it was when he took office.

 â€œIt was my dad’s voice as my North Star in the earliest days: ‘This is the opportunity of a lifetime, kid,” Arrigo said near the end of that speech. “Don’t mess this up – and if nothing else, you have to hand it off better than you got it.’”

As Acting Mayor, Keefe said he is looking forward to taking on a new challenge

“I come to this position with the experience and commitment our

community deserves,” said Keefe. “I have served on the City

Council for the last eight years and met many of you as a coach and a youth sports leader, whether at St. Mary’s Youth Baseball and Softball League, Revere Pop Warner, or the Revere Recreation Basketball League. Professionally, I have found success as the Senior Director for Legal Sea Food, managing the entire brand’s 26 locations and 2,500 employees.”

Keefe said he will be taking a leave from that position in order to

fully commit to the responsibilities of the Acting Mayor.

“I couldn’t take on this challenge without the support of my family,” he said. “As an elected official, it’s not just us who get the calls – our families do as well. I thank them for sharing me with the City of Revere, especially in the next few months.”