Operating Engineers endorse Kelley for councillor at-large

Special to the Journal

A prominent local union representing over 5,000 operating engineers is throwing its weight behind Michelle Kelley’s candidacy for a Revere City Council At-Large seat, pointing to Kelley’s vow to serve as a government watchdog and bring her constituents’ voices to City Hall.

The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 4 – which counts heavy equipment operators, mechanics, surveyors, equipment house employees, wastewater technicians, and apprentices among its membership – sided with Kelley, a first-time candidate and lifelong resident who is an attorney and realtor, as her message has resonated with Revere residents hoping for a more responsive city government.

Kelley, running as an outsider with a message of inclusion and accountability, said she will carry the same work ethic to her job representing Revere’s residents that Local 4 workers bring to theirs.

“I’m thrilled that the hard-working men and women of Local 4 want me to provide a voice for working families on the City Council,” Kelley said. “These folks literally move the Earth to get their jobs done, and if that’s what it takes to make Revere’s city government a more responsible and representative instrument for the people of Revere, that’s exactly what I’ll do, too.”

Targeting sweetheart deals for developers that routinely bend the municipal zoning code authored by Revere residents, Kelley has proposed an enlarged abutter notification zone for development projects. Once in office, she will seek to enact a code of ethics for the Revere City Council, similar to those adopted by other governing bodies and professional organizations. She has also advocated for an increased emphasis on vocational education at the new Revere High School.

And she will ensure that Revere’s seniors receive more respectful treatment from their government, including common courtesy from city officials and at public meetings.

“Since I launched my campaign in May, I’ve been working hard to listen to what Revere residents have to say and how they’d like their hard- earned tax dollars to be spent,” Kelley said. “That’s not what they’re getting right now, and that’s what I’m going to change.”

A proud granddaughter of immigrants and the first person in her family to graduate college, Kelley attended Revere Public Schools, graduated from RHS, and worked her way through both college and law school, receiving degrees from Salem State University and New England School of Law Boston. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts state and federal courts.

Kelley lives in West Revere with her husband, David.

For more information, or to get involved with Michelle’s campaign for Councillor At Large, please visit : KelleyForRevere.com; on FaceBook @ Michelle Kelley For Revere City Councillor At Large; Email: [email protected]; or call: 781-854-1717.