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Councilor Gary Christenson thanks the many volunteers, contributors, and the community­at-large who helped to make the 2004 Parade of Holiday Traditions a success.
(Malden Advocate, Friday, December 3, 2004)

This past Saturday, the City of Malden rang in the Holiday season with the 2004 Parade of Holiday Traditions. For two hours, thousands of Malden residents watched, among other things, festive floats, bands playing holiday music, children handing their Christmas wish lists to marching postal carriers, and of course, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus who rode on the back of a fire truck due to their customary sleigh being tuned up for the holiday season.

This day would not have been possible without the countless hours, days, and months of the Holiday Parade Committee. The Committee consisted of Ward 1 School Committee Member Peg Crowe, Kevin Alkins, Richard and Barbara Breen, Joe Cassia, Lois Cruikshank, Mary Ann Curley, Carol Ann Desiderio, Craig D'Entremont, Michael and Margie Drummey, Meghan Drummey, Kevin and Traci Fitzgerald, Erika Israelson, Sherri Murray, and Karl and Andra Toppi.

It is people like them who are our real role models and evidence of their invaluable roles in this community was made known by the smiles and cheers from the many families that attended. We thank them and we also thank the community-at-large who donated their time, money, and resources for what we hope will be a longstanding tradition yet again in our community.

Happy Holidays!

Gary Christenson
Ward One City Councillor

House rules
(Excerpts from the Malden Observer, Friday, December 3, 2004)

The City Council moved forward this week with a ban on townhouses in a majority of residential areas in the city. The 10-1 vote, which would affect the so-called Residence A district, followed an intense debate between councilors Tuesday.

Ward 1 Councillor Gary Christenson, who ultimately voted for the ban, expressed apprehension about the amendment for non-conforming uses. Rather, he stated that the Planning Board should be tasked to handle all townhouse requests citing that they are the experts in the area and have the resources to adequately address the issues.

Christenson also made a motion to table the paper, and discussion, because Tuesday's meeting was not being televised live and could be informative to residents if it were.

Malden Parade of Holiday Traditions returns in grand style, drawing thousands
One of biggest turnouts ever help Malden ring in the holidays
(Excerpts from the Malden Evening News, Monday, November 29, 2004)

Following a one-year hiatus, the city's annual holiday parade returned Saturday in the form of the Malden Parade of Holiday Traditions.

An extended route, with the parade kicking off in Maplewood Square, and a reviewing stand outside Malden High School, were just two of the new items that drew thousands of local residents to city streets this weekend.

Ward One Councillor Gary Christenson, who first proposed re-introducing the parade, was joined by Councilor-At-Large Craig Spadafora to lead an energetic parade committee that helped organize the event and raise the money to support it.

Former Ward One City Councillor Eleanor Cushing and her husband, Dana, who together, first organized the parade in the late 1990s, served as Grand Marshals of this year's event.

Four full divisions marched from Maplewood Street, down Salem Street and up into Malden Square where McDonalds put on a special lunch and where youngsters could have their pictures taken with Santa Claus at Lincoln Studios.

At the reviewing stand outside Malden High School, city officials honored those from Malden serving in the armed forces. Family members of those men and women, including the Mullises whose son Patrick is a U.S. Coast Guardsman serving in the Persian Gulf, were invited to take part in the parade.

Officials also honored 25-year-old Peter and 22-year-old Anthony Cicolini, Cross Street brothers currently serving in the armed forces, presenting their parents with a plaque. The family was presented the plaque outside the high school from which both men were graduated.

"There was hardly a dry eye to be seen," said Councillor Christenson of the ceremony. He said one local serviceman serving aboard even telephoned during the parade and spoke to Veterans Commissioner John Webster.

Councillor Christenson stated that it was incredible to see the number of people who turned out Saturday. "We didn't know what to expect," said Councilor Christenson, "so we were extremely happy with the turnout."

The Malden Evening News has carried substantial pre-parade coverage of the event, to get the word out about the parade at the behest of the Holiday Parade Committee and Councilors Christenson and Spadafora.

Another new addition to the parade this year was a concerted effort to make the parade "interactive," so U.S. Postal employees were enlisted to pickup letters to Santa Claus written by local students.

"I think the thing we were most happy with was seeing the little kids run out to the postal carriers to hand off their letters to Santa," said Councillor Christenson, who noted one youngster who missed the postal carriers was able to slip his letter right to Santa later in the parade.

Both Councilors Christenson and Spadafora praised the effort of the Holiday Parade Committee members who organized the event in about five months, seven months shorter than what is normally recommended for such events.

"I just can't stress enough just how much the committee did," Councillor Christenson told the Malden Evening News. He also noted the efforts of students from the Malden High School Key Club who served as "jacks-(and jills)-of-all-trades," filling in wherever help was needed, prior, during, and after the two-hour parade.

Saying the response was so "overwhelmingly incredible" to this year's parade, both Councilors tell the Malden Evening News planning will soon begin on next year's parade, which will take place the Saturday after Thanksgiving in November, 2005.

The holiday parade is coming back this year, and organizers predict it will be better than ever.

"It is back and better than ever. We're so excited about this. We're so happy to bring the parade back to the city. We're really working hard to make sure that all of Malden's families can come down and enjoy it," said volunteer coordinator Carol Ann DeSiderio.

No longer is the parade just about Christmas.

"Which is why it's the parade of holiday traditions. It's not all about Christmas. We're trying to make this parade for all of our citizens," DeSiderio said.

"However you celebrate the holiday season we want to make sure it's recognized," said Ward 1 Councilor Gary Christenson.

The Malden Holiday Traditions Parade will start off at the Salemwood School, 529 Salem St., at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 27. The parade will then proceed on Waite Street Ext. to Maplewood Street, up Salem Street, past the reviewing stand at Holden Street, to Main Street, turn right into Malden Square on Pleasant Street and end at the corner of Pleasant and Washington streets, one block before City Hall.

Joining Christenson in support of the parade is At-Large Councilor Craig Spadafora, who said he was both excited and anxious for the parade. He gave all the credit for getting the event off the ground to the volunteers he's worked with.

"If it wasn't for [Christenson's] Ward 1 team, this wasn't going to be done. Me and Gary just put our names out there, and time," Spadafora said. "The only way this will work is if we have the kids there."

Logistics coordinator Kevin Fitzgerald said the main reason everyone wants this parade to return is for the kids of Malden.

"The reason why a lot of people want the parade to come back, is because everybody, even everybody on the committee, has kids. This is why everybody does everything. When you see the smiles on the kids' faces, that's what makes it all worth it," he said.

The parade is shaping up to have four divisions, with 10 to 15 units in each division. Some will have more.

There's also a special treat planned for the youngsters. In addition to the delight of seeing the public safety vehicles and the marching bands, the kids of Malden can give their letters to Santa to U.S. Post Office letter carriers who will be escorting a mail truck in the parade.

"Everybody we've talked to about we've had a great response from," said Fitzgerald.

The organizers have also reached out the elementary and early education schools in the city to tell the kids that this is their chance to get their Christmas lists to Santa.

The parade is dedicated to those who are serving or who have served in the War on Terror, said Meghan Drummey, who is coordinating the veterans honor.

"For me personally, one of them is my friend over there," she said.

Peter Cicolini, 25, is serving in the U.S. Army in Tikrit, Iraq, and his 21-year-old brother Antonio is serving with the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf.

Being so far away from family is especially hard for the troops during the holidays, she said, and dedicating the parade to them is, "just so they know that during the holidays that they are appreciated," Drummey said.

Getting into the spirit

The parade came back this year after taking a year off after Ward 1 Councilor Eleanor Cushing retired from politics. She and her husband Dana are credited with keeping the holiday parade going for about a dozen years.

This year, they are serving as the parade's grand marshals. Malden High School Principal and former City Councilor Dana Brown will be the parade's master of ceremonies.

The parade committee grew out of the Ward 1 Fourth of July committee, which was deemed a success by organizers and attendees.

"We were all kind of like, 'We don't know anything about a parade,' but we decided to tackle it," Fitzgerald said, and it's coming together very well.

The organizers have had a great success in dealing with the city and the businesses, and the parade is serving a public event for two radio stations. Mix 98.5 FM and Kiss 108 FM will both be in Malden Center.

Businesses have gotten into the holiday parade spirit, too. Lincoln Studios will offer pictures with Santa and McDonald's is offering a buy one, get one free chicken nugget special, DeSiderio said.

The parade is still looking for volunteers, especially division marshals, assistant division marshals and people to dress in costume for some of the characters there.

Anyone interested in volunteering can call DeSiderio at 781-388-2994.

Everybody loves a parade

The Malden Holiday Traditions Parade will start off at the Salemwood School, 529 Salem St., at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 27. The parade will then proceed on Waite Street Ext. to Maplewood Street, up Salem Street, past the reviewing stand at Holden Street, to Main Street, turn right into Malden Square on Pleasant Street and end at the corner of Pleasant and Washington streets, one block before City Hall.

The City of Malden invites the public to ring in the holiday season with the 2004 Malden Parade of Holiday Traditions on Saturday, November 27, 2004 at 10:00 a.m.

Some of the participants who are going to help us celebrate the holidays are: Local Veterans groups, Shriners clowns and cycles, Boys and Girls Scouts, Malden High School Band, Malden Elementary School Band, Tuney Tornado Band, local and state officials, Boston Gaelic Drum and Bugle Band, Sons of Italy, Costume characters, including The Grinch, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, SpongeBob Squarepants, plus much, much more.

Calling all kids! Want to get your letters to Santa Claus early this year? Bring them to the Parade and Santa's helpers from the Post Office will be there to collect them and mail them to the North Pole. Also, pictures with Santa Claus will be taken at Lincoln Studio, 147 Pleasant Street.

The parade is set to lift off from the Salemwood School, 529 Salem Street and proceed up Salem Street, across Main Street, right into Malden Square (Pleasant Street), and end at the corner of Pleasant and Washington Street one block before City Hall. There will be free parking located at the CBD Garage, 170 Centre Street (Across from Walgreens on Route 60).

The City of Malden hopes to see you on Parade Day! For further information about the Holiday Parade, please contact Ward 1 City Councillor and Holiday Parade Chairman Gary Christenson at 781-389-3148. Season's Greetings!!

City Council Briefs
(Excerpts from the Malden Observer, Friday, October 22, 2004)

Ward 1 Councilor Gary Christenson sponsored three of the four papers discussed Tuesday concerning traffic signage and safety.

The first, a request that speed limit signs be posted in the High Street area, was actually brought to Christenson's attention by Malden teenager Christopher Ferreira who voiced his concerns about speeding vehicles.

The second paper advocated for one-side parking on Hancock Street between Cross and Acorn streets.

"Very simply folks have said it's getting very dangerous on the street. Drivers are having to wind in between the parked cars," Christenson said. "Cars are also clipping rearview mirrors which is another problem."

He added the one-side-of-the-street parking mandated during snow emergencies has effectively improved the situation during winter months.

Christenson's third resolve proposed relocating the crosswalk on Walnut Street near the intersection of Ashland Street.

Coincidentally, a Ferryway School student pointed out that the crosswalk sits about 20 feet in from the corner and is a safety hazard for crossing students.

Christenson said he was very impressed with Ferreira and the other student's initiative to improve safety in the city.

All three papers were sent to the Traffic Commission for review.

Absentee landlords asked to take a hike
(Excerpts from the Malden Observer, Friday, October 22, 2004)

City officials and police agreed the city needs to crackdown on negligent and absentee landlords to effectively eliminate rundown properties in the city.

Ward 1 Councilor Gary Christenson said rundown properties in his ward and others are concerning.

"When a house is left dilapidated it breeds crime in that neighborhood," he said.

Most recently Christenson said a house in his ward that was rumored to be a rooming house caused a concerning ripple effect of residents on the street putting up "for sale" signs.

"It's a major, major problem," he said.

Christenson said rundown properties fall under the jurisdiction of a variety of city departments including compliance and code which can make getting answers to the questions of who's doing what, where and how difficult.

He added the city easily needs more manpower to combat the problem.

"The compliance department for example has two part-time people responsible for enforcing all the ordinances in the city," Christenson said. "They do a great job but up against time."

He said he'd like to see the department retooled to include more staff and be able to cover seven days a week instead of five.

The police chief agreed rundown properties have a "huge" effect on the city.

"It's probably as important as any basic issue the city has right now. It's the issue of the day if you ask me," Coye said. "And these properties definitely serve as places of crime."

The chief added his officers have been instructed to act as first-level housing inspectors to help crack down on the problem.

"When you enter a home and see padlocks on what would be bedrooms, or see that a basement apartment exists you know something illegal is happening," he said. "We're choosing to take a proactive approach."

Coye added while high property costs are driving the problem people simply looking for a place to sleep at night are being taken advantage of.

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Anti-Crime Task Force named by Council's Public Safety Chairman to include Ward One Councillor Gary Christenson
(Excerpts from the Malden Evening News, Thursday, October 7, 2004)

Malden City Council Public Safety Chairman William Spadafora officially named seven members to the newly created Anti-Crime Task Force this week.

The Ward Three Councilor named four fellow councilors to the group, including Ward One City Councillor Gary Christenson. The Task Force is charged with helping develop information to assist local public safety agencies.

The group will host its first meeting next Tuesday, October 12, at City Hall.

Malden City Councilors will honor three local youngsters tonight for their attempts to save the life of a Ward One resident during a fatal July house fire.

The July 6 blaze on Madison Street took the life of 73-year-old Rose Bettano, a beloved neighborhood resident.

Cera Nolan, 11, Brian Anderson, 14, and Michael DiGregorio, 13, were on their way to Ryan Family Amusements around 1:30 p.m. that day when they spotted smoke coming from the triple-decker near the corner of Main Street.

While Anderson and Nolan called 911, DiGregorio and an unidentified man tried to enter the rear of the home to help Bettano escape. While their efforts were unsuccessful, one man was rescued from a second-floor balcony by off-duty Fire Lieutenant Mickey Burns, who was passing by and spotted the blaze, and Firefighter Gregory Jean.

"Our aim is to recognize a moment in time when a group of young adults took action to try and help a fellow citizen," said Ward One City Councillor Gary Christenson yesterday.

Councillor Christenson told the Malden Evening News the efforts of the many on-duty and off-duty firefighters who battled the blaze will also be recognized.

"This certainly does not replace Rose Bettano's loss of life," he said, "but they should all be recognized for the efforts they made."

Tonight's meeting is slated to begin at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

The Public Safety Committee believes residents need to be involved in crime prevention.

During a discussion at Tuesday's meeting, the committee reached a consensus to create and Anti-Crime Advisory Committee.

Ward 7 Councilor Chris Simonelli who is spearheading the idea said the committee could help gather information from residents about what's going on in their neighborhoods and bring attention to their concerns.

Police Chief Ken Coye who spoke to council members Tuesday said the majority of crimes in Malden whether they are burglaries or assaults are drug related.

"We're dealing with the fact that the OxyContin problem is coming to roost," he said.

Coye said he supports creating a neighborhood alliance to help lower the fear of crime that has been driven by recent high-profile crimes involving Malden.

"It's vital to have community involvement and to bridge that with the police," he said. "We don't want to be a reactive police department, we want to be a proactive police department."

Ward 1 Councilor Gary Christenson said an email system in his ward has helped keep everyone on the same page.

"If a resident sees something suspicious they shoot me off an email and I then relay problems to police," he said. "It serves as a checkpoint for the neighborhood."

Christenson said he'd like to see the city make a stronger investment in enforcement and wireless cameras that could be placed in problem areas.

All councilors agreed that strong efforts need to be made to cut down on issues that serve as a foundation for crime such as absentee landlords and code enforcement violations.

We would like to thank City of Malden Mayor Richard C. Howard, Malden Veterans Commissioner John Webster and State Sen. Richard Tisei for their assistance in the dedication of a memorial honoring our late brother, U.S. Army Pvt. George Cipriano, who was killed in action in Korea.

Also, state representatives Edward Connolly, Paul Donato and Christopher Fallon, Middlesex Sheriff James DiPaola and city councilors Gary Christenson and Richard Correale for their presence at the ceremony. Deep thanks are also extended to Sam Cherone, Malden Traffic Department Supervisor Robert Stead, Malden High School for providing a bugler, clergy and all whose names we do not know who were involved in recognizing the sacrifice that George made for our country. The presence of the Korean War Veterans, Malden American Legion Color Guard, the state commander of Massachusetts Veterans of Foreign Wars and representatives of various veteran organizations honored us.

Our family is deeply grateful to everyone involved in getting this memorial placed adjacent to our childhood home on Salem Street.

Also thank you to the many long-time friends who took the time to attend.

We are forever grateful.

Teresa Casey

Carmela LaConte

Eleanor Magnani

Angela Wallace and family

Traditions are stories, beliefs, rituals and customs that are passed from one generation to the next. Keeping traditions for holidays, festivals as well as the ordinary days help teach children the things their family values. These traditions help fill the individual's needed to belong.

Being a part of the special things of our family, neighborhood, school, city and nation, helps us to have that sense of belonging. Traditions give security to young people, providing a sense of continuity and routine that they can depend on year after year. Such activities help promote healthy relationships between generations when they are enjoyed and anticipated by everyone.

Malden's traditions are important because they communicate our identity as a city and their predictability provides security to our lives. Thanksgiving Day - the Malden vs. Medford football game. The Malden-Medford game is truly a tradition. Thanksgiving is a time to just sit back and enjoy life. Eat, drink and be merry, as the cliché informs us to do.

This holiday is a wonderful opportunity to feast on the comforts of home with family and friends, and to momentarily escape from the hectic schedule that permeates our daily lives. But even after this, after all the games are played, turkey and pumpkin pie is gone and all the energy expended, there are no guarantees, no foolproof schemes, no total assurances, that by keeping our children involved that they won't stumble and fall on the road of life.

We can only do our best and show them the way. After that, after a certain point in time, they are on their own and hopefully prepared to carve their particular, positive niche in the universe.

Think about this the next time you're devouring sausage sandwiches at the St. Rocco's Feast, fried dough at St. Joseph's festival. As secular as they may seem, contemporary festivals trace their ancient origins to events that celebrate the arrival of harvest time or the divinity of various gods. These festivals now are woven into Malden's own personality.

Today, they function as symbols of community pride that allow people to enjoy the area's neighborhood, whether it's a local church or a kind of cuisine that other cultures have introduced. That is why you can feast on hotdogs and hamburgers in local parks in July, and cannolis and pizza in Edgeworth in August. Some festivals are one- or two-day affairs that either cost nothing or very little, with proceeds benefiting local organizations and charities. Others are gala affairs that last several days and draw gourmands from several cities.

The Irish-American road race has long been a part of Malden's rich traditions and this year the Irish-American is celebrating its 50th anniversary. This family-friendly celebration will truly be a taste of Ireland featuring music, dance, song and culture. In addition to promoting and preserving the Irish heritage, the organization is also a community contributor through several outreach efforts.

Throughout the entire year, we are deluged with responsibilities and chores that wear us down. Every minute booked, every day filled with things to do, every week planned with one event after another. Never a moment to relax, or so it seems, as the weeks, games, teams, all athletic undertakings, become a blur in our memories, singular in nature.

Christmas. For many of us, no other word evokes more memories of childhood. Perhaps that's why Christmas traditions are so important to so many families. Christmas decorations, Christmas cards, Santa Claus, and the inevitable mad scramble of last minute gift shopping: they're all part of one of the most enjoyable and stressful holidays of the year.

There's a sense of continuity in celebrating in the same special ways year after year. To remember Christmas in the abstract is one thing, like shaking a glass snow scene and watching the swirl - a jumble of snow and chill, fragrant pine and turkey, presents and hugs, and the Whos down in Whoville, the warmth of firelight and eggnog, the joining of hands at midnight Mass. Ahh, Christmas.

Once again it's almost time for Santa, Rudolph, candy canes, gift-getting, great kitchen smells and renewed family traditions. What would Malden be without one of its grandest traditions? The annual Holiday Parade. Happily, I am pleased to announce that this tradition will be back this year.

The holiday parade committee along with Ward 1 Councilor Gary Christenson and myself are ready to step off this holiday season in Malden once again. The Holiday Parade is ready to usher in the holidays with marching bands, creative floats and dozens of specialty units, clowns and Santa Claus.

Craig Spadafora is an at-Large City Councilor.

On Friday, August 6th, children from Malden and Medford graduated from a weeklong public safety academy in Billerica held by Middlesex County Sheriff James V. DiPaola.

The kids experienced a week filled with not only fun activities; such as wiffleball and baseball at a mini-Fenway Park site, but also learned the value of knowing what to do in the event of various types of emergencies.

The Billerica Fire Department donated their smokehouse for the academy, allowing the children to experience how an actual fire would feel if trapped inside of a house. In the mock scenario, the kids learned how to crawl over and under blockages and how to feel for warm doors.

Highlights from the camp included a K-9 demonstration, as well as an EMS demo that showed the kids how the "jaws of life" works in the event of a severe car accident. The children also experienced confidence-building activities, as well as a cultural diversity tolerance session.

Ward One Councillor Gary Christenson offered some words of encouragement for the young graduates. "We've taken a moment from our busy lives to congratulate you," Christenson said. "The skills you have learned this week will last you a lifetime."

Councillor Christenson went on to highlight the significance of the academy. "Most importantly, this academy has established trust," he said. Christenson also pointed out how Sheriff DiPaola is a genuine leader. "We have a leader in Sheriff James DiPaola," he remarked. "On behalf of the Malden City Council, I want to thank him for putting on such a great program."

I'm calling to thank (Councilor) Gary Christenson of Ward 1 and his helpers. They were out in our area on Saturday, the 24th (of July), and they really cleaned up our block of Newman Road. We had bushes growing out into the street and they cut everything back, cleaned up all the debris and left us with a pretty neat neighborhood. We appreciated his efforts and we wanted to publicly thank he and his helpers.

B.J.

Twice a month, the Ward One Committee walks their neighborhood to pick up trash carelessly deposited on the ground. They are truly an asset to the City of Malden, its people and the neighborhood that they voluntarily clean up. I am proud of these fine citizens of Malden, for it is people like these that make Malden a great place to live, work, and play.

We need everyone to adopt a responsible attitude towards his or her own rubbish. Unlike days of old, when residents dumped their trash in cisterns on their own properties, today we have too much trash and too little space to do that. Americans produce about 4.8 pounds of trash per person per day. Fortunately, we have a weekly trash pick up. Unfortunately, there are still too many people who think the streets and alleys and sidewalks are appropriate dumping grounds for their cigarette wrappers, cigarette butts, lottery tickets, leafs, wrappers, fast food containers, soda and beer bottles, and a multitude of other items.

I would like to extend a huge thanks to Councillor Christenson, Carol Ann and David Desiderio, Mary Curley, Michael, Mike, and Meghan Drummey, and Maurine Deleo. Strong healthy neighborhoods are critical to long-term vitality and success of Malden and the quality of life of its residents. Councillor Christenson's Ward One Committee is committed to preserving and enhancing their neighborhoods. As Councilor-At-Large, I would like to duplicate this success throughout the entire city. The intent would be to provide a framework for addressing other neighborhoods with similar issues and to work towards achieving and maintaining healthy neighborhoods.

Malden's character is reflected in its neighborhoods. Neighborhoods showcase a city's architecture and style, as well as varied lifestyles and cultural and ethnic diversity of its residents. We as a Council need to focus on our neighborhoods. We must work to enhance and preserve existing neighborhoods and develop new ones through numerous city programs, ordinances, plan, and policies. If neighborhoods are to remain desirable places to live, then action must be taken to mitigate these impacts. To maintain a healthy residential base, Malden must continue to innovate and develop neighborhood policies.

I would also like to thank the Department of Public Works for aiding us in the removal of rubbish and debris. If everybody in the city put 50 percent of the effort that the Ward 1 Committee has, it would be unbelievable. I can't believe the change that resulted from several individuals who wanted to improve their one section of Malden. What a remarkable turnaround. Councilor Christenson's initiative aims to build closer partnerships with local landholders; to encourage clean-up efforts; and to think imaginatively about what can be done to enhance and maintain the borough to a higher standard. I think we helped create community and helped people feel good about their environment as well as their city.

A core part of our work is educating and campaigning to change people's behavior and attitudes towards the street environment. Through all sweat, hard work, and sometimes tears, the Ward One Committee remained encouraging, patient, and understanding. They provided a wonderful example of true citizenship for the entire city. I give my sincerest appreciation to these dedicated people.

Councilor-At-Large
Craig Spadafora

On Sunday, July 25, 2004, Councillor Gary Christenson and volunteers Councilor-At-Large Craig Spadafora, Carol Ann and David Desiderio, Mary Curley, Michael, Mike, and Meghan Drummey, and Maurine Deleo took to the streets for the fifth time this year to clean up Ward 1.

Armed with their usual push brooms, dustpans, grippers, and heavy-duty trash bags, the volunteers spent three hours clearing the streets of debris. Streets cleaned included Wyllis Avenue, Regent Road, Perkins Avenue, Bell Rock Street, Green Street, and Newman Road. Councillor Christenson thanks the volunteers for their help and the Malden Department of Public Works for picking up the trash bags.

The next neighborhood clean up will take place on Saturday, August 14, 2004. We will meet at the Ferryway School parking lot at 8:00 a.m. and pick up the neighborhood from 8:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. For more information, please call Ward 1 Councillor Gary Christenson at (781) 389-3148. In the meantime, let's keep Ward 1 and the City of Malden clean!!

Ward 1 volunteers hard at work cleaning Newman Road

Councillors Christenson and Spadafora take a break from cleaning

After punching out for the day, the volunteers pose for a group photo

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Councillor Christenson comments on upcoming DNC traffic
(Malden Observer, Friday, July 23, 2004)

While some business owners are wary about the impact next week's parking ban will have on their businesses they're willing to hang in there for the four days of the Democratic National Convention.

Ward 1 Councilor Gary Christenson said he was wary about the parking ban at first but realizes it's in the best interest of residents as a safety precaution.

"We just have to deal with it and hope for the best," he said. "I appreciate the time and the effort the police have put into the plan and I think it's important that residents be notified about it."

Christenson said he's inquiring about whether the Ferryway School parking lot could be used for parking in his ward next week. "For a limited number of days it might work as a useful alternative," he said.

In the meanwhile, police are distributing an informative flyer around the city, which is something Councilor Christenson stated it is critical to making the plan work.

This past weekend, we celebrated America's birthday but what we also celebrated was the sprit of cooperation and volunteerism. This was never more evident than at the 2004 Ward 1 Fourth of July Celebration held at Green Street Park on Saturday. Nearly 40 volunteers came together and worked extremely hard to ensure that this generation of children celebrated our nation's birthday with fun-filled rides, games, and a barbecue.

As I was drying off after being dunked in the dunk tank almost 30 times, I couldn't help but take a moment and watch the large gathering of neighborhood kids having a great time. It was at that time that I smiled because I was never so proud to be a part of Ward 1 and the City of Malden.

I want to thank the many volunteers for their countless hours of dedication to Saturday's event, the neighborhood businesses that donated their resources, and I also want to express my gratitude to the city workers who supported us every step of the way.

God bless Malden and God bless our great nation!

Gary Christenson
Ward One City Councilor

Photos from the day's event:

Gary's final dry moments before getting dunked

Gary tells neighborhood kids to "Bring It On!"

Long lines form to dunk Councilor Christenson

After the fire had stopped burning and it was confirmed that Rose Bettano did not make it out of her house, Ward One City Councillor Gary Christenson said Bettano's loss would be greatly felt in the community.

"My deepest sympathy to the Bettano family on the tragic loss of Rose. Miss Bettano was a friend of mine and this community. She will be sadly missed," said Christenson.

He went on to praise all those who worked to save a second-floor resident, plucked from a balcony by Malden firefighters and who made attempts to save Bettano's life.

"Once again, I thank our public safety officers for their heroism in battling this deadly blaze and I thank the three young adults, Brian Anderson, Michael DiGregorio, and Cera Nolan, and others, who not only sounded the alarm but who took action by placing themselves in harms way in an attempt to rescue Miss Bettano," said Councillor Christenson.

Citing safety concerns as the summer season begins, Ward 1 City Councillor Gary Christenson introduced a paper asking the Council to review and improve, if necessary, the City's so-called motor scooter ordinance.

Christenson noted that motorized scooters have become a noisy nuisance and a safety threat to the community. The Ward 1 Councillor also noted that some of the newer scooters made to look like Harley-Davidson choppers and other popular motorcycles are barely visible through traffic. Some only rise 2 feet off the ground and can go between 30 and 40 miles per hour. Representatives of the Malden Police Department echoed Christenson's concerns, saying that the department supported any additional regulations to assist them in promoting public safety.

On Tuesday, June 22, 2004, the Council agreed and unanimously adopted the Ordinance Committee's recommendation that scooters be banned on all public property and be further regulated by limiting their use on private property. Also, any Malden business selling scooters will have to provide a prospective buyer a copy of the city's ordinance. Finally, a provision was included that any person found to violate the ordinance will be subject to a warning followed by escalating fines for subsequent offenses.

Christenson thanked the Ordinance Committee and the City Council as a whole for their support. In particular, Gary lauded Ward 8 City Councillor Rich Correale who sponsored the first motor scooter ordinance, Councilor-At-Large and Ordinance Committee Chairman Michael Sheehan for ensuring the matter was heard in a timely manner, and City Clerk Karen Anderson for her technical assistance on writing the ordinance.

Mayor Richard C. Howard has announced the appointment of Gary Christenson to the Mystic Valley Development Commission (MVDC), the quasi-public agency that is overseeing the River's Edge Project in the cities of Malden, Medford, and Everett.

Christenson is Malden's new designee to the MVDC replacing outgoing member Henry Gennetti, a former Councillor-At-Large in Malden, who served on the MVDC since its inception in 1996. Christenson, the current Ward One City Councillor was nominated for the post by Mayor Richard Howard and approved by the other members as Malden representative at the most recent meeting at Medford City Hall.

Christenson, a lifelong resident of Malden, has served on the city council since January, prior to that he was a member of the Malden School Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree, a master of public administration degree and a law degree, all from Suffolk University. He is the budget director at the office of Middlesex Sheriff James V. DiPaola.

The other members of the MVDC besides Christenson are: Mayor Howard of Malden, the chairman; Mayor Michael McGlynn of Medford, Mayor David Ragucci of Everett, Medford Designee Councillor Stephanie Muccini Burke, Everett Designee Joseph Hickey, governor's Designee John Troast Jr. and Ex-Officio is Governor Mitt Romney.

Click on any of the small photos above to enlarge them and read the captions.

Ward 1 City Councillor Gary Christenson congratulated Ferryway School's eighth graders on Wednesday. Gary encouraged the city's newest high school students to start using their acquired knowledge and skills to make the world a better place to live. Gary's remarks in their entirety were as follows:

We take a moment from our busy schedules and gather here this morning to honor and recognize our eighth grade students as they prepare to depart from the Ferryway School for the last time.

Thankfully, these eighth graders leave the Ferryway School with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve at the high school level. This fact is due in large part to the dedication of the Ferryway School Community, including the teachers, staff, Assistant Principals Abare and Francescone and Principal DeVito, and families gathered here this morning. [Applause]

As the clock winds down until you exit the Ferryway School for the final time, I ask you, the eighth grade students, to take a moment and appreciate today's accomplishment. Hard work is the key to success as demonstrated by your presence here this morning and I ask that you carry this forward.

What I also ask of you besides that you work hard is that with the well-rounded education gained here at the Ferryway School, you give some thought over the summer about how you want to use these tools to make the world a better place to live. Of course, I ask that you think about that in between the release of Spider-man 2, the beach, dunking me in the dunk tank at the Ward 1 July 4th Celebration, and your summer vacation. But my point is that everyone gathered here this morning is counting on you to contribute to society which is what has kept this city, state, and country great for hundreds of years and with your leadership, for hundreds of years more.

So on behalf of Mayor Richard C. Howard and the Malden City Council, congratulations and best of luck in your future endeavors! Thank you.

Ward 1 Councillor Gary Christenson garnered support from the City Council Tuesday to pass two resolves likely to impact the city.

The first resolve, which was approved unanimously, allows the city to petition the state legislature and Governor Mitt Romney to increase Chapter 90 funding for fiscal year 2004. Christenson said these funds are needed to help Malden and other communities make road repairs.

The second resolve, also unanimously approved, asks that Mayor Richard Howard's budget proposal for fiscal year 2005 contain additional funding for enforcement personnel. Committee members agreed with Christenson that this increase would balance out financially for the city and make enforcement more efficient.

As fire investigators continue looking into the cause of Friday's afternoon blaze at an Ashland Street home, the cop who rescued a teen stuck inside, is being called a hero. Ptl. Al Macy, a 27-year veteran of the Malden Police Department, was on Cross Street, en route to a call, when dispatchers first relayed the information on the Ashland Street blaze.

According to reports, by the time Macy arrived a half-dozen people were in the streets as smoke was already billowing from the two-family home. Among those on the street was the 12-year-old sister of a 14-year-old male still inside the house.

After learning was the boy was last seen, Ptl. Macy went to the rear of the house and up the back stairs to the second floor. Ptl. Macy immediately encountered what he described as "a sea of smoke," but was able to locate the teen and lead him out of the house.

"I think Al's actions describe exactly the type of guy he is," said Malden Police Chief Kenneth Coye. The two men joined the force the same day, back in 1977. The Chief went on to call the officer's actions, "heroic."

Malden Ward One City Councillor Gary Christenson also had much praise for Ptl. Macy. "Proving that Malden is indeed a safe place to live," said Councillor Christenson, "our public safety officers once again rose to the occasion and thanks to their heroism, no lives were lost."

No one was reported injured as a result of the blaze Friday.

A 22-year-old Lynn man arrested Friday after an investigation by Malden, Everett, and Massachusetts State Police, assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office will be arraigned in Malden District Court this morning on drug charges.

The alleged dealer was picked up on Bettinson Avenue in Everett, allegedly found in possession of an undisclosed quantity of heroin and what Malden Police are terming "a large amount of U.S. currency."

Malden Police Chief Kenneth Coye said the investigation was launched as a result of "recent reports from concerned citizens of Ward One (Malden), who described what appeared to be street level distribution of drugs in their neighborhood."

"I commend Chief Coye, Sgt. Kevin Molis, the entire Malden Police Department, (Everett Police), and State Police for the arrest of those responsible for the recent spate of drug activity in Ward One," said Ward One City Councillor Gary Christenson. "All of us who live here are grateful to you."

Congratulations to the folks who are cleaning up the city. Two volunteer groups let us know they were working hard this weekend to do some spring-cleaning. Ward 1 Councilor Gary Christenson had helpers picking up his neighborhood and another group cleaned Ferryway Green and the adjacent tot-lot that was recently improved.

These cleanups are great for neighbors to meet one another, and a way to help Malden look sharp, because the Department of Public Works can't be expected to get into the nooks and crannies around here. If they were to do that the potholes wouldn't be filled.

But it doesn't have to be part of any kind of organized cleanup, either. Property owners and landlords can do a lot when picking up their own yards by going out to the curb and giving that area a good once-over.

If everyone chips in a bit here and there, this place will shine.

On Saturday, May 1, 2004, Councillor Gary Christenson and volunteers Margie Drummey, Karl Toppi, Lisa Tuplin, and Muriel and Chuck Brandano took to the streets of Ward 1 in an effort to clean up the roads for the spring season.

Armed with push brooms, dustpans, grippers, and heavy-duty trash bags, the volunteers spent two hours clearing the streets and catch basins of debris. They covered plenty of ground including Ashland Street, Judson Street, Parsonage Road, Walnut Street, Hills Court, Garland Avenue, and High Street.

Councillor Christenson thanks the volunteers for their help, the Malden Department of Public Works for picking up the trash bags, and The Home Depot in Somerville for discounting the equipment needed for the clean up.

The next neighborhood clean up will take place on Sunday, May 16th, 2004. We will meet at the Ferryway School parking lot at 8:00 a.m. and pick up the neighborhood from 8:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Also, Ward 1 residents looking to donate clean clothes and canned goods may do so on Saturday, May 15th at the Ward 1 Yard Sale to be held at the Ferryway School parking lot from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Your generosity will benefit local organizations Bread of Life and Tri-Cap.

For more information, please call Ward 1 Councillor Gary Christenson at (781) 389-3148. In the meantime, let's keep Ward 1 and the City of Malden clean!!

PHOTOS from the event - click on them to enlarge them

Councillor Christenson and Karl Toppi shown cleaning Walnut Street

Councillor Christenson and Margie Drummey clear a High Street catch basin

After a hard day of work, the Ward 1 volunteers relax with a group photo

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Malden City Council meets tonight at 7:00 p.m.
(Excerpts from the Malden Evening News, Tuesday, April 20, 2004)

The Malden City Council will meet in regular session tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Malden Government Center, 200 Pleasant Street.

Ward One City Councillor Gary Christenson has two resolution requests on tonight's Council docket, one asking that the Malden Traffic Commission consider designating Cross Street from Main Street to Hancock Street as odd-side parking only; and a second that Malden Police Chief Kenneth Coye appear before the City Council at its May 4 meeting to report on the Winter Parking regulations and the Commercial Vehicle overnight parking ban.

The Malden Rotary Club's first annual St. Patrick's Day Road Race held last Sunday was reportedly a grand success, drawing hundreds of runners from the Malden area, including Ward 1 City Councillor Gary Christenson.

Malden men in the top twenty male finishers including Christenson who said that he was still recovering from the race a week later. Christenson said, "I ran the race on behalf of Ward 1. I figured if I can't repair every street and sidewalk then I can at least complete the road race for the residents of Ward 1."

During Tuesday's meeting, three new members were appointed to the Municipal Scholarship Committee with Councilor-At-Large Craig Spadafora requesting colleagues approve the appointment of Linda Cassia and Ward One Councillor Gary Christenson urging the appointment of Ward One School Committeewoman Peg Crowe.

Christenson, a former member of the Malden School Committee (Ward One), was then named to the committee by Council President Jeffrey Donahue as his designee.

Lots of grand Irish music and sharp Irish wit were on the menu with a great meal when the Malden Democratic City Committee gathered at the Irish American Hall last Saturday for their annual St. Patrick's Day Breakfast.

Kerri Burgess, a student at Malden High School, started the morning's agenda singing the national anthem. She was followed by George Perry IV, who led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Perry, a Malden resident, is a decorated US Navy (SM2) veteran.

Officials attending the event included Ward 1 Councillor Gary Christenson and Ward 1 School Committee Member Peg Crowe. Ward 1 was represented by at least 35 people at the event. Also, applauded for key work in making the breakfast a success was Ward 1's own Walter T.E. Mullaney.

The City Council's meeting with JRM Hauling and Recycling answered questions and responded to misconceptions about the trash pick-up in the city this week but councilors clearly still have their doubts.

In response to council member's complaints and concerns about the quality of services provided by the company, JRM was asked to appear before the council Tuesday.

In response to an inquiry by Ward 1 Councillor Gary Christenson, JRM's assistant Peter Gamache said the flipping of trash barrels after they've been emptied is in an effort to keep them from flying into the street. "If we leave them standing up, especially if they have wheels, when a truck comes by they go flying," he said.

JRM ended the hearing by stating that they would make their contact information available to all council members so they can reach them to ask additional questions or report pick-up discrepancies in the future.

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Executive Director Fred Laskey appeared before the Malden City Council last night at the request of Councilors, including Ward One's Gary Christenson, to discuss water rates and quality in the city. Laskey briefed the Council on ongoing projects; the state of the authority's finances; and a host of other topics before fielding questions from the panel.

According to the executive director, "a major portion" of the authority's expenses goes towards state-and-federally-mandated environmental tasks, including the cleanup of Boston Harbor. He did tell the Council that operating costs would begin to level off, and even decline, as the new technology and improvements the MWRA have made to their system fully kick in.

For fiscal year 2004, Malden's Water/Sewer assessment, according to Laskey was some $11.7 million, with $8.3 million going towards the sewer portion of the bill. Each city and town decides how to divide its portion of the bill with some like Arlington rolling part of it into the tax bills, and some doing it in tiers, such as Woburn, and so on.

One area of concern raised by the Council was unaccounted water. According to the MWRA, nearly 15 percent of the water coming into the city last year was unaccounted for once it reached here, and while that is down from almost 18 percent in 2001, councilors said that number is still too high. Most of the unaccounted water is believed lost through cracked pipes and faulty meters.

Ward One Councillor Gary Christenson thought the meeting was productive. "Once I saw in the papers they were talking about rate increases for the next five or six years, I thought we should have them in to talk about things," said Councillor Christenson, who added he felt Laskey was able to provide them with answers to a number of questions.

Chiefly, Councillor Christenson said he was happy to hear the MWRA, through its website, (www.mwra.com) is offering consumers ideas for water conservation, and that they have an in-house engineer they can make available to member communities to help evaluate where, and how much, water is being lost due to bad pipes.

"I also felt it was important that we pinned them down on one person to talk to about rates," he said.

Next week's City Council meeting should be the moment Councillor Gary Christenson has been waiting for since he took office this past January.

The reason is because on Tuesday, Christenson will address what he feels is, "the number one problem in the city," and explore options of how it can be fixed. The conditions of Malden's streets and sidewalks have been his primary concern since day one. It's no secret. Anyone who has attended even one city council meeting is aware of this fact.

Christenson has an agenda. And that agenda includes examining the problems in a straightforward manner--"let's find out what are our problems, what are the options, and what are we going to do about it." Christenson admits that funding will be the biggest setback for the city.

February 19, Christenson requested a list of problem areas and cost estimates from both the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) and the City Engineer John Russell. Both will be present at next Tuesday's meeting with a comprehensive list of design construction and cost estimates.

The City Council recently allocated the MWRA an additional one million dollars for water and design improvements. After Tuesday's meeting, officials will have a greater understanding of what exactly the most troublesome areas within the city are--and how much it will cost to solve them.

Due to the exceptionally cold temperatures Malden faced this winter the city averaged a greater frequency of frozen water pipelines. Some residents affected by these frozen lines were without running water for days and in rare instances, weeks.

The financial and physical strain this caused the Department of Public Works highlighted the issue concerning streets and sidewalk repairs. This Tuesday, Malden residents will find out what can and will be done to improve their streets.

It is said that Ward One City Councillor Gary Christenson visited Malden resident Mildreth Landry at the Dexter House on Main Street yesterday to help commemorate her 100th birthday, as she was born on March 1, 1904.

Portal to Hope, a nationally-recognized non-profit that provides comprehensive services to victims of domestic abuse in Malden, Medford, Everett, and other surrounding communities, helped many of the area's singles get dates Friday night, while also helping fund some of its programs.

Many local residents flocked to the Malden Irish American Club Friday night to win dates with 28 very eligible bachelors. Portal to Hope's Ladies Night-Bachelor Event showcased single men varying in age, locale, and profession, including "celebrity" bachelor Gary Christenson, Malden Ward One City Councillor.

According to Deborah Fallon, founder of Portal to Hope, the organization has helped 1,017 families in Medford, Malden, Everett, and Lynn this year by placing victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in secure housing and providing counseling.

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Millions to be allocated for MWRA's design and reconstruction of city's oldest pipeline
(Excerpts from the Malden Advocate, Friday, February 27, 2004)

Within the next couple of weeks, over one million dollars is expected to be allocated to the Massachusetts Water Treatment Authority (MWRA) for the design and reconstruction of some of Malden's oldest pipeline.

The city and MWRA are working together to improve and reconstruct some of Malden's oldest waterlines. According to City Engineer, John Russell, almost two-thirds of the 120 miles of pipeline running underground are over seventy-five years old: "Thirty-one percent is pre-1900 and pipes dating back to 1900-1929 make up nearly 34% of the pipe." He estimates that it will cost approximately 26 million dollars to repair these historic pipes.

The MWRA provides financial assistance to cities within the service area for the treatment of local water distribution systems. In 1999, the MWRA approved an annual program providing interest-free loans to these communities. Malden is one of them.

"We've been chipping away at it with the MWRA program," Russell says. But chipping away doesn't appear to be enough for City Councillor Gary Christenson. He believes more needs to be done: "We need to take a look at the big picture problem. At this rate, we're really not going to get to the root of the problem until we are no longer citizens of this city." He requested a summary of areas requiring improvements and their estimated costs-a basic outline that will help the city assess the problem, understand the options, and formulate a plan for what he calls "the number one problem in the city."

A number of Belmont Street residents came to show their support for the additional funds in hopes that some of that money will be used to repair their street where some of the oldest pipeline lies. The stretch from Main Street to Hancock has pipeline dated back to 1880 and requires "an enormous sum of money" to repair according to Russell.

The petition for allocating the funds mentioned above is slated for discussion March 9, 2004.

The number 187 appeared to be the lucky number for residential taxpayers at Tuesday's city council meeting. The councilors remained divided over the figure when voting on the lowest Residential Factor for 2004, passing by an 8-3 vote after nearly two hours of debate.

Chairman of the Board of Assessors Robert Donnelly, informed the council of possible tax options-but insisted that 187 was the most equitable figure for residential, commercial, and industrial taxpayers.

"There are repercussions for every tax break that you want to give the homeowner," Donnelly warned. He continued, "187 is the rate you can justifiably ask without drastically increasing taxes of both the commercial and the single-family home."

Despite Donnelly's suggestion, Ward 1 Councillor Gary Christenson opposed the figure. Instead he remained aligned on the side of the residential taxpayer who comprises eighty-seven percent of Malden's tax base. Christenson feels that, "when dealing with a base of 87% we have to lend a stronger ear to the residential taxpayer."

The Malden City Council and the city's Traffic Commission opened the discussion last night on a potential citywide permit parking program before a well-attended public hearing at Malden City Hall.

Ward One Councillor Gary Christenson co-sponsored the hearing which was treated as a first step in a process that could take months, if not longer.

Councillor Christenson cited ongoing parking problems in various areas of the city, but especially in the neighborhoods in and around the Malden Center MBTA Station.

"People are using us as satellite parking," Councillor Christenson said of those out-of-towners parking along Main Street, and the surrounding side streets, leading to Malden Station.

At the conclusion of last night's hearing, President Donahue told fellow Councilors, and members of the public, that he would take under advisement what to do next.

One day after the Mystic Valley Development Commission (MVDC) voted to change the name, but not the direction, of the tri-city area's largest joint undertaking in history, reaction continued to flow yesterday.

Tagged "TeleCom City" when the telecommunications industry was at its height, the future 30-acre research and development park which will encompass sections of Everett, Medford, and Malden, separated only be the Malden River, has been renamed "River's Edge."

"I think the idea was to be a little more generic, as well as to promote the environmental aspect of the project," MVDC Chairman, and Malden Mayor, Richard C. Howard told the Malden Evening News yesterday. "I think River's Edge gives an upscale edge to it," Mayor Howard added.

Malden City Councillor Gary Christenson agreed, saying, "I think not only will it open to more industries, but I think it will open up to people in the community more." Councillor Christenson, whose Ward One, includes the Malden portion of the River's Edges site added, "I'm looking forward to when people, families, can go for walks and have picnics down there. Those are not things you really want to do at a place that sounds strictly like a technology park."

The City Council's move to start identifying the worst roads and sidewalks shows that these councilors know what's important to their constituents.

Couple that with the citywide parking permit hearing this Tuesday, and we have no doubt that this council has set its mind to being the "quality-of-life" council. Well done.

Broken and weedy sidewalks and potholes are blights, and they're more than aesthetic issues, they are hazardous. Ankles get twisted on uneven sidewalks and car tires blow out on hole-filled roads.

It's the city's duty to keep its public ways in good order, but unfortunately, with so many other needs tugging on the city's purse, it's hard to keep up. Couple that with the age and construction quality of many of the city's streets and sidewalks.

Construction standards probably weren't uniform 70 or 100 years ago when many of the neighborhood streets around the city were first laid out and paved. Zoning and subdivision control weren't commonplace then, so the sub-base of some of these thruways doesn't live up to today's traffic demands.

Fixing those decades-old problems is expensive. So expensive that the response in the past has often been to make do with patches and small-scale repairs. Who can blame the city for that? A homeowner patches a roof until a new roof can be installed. A clunky clothes washer is mickeyed with until it finally gives out.

But like a smart homeowner, the councilors, who walk and drive these streets, want a plan to start repairing the streets and sidewalks. That's the best way. Through this process every city street and sidewalk should be given a rating between one and five. One is perfect condition and five is in need of complete and immediate reconstruction.

That doesn't mean that all fives should be done first, though. Some roads rated a three or four might become a one with a simple grinding and resurfacing, like Bainbridge Street was this past fall. That road is as smooth as wax now. It's sinuous and narrow, but smooth.

Most of all, this process should be left to the road repair experts in the Department of Public Works. They should decide, perhaps with neighborhood input, what's best to fix first.

The City Council agreed Tuesday that it's time to start fixin' up the place.

The councilors want a program to prioritize and finance street, sidewalk, and pipe repairs citywide.

Ward 1 Councillor Gary Christenson said he believes street and pipe repairs are the city's number one problem, at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.

He asked that a list of streets needing this work be made available to give the council a clearer picture of the city's needs.

"The time has come for the city to realize the magnitude of the problem," he said, adding the city won't solve the problem by spending a small amount of funds from time-to-time.

After further discussion, the council approved a motion to move the issue to the Public Works Committee. Council President Jeff Donahue said the discussion will come back to the council in the next three to four weeks.

The Malden City Council's License Committee met last night and approved extended hours at Walgreen's in Ward 1 on Centre Street (Route 60). Following the committee meeting last night, the full Council met and approved the extended hours request.

Included in the decision to extend the hours at Walgreen's, a 24-hour operating permit, was a discussion concerning the police details at the store. The matter was back before the committee last night less than a full month after the panel initially denied the company's renewal request.

While there was some discrepancies as to Walgreen's payment for police details, Steven Trasca, the company's District Manager, explained, "I have no record" of any missing payment slips.

In response, Ward One Councillor Gary Christenson told the Walgreen's representative that although there was not a blatant disregard of payments to the City of Malden, "you need to be more aggressive" when there appears to be a discrepancy in payments.

Proposal cosponsor Ward 1 Councillor Gary Christenson said of the possibility of a citywide resident parking permit that parking has consistently been a problem in his neighborhood.

"When I went door to door in the campaign, parking problems were the second biggest concern," Christenson said. "The allegation is that people who live in the farther out suburbs are parking in Malden to save parking costs, and taking the T into Boston."

Christenson said he's in favor of enacting a $5 to $10 parking permit fee that could go toward sidewalk or pothole repairs around the city. He said he'd also approve having permit parking in only some areas of Malden, preferably around the bus and T stops, if nothing else.

"Our first goal is to hold a public hearing, and hear from residents as a whole to weigh the pros and cons," said Christenson.

Elizabeth Farmer, a lifelong Malden resident who lives on Judson Street, said on-street parking has always been an issue in the city but has escalated significantly in the last 10 years.

"In this areabecause there are four bus stops going toward the T stops, people park here and leave their cars on our street like it's their private parking lot for the day," she said.

Farmer, who plans to attend the open hearing in February, believes residents in town would be willing to pay for parking permits.

"I'd be very glad to pay $10 a year to know I can park in front of my house," she said.

The City Council and the Traffic Commission will have a public hearing Tuesday, February 24th at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall.

Malden children will now have to be 5 years old by August 31 to go to kindergarten.

The School Committee voted 6 to 3 in favor of rolling back the kindergarten entrance age cutoff date from September 30 to August 31 on Monday night for the 2004-2005 school year.

Members supporting rolling back the kindergarten entrance age noted retention rates for Malden children enrolled in kindergarten at age four have been between 23 and 36 percent over the last three school years. The committee also learned that 16 of 18 area communities have an August 31 or September 1 cutoff.

Ward 1 City Councillor Gary Christenson, who began the entrance age debate this past fall while on the School Committee, said he was pleased with Monday night's decision.

"I think the committee did the right thing in light of the data and the concerns of the teachers and principals," he said.

As she sits reading her morning paper, Elizabeth Farmer of Malden is struck by a familiar routine outside her two-story home on Judson Street, halfway between Malden Square and the Everett line.

Car after car pulls up on the quiet residential street, during peak commuting hours of 7:30 to 9 a.m. Driver after driver, many with briefcases in hand, park and walk to the bus stop at the top of her street, in front of Bell Rock Park. They hop on the bus to Boston, returning for their cars only after their workday is through eight hours later, she said.

Parking for free on Judson Street and other streets close to the MBTA bus line may save commuters money, but it's no bargain for Malden residents, Farmer said.

"It's a real nuisance to people who live here," said Farmer, 68, sitting in her living room early one recent morning. "Parking is a premium as it is. A lot of people don't have driveways. Why should our street be an auxiliary parking lot? But there is no way to stop them."

There may soon be. Malden is considering expanding its resident sticker-parking program citywide. Resident sticker parking now is limited to 105 streets located mostly downtown and in neighborhoods around the Malden Center and Oak Grove MBTA stations. The City Council and Traffic Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed expansion at 7 p.m. Feb. 24 at Malden Government Center.

With parking scarce at the two T stations, nonresidents commuting to Boston from Malden are snapping up parking spaces on city streets. As a result, more residents living on streets just beyond the resident parking areas are asking for their streets to be added to the resident sticker-parking program, officials say.

Ward 1 Councillor Gary J. Christenson, whose ward includes the bus line along Main Street, said the parking crunch created by nonresidents is the second most common complaint from residents, behind street/sidewalk repairs.

"People tell me all the time about people from outside the city coming in, parking on streets near the bus stop and proceeding on to their destination. They save on parking, but it creates havoc in the neighborhood," he said.

Farmer, who has lived all her 68 years in her family home on Judson Street, agreed. Although she has a driveway to park in, she's not immune to her street's parking woes. A red truck has been parked in front of her house for weeks, she said, taking a prime spot for friends and family who visit. Another time, Judson Street was so packed with cars, she hit a car across the street, as she backed out of her driveway. "And do you know where that car was registered?" Farmer asked. "Lynnfield."

In what began as a relatively smooth evening discussing the city's ongoing sticker parking problem and passing renewal licenses, turned emotional once the petition of Robert Rivers for a Special Permit was announced.

Rivers, a longtime Malden resident and builder, has been petitioning since September to construct four townhouses at 163 Forest Street, the current site of an abandoned house.

The four townhouses, however, would be in the middle of one and two family-style homes which was the primary argument from forty-five area residents who appeared at the council meeting to listen to the debate.

Councillor Gary Christenson supported the neighbors but he told them that although he was voting to deny the special permit, "Nobody wins either way." He further stated "the bottom line is that it is a blighted area and something must be done. But for now when there is this kind of dissent he felt that all available options should be explored before voting to grant."

The special permit was ultimately denied because the two-thirds agreement required by the City Council wasnot met.

Councillor Christenson Tuesday night offered a resolve asking for a hearing to look into the potential of implementing a citywide resident sticker parking program.

 

The resolve which calls for a joint meeting of the City Council and Traffic Commission passed unanimously and could be held as early as the first weeks of February.

 

"My co-sponsorship of this issue was because during my campaign, resident sticker parking was the second biggest concern of ward one residents," said Christenson.

 

He said the residents he represents are concerned about people from outside the city parking cars on area streets then taking the MBTA to work in other parts of the city and Boston.

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Christenson steps up - School Committee member sworn in to Ward 1 council seat

(From the Malden Observer Thursday, January 8, 2004)

When Gary Christenson was a sophomore at Malden High School, he was standing with a friend at his locker when a handful of other friends passed by. After he said "hello" to each one in turn, his friend said, "you should run for class president."

It turned out to be a fateful moment for Christenson, who ever since has found his calling in government service. Now that he's been elected to the City Council from Ward 1, he's more excited about that goal than ever.

"I always wanted to be the link between government and the people," said Christenson, who edged out Eda Daniel in the November election.

Christenson, 35, has lived in Malden as long as he can remember, and always around the same neighborhood. He lives on Beacon Street, but this spring plans to move into a new condo at the former Belmont School on Cross Street, where he attended elementary school.

"I couldn't be happier," he said. "This is the place I grew up, the place I delivered newspapers."

After graduating from Suffolk University, Christenson pursued a career in public service, including a 1994-97 stint as a staff member of the Ways and Means Committee of the state House of Representatives. In 1997, recently-elected Middlesex County Sheriff James DiPaola, a former House member from Malden, asked Christenson to head the budget office of the sheriff's department, a position he's held to this day.

"I manage a staff of 10 and a budget of $50 million," Christenson said. "It's a great job. There's lots of legislative interaction."

In 1999, he was asked by staff of the mayor's office to stand for nomination to the School Committee. In April, he was approved by the City Council, taking on his first political position within the city. After the adoption of the new city charter, he was chosen to sit on the city's first elected School Committee, representing Ward 1.

"I've seen it from both sides," Christenson said. "The elected position has more to offer, because you really have to get out there and meet people."

He used the experiences he gained in School Committee to help him win his first race for City Council. Now that he's earned this longtime dream, his top priority is to keep the lines of communication open with constituents.

"My real focus is going to be figuring out how I want the neighborhood to look, how I want to interact with the residents, and what kinds of events we want to run," Christenson said. "The majority of my time is going to be spent figuring out the best way to communicate. I'm going to start an email database for the ward, and I'll hold monthly office hours. I'm already getting volunteers together to help with July 4th, because I have to get a jump to accomplish what I want to do."

One asset Christenson will have to draw on is his knowledge of the state budget process, he said.

"It's been advantageous at the local level," Christenson said of his state contacts. "I get a heads-up on state activity that affects us at the local level. I'll use my experience in any way I can to help the city."

Traffic and parking issues are top priorities of his constituents, Christenson said, and will be a major focus.

"Streets and sidewalks, that's number one," he said. "That's the top concern around the ward. If people are investing their time and money into keeping up their own properties, they want to see the same from the city. We have to look at our infrastructure and come up with options to go about fixing it."

Christenson also hopes to open a discussion on permit parking.

"Folks from outside the city are parking cars here, to take the T or the bus, and it's wreaking havoc," he said. "Is it time for the city to look at permit parking, at least on some of our side streets? That's something I'd like to look into."

In his spare time, Christenson is an avid reader, a movie buff, and a Patriots season ticket holder since 1994. His biggest reward, though, is spending time representing the neighborhood where he and his family have spent their lives.

"It's a dream come true," he said. "This is something I've thought about for a long time, and to actually fulfill it is really special. The city's been good to me, and I want to give something back."

Gary heads to the podium to be sworn in as the new Ward 1 City Councillor.