Mayor's Inauguration Speech - January 2014
Inauguration Speech 2014
Mayor Donna D. Holaday
January 6th, 2014
Sheriff Cousins, Senator Ives, Representative Costello, Honorable Mayors, City Councilors, School Committee members, residents, my family and friends-
It is an honor and a privilege to stand before you humbled by your renewed confidence in me to serve as your mayor; to serve the first four-year mayoral term in our City’s history. This morning, I have sworn before you the same oath that 67 Mayors before me have taken, pledging my commitment to the office, its duties, and to you the citizens of our City.
Newburyport is a magnificent City and today we begin the celebration of our 250th anniversary. Our City has played a significant role in the history of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States. You heard the reflections of A Stroll through Time by our Newburyport High School students of the rich, diverse and important stories of the peoples and events we must continue to tell. As we gather together over this coming year to celebrate our heritage, we have the opportunity to reflect on and learn from the shared beliefs, principles and values that shaped our City for the past 250 years. The common themes that consistently emerge are of an inclusive and resilient community; of the inspiration of our forefathers that brought prosperity and unity to make a better life.
In 1725, the Waterside people came together as a community and requested that the First Parish Church grant them their own meetinghouse; a request that was finally granted in 1764, and thus began the town of Newbury Port. In 1796, Doctor Timothy Dwight described the city: “Newburyport… lies on the southern shore of the Merrimac. The town is built on a hill of unrivalled beauty. The slope is easy and elegant; the soil rich, the streets, sweet and clean, and the lush vegetation, wherever it is visible, exquisite… and at a small distance from the shore, Plum Island, a wild and fantastical sand beach.”
From the 1700s to today, we can trace the integrity, industry and courage that persevered despite the rise and fall of industries and trades and even the call to arms. The City was frequently described as the place of enlightened social values and progressive dialogue within the United States, with our residents being noted as particularly generous and hospitable towards strangers.
This generosity is one of the core values of our history, the foundation and fabric of our community - taking care of one another. This principle was initiated with the care of the widows and children left behind by the sailors lost at sea. Many of these organizations, created over 200 years ago, are still in place today- Howard Benevolent Society, Society for Relief of Aged Women, General Charitable Society and Relief of Aged Men.
Today, we can be proud of the extensive network of non-profit organizations that provide a range of support and services to our community - Salvation Army, YWCA, Opportunity Works, Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center, Roof Over Head, Turning Point, Learning Enrichment Center, Pennies for Poverty, the Council on Aging and so many more. These vital agencies must be supported to ensure we maintain and strive to support all generations and all needs of individuals and families living in our community.
Volunteerism is a natural extension of this generosity and is another core value rooted in our history. In 1811, the Great Fire tore through Newburyport, destroying over 250 buildings and leaving 90 families homeless. The stories of the heroic deeds of citizens standing shoulder to shoulder, manning buckets, and supporting the emergency effort is inspiring. Surrounding communities came to aid in fighting the blaze and within days, donations were pouring in from across the northeast to assist those who had lost their homes and businesses. Newburyport has honored this exchange of support at times of crisis and Mutual Aid continues today as a major Public Safety program.
Volunteerism is also a critical component of what makes our City work. Hundreds of residents serve on Boards, Commissions, Committees, and ad hoc groups to address a wide range of City needs. I encourage every resident to give whatever they can of their time and talent - every hour matters. Whether it is for our schools, parks, special events, or fundraisers, we need your help to continue to build our community. The words spoken in 1925 by The Honorable Mayor Michael Cashman continue to ring true to what our collective efforts can mean for our City today: “We want to keep Newburyport in the forefront; as a city with a soul; a city that has the vision of greater things to come; a city that is willing to work for ….. the health and happiness of all its people.”
Industry clearly is another key value that was critical to Newburyport’s development in order to adapt to and to survive in the changing economics of the region. After more than a century as a thriving shipbuilding and trade community, the City turned to manufacturing in the late 1800s. In 1881, then Mayor Robert Couch stated: “If we put into this industry the same energy our fathers put into commerce, Newburyport will soon be prepared to take its place once more as a thriving and growing community.” Manufacturing, in fact, did succeed, with shoemaking and textiles surpassing shipbuilding in those years of transition.
Transportation advancements also had an impact on our local economy as the region shifted its focus from the sea and rail to the interstate. On this front as well, Newburyport again responded swiftly and decisively, and the Lord Timothy Dexter Industrial Park was created. Bill Plante wrote of the dedication ceremony “this formal dedication is recognition of more than the naming of a plot of ground. It is recognition of sacrifice and vision of hundreds of citizens... It is recognition of their commitment to a new industrial future.”
Today, we see the status of the Park with a broader context - the Newburyport Business & Industry Park now supports companies with leadership in the semi-conductor industry, woodworking, pharmaceuticals, electronics, microbrewing and green technologies that continues to evolve to the adapting needs of the Merrimac Valley workforce and beyond.
Newburyport’s transportation initiatives are an integral part of our Green Communities Designation and our long-term sustainability plan. Present-day transportation planning and policies must recognize that livability and economic development are intertwined - livability and walkability draws new residents and businesses here and both are important contributors to our City and quality of life. The Rail Trail and its next phase of expansion, the Shared Used Path to be built with the Whittier Bridge Project to connect Newburyport, Salisbury and Amesbury Rail Trails, and our first Transient Oriented Design, an affordable residential project at the train station, are current initiatives illustrating our City’s commitment to this new direction.
Civic pride is another strong theme that we see throughout our City’s History. It motivated George Cashman, the first Yankee Homecoming Chairman, to action in creating a festival that continues today. In 1958, Yankee Homecoming was born and this ten-day celebration had a significant impact on the attitude towards our city, Mr. Cashman recalled “attitudes began to change, especially when so many people from outside of Newburyport . . . spoke of how beautiful the city was and how much it had to offer. Citizens began to take pride in the history of Newburyport, and during future Homecomings, other historic events were recreated amplifying this pride.”
This dedication and perseverance drove the restoration of our downtown and our City’s economic recovery. Urban Renewal was no longer equated with demolition but with preservation. Mayors George Lawler and Byron Matthews and committed residents were successful in the securing the future of our City – ensuring the preservation and rehabilitation of our downtown with its rich architecture and maritime heritage. With the aid of federal funding, the Newburyport Redevelopment Authority was born and our downtown was restored and revitalized with new investments in restaurants, retail shops, small businesses and the arts.
Newburyport has long supported our arts. The historic building that houses the Firehouse Center for the Arts was built as a market house and lyceum by the citizens of Newburyport in 1823. It hosted such distinguished speakers as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Daniel Webster and Oliver Wendell Holmes. It was fitting that, in 1991, through a cooperative public and private effort, the Firehouse Center was restored as a public center for the arts and that it will continue to serve the community for generations to come.
Today, our City continues to honor its artists, authors, actors, play writers, and musicians through Arts Festivals, the Literary Festival, concerts, film and theatrical events. We recently have been designated by the state as a Cultural District, the 19th in the Commonwealth, which will unite all of our artistic, cultural, historical, and tourism efforts under one umbrella to showcase all that our City has to offer. On behalf of our City, I want to extend my thanks to Senator Ives and Representative Costello for their support of our application. Now that we have been formally recognized as a cultural tourism destination, this year-long celebration of our 250th anniversary will be a great opportunity to reflect on what core values continue to inspire us, how far we have advanced as a community over these two and a half centuries, and to share all that we have to offer today.
Lastly, we come to the topic of education. The support of the education of our children has a long history within our City. In 1867, The Honorable Mayor George Jackman stated, “…..the wealth of the city… [is] not in its money or its acres, but in its children, …..I ask you especially to consider and provide for the public instruction of our youth.” And The Honorable Mayor Robert Burke stated in 1910, "Our very highest duty is to see that our schools are of the best."
Education and workforce collaboration have had a dramatic impact on the future direction of public education. We have an obligation to prepare our children for this future and build their interest in careers that are known to be in demand in today’s society, particularly those in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) as well as the field of health care, finance and technology.
We must also recognize the effect of budget cuts on the importance of other programs: foreign languages, music, theater and art and continue our efforts to restore these offerings. Our schools are moving in the right direction under the leadership of our new superintendent, Susan Viccaro - transitioning to the Common Core, implementing strong Mentoring and Professional Development programs and a new teacher evaluation system, completing a comprehensive technology plan, strengthening Special Education services and developing new partnerships with local colleges and universities. These are all important steps to help ensure that the next generation of Newburyporters are best equipped to enter the workforce with the skills that they need to succeed.
Within the next several months, we will finally have 21st century facilities to educate our children, with a new Bresnahan Elementary School and the renovations of the Nock/Molin School. But new facilities aren’t enough - we must renew our efforts and support statewide initiatives to address the need for changes in State funding for public education including full-day kindergarten, charter schools and special education. I ask each resident to work with us to attend school committee and neighborhood meetings to learn about our school and educational needs and to support the efforts of the Newburyport Education Foundation. The education of our children must be of the highest priority.
We have worked through difficult economic times that have impacted our nation, state and community. I know I speak for many in extending our thanks to our federal partnerships with Congressman Tierney, Senators Markey and Warren and our state partnerships with Senator Ives and Representative Costello; we are appreciative of all of your efforts to support and advance many of the initiatives addressed today.
As we move forward, we will continue to build City services that are innovative and responsive while working to improve our efficiency and effectiveness to meet the needs of every resident of the City. Again, I ask for your support, to join us to share your gifts to continue to move our City forward.
Leaders are assessed by their courage, judgment, integrity and dedication. These qualities, coupled with the core values of generosity, volunteerism, industry, perseverance and civic pride that have shaped our City over the past 250 years, will be the principles that I will continue to aspire to as your Mayor.
In closing, let us take a moment to pause and consider all of what Newburyport means; to celebrate our history and commit to working together to shape our future. We must recognize that there is so much more that unites us than divides us.
We must always honor and learn from our past and use the lessons we have learned to achieve our present goals as we work together to shape the future for those who will come after us.
Happy 250th Anniversary! Thank you.