Lou

Caucus Results

Thursday May 25 we held our caucus and elected members to attend the MassDems Issues Convention.

The following people were elected to attend the MassDems State Convention:

  • Lou Bernazzani
  • Liz Brennan
  • Joe Caiazzo
  • Karen Desmond
  • Beth Kontos
  • Vince Malgeri
  • Tom Meagher
  • Ted Speliotis

Sally Kerans, Marilyn Hazel, and Julie Curtis as State Representative and State Committee Members go ex officio.

There are a couple of slots still not filled. If you are interested in being a delegate to the convention, you can do so by emailing to info@danversdemocrats.org, or to hazel_marilyn@yahoo.com or by using Contact Us on this website.

This is an Issues Convention to be held Sat. Sept. 23 at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.  (For more info, go to https://massdems.org/massdems-convention/ ). The fee is $75; $50 for Seniors.  There is also a fee waiver.  Reminder to dlegates to pay for the Convention on massdems.org.

This was our first hybrid meeting conducted in person at the library and also via Zoom enabling those who are unable to attend in person to participate. It worked well and will likely be how we will conduct meetings in the future. (We were glad to have our newest member, Liz Brennan to participate from home.) In addition to enabling committee members to join virtually, it will also make it easier for speakers to address the committee when their schedules make it difficult to meet with us in person.

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THE CONVENTION. You can do so by emailing to info@danversdemocrats.org, or to hazel_marilyn@yahoo.com or using Contact Us on this website.

Caucus Results Read More »

Trump found liable for sexual abuse, defamation in E. Jean Carroll case, ordered to pay $5M in damages

Writer E. Jean Carroll was awarded $5 million Tuesday by a Manhattan jury that found former President Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming her. The nine-person jury — three women and six men — decided the case after three hours of deliberations. Watchers in the court gallery cried tears of joy when the verdict finding Trump liable for sexual abuse was read out.

Trump has his typical response. It’s a witch hunt. It’s a hoax. Trump did not attend the trial but the jury saw clips of his video deposition. He also didn’t call any witnesses or present any evidence. In his deposition, he virtually proved the plaintiffs case all by himself.

Trump found liable for sexual abuse, defamation in E. Jean Carroll case, ordered to pay $5M in damages Read More »

Meet Your Representatives event held on May 20

The DDTC sponsored an informal Democrat Social Event at the Peabody Institute Library on Saturday morning May 20.

Our event was very successful.  Many Danvers Dems attended ( I counted around 30) and I think that we might have some new members.  

State Senator Joan Lovely, State Representative Sally Kerans, Governors Councillor Eileen Duff and Congressman Seth Moulton’s representative Matt Chilliak joined us providing an update on the issues being faced and worked on at the local, state and national level. It evolved into a great Q and A and interesting discussion of dem values and concerns. We are very grateful to them for giving of their time and staying around for the entire 2 hours mingling with us and answering questions in an informal setting.

Also thank you to Lou and Julie for all their help. We sent out about 250 mailings to Dems who actively vote.  Lou and Maria worked hard on this task. Julie handled advertising.

We also thank everyone who attended and look forward for more opportunities to engage on the issues.

If you have questions or want more information, please contact us

For those unable to attend, the following is a short video ( 3-4 minutes) about the DDTC.

Meet Your Representatives event held on May 20 Read More »

Election Results: Community Preservation Act fails

The Community Preservation Act has once again failed in Danvers.
The CPA failed at the polls during the town’s spring election with 1,513 residents voting against it and 1,322 in favor.
The act would have created a local fund to preserve historic buildings, landmarks, drinking water supplies and open space in town, along with community housing programs. It also would have helped create recreational areas and rehabilitate local parks, playgrounds and athletic fields.
The matter was the sole ballot question for the town’s May 2 election. If it had passed, the CPA fund would have been subsidized through a surcharge of 1% on the annual property tax assessed on real property in Danvers, translating to $18 a quarter for the average Danvers homeowner, according to local proponents of the CPA.

School Committee members Eric Crane and Joshua Kepnes, Town Moderator Patricia Fraizer and Select Board member Maureen Bernard ran unopposed for re-election and will remain in their seats.

Lisa Silva won an uncontested race for a spot on the Danvers Housing Authority, while Irene Conte, CoryRyan and Charles Desmond were voted in to fill three seats on the Board of Library Trustees.

Precincts 3, 5 and 7 were the only contested races for Town Meeting.

Precinct 3 voted in Jane Fuller, Linda Lee, James Morose, George Snow, Jeffrey Cary and Jeanne Argento, edging out Gary Cannavo.

Precinct 5 elected Julie Elizabeth Curtis, Charles Dame Jr., Rebecca Froncki, Amy Elizabeth Ciancarelli, Jennifer St. Arneault and Michael Shannon, while Brian Barry just missed getting in.

Precinct 7 elected William Fouhey, Katie Hislop, Robert O’Keefe, Kenneth Gerald Scholes Jr., Kyle Bryce Hopkins, Kristine Cheetham, and R. Geoffrey Caldarone, beating Mark Zuberek.

As for non-contested races, in Precinct 1, Susan Dagley, Torey Adler, Joan Louise Chane, Nova Samodai, Deborah Mary Gesualdo and Karen Joanne Nelson were elected.

Precinct 2 voted in Edward Joseph Gibbons III, Jarod Waterman, Arthur James Francis and Ellen Lefavour.

Precinct 4 elected Gary Alton Jones, Jason Anthony Gross, Cory Ryan, Lisa Marie Trask, Laurent Perreault, Sara Jean D’Antonio and Valentine Ndanga Nanah.

In Precinct 6, Vincent Mackey, Dutrochet Djoko, Mark Lentine, Fawn Burns Anderson, Peter Wilson and Ryan Griffis were voted in.

Precinct 8 saw John Pumphrey Jr., Brandi Ditch, Jonathan Mattarocchia and Jane Tremblay get elected.

Caroline Enos Salem News Staff Writer

Election Results: Community Preservation Act fails Read More »

Community Preservation Act on May 2 ballot

TOWN WIDE ELECTION MAY 2, 2023   VOTE YES for the Quality of Life in Danvers.

The Trustees of the Society voted to support what is likely the most important historic preservation effort that the Town of Danvers has undertaken in the past century.

By accepting the Community Preservation Act , the Town of Danvers would create a grant program to fund historic preservation, open space preservation, and veterans and senior housing programs. This fund would mean that the Rebecca Nurse Homestead Museum, the Danvers Historical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution (Samuel Holten House), and other Danvers history organizations would be able to apply for a share of more than $1.2 million in grants each year.

The Community Preservation Fund is partly paid by fees collected by the Registry of Deeds. Currently, this money paid by Danvers residents is going to other towns’ historic sites each year instead of funding historic preservation here in Danvers. In addition to state money, the fund would be financed by a local charge of 1% of your current property tax bill. (Not the assessed value.) The average Danvers home owner would pay about $17.50 per quarter.

With CPA historic preservation grant funds, the Town of Danvers Preservation Commission would be able to:

Restore the dozens of veteran’s graves that have fallen into disrepair and dishonor in the town-owned cemeteries (such as on High St.) or the abandoned cemeteries the town maintains.

Ensure preservation of the 1681 Salem Village Parsonage site on Centre St.,1892 Peabody Institute Library, 1855 Town Hall, 1832 Putnamville School, façade of the 1923 Holten-Richmond Middle School, 1870 Civil War memorial and other veterans memorials, the Salem Village Witch-Hunt Victims Memorial on Hobart St., and numerous other historic sites.

How you can be involved:

-Encourage your friends and family who are Danvers residents and supporters of historic preservation to support this effort as well.

-Host a sign on your lawn, or volunteer to hold a sign at an intersection around town.

-Vote YES on May 2nd, 2023

For any questions, please contact President, David McKenna at 508-328-2790

Community Preservation Act on May 2 ballot Read More »

Community Preservation Act on Ballot at Town Election – May 2

The Annual Election is on May 2.

Positions on the ballot:

  • Town Moderator – one 1 year term
  • Select Board member – one 3 year term
  • Housing authority – one 1 year term
  • School Committee – two
  • Library Trustees – three 3 year term
  • Town Meeting member for all eight precincts – six – 3 year term
  • Town Meeting member Precinct 4 – one – 2 year term (in addition to six)
  • Town Meeting member Precinct 4 – one – 1 year term (in addition to six)

Community Preservation Act

The DDTC supports the CPA

VOTE YES for the Quality of Life in Danvers.

The Trustees of the Society voted to support what is likely the most important historic preservation effort that the Town of Danvers has undertaken in the past century.

By accepting the Community Preservation Act , the Town of Danvers would create a grant program to fund historic preservation, open space preservation, and veterans and senior housing programs. This fund would mean that the Rebecca Nurse Homestead Museum, the Danvers Historical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution (Samuel Holten House), and other Danvers history organizations would be able to apply for a share of more than $1.2 million in grants each year.

The Community Preservation Fund is partly paid by fees collected by the Registry of Deeds. Currently, this money paid by Danvers residents is going to other towns’ historic sites each year instead of funding historic preservation here in Danvers. In addition to state money, the fund would be financed by a local charge of 1% of your current property tax bill. (Not the assessed value.) The average Danvers home owner would pay about $6.00 per month.

With CPA historic preservation grant funds, the Town of Danvers Preservation Commission would be able to:

Restore the dozens of veteran’s graves that have fallen into disrepair and dishonor in the town-owned cemeteries (such as on High St.) or the abandoned cemeteries the town maintains.

Ensure preservation of the 1681 Salem Village Parsonage site on Centre St.,1892 Peabody Institute Library, 1855 Town Hall, 1832 Putnamville School, façade of the 1923 Holten-Richmond Middle School, 1870 Civil War memorial and other veterans memorials, the Salem Village Witch-Hunt Victims Memorial on Hobart St., and numerous other historic sites.

Web ask all members to vote YES on May 2nd, 2023

For any questions, please contact President, David McKenna at 508-328-2790

The Community Preservation Act is on the ballot also. For more information, go to https://www.danvershistory.org/collecting-signatures-for-cpa-2/

I

Community Preservation Act on Ballot at Town Election – May 2 Read More »

MassDems select Steve Kerrigan as new chair

Former lieutenant governor nominee Steve Kerrigan cruised to the top post at the Massachusetts Democratic Party with no opposition Monday night.

A majority of the party’s state committee members elected Kerrigan as the next party chair on a voice vote. He was the only nominee and ran with support from top power players including Gov. Maura Healey.

Kerrigan succeeds Gus Bickford, who stepped down after a more than six-year tenure as party chair that saw Democrats expand their supermajorities in both legislative chambers.

Kerrigan, a veteran party operative who is currently CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, previously worked for the late Sen. Edward Kennedy. He ran the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In a statement, Kerrigan called his new role “the honor of a lifetime.”

“I inherit a strong foundation thanks to Gus Bickford’s terrific leadership. Senator Kennedy always reminded us that you never rest on your laurels. You can always get better,” Kerrigan said. “My goal is to make the Massachusetts Democratic Party the gold standard for state parties across the country. We will do that by harnessing the tremendous energy at our grassroots, by representing all our people and being accessible to all, and by building an infrastructure that elects and supports Democratic leaders up and down the ballot. I cannot wait to get to work.”

MassDems select Steve Kerrigan as new chair Read More »