City Manager Fidel Maltez has placed an emphasis on communicating with residents since he took office in January. Earlier this week, Maltez recorded the latest in his series of public outreach videos to air on Chelsea Community TV. The text of his December video, which focuses on events in the city over the past year, is below:
Hello Residents of Chelsea, Welcome to our community! My name is Fidel Maltez, and it is my honor to serve as your City Manager.
As we approach the end of 2024, the year marking Chelsea's 400th anniversary, I want to take a moment to reflect on what we have accomplished this year, as well as the exciting opportunities we have as we move forward into 2025.
Chelsea has always been a city of resilience and strength, built by the perseverance of our people. Chelsea has been tested time and time again, from the Battle of Chelsea Creek in the American Revolutionary War, to the devastation of the Great Chelsea Fires of 1908 and 1973, to receivership in the 1990's. The Global COVID-19 pandemic shook us to our core. Yet despite these challenges, Chelsea continues to thrive, stronger, more resilient, and more vibrant than ever before.
This year in particular, we have made tremendous strides in improving the quality of life for our residents, enhancing our community's infrastructure, and investing in projects that will benefit us for years to come. Some of the highlights from 2024 include:
The launch of our groundbreaking solar-powered microgrid project that will help Chelsea become more energy independent and climate resilient. This innovative project officially kicked off earlier this month with the installation of hundreds of solar panels on our City Yard building. This installation sets the stage for the development of a localized energy network that will provide the City reliable, clean energy, especially during peak demand periods and power outages, and is a major step forward in protecting our city's essential services and most vulnerable residents. We have also issued permits for a 250 Megawatt battery storage project that will add electrical capacity to our region.
A new addition to the City of Chelsea this year is our Lead Task Force, composed of leaders from various city departments dedicated to eliminating every lead service line in Chelsea. This task force, with support from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and community partners, has enabled us to accelerate our efforts to get the lead out of Chelsea, and as of this year, we have identified and replaced 200 lead lines and identified more than 3,000 safe copper service lines. In 2025, we will continue this important work to ensure every resident has access to safe drinking water.
The Chelsea Fire Department rolled out a Fire Safety Education Program, aimed at educating residents about fire prevention and safety practices. This initiative helps our community understand critical safety measures, such as heating and cooking safety, and provides personalized fire safety tips through in-person visits or station tours. This year has seen an unprecedented amount of fires in the community. The City and our partners, La Colaborativa, TND, Salvation Army and others, have been there to support our residents in times of need. Our Firefighters did an amazing job responding to these fires, putting their lives at risk, to ensure there is no loss of life. Their actions this year have been heroic and we thank them each and every day. We have also focused on public safety this year, launching our youth engagement efforts, and leaning in on Community Policing. I can honestly say that the Chelsea Police Department is the best in the Commonwealth. Our officers are focused on supporting residents in need. This year we continued our Chelsea Hub model, our Downtown Taskforce initiative, and expanded our partnerships with mental health partners like North Suffolk. Chelsea Police is dedicated to protecting our residents, and we will continue making public safety a priority.
We also began construction on the Downtown Broadway Project in June, marking the largest beautification and utility reconstruction effort in over three decades. This $30 million investment will revamp the Broadway corridor with new utilities, roadways, sidewalks, and pedestrian safety improvements, making our downtown more vibrant and accessible for all.
We have made significant strides in improving our parks and open spaces. In 2024, we opened Forsyth Pocket Park, a new small park at the corner of Lafayette Ave and Sturgis Street, offering shaded seating and new plantings to help reduce heat in the neighborhood. We celebrated our newly renovated Highland Park, and hosted the New England Revolution team as they trained with our students from Chelsea High School and members of ROCA. Additionally, we have fully renovated and reopened Bosson Park, which now boasts new play equipment and a renovated half basketball court and a splash pad. And just this past month, we celebrated the grand reopening of the fully renovated Mace Basketball Court, adding to Chelsea's growing list of vibrant spaces for community connection and youth engagement.
We also completed ribbon cutting on new housing developments like the DUO on Central Avenue, 25 6 th Street, and many others. Our Administration is focused on addressing the housing crisis, and we know that building units is critical in these efforts.
This year Chelsea has opened over 300 new housing units, with at least half of them being affordable housing units. We will continue supporting smart-growth development projects and will focus on expanding affordable housing for our residents.
We have also embarked on Chelsea Pa'Lante, our first comprehensive master plan since 1970. This community-driven initiative reflects our commitment to inclusion, progress, and equity, and will guide Chelsea's development over the next 10 years. This plan focuses on creating a future that benefits all residents and continues to build a thriving, sustainable city.
This year, we came together to celebrate Chelsea's rich history, successes, and vibrant future. From the Chelsea 400th Gala and Chelsea Day to the Latin Heritage Festival and the 400th Parade, these events helped us honor the past while looking ahead to the next chapter of our city's story. Thank you to everyone who attended these events, and a special shout-out to the Chelsea 400th Committee, the City staff, volunteers, and community partners who helped celebrate Chelsea's 400th anniversary with pride and enthusiasm.
These accomplishments reflect our city's spirit of innovation, resilience, and community.
While we have made great strides in 2024, we know that our work is just beginning. Our Administration knows that many of our residents are struggling with housing costs, having access to good paying jobs, and ensuring your children receive the educationthey deserve to achieve the American Dream. We also know that 2025 has significant uncertainty, especially with a new presidential administration. We know there are still challenges to face and opportunities to seize. The progress we have made this year is just the beginning of what is to come.
We will continue to build on the foundation we have laid, ensuring a brighter, stronger future for Chelsea. Together, we will keep moving forward, Chelsea Pa'Lante, embracing the possibilities and facing the challenges ahead with the same determination that has defined our city for 400 years.
Thank you for your continued support and for being part of this incredible journey. Let us look ahead to an even brighter future in 2025.
See you next time on Our Community. Thank you and May god bless the City of Chelsea.