Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 29 Issue 37 Thursday, September 13, 2012 50¢ City, teAChers reACh ACCOrD Menino ‘no’ sends After more than two years of on-again, a new evaluation system for teachers that off-again negotiations, leaders of the Boston would override the current seniority-based teachers’ union and the city of Boston an- system to allow greater flexibility to princi- council back to nounced an agreement yesterday morning. pals in hires and transfers. Teachers, who If approved, the new six-year contract, which currently earn an average salary of $81,633, is valued at $150 million, will raise teachers’ will get a 12 percent increase in pay over the drawing board salaries only if they meet certain performance six-year period. thresholds based on student test scores. “The Boston Teachers Union entered Mayor Menino praised the accord at a these negotiations seeking a contract that on redistricting press conference: “This contract is a big step is good for students, affordable to the city, By Gintautas Dumcius of color into too few districts, forward in taking our school system to the and fair to our members. We accomplished and in doing so may limit their next level – it’s what’s best for our students, all we set out to do,” BTU President Richard news eDitor Mayor Thomas Menino last equal opportunity to elect it works for our teachers, and is fair to our Stutman said in a statement. “We seek a week rejected a controversial candidates of their choice. The taxpayers.” school system that offers the best education it plan to redraw City Council concentration of black voting The contract, retroactive to Aug. 1, 2010, can for our students. We have accomplished boundaries, pointing to Dis- age population and non-white still must be approved by union members that as well.” trict 4’s high concentration of voting age population in Dis- and the Boston School Committee. It includes – REPORTER STAFF voters of color as a factor. trict 4 is of particular concern. “I am returning, with dis- Under the map passed, almost approval, your ordinance 70 percent of the district’s even though I recognize your voting age population is efforts,” he wrote in a Sept. Black and almost 95 percent 6 letter to the council, which is Non-White. In a city where is tasked with redrawing diversity is found broadly, I the boundaries of council ask that you endeavor to avoid districts every ten years in over-concentration of minority order to account for population voters.” shifts revealed by US Census District 4 is represented figures. by City Councillor Charles “My central objection is my Yancey, and includes parts concern that the plan con- of Dorchester and Mattapan. centrates our many citizens (Continued on page 5) Bruce Bolling dies; headed City Council By Gintautas Dumcius news eDitor Bruce Bolling, a former Governor Deval Patrick and Dr. Azzie Young, president and CEO of Mattapan Community Boston City Council president Health Center, cut the ribbon during a ceremony on Monday to dedicate the center’s new and mayoral candidate, died building at 1575 Blue Hill Ave. Photo courtesy Governor’s Office on Tuesday morning at age 67 of prostate cancer. Mr. Bolling was first elected A day of pride in Mattapan to the City Council in 1981 when he ran as one of “Kevin’s Hundreds were on hand Monday Seven,” a slate of candidates to celebrate the official dedication backed by then-Mayor Kevin White. Later, he was elected of the Mattapan Community Health as District 7 councillor, after Center’s new four-story home at the council changed from an Bruce Bolling: first African 1575 Blue Hill Ave. The “green and all at-large body to its present American president of Boston healthy” facility not only houses the form, with 9 district council- City Council. lors and 4 councillors at- large. Photo courtesy WBUR health center, but also a Citizens Bank In 1986, he was elected to branch and CVS/Pharmacy – the first head the Council, becoming dent Christopher Iannella pharmacy in Mattapan Square in over the first African American to died in 1992. Mr. Bolling then hold that position. ran unsuccessfully for mayor 30 years. Story, page 11. In later years, his elec- in 1993, coming in fifth place. toral standing had its ups and He then endorsed the eventual downs. He winner, Thomas Menino. Mom fights parole for son’s killer lost a 1991 race for an This week, the mayor and at-large seat, but he was ap- others credited Bolling with By Gintautas Dumcius also agreed to send letters, Nguyen spent time in be- pointed to one of the at-large being a top supporter of news eDitor Murphy said. tween his arrest and his guilty slots after City Council Presi- (Continued on page 17) The mother of a 19-year-old Earlier this year, Nguyen plea in jail, which counts Savin Hill man who was shot pleaded guilty to manslaugh- towards his sentence. and killed at the MBTA station ter and firearms charges. Over the summer, Murphy INSIDE THIS WEEK in 2011 is seeking to block the In May, he was sentenced received a letter from the state parole of her son’s murderer. to two-and-a-half years in a Parole Board’s victim ser- Viet-AID marks decade The Columbia-Savin Hill house of correction, with two vices unit, notifying her that on Charles Street Civic Association on Monday years of probation to follow. Nguyen is “parole eligible,” The My Gala on Sept. night unanimously voted to Nguyen, now 20, got into an meaning he can be considered support Deirdre Murphy’s argument with Derek Matu- for release from confinement 29 will celebrate the an- request for a letter asking lina and shot him, prosecutors and complete his sentence niversary of the organiza- the state Parole Board to said at the time. He was in the community under tion’s community center. All contents copyright deny parole for Nhu Nguyen. arrested in May 2011, after supervision. Page 5 © 2012 Boston Local elected officials have fleeing to Portland, Maine. (Continued on page 4) Neighborhood News, Inc. Page 2 THE REPORTER September 13, 2012 Reporter’s Notebook On The Record LaMattina loss has hubway kiosk installed politicos befuddled on UMass campus By Gintautas Dumcius “I think there was some surprise, news eDitor but this is a completely different scale Sal LaMattina had money, friends than the Scott Brown election. People in semi-high places, and a desire to thought because he was known that he give up the hustle-bustle of the City would just win,” Palen said, referring Council for the relative repose of the to LaMattina. Suffolk County Registry of Probate. LaMattina is known, but also But something funny happened on well-liked among his colleagues on the way to the registry, which handles the council, who pitched in to help wills, estates, divorces, and adoptions: him slide into the Suffolk Register of LaMattina, the District 1 councillor, Probate job. He pulled in checks from lost last Thursday’s primary to fellow Councillors Rob Consalvo, Michael East Boston native Patricia “Patty” Ross and Mark Ciommo. City Campatelli. Council President Stephen Murphy The circumstances behind LaMat- helped, as did City Clerk Maureen tina’s 611-vote loss remain an electoral Feeney, the former councillor for mystery. Ask insiders across the city District 3. how it happened, and nearly all will Suffolk County is anchored by shake their heads. You’ll find them Boston, but also includes Chelsea, in various states of bewilderment, Winthrop, and Revere. with at least a few unable to name The probate seat became vacant his opponent. Several candidates when Richard Iannella stepped had already established campaign down in 2011 and the interim ap- committees with the expectation that pointee took a pass on running for the there would be a special election to fill $110,000-a-year job. an empty District 1 Council seat in the In the second half of August, LaMat- Crews installed a Hubway bike-sharing kiosk across from the Campus Center coming months. tina spent $26,000, with a chunk of the on the UMass Boston campus. The 19-dock solar-powered station is part of an Theories abound: Women turned money going towards mailers. He had expansion of the popular Hubway system: Another kiosk was also installed out to vote, with Elizabeth Warren, nearly $9,000 as an ending balance last week at JFK-UMass station. “We are very excited to bring the Hubway who ran unopposed for the Democratic in his campaign account heading program to campus,” said Diane D’Arrigo, assistant vice chancellor for campus services at UMass Boston. Photo by Harry Brett nomination, at the top of the ticket. into the election. In the same period, Voters entered the voting booth with Campatelli spent $650 and had an an anti-establishment bent. LaMat- ending balance of $457. tina was overconfident. But LaMattina, who was first elected Lessig speaks on money, Neither LaMattina nor Campatelli to the City Council in 2006 and had corruption at sept. 21 Forum was available this week to talk about previously worked as a neighborhood the race. LaMattina was on vacation, liaison, still managed to lose Boston The Dorchester Speakers Forum will present while Campatelli went to Florida by 799 votes. Campatelli triumphed in Lawrence Lessig, Director of the Edmond J. Safra to take care of family matters, her 162 precincts to LaMattina’s 89, and Foundation Center for Ethics at Harvard University, campaign chairwoman said.