MELROSE — This summer, Mayor Jen Grigoraitis and city staff met with hundreds of residents in a variety of settings and forums, including coffee hours at senior and public housing facilities and first-time events such as “Slice of the City” neighborhood socials and a New Resident Open House at City Hall.
“Government is at its most effective when elected leaders can meet their constituents where they are and understand their priorities on a direct, personal level,” said the mayor. “Thank you to all the residents who attended outreach events in recent months to meet their neighbors and make their voices heard.”
During the months of August and September, Grigoraitis attended coffee hours at the Steele House, the Cefalo Complex, the Cochrane House, the McCarthy House, the Fuller and Gould Houses, and the Residence at Melrose Station. These meetups were an opportunity for residents, particularly those who might be homebound, to speak directly with the mayor about their concerns, priorities, and hopes for the community.
She also hosted five Slice of the City events in neighborhoods around the city. At Slice events, residents joined the mayor and city councilors for informal gatherings at parks and green spaces in their wards of the city while enjoying pizza from a neighborhood shop. Thank you to Council President Migliorelli and Councilors Jamaleddine, Williams, Karamcheti, Stewart, Garipay, Vandiver, Finocchiaro and Romanul for joining and supporting these new events.
Finally, the mayor and city staff, joined by City Council President Leila Migliorelli and School Committee Chair Dorie Withey, invited new residents of Melrose to attend a New Resident Open House at City Hall earlier this month to meet their elected officials and learn more about city services, programs and initiatives.