By Lorna Garey
Orange Line riders looking out the window rather than at their phones might notice a structure straddling the Mystic River between Assembly’s Draw Seven State Park and the Costco plaza. What they might not realize is that it’s the Amelia Earhart Dam, built in 1966, which helps protect the entire Mystic River watershed — and a large swath of Malden — from tidal storm surges that could cause catastrophic flooding.
Malden hasn’t experienced coastal or tidal flooding since the construction of the dam, according to the city’s Climate Action Plan, and at their Tuesday meeting, the City Council focused on keeping it that way. They unanimously passed a resolution asking the city’s state legislative delegation to support S. 2542, known as the Mass Ready Act, which sets aside $401.6 million to support inland dams and flood control projects.
The Amelia Earhart Dam has been on radar for some time. It’s in the Department of Conservation and Recreation capital plan, and in 2023, the state dedicated $28 million in ARPA funding to redesign the elevation of the dam, renovate Draw Seven Park and build a berm to help prevent coastal flooding. But more work, and money, is needed. The Council’s aim is to secure a portion of the $100 million estimated cost to elevate and strengthen the dam and its embankments. Councilor Carey McDonald, who co-sponsored the resolution alongside Councilor Stephen Winslow, outlined the risks facing the city if the aging structure is not improved.
“It’s the tidal barrier to the Malden River,” said McDonald. “This is one of these climate resilience things that is going to be so important in the next decade or two as sea levels rise, and we need to make sure that our communities don’t suffer catastrophic damage.”
McDonald said the current proposal aims to raise the dam by approximately 18 inches, noting that Ward 1 and Ward 2 are particularly vulnerable and that some estimates predict a problematic sea level rise could impact the area as early as the 2030s.
“The Amelia Earhart Dam sort of protects everything from Salemwood school to the west,” said Winslow, noting that failure to act could be personally costly to residents. “In other communities where they’re not dealing well with coastal resiliency … property insurance goes way up. I mean, just look at the challenges they have in places like Florida. So getting ahead of this and protecting our community, it protects our homes and also saves our residents in the long run.”
Councilor Chris Simonelli threw his support behind the initiative, citing the visible, ongoing erosion of coastal shorelines across the state.
“It’s getting to be a worse and worse problem,” Simonelli said. “This is something that we should actually be seeking funding for and looking to go out and bond for. It’s our future and our children’s future and the well-being of our home, which is Malden.”
Councilor Karen Colón Hayes, a board member of the Mystic River Watershed Association, added her name as a sponsor.
The Malden River is envisioned as a resource for revitalizing Commercial St. and driving Malden’s economic development. And while not part of the resolution, the ongoing Draw Seven Park renovations project includes the proposed Mystic River Crossing pedestrian/bicycle bridge connecting Assembly to Everett that’s slated to open by the end of 2029.
Friends out in the community
The council welcomed Mary Ellen O’Meara, former president of the Friends of the Malden Public Library and current external relations secretary for the nonprofit organization, for the group’s annual presentation.
“As we all know, after Covid, a lot of organizations were kind of on their last legs, and we tried in the last three years to revive the Friends, and we have been successful in that effort,” O’Meara told the council.
She detailed an extensive community outreach strategy that involves moving beyond the library’s walls to host pop-up book sales at local events. From partnering with the Emmanuel Baptist Church for Black History Month to celebrating the Lunar New Year with the Chinese Culture Connection to a book sale with Cornucopia and the Malden Police and Fire Departments, the group has actively embedded itself across Malden’s diverse cultural landscape.
“What I personally have noticed in the three years that we’ve been doing this is, now people not only recognize us, people are waiting for us,” said O’Meara. “Every time we go, we’re just welcomed and have a really good relationship with all of the different community groups.”
The Friends of the Library raise funds by selling books for $1 or $2 and use the money to finance the library’s official wish list, where staff request funding for books, craft materials, snacks and other supplies. The Friends also pay for museum passes residents can request.
“We’ve also partnered with Malden Pride, with a Friends Pride book swap last year and this year, which is at Café Reynard,” she said. “We just get together, and people bring books and they can exchange it for another book. It’s a really happy and friendly event.”
O’Meara invited the public to the Friends’ highly anticipated wine tasting gala fundraiser on May 15, describing it as “the most elegant event in Malden.” She expects more than 200 attendees this year, and that’s just one event on the group’s extensive calendar.
Councilor Michelle Luong expressed gratitude for the volunteers’ efforts.
“Reading especially is, for young children, immeasurable as they grow,” Luong said. “Being part of a nonprofit, it’s thankless, so what you do makes a difference.”
Resolution to tighten budget in advance of election
Maldonians will head to the polls for a Special Election on Tuesday; all schools except for the High School are closed for voting as residents decide if they’re willing to increase their taxes beyond the state’s Proposition 2½ limit to fund core city services. In preparation for a potentially tightened municipal budget, the council demonstrated a willingness to tighten its own belt, passing a resolution requesting Mayor Gary Christenson to submit targeted budget cuts.
The resolution formally asks the mayor to reduce discretionary line items — specifically those tied to water improvement and Fourth of July celebrations — which could result in general fund savings of up to $95,000 for the upcoming fiscal year. The resolution states that the council wishes to “demonstrate a pledge of shared sacrifice and budgetary discipline.”
McDonald, who heads the Finance Committee, explained the committee’s rationale for backing the move, acknowledging that if the override fails at the ballot box, municipal cuts are inevitable.
“We should be clear with the general public that if we cannot fund an override, we’re going to have to cut some things,” McDonald said. “And probably one of the things that will be impacted is this funding for community events.”
DPW workers recognized
Despite looming budget constraints, the council voted unanimously to approve an updated salary schedule for frontline DPW employees. The measure included transferring $175,000 from the city’s salary reserve directly to the Public Works labor budget to fund retroactive pay increases dating back to July 1, 2024.
Councilors, who have put a pin in most future-year agreements, agreed that Malden’s DPW workers, who’ve been operating without an active contract for a year and a half, were long overdue for compensation.
McDonald acknowledged the “awkwardly timed” nature of approving a large salary transfer just days before an override vote but, along with Winslow, called out the essential workers’ dedication through recent challenges.
“During that year and a half, these folks have been on the front lines of dealing with the trash strike, dealing with our recent blizzards, so they’ve been working very hard,” Winslow said. He clarified that the passed measure covers only the period up to June 30, 2026, leaving future fiscal year negotiations paused until override results are finalized.
Simonelli agreed, highlighting his daily neighborhood interactions with DPW crews.
“Particularly the Parks Department folks, because they’re down in my neighborhood every morning getting the parks ready, and they’ve been waiting for this money for a while,” Simonelli said. “It’s going to happen at some point in time, so why make them wait any longer? And I think it’d just be a good sentiment to set out to let them know how much we really appreciate the work that they do.”
In administrative business, the council voted to authorize the legal department to submit responses to the Attorney General in regard to multiple Open Meeting Law complaints.
Personal privilege
Before adjourning, councilors shared upcoming community events that encourage residents to get out and engage with their neighbors.
Councilor Ari Taylor promoted a citywide community yard sale happening on April 25. The cost for a table is $10, and if you sign up at a participating school, the PAC receives that donation.
Winslow announced a trail cleanup at Salemwood School on March 28 and the upcoming Maplewood Fest scheduled for May 16.
Councilor Jadeane Sica wished the community a happy Passover and Easter and reminded families to arrive promptly for the annual Ward 8 Egg Hunt on April 4 at the Linden STEAM Academy, noting she had ordered 5,000 eggs for the occasion.
“Make sure you’re there at 10 a.m. because at 10:05, the eggs will be gone,” said Sica. “I promise you, there will be no eggs left.”
McDonald shared information regarding the upcoming override election, noting that because K-8 and ELC schools will be closed on Tuesday, the Malden Rec Department is offering an open gym program for students. They also plugged the Green Malden Fair on April 25.
Colón Hayes promoted two events happening on Thursday, April 30 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: a North Shore Hispanic Association gala at Malden’s Mineirão Steakhouse; and a public meeting for the Malden River Works at the Senior/Teen Center, featuring a spring update on the project’s progress and photo opportunities with canoes and kayaks.
Luong gave a shoutout to the city’s crossing guards for Crossing Guard Appreciation Month. To mark the end of Women’s History Month, she also reminded residents that the Zonta Club of Malden’s 2026 “Women Making a Difference” event honors Councilor Ari Taylor alongside Linda Cochran, Imene Bouziane Saidi, Elizabeth Santiago and Humanitarian Awardee Amanda Grenier of the Bread of Life.
Council President Amanda Linehan encouraged Community Yard Sale sign-ups, including at the Beebe School.
“I’m excited about it,” she said. “I’m signed up for the Beebe location, and I just want to put a plug in, because I know a lot of Ward 3 folks asked me last year if we could get in on it, and I’ve been trying to spread the word.”
Linehan also congratulated Taylor on the Zonta recognition.
There will be no City Council meeting on March 31 due to the special election.
This is a re-cap of the 3-24-26 City Council meeting. The full meeting is on YouTube.
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