Full Speed Ahead: DeLeo Delivers the Great News in Person

It’s baseball season, so let’s just say that our state representative, Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo, hit a home run in his appearance at the Winthrop Town Council meeting Tuesday night. DeLeo delivered the outstanding news in person that it’s full steam ahead for the long-awaited and much-anticipated re-nourishing of Winthrop Shore Reservation’s Winthrop and Short Beaches.

After what the Speaker himself called years of frustration in trying to get the project moving forward, DeLeo assured Winthrop residents that the project is a go and it will get underway in the near future. The funding mechanisms for the project are in place and will be there until the end when DeLeo said the beach will look beautiful once again and the community will be safer by providing flood protection for those residential areas along the coastline.

As the holder of the one of most powerful positions in Massachusetts state government, Bob has to keep abreast of issues statewide. But he always has said that he represents the town of Winthrop first and foremost and places his top priority on the betterment of our community. His dedication to following through with dogged determination the Winthrop Beach renourishment project is yet another example of the Speaker getting things done for our town.

The Speaker, who was joined by State Sen. Anthony Petruccelli for his appearance, also talked about the casino issue. Town Councilor Linda Calla made an excellent point that perhaps Winthrop should be considered in the category of “host” community because of its unique geographic situation from which residents have to travel through Revere and East Boston. Because of Speaker DeLeo’s foresight and what is an unprecedented move for a neighboring community in casino legislation, the casino licensee must reach out to Winthrop and negotiate a mitigation agreement. The Council has invited Suffolk Downs CEO Chip Tuttle to an upcoming meeting.

We’re grateful to Speaker DeLeo for his outstanding work on the Winthrop Beach Project which soon will become a reality. The Speaker received warm applause from the councilors and the residents in attendance at the Council meeting and we’re sure Mike Cabral’s WCAT audience grew when it was learned that Speaker DeLeo, a former Selectman, was on the agenda.

Council President Peter Gill requested a photo with the Speaker and his colleagues on the Council. Despite his busy schedule, DeLeo graciously stayed and the photo was taken.

We know we join the town in saying, “Thank you, yet again, Speaker DeLeo.”