Thomas G. Ambrosino
Thomas G. Ambrosino is an American politician and government official who served as Mayor of Revere, Massachusetts from 2000 to 2012 and is currently the City Manager of Chelsea, Massachusetts.
Thomas G. Ambrosino | |
|---|---|
| City Manager of Chelsea, Massachusetts | |
| Assumed office July 20, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Jay Ash |
| Mayor of Revere, Massachusetts | |
| In office 2000–2012 | |
| Preceded by | Robert J. Haas, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Rizzo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 21, 1961 |
| Nationality | American |
| Residence | Revere, Massachusetts |
| Alma mater | Boston University Harvard Law School |
| Occupation | Lawyer Mayor Public agency director City manager |
Early life
Ambrosino was born on November 21, 1961 to Frederick and Margaret Ambrosino. His father was a lieutenant with the Revere Police Department and his mother was a kitchen aide at a local nursing home. Ambrosino graduated from Revere High School in 1979. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in political science from Boston University in 1983 and a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1986. After passing the bar, Ambrosino spent fourteen years as a practicing attorney. From 1986 to 1994, he was an associate at the Boston firm of Palmer & Dodge. He then ran own practice in Revere until he became mayor.[1]
Politics
From 1990 to 1996, Ambrosino was a member of the Revere School Committee. He then served on the Revere City Council from 1996 to 2000.[2]
Mayor of Revere
In 1999, Ambrosino ran for Mayor of Revere against four-term incumbent Robert J. Haas, Jr. He ran on a platform of limiting taxes and improving education while refraining from sharply criticizing Haas. On November 2, Ambrosino defeated Hass 7,742 votes to 4,238. John Laidler of The Boston Globe described Ambrosino 's 3,504-vote margin of victory as "stunning" and stated that "voters overwhelmingly embraced Ambrosino despite ample evidence that Revere is on the upswing under its current mayor".[1]
Ambrosino made economic development one of his top priorities. During his tenure as Mayor, Saunders Hotel Group, Hampton Inn, and Marriott Residence Inn all opened new hotels in Revere, Necco constructed a new headquarters in the city, a retail development was built at Suffolk Downs, a number of small commercial properties were constructed, and plans were announced for a mixed-use project on beachfront land adjacent to the Wonderland MBTA station.[2][3][4]
Also during Ambrosino's tenure, Revere made a number of infrastructure improvements, including the construction of four new schools.[2]
In 2011, Ambrosino chose not to run for reelection, as he felt he had accomplished almost all of the things he had set out to do when he first took office and was feeling a bit worn down by the job.[2]
Pisano v. Ambrosino Case
As Mayor, Ambrosino was given authority to appoint, and disappoint, school crossing guards every year. In June 2010, Ambrosino decided not to reappoint Clifford Pisano as a crossing guard in the Revere Public School Department. Pisano stated that Ambrosino made that decision because Pasano was union-affiliated.
Ambrosino wrote a summary of Pisano's disciplinary record, which includes Pisano chastising and assaulting a senior citizen volunteer near a farmers' market in August, 2009, was suspended one day for disrespecting his supervisor in December, 2008, and unlawfully taped a union membership meeting at the Revere Police Station despite demands that he was not authorized to do so.
However, Pisano did not disagree with Ambrosino's array of charges against him other than the accusation of assaulting without sufficient cause and for the sole purpose of interfering with his employment and unionization efforts. In addition, Pisano claimed that Ambrosino falsely accused him of unlawful recordings of union membership meetings.
Revere DPW Scandal
In December, 2007, two Revere Department of Public Works members were charged with a $8,000 fine by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission for violating the Massachusetts conflict of interest laws. Moreover, they were charged with paying bribes to a general foreman, and for conducting private drian laying work.
Revere mayor Thomas Ambrosino stated that the two DPW members and the one foreman were placed on paid administrative leave. Also, the two DPW members might receive civil service hearings. The hearings might result in disciplinary actions by the city of Revere.
The State Ethics Commission stated that the two DPW members accepted approximately 25 private installation jobs from 2002 to March 2006.
2007 Slain Revere Police Officer
Also, during the Ambrosino administration in Revere, Robert Iacoviello was charged with a life sentence for second degree murder with the possibility of parole after 15 years for the murder of Revere PD officer Dan Talbot.
Iacoviello stated that he fired the fatal shot that killed Officer Talbot. In the early morning hours of Sep. 29, 2007 another man named Derek Lodie interacted with a verbal argument with Talbot. At the time Talbot was off-duty and out of uniform, and with friends in the Revere High School area. Lodie then called Iacoviello in the belief that Talbot and company were members of a tribal group.
Iacoviello arrived after receiving a 9mm semiautomatic firearm from a friend's house. Lodi then lured Talbot into a parking lot, after engaging in an argument with them. Iacoviello then arrived, aimed the weapon at Talbot, fired, and caused the off-duty police officer to suffer from fatal injuries.
Talbot drew his weapon but never fired it when he was shot. Another off-duty Revere PD officer discharged his firearm after Talbot was shot. However, he did not hit anyone.
Days after Iacoviello and his friends fled the scene, and the group dismantled the handgun and burned Iacoviello's clothing, the handgun was recovered in different pieces in Revere storm drains.
Executive director of the Supreme Judicial Court
In the fall of 2011, Ambrosino applied for the position of Executive Director of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He was selected out of a pool of over 100 applicants. His hiring was announced on January 4, 2012, two days after leaving office. As executive director of the Supreme Judicial Court, Ambrosino oversaw the day-to-day administration of the Supreme Judicial Court as well assisting the chief justice for administration and management of the trial court and the court administrator in the overall operation of the trial courts. He received an annual salary of $129,000.[2]
Chelsea city manager
In 2015, Ambrosino and former Portland, Maine city manager Mark Rees were finalists to succeed Jay Ash as city manager of Chelsea, Massachusetts. On June 8, 2015, the Chelsea city council voted 8 to 3 to hire Ambrosino.[5] He negotiated a four-year contract with the council and took office on July 20, 2015.[6]
References
- Laidler, John (November 14, 1999). "Ambrosino is Eager to Guide Revere Renaissance". The Boston Globe.
- Laidler, John (January 12, 2012). "Ambrosino named executive director". The Boston Globe.
- Mason, Edward (August 25, 2000). "Executive Profile: Thomas G. Ambrosino, Hometown Booster". The Boston Business Journal.
- Laidler, John (September 21, 2003). "Ambrosino Rolls in Preliminary Vote". The Boston Globe.
- Laidler, John (June 10, 2015). "Chelsea selects Ambrosino as new city manager". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
- Laidler, John (July 14, 2015). "Former Revere mayor is new Chelsea city manager". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
[7](Pisano v. Ambrosino) United States District Court of Massachusetts, June 1, 2016, Civil Action No. 13 - 1140 - NMG (D.Mass June 1 2016)
[8]Jourgensen, Thor (December 12, 2007) The Item Live; Ethics Fines Expose Revere DPW Scandal (Retrieved Thursday, December 24, 2020)
[9] Journal Staff, Iacoviello, Jr Takes Plea Deal to Voluntary Manslaughter (Retrieved Thursday, December 24, 2020)