At the Mystic River Annual Champions breakfast along the Malden River, the Mystic River Watershed Association honored and acknowledged three leaders in our communities. Fidel Maltez, City Manager for the City of Chelsea, was awarded the Mystic Municipal Award, Kelleigh Harrington and Mary Chiappa accepted the Mystic Champion award on behalf of CharlesNewtown, an apartment near the Little Mystic Channel in Charlestown, and Thalia Patino Molano, a recent graduate of Everett High School and Wicked Cool Mystic Ambassador, was the featured speaker.
Fidel Maltez accepts his award from MyRWA Executive Director Patrick Herron
Fidel Maltez is an engineer by training with a Master’s in Public Policy and Policy Analysis from Tufts University. He accepted the Mystic Municipal Award for his long partnership in MyRWA’s work, first as Commissioner of Public Works in Chelsea, then as Town Manager for the Town of Reading, and now as City Manager for the City of Chelsea. In these roles, he has centered the concerns of residents and implemented projects to improve environmental conditions and help communities in the Mystic River watershed become more resilient to climate change. Under his watch, the Town of Reading began work on the Maillet, Sommes, and Morgan Stormwater Wetland - the largest construction project catalyzed by MyRWA to date.
Mary Chiappa and Kelleigh Harrington accept their award from MyRWA Greenways Program Manager Karl Alexander
Kelleigh Harrington and Mary Chiappa are residents and board members of the CharlesNewtown apartments, Mary serving as board president. They accepted the Mystic Champion Award on behalf of the CharlesNewtown board. Kelleigh and Mary are dedicated neighbors and community members who advocate for tenants and work hard to ensure a vibrant and welcoming housing environment. Kelleigh also serves as a member of a resident steering committee, convened by MyRWA, that has helped to guide the revitalization of 14 acres of open space next to her home in the Little Mystic Channel area of Charlestown. Both Kelleigh and Mary go out of their way each and every day to ensure CharlesNewtown residents are informed of these improvement efforts, that space is made available for public meetings, and that issues in need of address are raised, such as ongoing structural issues with the harborwalk outside their front doors. The CharlesNewtown board and property management have also agreed to help maintain a revamped plaza next to the apartments that will break ground this summer.
Thalia Patino Molano (center) with MyRWA Community Organizer Marissa Zampino and Executive Director Patrick Herron
Thalia Patino Molano is a recent graduate of Everett High School bound for BU in the fall. For the past two years Thalia and fellow Everett Resident Juan Soler-Ramos have served as ambassadors for the Wicked Cool Mystic program, working in their community to learn about how their fellow residents experience and adapt to heat as our climate warms. As young organizers in Everett, Thalia and Juan have worked hard to build relationships within their community and have served as vital conduits for community voices. They have circulated surveys, attended many community events, and organized workshops about extreme heat, all of which serve to elevate stories and ideas directly from residents.
The work of the Mystic River Watershed Association would not be possible without the commitment and hard work of its partners - from state and federal agencies to elected officials and municipal staff to local residents and community leaders who all strive to create change and make the Mystic River watershed a safe, clean, and resilient place to live, work, and play.
