RES-20-21-3 : Health Director Ruth Clay

Transcript (~6 min @ 5:03)

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▶ 4:54 Jeff McNaught: Seeing no objection, public comment is now closed. At this time, as we will be speaking to many people outside of this body this evening, I will move by unanimous consent to suspend the rules if there is no objection. Seeing no objection, the rules are now suspended.

▶ 5:19 Mark Garipay: I'd like to make a motion to take Resolution 2021-3 out of order.

▶ 5:28 Speaker 3: Second.

▶ 5:31 Jeff McNaught: We have a motion to take order, which is Resolution 2021-3 out of order, made by Councilor Garipay, seconded by Councilor McMaster. On discussion, seeing none,

▶ 5:46 Speaker 2: Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll?

▶ 5:49 Speaker 1: Chair McNaught. Yes. Vice Chair Eccles. Yes. Councilor Tramontozzi. Yes. Councilor McMaster. Yes. Councilor Garipay.

▶ 6:02 Speaker 3: Yes.

▶ 6:03 Speaker 1: Councilor Grigoraitis. Yes. Councilor Migliorelli. Yes. Councilor Thomas. Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine. Yes. President Sinella? Yes. 10 yes.

▶ 6:22 Speaker 2: Motion passes. Councilor Garipay, I'm gonna let you have the floor for the resolution.

▶ 6:27 Mark Garipay: Yes, is there any way that we can bring in the, Ruth Clay, the Health Director?

▶ 6:36 Speaker 1: Coming in now.

▶ 6:38 Speaker 3: Thank you.

▶ 6:48 Speaker 1: Can you hear us?

▶ 6:50 Speaker 4: Yep.

▶ 6:51 Mark Garipay: Thank you. This resolution is sponsored by all 11 members of the City Council honoring the retirement of Ruth Clay. Whereas, in 1996, Ruth Clay joined the City of Melrose as Director of Health, a position that she held for over 24 years, working under seven mayoral administrations. And whereas, Ruth Clay was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master's of Science in Civil Engineering from Tufts University, along with a Master's of Public Health from Harvard University School of Public Health, as well as over 30 accreditation and certificates. And whereas, Ruth has always been a dedicated and committed employee, working tirelessly approving license for Melrose businesses, setting up inspections, and providing education on how to run a healthy and safe business. And whereas, she was instrumental in creating one of the first border health coalitions in Massachusetts with our neighbors, Malden, Medford, Winchester, Stoneham, and Wakefield. And whereas Ruth Clay has spent her career educating and preventing Mowers youth from engaging in substance abuse behavior as a member of the Regional Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. Locally, she has created the Substance Abuse Prevention Program and Youth Action Program with the aid of Mass In Motion and Education Program grant funding. And whereas over this past year, she aptly led our health department and the city through team pandemic by setting up vaccine and flu clinics, creating COVID-19 testing sites in July and January with limited notice, creating a contract tracing team and providing pool testing with Morris Public Schools. It be resolved that we, the members of the city council, thank Ruth for her dedication in years of service to the city and send well wishes for her retirement. Also, therefore, it be resolved that on the 26th day of May in the year 2021, this resolution be spread upon the records of the City Council and forever preserved in the records of the City of Melrose. Thank you. Thank you for your service, Ruth.

▶ 9:12 Speaker 4: Thank you, Councilor Garipay.

▶ 9:18 Mark Garipay: At this time, I'd like to make a motion to place this resolution in file.

▶ 9:23 Jeff McNaught: I could hold you for 1, 2nd, um, Madam Claire, can we, uh. Mayor broader would like to say a few a few words if we could bring him into the room.

▶ 9:40 Paul Brodeur: Mayor border you hear us I can thank you. Madam clerk and thank you. Mr. chairman and council members. Um, I'm the. Um, I hope for the last boss that she ever has. And, um, I think it's no secret that Ruth was considering retiring. uh a year ago we had kind of a neat conversation about the pandemic which um i don't know if you remember ruth but uh you described this to me as kind of like the super bowl for local public health directors um and that is happily for us that is true she stayed on and i think it's fair to say we won and it was uh it is a fight that still goes on to be sure but with ruth's voice at the table and really at the at the small rooms at the uh at the highest levels of state government um made sure that cities and towns voices uh were heard not always listened to that's something we certainly uh have a little bit of chagrin but certainly she was an example of what a great public health department and a professional can accomplish particularly when and the chips are down and nothing but good wishes, and certainly a fervent hope that you stay in touch.

▶ 11:01 Speaker 4: Thank you, Mayor.

▶ 11:03 Jeff McNaught: Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Director Clay. I just want to say thank you for your many years of service to the city and Wakefield and everything that you've done. It's quite a good run of service, so thank you very much. On that note, I know that we're moving on to our budget orders. If you'd like to hang tight, we can move forward with your group first. I know that's not where we were scheduled, but I figured that might be convenient for you this evening. Sure.