Mayor James J. Fiorentini > Press Release

For Immediate Release: March 13, 2007

Mayor Fiorentini Joins Merrimack Valley Mayors in Creating Coalition
to Address Regional Issues

Mayor James Fiorentini and the Mayors of Amesbury, Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, and Newburyport have joined in a new coalition for developing collaboration and consensus-building among the Merrimack Valley communities they represent. The six mayors will work together to develop an environment of cooperation among elected leaders and local governments committed to the success of the Merrimack Valley. Mayor Fiorentini said:

“This is a wonderful way for us to plan and work together on issues such as controlling healthcare costs and working together to lower costs through group purchasing. We need to have more regional collaboration and it is my hope that the Mayor’s Coalition is the first step in that process.”

The Coalition plans to address a variety of critical municipal and intergovernmental issues in a cooperative manner. Their agenda will focus on developing regional solutions for improving municipal services, reducing costs, and supporting advocacy at the state and federal level for local municipalities.

The coalition will be staffed and facilitated by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, the regional planning agency that provides professional planning services to fifteen communities in northeastern Massachusetts. The Coalition will be funded by the membership as well as grants and other funding sought on behalf of the Coalition.