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DCF vows changes in wake of audit report Martin Desmarais
State Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry greets spectators in the Dorchester Day Parade, an event many officials view as the unofficial start of the summer campaign season. This is Forry’s first year representing the entire length of Dorchester Ave. (Banner photo)
“We find the report and its recommendation to be thoughtful, objective and fair.”
Candidates kick off summer campaigning in Dorchester Yawu Miller For Dorchester residents, the Dorchester Day Parade is a threeand-a-half-mile-long expression of civic pride that showcases the diversity of Boston’s largest neighborhood. For elected officials, the parade takes on a whole different dimension. “It kicks off the summer parade season,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins, as he prepared to mobilize his contingent of two dozen or so supporters. “And Dorchester is such a tight-knit community. It’s like a family reunion.” For Mayor Martin Walsh, a 16year veteran of the State House, the parade was his first since his ascent
to the city’s corner office. Marching at the head of the parade, Walsh zigzagged along the parade route greeting supporters. “He’s the mayor of Boston and he’s a big person in this community,” said Giovanni Bala, a 4th grader at the Mattahunt Elementary School, after posing for a photograph with Walsh. “For him to take a picture with me was a big deal.” Accompanying Walsh were city councilors Frank Baker, Tito Jackson and Charles Yancey, state Rep. Russell Holmes and Police Commissioner William Evans. The head of the parade had a decidedly Hibernian vibe, with the Boston Police Pipes and Drums Gaelic Column providing the bag-
The Child Welfare League of America has found that the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families is seriously lacking in its abilities to help the state’s children due to the department’s out-of-date policies, high caseloads, inadequate technology and no system in place to make things better. However, DCF and state officials say the work is already under way to improve the department. Released last week, the 75-page report comes as a result of a fourmonth independent review of the department by CWLA, a national advocacy organization for disadvantaged and vulnerable children. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services tapped the CWLA to complete the third-party report in January in response to concerns about the safety of children served by the DCF. In particular, the review was triggered by a public outcry over the death of Jeremiah Oliver, a 5-year-old from Fitchburg who was found dead while under DCF supervision. Jeremiah was first reported missing in December 2013, but subsequent investigation revealed the child had actually been missing since September of last year and that DCF caseworkers lied about failing to conduct home visits in the case. In April, the 5-year-old’s body was found inside a suitcase off Interstate 90. His mother and boyfriend are facing charges in the case and the
incident has led to the firing of three DCF employees. The CWLA report cited a lack of evidence to blame DCF for the death, but found that the department staff did not do their jobs as required and were responsible for failing to protect Jeremiah. With former DCF Commissioner Olga Roche already having resigned and Interim Commissioner Erin Deveney in place, the department has launched a plan to implement some of the changes called for by the report, including addressing issues in staffing and budgeting, technology, policy and practice, medical services and substance abuse services. The report has the backing of Secretary of Health and Human Services John Polanowicz and Gov. Deval Patrick. “ We h a v e no greater responsibility as a Commonwealth than to keep our most vulnerable residents safe,” Gov. Patrick said in a statement. “I am grateful to the Child Welfare League of America for their thoughtful and comprehensive road map for how DCF can better keep children secure and families strong. I have charged Interim Commissioner Deveney with implementing these recommendations consistently and transparently, and to work with our partners both in and out of state government to build on the improvements that have already been made at the department.” Polanowicz called the report’s recommendations well thought-out
pipe soundtrack. For elected officials who represent Dorchester, marching in the parade is an imperative. And for state-wide candidates, the parade is important as well. With a population north of 120,000, the neighborhood has more residents than any Massachusetts cities but Boston, Worcester and Springfield. And, as Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker pointed out, “It’s a politically active community.” Baker may not have much chance of winning Democratic-leaning Dorchester, but he can count on wringing votes out of the neighborhood’s more conservative strongholds, which include Savin parade, continued to page 6
— Erin Deveney
DCF, continued to page 8
P3 developers seek extension from BRA Yawu Miller A BJ’s Wholesale Club, a major sports and outdoor equipment retailer, a national cinema chain, a health and fitness club, arts and crafts store and major clothing retailer are among the businesses that have expressed intent to lease more than 70 percent of the 400,000 square feet of retail space in the Parcel 3 development planned by P-3 Partners LLC. The commitments for commercial space in the proposed complex have brought the partners to the brink of construction,
according to Feldco President Barry Feldman, whose firm partnered with the Elma Lewis Corp. to develop the Lower Roxbury parcel at the corner of Tremont and Whittier streets. The commitments, which the developers expect to finalize with signed leases in coming months, should ensure construction financing will flow to the project. But the developers are facing a BRA-imposed deadline that could derail the project, potentially setting the development of long-vacant parcel back years. Parcel 3, continued to page 19
An artist’s rendering shows the streetscape along the Tremont Street side of the proposed Tremont Crossing project, a housing, retail and hotel complex on Parcel 3 in Lower Roxbury. (Architect’s rendering)
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