| |
Archived Stories G - L |
|
PAWTUCKET -- In a campaign kickoff event before a crowd of more than 200 enthusiastic supporters at the Portuguese Social Club, mayoral candidate Don Grebien cited his experience, private business sector background, “passion” to tackle the challenges facing the city and the need for “a change in leadership” and “new vision” for Pawtucket. ‘We can not afford to continue going in the same direction for another two years,” Grebien, a veteran City Council member and registered Democrat who is running as an independent on the Nov. 4 ballot, told the standing-room audience at Monday’s (July 28) event. “I envision a city that is vibrant -- that has energy -- that delivers more than the tired, old practices of the past,” Grebien said. “We stand today at a crossroads for our great city. We can choose to sit back and let a faltering economy, an aging infrastructure and lack of leadership push us into oblivion, or we can inject new energy, new enthusiasm and a new, bolder direction to restore the pride in our great city. It’s not about small steps, it’s about giant steps to change our city,” Grebien said. “As an elected official I have led the fight to reduce spending, to stop taking your hard earned money with our annual property tax increases. Also, working as a private-sector businessman, I have seen the realities of what it takes to run a successful enterprise. Today we are all doing more with less.” Grebien said when city positions become vacant, “a job analysis should be taken instead of rushing to fill it with a ‘friend’. This is the hard reality in the private sector and it must become the hard reality of the public sector.” The candidate also said he had “the energy, the enthusiasm and the passion” required to be the city’s mayor. “The Mayor of Pawtucket has to be a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week job,” he said. “I have the desire, the will and the abilities to be your mayor -- 24/7.” |
 |
Mayoral candidate Don Grebien speaks at Monday's (July 28) campaign kickoff event before more than 200 supporters gathered at the Portuguese Social Club, School Street. |
|
Grebien called the $5.1 million deficit built into the new city budget “unacceptable.” “Our budget has risen above the cost of living increases over the past decade without any meaningful increase to our most important resource, the education of our children,” he said. “I have a vision for the future. We need to revive our downtown. We need to develop our waterfront.We need to make our schools vibrant centers of learning and we need to make our streets safer and our seniors protected,” he said. “It’s time for a change in leadership. It’s time for a new vision. It’s time to put the pride back in Pawtucket,” concluded Grebien, who was joined onstage by his wife, Laureen (LeBlanc), and their two children, Alexa, 9, and Connor, 7. In introducing Grebien, Fairlawn Little League President Tammy Ward noted Grebien had quietly sponsored a team in a city league. “I witnessed first-hand Don reaching out to help. Whether it is children in their formative years or seniors in their golden years, we can rest assured that Don Grebien personally cares for them,” said Ward, and if elected “will put people first and politics |
|
second. We need elected leaders who care about the people. Don Grebien is that leader.” Former three-term Mayor Robert Metivier, who was introduced to the crowd by emcee and former City Councilor David Clemente, said new leadership was needed as the city wrestles with state and federal budget cuts while trying to maintain quality services and protect the taxpayer. “The job of Mayor requires energy and passion. It requires innovative thinking. It requires someone willing to buck conventional wisdom,” said Metivier, who is taking an active role in Grebien’s campaign. “It is time for change. I’ve known Don Grebien for many years and he represents the change we need. He has the energy, the passion, the smarts and the guts to move our city forward,” said Metivier. “We can no longer sit by and watch our city deteriorate. We need a fighter -- we need someone who will change the way we govern in Pawtucket. It’s time for Don Grebien to be mayor,” Metivier said. Grebien, a lifelong city resident employed as supply chain manager at American Insulated Wire, a subsidiary of the privately held Levit on Co., and his family live |
Don Grebien, running as an "independent Democrat" for mayor,addresses supporters at campaign kickoff event as his wife, Laureen, daughter Alexa and son Connor (hidden behind dais) look on. |
|
at 101 Vine St. in the Darlington neighborhood and formerly lived in the Fairlawn and Woodlawn sections. A former council president, he is an at-large councilor who has served since 1998. He is a parishioner/lector of St. Teresa’s Church, a member of the Delany/St. Teresa’s Council 57, Knights of Columbus, Preservation Society of Pawtucket, Winter Wonderland Committee, Lefoyer Club, Pawtucket Fireworks Committee, Pawtucket Riverfront Commission, Pawtucket Neighborhood Alliance, and a sponsor of a Pawtucket Youth Soccer team and a T-ball team in the Darlington American Little League. The campaign, whose slogan is “It’s Time...Pawtucket,” announced that it has set up a Web site at www.grebien08.com and an e-mail address at grebien08@cox.net. For further Press Relations information contact: Doug Hadden, 4osage@cox.net; 401-316-9139 |
|
