BOSTON - State Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, has been appointed chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Rules.
"I am excited about this new responsibility that has been entrusted to me by the Senate President [Therese Murray,D-Plymouth],Downing said in a press release. "The Senate Ethics and Rules Committee reviews every bill that passes though the Senate and makes recommendations to leadership on whether the matter should be placed on the agenda. I look forward to this role and its challenges and to working closely with the president's office to fulfill them."
The committee considers all violations of rules and all questions of conduct of senators and employees of the Senate. It is also authorized to recommend policy procedures for the Senate and recommend rules changes for matters requiring expeditious action.
The other five members of the committee are Murray, who serves as vice chairman, Senate Majority Leader Frederick E. Berry, D-Peabody, Senate Chairman of Ways and Means Steven C. Panagiotakos, D-Lowell, Senate Minority Leader Richard R. Tisei, R-Wakefield, and the Ranking Minority Member of Senate Ways and Means Michael R. Knapik, R-Westfield.
"In his short tenure here on Beacon Hill, Senator Downing has shown great character and sound judgment, which is why I have appointed him chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Rules," said Murry. "I am confident that, through his new role, Senator Downing will continue to ensure the integrity of the Massachusetts Senate.â€
This is Downing’s second chairmanship in the Senate. His first leadership role, Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Service, allowed him to work on policy issues relative to salaries, civil service and retirement of public employees. While he served less than Public Service 10 months, Downing was able to successfully usher two major bills to the governor's desk - one providing a local option for municipalities to buy-in to health plans offered through the Group Insurance Commission and the other directing the assets of underperforming local pension systems to be rolled into the state's pensions systems, producing a greater return on investments.
Downing also advanced measures to increase cost of living adjustments (COLAs) for public retirees and directing the $50 billion state pension fund to withdraw its investments in companies conducting business in or with Sudan.
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant
Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu.
A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building.
White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.
He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns.
Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot.
A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use.
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