Kim Driscoll

Kimberley Driscoll (born August 12, 1966) is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She is currently the mayor of Salem, Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party.

Driscoll graduated from Salem State University in 1989. She served as deputy city manager of Chelsea, Massachusetts, and was elected mayor of Salem in 2005, taking office in January 2006 at Salem City Hall.^[1] She was reelected to the position in 2009 with over 80% of the vote and won again in 2013 with 80%.^[2] 21st century Timeline of Salem, Massachusetts history

City Hall, built 1838 (photo later 19th century)

In 2010, Driscoll announced that the City of Salem would purchase the Blaney Street parcel from Dominion Energy paving way for the Salem Wharf project. When finished, the Blaney Street pier will be home to small to medium-sized cruise ships, commercial vessels and the Salem Ferry. The project is now complete.^[3]

In 2011, a master plan was developed for Winter Island in Salem, with help from the planning and design firm, The Cecil Group of Boston and Bioengineering Group of Salem, and the City of Salem paid $45,000 in federal money.^[4] In June 2012, $1.75 million^[5] was awarded by the state of Massachusetts to launch the first phase of dredging and construction of a 100-foot (30 m) extension of the pier; a harborwalk to improve pedestrian access; and other lighting, landscaping, and paving improvements. Dredging would allow the city to attract other ferries, excursion vessels, and cruise ships of up to 250 feet (76 m).^[6] The City of Salem received $4,000,000 from the Massachusetts Seaport Advisory Council in November 2013 to construct an extension to Salem Wharf. There was also money for a pedestrian walkway on the waterfront that would be handicap accessible. Additional funding for a deep water dock will eventually accomidate cruise ships to Salem Harbor along with other improvements.

Driscoll has considered running for higher office, including United States Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, or Governor of Massachusetts.^[7][8][9]

One of the most popular programs is the free bike program called Salem Spins, that offers bicycles, free of charge, for use around the city. The program started in 2011 with a fleet of 10 bicycles and is split between two hubs, at Salem State University and downtown, near the Hawthorne Hotel.^[10] In 2011, Salem was awarded $25,000 from the Green Communities grant program, which went toward the purchase of the bike fleet. Fees are charged to a participant's credit card only if they return the bike late or damaged. Right now, Salem Spins is open only to people over the age of 18, but the city is considering changing that, Marquis said, as well as producing a bike map for participants and offering a "seasonal pass" where bikes could be used for more than one day at a time.

With Driscoll as Mayor, Salem became one of the one-hundred-ten cities and towns from all regions of the State of Massachusetts designated as Commonwealth "Green Communities." This made the City of Salem eligible for municipal renewable power and energy efficiency grants. Then in 2013, Salem got eight stations where drivers can charge their electric cars. This program was paid for by a grant from the state of Massachusetts ^[11] Commonwealth "Green Communities." ^[12] Four are located at the Museum Place Mall near the Peabody Essex Museum, and the other four are located in the South Harbor garage across the street from the Salem Waterfront Hotel.^[13] They were free of charge for two years, allowing people to charge their electric cars and other electric vehicles for up to six hours. Also in 2013, under the leadership of Driscoll & the Salem City Council, the City of Salem moved to a mandatory ^[14] recycling program for trash pick up in the City of Salem.^[15]

References

External links

• City of Salem, MA (September 8, 2008). "Mayor Kimberley Driscoll Biography". Salem.com.