Tom Taylor honored for decades of public service
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An appreciative assemblage of colleagues and constituents honored the retired, 27-year-serving alderman of Ward 3. Tom Taylor, at last week’s general meeting of the Board of Alderman.

By David R. Smith

Somerville’s longest-serving ward aldermen received what may have been the longest-lasting round of applause the aldermen’s chamber has seen as he was honored last week for his decades of service to the city during an emotional opening to his former board’s meeting that was attended –and very well so- by family, friends and former constituents.

Tom Taylor, the Ward 3 aldermen from 1986 to 2013, was also bestowed the title – one uniquely his – of “alderman emeritus.”

“I want to know if I get the key to City Hall?” Taylor quipped.

Although illness prevented Taylor from seeking another term, he attended the BOA meeting May 8 with the aid of a rolling walker and the emotional and physical support of his daughter and his wife, Celia.

The presentation of citations thanking him for his “outstanding service” served as a springboard for his former fellow board members to express not just their admiration for his dedication to public service but also their fond –and often funny- memories of him as an elected official, a resident active in city and neighborhood issues and, most of all, a friend.

“One thing I’ll say that’s a real credit to you, Tom, is seeing all your constituents and friends that are here,” current Ward 3 Alderman Bob McWatters said. “To me, you’re like a rock star. I feel like Wally Pipp and you are Lou Gehrig. I have big shoes to fill here, so I want to say congratulations. You are a terrific alderman. You were my aldermen for years, and I appreciate your dedication and public service.”

Aldermen at Large John Connolly recalled his decades-long friendship with Taylor, and spoke of the many times Taylor surprised his fellow board members by voting in unexpected ways on issues.

“I have a right to change my mind!” Connolly said was Taylor’s assertive response to being questioned on how he voted at one meeting.

“Over the years, Tom, it happened not once, twice but a couple dozen times,” Connolly said. “Tom, we love you for it. At the time, we may have hated you for it, but that’s Tom.”

Still, Connolly was quick to note that, expected or not, however Taylor voted reflected how he sincerely felt.

“I think that one of the most ardent features of Tom’s service that I can recall is he’s willing to be passionate over all of his issues,” Connolly said. “He had nothing but the best interests of the community at heart.”

Alderman at Large Mary Jo Rossetti noted she and Taylor never served on the BOA, but they did have mutual experience serving on the School Committee.

“He may have made the decision not seek re-election to be sitting at this horseshoe,” Rosetti said in reference to the table where the aldermen sit at their meetings in City Hall, “but he’s still here in the community, and I have no doubt he’ll be advocating for the schools as he always did.”

Reflecting the bittersweet tone of the evening, one with both tearful expressions and loving ribbings, Rossetti said she was currently working on a school-related issue and planned to tap Taylor’s insights to their fullest.

“Tom, we haven’t served together on the Board of Aldermen,” she said, “but I’m going it to make it feel like we served together on the Board of Aldermen, because I plan to use and abuse you in the next few years. Thank you.”

Representatives from the Duhamel Education Initiative, an organization whose goal is to reduce dropout rates among Somerville’s teens, further highlighted Taylor’s dedication to education by presenting him with a certificate of appreciation for his help promoting their efforts.

Tom Taylor, with family members, addressed the emotionally charged moment by expressing his gratitude and love of the community that he has faithfully served.

And although Ward 1 Alderman Matt McLaughlin also spoke of Taylor’s contributions to schools and its students, he noted the former aldermen’s commitment to the city’s youth extended well beyond school walls.

“Students don’t realize what you’ve done for them on the School Committee,” he said. “But for me, personally, what I’m most grateful for is your help in getting the first and only skate park in the city, (Morse) Kelley Park, and the beautiful mural we have there for the community, and we couldn’t have done that without your support. I always think of the people who helped with that and how much pride it gives me to be in this community. You’ve always opened your door for young people in the community, and we all thank you for it.”

As McLaughlin’s comments showed, Taylor’s impact on the new generation of elected officials was evident. Aldermen at Large Dennis Sullivan called Taylor “a great friend” and thanked him “for his great advice to a young school committee man and alderman.”

Likewise, Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz, who won election in 2005 and began serving in 2006, expressed a similar debt of gratitude to Taylor. She explained the situation when she first began serving.

“It was a difficult place to be, and it wasn’t always easy,” she said. “A few people took me under their wing and talked to me and made me feel like I belonged – that I was rightfully here, that I was elected to be here – and Tom was one of those people. You never forget the kindness of people when you’re in tough situations, where you’re brand new and sort of came rolling in. I just remember that, and I’ll never forget it.”

Gewirtz wasn’t alone in noting that it is Tom Taylor’s qualities as a friend – even more so than his impact as an elected official or longtime advocate for Somerville’s youth – that elicited kind word, tears and smiles from the board, as well as the large community crowd that turned out to see him honored.

“I count you as a friend – not a political friend but a true friend,” Board of Alderman President Bill White said. “And that emeritus citation; I think that says it for how this board of aldermen felt for your years of service, because no one else has ever gotten that.”

Ward 7 Aldermen Katjana Ballantyne noted that she first came to know Taylor when his wife was her daughter’s teacher in first and second grade. She recalled the Taylors having students over for barbecues.

“Having the opportunity to meet you in the personal (realm), I can see from listening to my colleagues how that has filtered out into the community, and I thank you for everything you’ve done for Somerville and for our youth, too,” she said.

And while Taylor has not been off the board for that long, his absence, as several aldermen noted, has already been felt.

“I really and truly miss him,” Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston said. “I used to be able to turn to Tom and have a conversation about something, and I always knew I’d get some good advice. I miss him around this horseshoe. I miss him terribly.”

That feeling was shared by Mayor Joseph Curtatone.

“One thing we agree about Tom as a human being is that we love him,” he said. “The richness of a man is the friends in his life, and look around you. Anyone who knows Tom, you can work with him, you can argue with him, and there’s always a good laugh at some point in the conversation, usually at your own expense. Tom wasn’t shy about that. And I miss those laughs. I laugh so hard even thinking about those stories.”

And, as others noted, Taylor has an equal capacity for generating both laughter and loyalty through his willingness to be open about his feelings.

“We served for two years, and I wish it was much, much longer,” Ward 4 Alderman Tony Lafuente said. “There are many words that describe you: generous, gutsy, a real family man. And what I like about you is you’re emotions – because I’m very emotional – and that is the true sign of a good man: when someone can cry. And we’ve cried together. You’re always welcome here, and you can always sit at my chair. I hope we continue to be friends for a very long time.”

Going by Lafuente’s assessment, there were plenty of good men and women at last week’s meeting. For every tear, however, there was a laugh, as White showed when recalling his early interactions with Taylor on the board.

“I had just been elected – I hadn’t even been serving yet – and he invited me to lunch,” White said. “Tom took me to Mike’s in Davis Square and said, ‘Bill, any submarine sandwich you want, a bag of potato chips and a coke. Don’t worry about it.’ And I forget what the issue was, but once I got on, I know I voted for it because the next time Tom took me out, he took me to Friendly’s and said, ‘Now you can even have dessert.’”

As Taylor listened to the compliments and reminiscences, he, like the speakers, alternated between smiles and near tears.

That is, of course, after opening with the very humor for which he had just been praised.

“I want to know how much time I get?” he asked.

“First of all, I want to thank all those individuals that came out here and my wife for actually putting up with me for all these years on the BOA,” he said, his voice breaking. “It’s been a good ride here. I’ve met a lot of good people, a lot of personalities – some I appreciated, some I didn’t. I just miss each and every one of you. I never realized it was 26 or 27 years. It never came to mind. I just never thought about the time. Every year, it was a struggle to run. My wife said, ‘Oh, no, you’re not going to run again, are you?’ The thing is, there was always an issue, always something I wanted to be involved in, so I basically decided to run. And also, people encouraged me to run for re-election, so I did, and I’d probably still be here if it wasn’t for my health. And I just want to thank you, and I want to thank those people who came out from their busy schedules to be here tonight.”

The long and loud applause that followed underscored something Connolly had said only a few minutes before.

“We’re going to forget the votes. We’re going to forget the issues, but we’re not going to forget who was with us when we needed them,” he said. “And Tom, when we needed you, you were there. We love you for it. We thank you. God bless you. Keep up the good work.”