Former Somerville Mayor Eugene Brune received a commendation by the City Council last week commemorating his 90th birthday and thanking him for his many years of devoted service to the city.

By Jim Clark

At the latest meeting of the Somerville City Council, former Somerville Mayor Eugene Brune was honored with a citation from the Council on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

The citation reads as follows:

“Be it hereby known to all that the Somerville City Council and Mayor offer their sincerest congratulations to Eugene Brune Mayor Emeritus and lifetime resident, on the auspicious occasion of his 90th birthday. Gene has dedicated his life to our community, always seeking ways to help and be of service. The Councilors and the Mayor extend their best wishes for good health and much happiness. Offered this 22nd day of August, 2019.”

During the presentation of the citation, several City Councilors offered their congratulations and warm regards to Brune, with many fond remembrances of his long career of service to the community.

Council President Katjana Ballantyne told Brune, “I have always seen you present in everything. You respect Somerville, you love Somerville. You stay committed. You know what the issues are. I can only imagine what it was like when you were actually mayor. That there was certainly a sense of community and compassion. And all my colleagues and the state delegation and anyone that has ever worked with you speaks about you with such reverence and respect.”

Several City Councilors echoed Ballantyne’s sentiments and offered their own words of appreciation for the former mayor.

After the presentation of the citation, Brune offered some of his own thoughts to those in attendance saying, “I’m very happy to be here, and I thank you very much for inviting me. You know, we all say from time to time that time goes by so swiftly. And it does. It’s been forty-two years since I sat in that seat, and that seat, and that seat. And maybe another seat. And so much has happened before that and so much happened since that.”

“I’ve been very fortunate,” Brune said. “Forty-three years in political life, and I love politics. And sometimes I wish I could start all over again. But if I did start all over again then I wouldn’t have my beautiful daughter, my beautiful granddaughter, my new grand son-in-law, and my new grandson-in-law.”

Brune continued, “Being in political life is so rewarding. But you have to make it rewarding yourself. You have to love people, and you have to want to do a better job for whatever you’re doing to make life a little bit better for the people you serve. And I always try to do that”

“I started out in politics as Chairman of the Board of Health, and I wanted to do something great. So the thing I did first is to start a free flu shot clinic for the seniors in this city. And it’s still going on today,” Brune said. “So that’s something I can think about. And when I became Alderman I wanted to change Ward 6. I wanted to do great things for Davis Square. I wanted to do the Red Line, which we did. And I fought for it very hard because we knew it wasn’t going to go to Arlington. So we decided to see the governor. And it so happens that I knew the governor, Dukakis, and I gave him all the arguments I had. And one of the arguments was, ‘Governor, I’m the Alderman of Ward 6, and all we have in Davis Square is barrooms and shoe stores. And even the shoe stores are moving out. So we have to do something.’ And we convinced him to a point where we did get the Red Line. And I was so fortunate because I was able to fight for it as an alderman and I was able to cut the ribbon as the mayor.”

Brune further reminisced about his many initiatives and accomplishments throughout the ensuing years.

Brune summed up his feelings by telling those in attendance, “Again I want to thank you all. I enjoyed being here. I always enjoyed sitting here as an alderman. I always enjoyed sitting in that office back there as the mayor. So thank you very much.”

Brune was given a standing ovation as he exited the podium, hopefully not for the last time.