Fred Berry had a starring role in the pomp and circumstance that marked the first week of the Legislature's new, two-year session.
As the Dean of the Senate, the Peabody Democrat presides over the Legislature's upper chamber on opening day while the Senate President is elected.
Although it was a foregone conclusion Tom Birmingham would be handed the job for another term during Wednesday's Senate session, Berry still ran the show. It marked the third time Berry -- who is tied with Senate Majority Leader Linda Melconian as the senator who has served in the chamber the longest -- has held the gavel on opening day.
But something new happened at Thursday's joint session of the House and Senate. At Birmingham's request, Berry also presided over the swearing in of the state's eight Governor's Council members. The day was particularly sweet for Berry: The council now includes another Peabody politician, Mary-Ellen Manning.
Berry didn't miss a chance to share some of his trademark wit with some of the state's top political leaders while sitting in Birmingham's place.
Berry elicited a smile from Gov. Paul Cellucci Wednesday when he whispered something to the governor. Berry later explained that he joked with Cellucci by welcoming him and saying, "I thought you'd be gone by now" -- a reference to speculation on Beacon Hill that Cellucci would be offered a job in Washington.
Then on Thursday, Berry poked fun at the House leadership for sending a ceremonial committee to the Senate chamber Wednesday after the Senate adjourned for the day.
While talking with House Speaker Tom Finneran about putting together a contingent of legislators to escort the Governor's Council, Berry made the joke into the microphone about the House's organizational skills.
Not to be outdone, Finneran received more laughter with a comeback when he quickly retorted, "We're happy to see the Senate showed up for work (today)" -- a reference to the empty Senate chamber that greeted Finneran's envoy Wednesday.
Berry later said he didn't expect he would eventually become the Dean of the Senate when he first arrived in the Senate in 1983. At that time, about a dozen senators had been there for more than 20 years, he said.
Berry said he particularly enjoyed his role this week.
"I'd be lying to you if I didn't tell you there was a little adrenaline going," Berry said.
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Thursday was an even bigger day for Mary-Ellen Manning, who beat incumbent Patricia Dowling of Lawrence in November for the northeastern Massachusetts seat on the Governor's Council. Nearly 40 friends and family members came to the House chamber to watch Manning get sworn in.
During the ceremony, the Peabody Democrat was asked to sign something that she assumed was her oath of office.
"I said to Freddy (Berry) while I was signing it, 'What am I signing Freddy?'" Manning later recalled. She said Berry didn't respond. But Cellucci, who was seated behind her, joked that it was her first paycheck.
After the ceremony was over, Manning attended her first council meeting as a councilor. There, she discussed the upcoming interviews of the many candidates for the Appeals Court that are before the council.
She then headed back to Peabody, where she celebrated with supporters at Porcini Ristorante, an Italian restaurant on Foster Street.
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Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, picked a losing candidate in the "race" for Senate president Wednesday. But Tarr didn't seem to mind. After all, with 34 Democrats in the Senate, it was clear Sen. Tom Birmingham, D-Chelsea, would be easily re-elected. Only six -- the Senate Republicans -- voted for the Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Brian Lees, R-East Longmeadow.
At Lees' request, Tarr gave one of the nominating speeches for Lees during Wednesday's session.
"Regardless of whether he won or not, he is clearly going to be an important part of the (legislative) process," said Tarr, who added it's common protocol for Republicans to vote for their leader, even if he doesn't have a chance to win. "Pointing out some of the attributes he's going to bring to the process was pretty easy."
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Rep. Brian Cresta, R-Wakefield, didn't need to fend off any challengers last year to keep his seat in the House. But it appears he's going to have one Jan. 11 when the Republican State Committee holds its own internal election for party chairman.
Cresta said he decided last week he'll run for his second two-year term as chairman. The only challenger to come forward so far is Michael Gilleran, an attorney who lives in Wellesley and works in Boston.
Cresta said he has been calling many of the 80 committee members during the past few days to talk about his candidacy. He said he has the support of a "vast majority" of the members.
He admits he's disappointed by the most recent election results, which led to a slight drop in the number of Republican legislators. Cresta said much of the past several years has been spent helping the committee recover from debts it racked up in 1996. Now that the problem has been resolved, Cresta said he's optimistic about the party's future.
"I love this party too much to walk away now," Cresta said.
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Rep. Ted Speliotis, D-Danvers, said yesterday he was relieved to learn Cellucci approved a $42,750 state grant for the Danvers High School marching band's recent trip to the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif.
The money was included in a supplemental budget the Legislature approved last month. Cellucci vetoed several sections of the budget Thursday, but left most of the items -- including the Danvers band money -- alone.
"I'm really ecstatic about the funding for the school," said Speliotis, who worked with Sen. Fred Berry to secure the funds. "The kids worked very hard in Pasadena and did a great job. I'm pleased they'll have some of those expenses reimbursed."
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Barbara Anderson's Citizens for Limited Taxation fired off a critical press release earlier this week before legislators were scheduled to get an 8 percent raise in base pay from $46,410 a year to $50,122.
The pay raise, guaranteed by a constitutional amendment placed on the ballot by the Legislature in 1998, is tied to growth in the state's median household income. Legislative leaders said this week it's important that they're not setting their own salary hikes.
But Anderson, a Marblehead resident, pointed out lawmakers can still control their pay in other ways, such as increasing their expense accounts, per diem pay and leadership bonuses.
Still, Anderson said there's something good about the pay increase.
"Once the world catches on to this, you're going to start seeing competition for these jobs," Anderson said. "It might be a good thing for no other reason than that."