Speculation that Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone had set his sights on the governor’s race was laid to rest with the announcement he will instead take the reigns at the Northeast Clean Energy Council next year.
NECEC’s outgoing president is paid $186,877 annually — plus $16,400 in “other compensation,” according to the latest-available 990 tax records.
Curtatone now earns $180,000 as mayor.
Curtatone said his goal “will be to forge an ecosystem of allies and stakeholders to take on the challenge of our times, which is tackling our climate crisis with urgency while strengthening our economy and delivering positive social impact.”
Curtatone announced in March that he would not seek a 10th term as mayor and left the Massachusetts political world waiting for six months about what venture he might tackle next.
The decision came as the first candidates for the 2022 governor’s race emerged, fueling rumors the ambitious progressive mayor had set his sights on the governor’s office.
First elected in 2004, Curtatone is the city’s longest-serving mayor. His 18-year tenure oversaw the transformation of Somerville from a blue-collar, post-industrial city to a gentrifying suburb with some of the highest property values in the state.
An outspoken and fast-talking progressive, Curtatone was an early adopter of carbon reduction efforts — establishing an action plan to greatly reduce Somerville’s carbon footprint by 2030 and supporting fossil fuel divestment long before statewide efforts launched. He also introduced a fleet of electric vehicles and EV charging stations for the city and supported the expansion of the MBTA into his city.
It’s for those reasons and more NECEC Board Chairman Daniel Goldman, co-founder and managing director at Clean Energy Ventures, said Curtatone was hand-picked for the job.
“Joe’s unparalleled track record of progress in Somerville provides NECEC with the experience and ability to integrate energy equity and environmental justice into the organization’s broad clean energy and climate objectives across the region,” Goldman said.
The NECEC board began a search for a new president in March 2021 after current president Peter Rothstein announced he would be stepping down from his position following more than a decade of service.
