Provost resigns as alderman to concentrate on rep. post

BY DAVID L. HARRIS
Journal Staff

Denise Provost, who has split her time for the past eight months shuffling between City Hall and Beacon Hill as both alderman and state rep, announced she's resigning from the board last week.

"For Denise, she wants to serve one master and she wants to serve it well," said Alderman at Large Bruce Desmond. "She has a family, and she wants to concentrate on those two things. She has her capacity now."

A special election will be held, but that date will be determined by the Board of Aldermen.

Provost, who officially resigned Tuesday, said she's "reached my limit" trying to manage her family life and her political one.

"I need to do and I felt I needed to do this," said Provost. "I have mixed feelings about this. It's a big change."

Provost was elected to the board in 1999. She was assistant city solicitor during the Brune administration during the 1980s.

In her letter of resignation to the board and constituents, Provost explained that the scheduling pressures of holding both offices forced her to make difficult choices, especially on Thursday nights when both the Board of Aldermen and the House of Representatives meet.

"Relinquishing my duties on the Board of Aldermen only enables me to bring even more time and focus to the State House," wrote Provost in the letter. "I am no less able, and in fact, may be better situated, to advocate for the needs of my city as its state representative, than as alderman."

"I understand why she did it," said Aldermanic President Maryann Heuston. "It's really hard to hold those two jobs. She was very professional, very caring, very poised in everything that she did. It was sad,"

Heuston also said the composition of the board now changes.

"Now we're back to two women," said Heuston, referring to herself and Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz.

Already, buzz is brewing about possible contenders for: the now-empty seat, with Jack Connolly and Marty Martinez.

"I'm certainly going to look at it," said Connolly, who served as Ward 6 alderman for 22 years. "Those are tough shoes to fill."