In September 1991, Chelsea started the week without enough money to pay its teachers, police officers or firefighters. By the end of that week, the state had taken over the city.

Thirty-five years later, the four men who have run the city since then shared one stage. They spoke at "Chelsea Then & Now, 35 Years Since Receivership," held Sept. 16 at the Chelsea High School Auditorium, the Chelsea Record reported.

How Chelsea got here

In 1991, Chelsea faced a $9.5 million budget gap and widespread political corruption, the Christian Science Monitor reported. Officials had discussed bankruptcy or even annexation by Boston.

Chelsea became the first Massachusetts community since the Great Depression to be taken over by the state, according to MASSterList. It was also the first time the Legislature, rather than a court, put a city into receivership.

A law signed by Gov. Bill Weld canceled the mayoral election and left the aldermen with only an advisory role. Former state Transportation Secretary James Carlin served as receiver for $1 a year. The state kept control until 1995.

In 1994, voters weighed a new charter that would replace the mayor with an appointed city manager, the Monitor reported. That's the system Chelsea uses today.

The panel

Adam Chapdelaine, executive director and CEO of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, moderated. Stephen McGoldrick, who joined the state's receivership team in October 1991, opened with the events that led to the takeover.

The panelists:

Guy Santagate, Chelsea's first city manager under the new charter, who served from 1995 to 2000

Jay Ash, credited with development on Everett Avenue and the FBI's move to Chelsea

Tom Ambrosino, who was mayor of Revere for 12 years before coming to Chelsea

Fidel Maltez, Chelsea's fourth and current city manager, previously Reading's town manager

They talked about the switch to a new form of government, the hard decisions they faced and how being a city manager differs from being a mayor.

"A community that is rising"

In an interview with MASSterList before the forum, Maltez said the receivership had always been "such a mythical story — not necessarily in a good way" to him.

"It's quite the opposite of what it was in 1991, where it was a community in decline," he said. "Now we're a community that is rising."

He was also frank about recent struggles. He called 2025 "probably one of the hardest years" in Chelsea, pointing to the federal immigration crackdown and the fear it created locally.

National recognition

In June, the National Civic League named Chelsea a 2026 All-America City, according to the City of Chelsea. Chelsea was one of a small group of winners chosen from 20 finalists nationwide.

"Chelsea is a model of what civic health looks like in practice," said Doug Linkhart, the league's president.

Watch it yourself

Ricky Velez, technical director of Chelsea Community Cable Television, videotaped the forum, the Record reported. It can be seen on the station.

What to watch

The Record's account didn't include direct quotes from the panel. The Maltez quotes above come from his interview before the event. The Record also credited Maltez with the city's first comprehensive plan in more than 50 years.