HAVERHILL — Bill Macek, a beloved and respected Haverhill public servant, died unexpectedly on Tuesday.
Always prepared with the information needed to make well-reasoned decisions and offer sage advice, Macek was one of the most popular members of the City Council, which he served on for 26 years before retiring in 2021.
Although Macek did not seek re-election to the Haverhill City Council in 2021 after serving 13 two-year terms on the legislative body, he continued to serve his city.
In January, Mayor James Fiorentini announced he was reorganizing his City Hall staff and had hired Macek to serve as deputy chief of staff, assisting in matters before the Council while the mayor searched for a full-time replacement for his chief of staff, who had resigned.
“I want to try to create a bridge between the mayor’s office and City Council to try to get more accomplished for the city,” Macek told The Eagle-Tribune at the time. “We need to find ways to meet in the middle and bring people together and I think that my experience on the City Council will help in that effort.”
Fiorentini said Macek served his city with distinction and was one of the longest serving councilors in the city's history.
"Even after he retired he continued to serve our city as a part-time member of my staff and as chairperson of the Central District Parking Commission," Fiorentini said. "Bill Macek was a wonderful City Councilor and more importantly a friend. His views were always well thought out and always helpful. This is a loss to me and a tremendous loss to our city. Our deepest sympathy to his wife Maria and his family, whom I know Bill loved dearly."
In one of the last official duties before his death, Macek had notified parking commissioners of their meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss electric vehicle charging stations in the downtown, as well as several other agenda items. The mayor's office notified members that afternoon of Macek's untimely death and to postpone the meeting to a later date.
Mary Ellen Daly O'Brien, Macek's close friend who also retired from the City Council in 2021 after serving 20 years, said Macek was invested in doing the right thing for the city. She sat next to him in the council chambers for several terms.
"He was not on the council for any personal gain and his legacy will be his ability to create a bridge between what the City Council was and what it has become as he was very progressive. He saw the city as an evolving structure and he was a fountain of knowledge and wisdom."
Following many council meetings, councilors would gather afterwards at local restaurants such as the Peddler's Daughter, the Barking Dog Ale House or Mr. Mike's.
"Up until last week's council meeting Bill and I were still getting together with councilors, but only if their meetings finished early," she said.
Bill Macek had a "wry" and "dry" sense of humor, and he was very gentle in his delivery, she said.
"He never wanted to offend anyone as he was such a gentleman," she said.
Although Macek has a small family -- his wife Maria and their two sons -- he had a huge amount of friends.
"The key to our friendship is that we could disagree but still remain friends," Daly O'Brien said.
Macek was a man of many talents. He practiced law, had a real estate license, owned radio stations and when he was young he was a musician and managed bands.
"Even as he got older he loved going to concerts as he loved live music," she said. "His death was very unexpected and I'm devastated. He was such a good friend."
Up until Tuesday morning Macek was still talking about city issues with current council members, including his close friend Councilor Melinda Barrett.
"I had called Bill around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in response to a message he'd left me about the upcoming city budget," said Barrett. "He sounded great and was very upbeat."
Just hours later, around 1:45 p.m., Barrett received an urgent text message from Daly O'Brien while Barrett was waiting for a flight to Washington, D.C., to attend an Investing in America conference.
"I called her back and she told me the news," Barrett said. "I was on the council with Bill for eight years and even when he disagreed, he was very agreeable and a true gentleman. Bill understood how to work with people and worked well with everyone. He was always on the go and would often drive to concerts and other shows. He loved going to clubs even though he didn't drink. He went for the music.
"It's significant that Bill was still working for the city and working with the mayor to get things done," she added. "People like Bill Macek don't come around that often."
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