Board approves Lynn shelter leases

LYNN – The City Council unanimously approved a new lease agreement with stringent stipulations Tuesday for the Lynn Shelter Association, My Brother’s Table and Bridgewell.A long list of new requirements include identification checks for outstanding warrants and sex offenders, to conduct a dry shelter, dry day program, dry food service establishment, and dry vocational interest program, a zero tolerance policy and sober admissions policy for all programs, activities, services, and business conducted by the tenant.The condition that all guests provide photo identification and sign a release authorizing the tenant to share personal information with the Lynn Police Department drew some ire from the facilities when originally proposed, but Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. made it clear Tuesday that the terms are non-negotiable.Clancy reiterated his reasoning for the new agreement, citing public safety concerns and ongoing incidents involving unruly guests at the facilities.”First of all, there has been a lot of discussion and controversy with the tenants and we have made no attempt to evict, financially cripple or eliminate either of them,” he said. “There have been almost two years of negotiations and we have met on at least two occasions and had a back-and-forth dialogue.”Clancy said he would arrange a new meeting to further discuss the lease with the facilities now that the council has approved it.If all of the parties at 100 Willow St. agree to the new terms, the lease would take effect Dec. 1 and expire Nov. 30, 2011.”Some guests may not like the changes, but they are best for the citizens of this city,” he said.City Councilor At-large Judith Flanagan Kennedy requested each of the facilities receive its own lease agreement rather than lumping all of them into one, but the motion was denied.City Councilor At-large Daniel Cahill applauded Clancy for his work on the agreement and said it fits the city’s needs.”The outcome leaves the shelter getting the safety the need and for those people in the neighborhood getting the safety they deserve,” he said.Marjorie St. Paul, executive director of the Lynn Shelter, and Ilia Stacy, executive director of My Brother’s Table, both received the new lease Monday but declined to comment.While the leases for the organizations formally expired in 2007, terms of it allowed the facilities to stay put during negotiations.