Lynn’s senior abatement program stalls, but remains in works

LYNN – The senior abatement program won’t put seniors to work in February as hoped but the program is still in the works.”There’s a little bit of a process,” said City Councilor Darren Cyr, chairman of the Ordinance Committee.Cyr said the committee is doing its due diligence by reaching out to various senior groups in the city to get their thoughts on the program. He said he likes the idea but it’s not the first time that it has come before the council, and he wants to make sure it is a fair and equitable program.Jamie Cerulli, Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy’s Chief of Staff, headed up a committee that wrote the initial ordinance for the program. Under the committee’s proposal eligible seniors will work for the city for minimum wage, which is $8 an hour, but instead of a paycheck they will get a break on their property tax bills up to $600.She called it a good plan as did Councilor at large Daniel Cahill, who sat on the committee, along with, among others, Council on Aging Director Stacy Minchello and Director of Assessing Peter Caron.Cahill said they looked at other communities that have the program, vetted the process and believed they came up with a comprehensive package.It allows people to participate in the community and be rewarded with a tax break for their volunteer efforts, he said. He said no one would get rich off the program but it’s a nice way to help seniors, particularly those on a fixed income.”I respect Councilor Cyr’s position and I hope he does his due diligence because people are looking forward to this. This has been in the works for a while,” Cahill said. “With the recent tax increases people will be looking for creative ways to save money.”Geri McManus agreed the program wasn’t going to net her a huge savings but for her that is not what it’s all about. She said she likes to be out in the community and she is already familiar with the abatement program because she has seen it in action.”I used to teach in Swampscott and they have the program, and I would watch this lady in the office ? and I thought what an impressive program,” she said. “It’s not going to do a lot to reduce my taxes but it’s a good program.”McManus said she already volunteers in City Hall as an usher for the auditorium, and she likes being out and seeing what’s going on in the city. The program would give her another reason to be out and about, she said.Greater Lynn Senior Services Director Paul Crowley also said he looked forward to the proposal moving forward.”Some of the actual work the seniors will be doing will be down at the senior center,” he said. “We have a huge stable of volunteers, around 110. They do a lot and this is a way to strengthen an already strong program.”Cyr said even if the Ordinance Committee approved the proposal at its next meeting there would still have to be a public hearing and the council as a whole would have to vote on the issue.”It should come up in February but just for discussion,” he said. “After the discussion it will be set down for a public hearing.”Despite the delay, Cyr agreed it could be a good program.”It sounds like a pretty good idea,” he said. “It’s a good thing to want to help seniors, it’s a great thing if you can.”Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].