NU pledges to help out Nahant school programs

NAHANT – In an appearance before the Board of Selectmen, Northeastern University officials pledged to meet with the Johnson School administration to discuss ways in which the university can better aid the elementary school.The heavily attended meeting came after months of discussion primarily led by Selectman Rich Lombard that Northeastern University wasn’t doing enough to make up for the almost 50 years its Marine Science Center has inhabited East Point in Nahant without payment in lieu of taxes. Lombard had insisted the five-year scholarship covering half of the tuition of a Nahant resident attending the university was not enough, calling Northeastern “a bad neighbor” prior to the meeting.Murray Gibson, dean of the College of Science, and John Tobin, vice president of City and Community Affairs, represented the university in its pledge for better communication with the town. “Our mission is to help those around us be better neighbors,” said Tobin. “It’s been said by many folks that we could have a better impact with young people in Nahant, and it’s been suggested we broaden our conversation with the Johnson School.Tobin said he has been speaking with Superintendent Phil Devaux and Principal Diane Mulcahy at the Johnson School along with School Committee member Lissa Keane, and will meet with them on March 7 to discuss how the university can create positive opportunities for Nahant’s young students. “Let this be the start of conversation on community benefits,” said Tobin.Following Tobin’s proposal, Lombard said the communication has been “nonexistent” between the town and the university, and he would like it to improve. “I requested payment in lieu of taxes, and I look around at the surrounding communities and wonder what’s going on,” Lombard explained. “Nahant is pressed for funds in our schools, especially in arts and music that was cut out, it’s always the first thing to go. Northeastern sitting up there at its huge university, it could have stepped in. That’s where I was coming from.”Tobin said he would be interested in meeting with the selectmen once or a few times a year to keep a solid relationship with the town.Marine Science Center President Geoff Trussel also presented a PowerPoint presentation of how the Marine Science Center, after recent renovations and faculty hires, is prepared with a “state-of-the-art” facility to work with Nahant on how to tackle issues of urban coastal areas, such as overfishing and climate change.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].