Cyr: ‘No relationship’ between mayor, Lynn council

LYNN – Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy and City Councilors clashed over city spending Wednesday, with Council President Timothy Phelan rebutting Kennedy?s claim that he kicked her off a committee that scrutinizes city financial transfers.Irate councilors said Kennedy has not followed through on a pledge earlier this year to boost Public Works spending and expand the department?s workforce to 50-plus employees. Kennedy on Wednesday said “DPW is definitely on my radar” and said the best time to assess the department?s needs is after she hires a new DPW commissioner later this year.?I?ll talk to the (DPW) management team to determine staffing levels,” she said.She also rebuffed councilors? suggestions Tuesday urging her to take tax dollars out of the city free cash account to bolster DPW spending. Kennedy called free cash money for “one-time improvements.”A clearly frustrated Ward 2 Councilor William Trahant Jr. urged his colleagues Tuesday to delay approving the budget until they could ask Kennedy to put more money into DPW.?She told us she would try to give us more personnel,” Trahant said.Trahant told colleagues on Tuesday that DPW has a growing list of tree pruning requests and he said plowing trucks sat idle during major winter snow storms this year because tired drivers needed a break from driving them and no fresh drivers were available.?I?m not letting up – I?ll keep fighting for DPW,” Trahant said.Kennedy said her “door is always open” to councilors interested in discussing city spending, and said Trahant, Ward 3 Councilor Darren Cyr and Ward 6 Councilor Peter Capano never scheduled meetings with her this month when the budget was under council review.Cyr said a council-mayor discussion earlier this year on Public Works spending clearly outlined the department?s need for additional workers to provide adequate staff levels for snow removal and tree pruning.?She knows what the crisis is in DPW,” Cyr said.Cyr also challenged Kennedy?s claim that she is “always available” to meet with councilors.?There is no relationship between the mayor?s office and the council, and council and mayor?s office,” he said.Kennedy took aim Wednesday at Phelan when asked about communication between the city?s executive and legislative branch.?Councilor Phelan took me off the Finance Committee. He?s the one who cut off that line of communication,” she said.Kennedy said Phelan made her a “non-voting member” of the committee a year and a half ago.But Phelan said he and Kennedy agreed during a discussion almost three years ago that “there was no purpose in her being a voting member of the Finance Committee.”Kennedy has not attended a Finance Committee meeting in the council president?s office in more than a year.The committee votes on transfers from one city account to another account forwarded to the committee by the Comptroller?s office. After the committee votes on the transfers, they are sent to the council for approval before being forwarded to the mayor?s office for final approval.The committee roster lists Phelan as Finance Committee chairman, and Cyr, Trahant and Ward 4 Councilor Richard Colucci as committee members. The mayor is listed as an “ex officio/non-voting” member.?The mayor is still a member – a non-voting member – she is always welcome to participate at every single Finance Committee,” Phelan said.Thor Jourgensen can be reached at [email protected].