Lynn council candidates favor linkage

LYNN – Seven of eight candidates running for City Council at large seats split over reversing a five-year-old liquor serving hours rollback to 1 a.m. and one questioned a proposal to tie development locally to job training programs.That so-called “linkage” proposal generated discussion at a July 29 jobs forum downtown. Ward 5 Councilor Brendan Crighton said he is “open” to discussing linkage but has some concerns about the concept.?Right now, we?re trying to tear down roadblocks to development – putting up another constraint might cause obstacles,” he said.No linkage proposal has been drafted by the council or Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy and rolling back liquor hours to 2 a.m. is a decision that lies with the city License Commission.First-time council candidate Aikaterini Panagiotakis Koudanis said developers who sign on to provide job training locally benefit economically by helping to create a workforce ready for employment.?It?s good business for the community,” she said.Koudanis, fellow candidate Miguel Funez and Councilor at large Hong Net said the city of Boston?s model tying new development projects in that city to job creation and other projects provides a model for Lynn.Funez said any decision to adopt linkage locally should begin with establishing a city commission to research Boston and other linkage concepts. Crighton is not sure linkage is currently “the right fit” for Lynn, in part because of the city?s size compared to Boston.But Councilor at large Gordon “Buzzy” Barton said linkage is important because plentiful employment opportunities once provided by General Electric and other big firms have faded away. He said any linkage plan must be balanced with city assurances that developments will receive quick reviews and approvals by city officials.Former Councilor at large Paul Crowley said “the social compact” between business developers and the community “should be always to support the community that supports them.”At large councilor Robert Clay Walsh called linkage a way to “reinvest in the community” and said he supports initially allowing liquor serving establishments to remain open one day a week until 2 a.m. and, eventually, on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – providing public safety concerns are addressed.Funez said restoring the 2 a.m. closing time will help local restaurants and said public safety worries that underpinned the city License Commission?s vote to roll back closing times to 1 a.m. in 2008 have eased.?I think the city is more prepared now. We have more police to handle the 2 a.m. closing,” Funez said.Barton disagreed and noted Police Chief Kevin Coppinger?s concerns about later closings and public safety.?It would be really hard for me to go against the police chief,” he said.Crowley supported the rollback to 1 a.m. as councilor because of concerns raised by police.?Now that we have experienced it for a few years, my thinking is that that last hour of business is dangerous business when people are inebriated and trying to grab that one last drink,” he said.Net acknowledged local businesses that serve alcohol need help prospering, but said public safety concerns make him wary of endorsing a rollback. Crighton declined to state his views on the rollback, but Koudanis called it “a perfect opportunity” to pair later closing times with efforts to encourage liquor serving establishments to implement practices aimed at reducing drunken driving.Attempts to reach Councilor at large Daniel Cahill on Monday were unsuccessful.