LYNN — The three mayoral candidates gathered at Old Tyme Italian Cuisine on Wednesday night, where they discussed their plans for the city in an informative session that was hosted by the Sacred Heart Knotty Knitters.
The candidates, City Council President Darren Cyr and School Committee members Jared Nicholson and Michael Satterwhite, discussed their top three priorities, all citing infrastructure and the schools as large issues that need to be addressed in Lynn.
The candidates agreed that the success of building new schools is a reality because the city is in a much better financial situation than the last time a new Pickering Middle School was proposed and with communication among the community, this is a project that can be accomplished.
Cyr listed his top three priorities as infrastructure, schools and development. In regards to infrastructure, Cyr highlighted the needs for new roads, sidewalks, and updates to parks and buildings.
Development in the city will bring in revenue and disposable income, Cyr said, which will ultimately take care of infrastructure. He said the city needs to bring in positive development to rebuild the downtown and make it a place where people want to go. Cyr reflected on the atmosphere of the downtown when he was growing up, saying it was a hub for shopping and hanging out and he wants to get back to that by bringing in more commercial properties.
With most factories and large companies moving out of Lynn because of its 45-minute to an hour-long commute to neighboring highways, Cyr said “our future industry is the development of our city, the Lynnway and downtown.”
All three candidates agreed that the city is in dire need of new schools, citing the numerous school buildings that are more than 100 years old.
The focus on schools was one of three things Nicholson listed as his priorities, the other two being improving infrastructure and housing.
Nicholson listed the need for at least five new schools as his top priority, saying that if schools should be built anywhere in Massachusetts, they should be in Lynn because the schools need the most updates and assistance paying for this. He said as mayor, he will push for the state to reform its school construction plan so Lynn can have a new school more often than every 20 years.
Nicholson wants to focus on infrastructure to make the city more walkable, which would increase foot traffic and benefit the small businesses.
He also discussed the issue regarding trash and litter in the city and the pollution of King’s Beach, saying that with capital investments, these issues can be addressed.
For housing, Nicholson said he will work to make Lynn more affordable and lower the cost of housing, as well as doing more to support homebuyers.
Satterwhite listed his top three priorities as public safety, affordability, and accessibility.
Satterwhite said with all of the new developments and the size of Lynn, the city should have at least 200 full-time firefighters, compared to the 160 it currently has.
As mayor, he said he will ensure there is accessibility in the city to train the adult population to have better job opportunities, suggesting that Lynn Technical Vocational Institute should be used at night to implement this.
This kind of training, he said, will provide experience and exposure for residents to work in skilled trades, resulting in higher incomes, which will ultimately bring in more disposable income from residents that are already here.
“Every resident, every ward, every business matters in this city, and that will be the case with me as mayor,” Satterwhite said.
Satterwhite also wants to work to make the city more affordable so longtime residents aren’t forced to move out because taxes or rent are too high.
When asked about the city’s image, in terms of the old negative catchphrase, “Lynn, Lynn the city of sin,” the candidates said they will work to highlight the great aspects of the city — including its diversity, Lynn Woods, the waterfront, businesses and opportunities — and ultimately change that long-standing image.
