Paul G. Gouthro
Tuesday I attended the Conservation Commission (ConCom) meeting to learn more about what’s happening in our city. I was most interested in the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) wetland consultant LEC’s filing of a Notice of Intent (NOI) for upcoming work on the Broadway intersections, and how some of that work would be done in the protected boundary area of Sluice Pond, directly across from Conomo Avenue.
LEC is a well-known and very capable wetlands-consultant company, and it was no surprise that their NOI was complete, clear, and met all city bylaw and Wetlands Protection Act regulations. Simply put, they would do everything required by city, state, and federal law to protect Sluice Pond (and the local drains that go into the culvert down to Flax Pond). Not too many people understand and are more protective of our city’s ponds than I am.
Two of the four commissioners present voted in favor of issuing an Order of Conditions (basically the ConCom permit) and two voted against, thereby rejecting the NOI application. I will not be surprised if LEC appeals to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for a positive ruling.
I believe that the two ConCom commissioners who voted against the NOI filing did so with unfocused emotion, which I believe is wrong. I served on the ConCom recently for a little more than a year, and took a slew of certificate courses provided by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions. I pushed on more than one occasion that my fellow commissioners take these classes too, but they did not.
How can you vote on subjects like this and not have been taught the regulations? I also requested that the city makes these certificate classes mandatory for all future ConCom commissioners.
The ultimate decision for the Broadway project is the City Council’s, and the ConCom’s “no” vote was wrong.
The source of the unfocused emotion that confused the two dissenting commissioners was those who spoke in opposition of the NOI filing. Yes, the process of informing the affected abutters to the Broadway project has been very poor, if not broken. Some abutters are highly emotional to the point of being inciteful. This is misleading other abutters and causing angst and consternation in our neighborhood. Some truths have been left unsaid, and some statements are just unfounded.
I support this Broadway construction 100%. It is something that our neighborhood needs, badly. Yes, it will be difficult during the construction phase, but our whole local society needs this more than ever.
I vow to help the affected abutters understand the difference between temporary and permanent eminent domain, and I will understand, and appreciate, the sacrifice on their parts for the betterment of the whole neighborhood.
Making statements that are untrue or made out of misinformation is inciteful. The long-overdue neighborhood meeting on June 26 will be informative and truthful.
I also vow to help fix this broken process of notification and explanation to affected abutters. I will not stop with just fixing the current problem. I will also help fix the process so it doesn’t happen again. I look forward to being elected to the City Council and working with MassDOT and our state delegation to fix the process.
I wrote a letter on my own to the MBTA, on behalf of the neighborhood, requesting that the bus stop in front of Salvy the Florist be eliminated since there is a second bus stop not 100 yards away at St. Joseph Cemetery across from Mayfair Street. I’ve been told that this will be approved and that the business, neighbors, and visitors will have parking near Jenness Street instead of the bus stop. This should save the fountain.
I also believe that with proper discussion with the MassDOT designers and contractors that the beautiful bush may not need to be removed, but held back out of the way during construction of the wheelchair ramp.
I hope to see all 11 City Council members at the neighborhood meeting. Each of their votes will be critical to the success of this project.
Paul G. Gouthro is a Lynn resident and candidate for Ward 1 city councilor.
