LYNN – City Council met briefly Monday evening for a special meeting to vote on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) map updates, which would have gone into effect today, July 8 regardless of Council approval. At this meeting, Council voted in favor of the updates, but it was not a unanimous decision.
Ward 1 Councilor Dr. Peter Meaney vocalized his concerns regarding the FEMA map updates.
“I previously called (FEMA) a Ponzi scheme, and then I looked a bit into the subject, and it’s worse. It’s worse than a Ponzi scheme,” Meaney said. “I don’t think this body should bow to the federal government in this regard because we are forcing new people to pay for nothing. They’re going to pay more money per month for nothing.”
Meaney later added, “This flood insurance is not a Ponzi scheme. It’s glorified extortion.”
Following Meaney’s comments, Council President Jay Walsh reiterated that “all those people go in the flood map whether we vote against it or not tonight.” Walsh added that he understood Meaney’s “gripe with the federal government,” though.
“We’re just verifying maps that they’ve (FEMA’s) already approved, and even if they’re not approved tonight, they’re (Lynn residents) still going in those flood maps and are going to need flood insurance regardless. It’s not our choice to put them (Lynn residents) in or take them out,” Walsh said.
Although Ward 2 Councilor Obed Matul did not state his concerns during the discussion portion of the meeting, he voted with Meaney against the FEMA map updates. Since Councilor Nicole McClain was absent, the vote was 8-2.
