WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016 Mayor: Lynn can’t afford more affordable housing By Thomas Grillo count includes deed-restricted units that 4,000 Section 8 vouchers, the federal pro- housing, used a bullhorn to advocate for ITEM STAFF remain affordable in perpetuity. gram that assists low-income families, more low- and moderate-income units. Only 14 Bay State cities and towns have elders and the disabled afford housing They held signs that said “Lynn Says No LYNN — City of cials say Lynn has a a larger percentage of low-income housing: in the private market, and perhaps as To Gentri cation” and “Lynn Families Be- suf cient amount of affordable housing Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard, Bedford, many as another 1,000 federal vouchers fore Developer’s Pro ts.” and what the city needs is an infusion Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Gardner, that are not tracked and the number of “To tell a developer ‘If you don’t do what of market-rate homes and new residents Green eld, Hadley, Holyoke, Lawrence, people living in shelters — bringing the we say, we will shut you down,’ there’s no with deep pockets to occupy them. Lowell, North Adams, Spring eld and total to more than 25 percent. place for that,” he said. “Take your bull- In its most recent report, the state De- Worcester, according to the DHCD. Cowdell objected to a protest that was horn and go to Lynn eld, go to Swamp- partment of Housing and Community James Cowdell, executive director of the held earlier this month before a develop- scott, go to Marblehead; how can you Development (DHCD) said of the nearly Lynn Economic Development & Industri- er’s tour of the city when two dozen mem- make that argument in Lynn?” 35,701 housing units in the city, 12.5 per- al Corp. (EDIC/Lynn), said the numbers bers of Lynn United for Change, a commu- cent meet the affordability criteria. That reported by the state fail to include about nity organization that supports affordable HOUSING, A7 School issues Developer come to a boil slowing in Marblehead By Bridget Turcotte road fears ITEM STAFF MARBLEHEAD — The school committee will be updated on progress made with the Elbridge in Saugus Gerry School project at its Thursday meeting. David Harris, chair of the building committee and a school committee member, said the group By Bridget Turcotte has been looking at projected enrollment numbers. ITEM STAFF “The number of kids in school ultimately deter- SAUGUS — Developers con rmed they mines how big the school needs to be,” he said. do not plan to install an access road to “The size of the school ultimately becomes the the site of the former Hilltop Steakhouse cost of the school.” from Forest Street. The Gerry School Building Committee entered Michael J. Roberts, senior vice president the 270-day eligibility period with the Massachu- of AvalonBay Communities, Inc., reaf- setts School Building Authority in March. During rmed that plans for the 855 Broadway this phase of the process, the town completes sev- property do not include an access road in eral tasks to help the MSBA determine whether it a letter to Town Manager Scott Crabtree. should be invited into the feasibility study phase. “With this letter, I would like to for- Built in 1906, the school has never seen a major mally con rm that our proposal’s design upgrade. does not include any access to/from Forest Harris said the K-1 school would need major Street and incorporates access only via renovations to be considered functional. Route 1,” Roberts said in the letter. “The building does not meet educational program AvalonBay currently has the site under needs,” he said. “The slate roof, brick exterior, oor, contract and plans to redevelop and revi- ITEM PHOTO | OWEN O’ROURKE ceiling, electrical have all passed their lifespan.” talize it under the business highway zon- Heat at the Gerry School in Marblehead is provided by a 1953 ing district guidelines, he said. The Vir- MARBLEHEAD, A7 oil- red boiler, which failed three times in 2015. ginia-based real estate investment trust has developed more than 43,000 housing units in 10 states. At a meeting last month, Crabtree and several members of the board of select- Pastor leaves legacy men said letters were dropped in resi- dents’ mailboxes that urged residents to ght back against plans for a road. The at downtown church note warned that the alleged street would cause an “enormous increase of traf c” By Michele Durgin because it would be used as a shortcut to FOR THE ITEM access the new development. “This could cause serious safety issues LYNN — Spending time with the recently retired pastor of for you, your children, your pets and even Lynn’s Washington Street Baptist Church, Eric Nelson, is re- possibly lead to higher insurance costs for freshing and inspiring. your car or home,” the letter said. Rev. Nelson has been the pastor of the 142-year-old parish Crabtree’s of ce and a few of the select- since 1982 and reports that he’s leaving the church in good men have received dozens of calls from hands, which makes him hopeful about its future. worried residents. But the town manager “There’s a terri c core group here,” he said. “They are truly stressed that plans for a road do not exist committed to the future of this church and I believe these won- and would not be permitted under zoning ITEM PHOTO | OWEN O’ROURKE derful people will continue to make improvements.” bylaws. Rev. Eric Nelson retired from the Washington Street Baptist Church in Lynn after 34 years. PASTOR, A7 SAUGUS, A7 A dinner, a stickup and a violent end in Lynn By Thomas Grillo Dapkus’ 300 Lynn Shore Drive apartment ITEM STAFF with a search warrant that linked him to an armed robbery at the Porthole last LYNN — Robert Dapkus, the 57-year-old week. suspect who told police he wouldn’t be tak- When they arrived, his girlfriend told po- en into custody before he was fatally shot, lice through the locked door that he was was a regular at the Porthole Restaurant armed. where staff say he was tossed for bad be- Of cers then made a forced entry into the havior. apartment. As soon as the door breached, “He was obnoxious and rude,” said Dar- an of cer saw the suspect pointing a gun at Porthole owner Robert Gaudet, lene Raffaele, a bartender at the eatery. “He the door and he announced, “gun,” at which left, sketches out the robbery thought he was better than everyone else time the of cers fell back. that took place last week. Sus- and acted like he owned the place.” pect Robert Dapkus, above, was On Monday morning, police went to SHOOTING, A7 ITEM PHOTO | OWEN O’ROURKE fatally shot by police on Monday. INSIDE Lynn middle-school plan under further review In Lynn Police arrest By Gayla Cawley constructing two middle schools to replace Pick- Tuesday. “While the city attorneys expressed man on drug, ITEM STAFF ering, located on Conomo Avenue. One school an opinion that the city can legally construct a weapons charges. A3 would house 652 students near Breeds Pond school on this property, they did so with the ad- LYNN — Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy Reservoir off Parkland Avenue, while a larger monition that potential litigation could delay In Sports will call a meeting to discuss legal questions school for 1,008 students would be built on Mc- the project by at least two years. In response to Well-rounded that have arisen regarding a proposed middle Manus Field on Commercial Street. the communication, I will be convening a meet- Spartans making school off Parkland Avenue. noise in CCL. B1 The Massachusetts School Building Authori- ing of the Pickering Building Committee as soon The meeting will focus in part on legal doc- ty has to approve the potential Pickering sites. as possible to present this new information and In Food uments identi ed by the city law department “I am in receipt of a letter from the Law Depart- engage the committee in a thoughtful discussion Rosalie: Food tracing historic ownership of land proposed ment that warrants the re-examination of the about how we should proceed.” surprises are for the school construction. selection of the site off of Parkland Avenue for a frequent in Italy. B8 In August, a city building committee approved new middle school,” Kennedy said in a statement PLAN, A7 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 HIGH 62° VOL. 138, ISSUE 258 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-3 CLASSIFIED ........................... B6-7 LOW 44° POLICE/FIRE .............................A6 COMICS ....................................B4 FOOD ........................................B8 PAGE A8 ONE DOLLAR A2 THE DAILY ITEM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016 OBITUARIES Federal court rejects Eric R. Jarosz, 49 Louise J. DelColle, 94 Dechaine’s latest appeal By David Sharp abducted while baby-sit- SAUGUS — Eric R. Jarosz, of Lance and Keith Penney, aunts GEORGETOWN — Steeves Jr. and his ASSOCIATED PRESS ting in Bowdoin in July Saugus, Oct. 3, age 49, was Justine (Penney) Dolan and Mrs. Louise J. “Dol- wife Jennifer, Thom- 1988. Dechaine was con- taken into the arms of the Joanne Penney. Also survived ly” (Peralta) Bruner as Steeves, Brendon PORTLAND, Maine — victed the following year. Lord after a long illness. by his former wife Barbara DelColle, age 94, of Bruner and his wife A court in Boston rejected The Maine Supreme Ju- Born and raised in Saugus, (Keene) Jarosz. Georgetown, former- Katy, Alison Anderton Dennis Dechaine’s finaldicial Court has denied Eric graduated from Saugus In lieu of flowers, donations ly of Lynn, died on and her husband federal appeal in his long- three requests for a new High School in 1985, North- may be made to a charity of Monday, Oct.