FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2020 Swampscott trust studies Essex Street Council By Guthrie Scrimgeour According to the 2016 Swampscott Hous- have an annual gross income of less than ITEM STAFF ing Production Plan, as of October 2015, $40,000.” only 3.7 percent of the 5,795 year-round AHT funds can be used to support the de- backs SWAMPSCOTT — Developers from Win- units were considered affordable by state velopment of affordable housing at the dis- nCompanies presented a project plan to standards, well below the recommended lev- cretion of the Board of Trustees, with the the Affordable Housing Trust Thursday in el of 10 percent affordability. approval of the Board of Selectmen. hopes of gaining a funding commitment for “We’re de nitely not anywhere near where The AHT has thus far been unable to sup- racial a mixed-income development. we need to be,” said Kimberly Martin-Ep- port any projects due to a lack of resources, The proposed 128-unit development along stein, the AHT Chair. though a new stream of funding now lets it Essex Street, Elm Place, and Pippin Road, The need for more affordable housing is com- consider allocating funds. would be the rst project to receive funding pounded by Swampscott’s aging population. A payment from Groom Construction justice from the Affordable Housing Trust (AHT), “The over-65 population will nearly dou- in September put the AHT’s balance at created in 2017 to address Swampscott’s ble by 2030,” reads the Housing Produc- lack of affordable housing. tion Plan. “Almost half of senior households ESSEX STREET, A3 Mayor urged to consider Saugus police reforms By Gayla Cawley puri es ITEM STAFF LYNN — The Lynn City Council passed an order this week that urges Mayor its air Thomas M. McGee to look By Elyse Carmosino into several policies and pro- ITEM STAFF grams that would reimagine policing in the city. SAUGUS — Implemen- The council order recom- tation of an advanced air mends that McGee review puri cation system is un- the “advisability, feasibility derway in Saugus schools, and utility” of requiring Lynn of ces, and municipal Police of cers to wear body buildings, Town Manager cameras; establishing an Scott Crabtree announced unarmed civilian response Thursday. team that would respond to Under the guidance of non-violent or non-emergen- the Centers for Disease cy situations; and instituting Control and Prevention a civilian review board to re- (CDC) and the Massachu- view police policies and pro- setts Department of Pub- cedures. lic Health (MDPH), Crab- The three policies the City tree said the town hired Council has asked McGee to hygienists, mechanical evaluate are the main com- engineers, and architects ponents of a citizens’ petition to assist in carrying out — submitted by several com- COVID-19 safety mea- Eastern Bank, the country’s oldest and largest mutual bank, had a successful Wall munity groups over the sum- sures in town buildings Street debut on its rst day of trading on NASDAQ. mer and authorized in late as part of a continued ef- July — that will be discussed fort to mitigate the virus’ during a council public hear- spread. ing centered around social “We had speci cations Wall St. rings true for Eastern justice and police reform on of what we wanted (the Saturday, Oct. 24 at 11 a.m. lters) to be able to do, By Steve Krause Eastern, the oldest and larg- ly $1.8 billion of orders. Under the City Charter, and then we had compa- ITEM STAFF est mutual bank in the United The bank, which was found- the city is required to hold nies that responded to States, took the unexpected ed in Salem and has its princi- a public hearing if a petition that and showed us (op- The stock of Eastern Bank- step of offering shares to the pal operations center in Lynn, requesting such a hearing tions),” Crabtree said. Shares, the holding company public earlier this year in an ef- recently received regulatory garners at least 150 signa- “Experts gave us different which owns Eastern Bank, fort to fuel future growth oppor- approval to begin public trad- tures from registered voters recommendations and put jumped more than 20 per- tunities. As a mutual bank they ing of their stock. In addition in the city, but the council is together lists of things we cent in its rst day of trading rst offered their shares pri- to the shares purchased by not required to vote on the petition, according to Assis- can do in each building.” Thursday on NASDAQ. The vately to all of their depositors, the depositors and insiders, the company also purchased tant City Solicitor James La- After consulting with initial public offering was employees, and of cers. That these experts, the town $14.5 million worth of stock for manna. priced at $10 per share, and offering, targeted at $1.4 to $1.7 purchased the Beyond by a newly formed employee stock “They want to come and the stock (ticker: EBC) closed billion worth of stock, was over- Aerus air puri cation sys- tem and acquired 167 of at $12.15. subscribed and attracted near- EASTERN BANK, A2 LYNN, A3 two separate units — the Beyond Guardian Air and the Guardian Angel — to COVID make up the system. Virus surge continues in Lynn and Revere. A2 According to a fact sheet provided by the Town Man- Opinion ager’s of ce, the Beyond Jourgensen: I’ve got issues, but I’m transparent. A8 Guardian Air captures Sports SAUGUS, A2 Lynn eld eld hockey celebrates senior night. B1 GOP pushes Barrett as Democrats cry ‘sham’ By Lisa Mascaro, Mark Sherman and Mary Clare Jalonick ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — Republicans ITEM PHOTO | SPENSER HASAK powered Supreme Court nominee ITEM FILE PHOTO | OLIVIA FALCIGNO Friends of the Lynn eld Rail Trail President Vince Inglese, cen- Amy Coney Barrett closer to con- ter, stands with of cers Axel Wirth, left, and Mark Preston walk Cars line up to receive free COVID testing rmation Thursday, pushing past along the proposed path. at the Square One Mall in Saugus. Democratic objections and other priorities during the COVID-19 crisis in the drive to seat President Saugus extends free Donald Trump’s pick before the Lynn eld plots a path Nov. 3 election. The Senate Judiciary Committee COVID-19 testing set Oct. 22 for its vote to recom- mend Barrett’s nomination to the into the great outdoors By Elyse Carmosino and Fallon EMS at the full Senate, with a nal con rma- ITEM STAFF Square One Mall will tion vote expected by month’s end. By Thor Jourgensen of the Lynn eld Rail Trail President continue to offer resi- “A sham,” said Sen. Amy Klobu- ITEM STAFF Vincent Inglese. SAUGUS — Saugus dents free COVID-19 char, D-Minn. “Power grab,” pro- Proposed to run 4.4 miles span- will extend operations tests through the be- tested Sen. Richard Blumenthal, LYNNFIELD — With design ning Lynn eld and Wake eld with of its COVID-19 test ginning of next year D-Conn. “Not normal,” said Sen. work speeding ahead on the Lyn- the Lynn eld section including a sites through Jan. 15, as part of Saugus’ Dick Durbin, D-Ill. n eld-Wake eld rail trail, project Reedy Meadow crossing, the trail Town Manager Scott partnership with the “You don’t convene a Supreme supporters hope a 2024 planned con- plan survived an initial rocky re- Crabtree announced Commonwealth for the Court con rmation hearing, in the struction date can be pushed up to ception from town residents with Thursday. state’s Stop the Spread middle of a pandemic, when the 2023, maybe earlier. supporters winning by one vote AFC Urgent Care, lo- “Our theme is to advance this proj- cated at 371 Broadway, COVID-19, A3 BARRETT, A6 ect in a timely manner,” said Friends RAIL TRAIL, A2 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 HIGH 70° VOL. 141, ISSUE 260 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-2 CLASSIFIED ...............................B6 LOW 46° POLICE/FIRE .............................A5 COMICS ....................................B4 ENTERTAINMENT .......................B8 PAGE A8 $1.50 A2 THE DAILY ITEM FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2020 OBITUARIES Nancy G. (Higgins) Bonita, Lynnfield plots a path into 58 DORCHESTER - Nancy G. the great outdoors (Higgins) Bonita, passed away unexpectedly on September RAIL TRAIL 30th. She was 58 years old. Nancy was born and raised in From A1 Dorchester and attended local Town Meeting authoriza- schools there. After graduating tion in 2017 to have the from high school, she went Board of Selectmen ad- on to continue her education vance the project. attending Northeastern Uni- Subsequent votes en- versity studying Child Develop- dorsed the project by wide ment. She worked for a several margins and design work years at Northeastern and later has reached the 75 per- went to work in property man- cent design stage. Town agement, a career she held Administrator Robert for many years. Nancy had an Dolan said the trail design amazing heart and soul and is a complicated process would easily make friends involving coordination wherever she went. She had a way about her that would make grandmother of Lyla. Devoted with Wakefield and state everyone laugh and smile and daughter of Catherine M. Hig- transportation officials she had the ability to lighten up gins of Lynn & James Higgins and wildlife experts. He the moment even in the most & adored granddaughter of said design focus includes troubling of times. She was a the late Josephine Lombardo environmental permitting dedicated friend to many and & Peter Lombardo. She is also and culvert crossing plans could always be counted on; lovingly survived by her feline for Reedy Meadow.