THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020 Desmarais in familiar role: Peabody Light Plant as acting police chief powers down rates By Gayla Cawley the department for 34 years, including By Anne Marie Tobin Robert O. Wheatley. “The PP&FCA is ITEM STAFF the past three and a half as its chief. ITEM STAFF adjusted based on PMLP’s cost to pur- Desmarais has served as acting chief chase power, which we get from a vari- LYNN — Mayor Thomas M. McGee during a previous vacancy, which was PEABODY — For the second time in ety of different sources, as well as other plans to appoint Deputy Chief Leonard lled when Mageary was appointed 2020, customers of the Peabody Munic- factors. Having a diversi ed portfolio Desmarais as acting chief of the Lynn chief by former Mayor Judith Flanagan ipal Light Plant (PMLP) are getting a helps to keep costs to our customers sta- Police Department. Kennedy. rate cut. ble over time and as low as possible. The Desmarais, a 32-year veteran of the Deputy Chief Edward Blake also an- PMLP recently announced that new decreases in costs that we are realizing department, will assume his new role nounced his retirement earlier this year Purchase Power & Fuel Cost Adjust- today are in part based on investments after the retirement of Chief Michael after 34 years of service with the depart- ment (PP&FCA) rates went into effect made by the Peabody Municipal Light- Mageary becomes effective this Satur- ment, effective July 31. Blake joined the this month and will remain in place ing Commission over time.” day, according to an announcement from force in 1986 and worked in the patrol through the month of September. The rate cut will save money for res- the Lynn Police Department. division for 12 years. “Each quarter, the PMLP sets the rates idential and small commercial custom- Mageary announced his retirement on Blake was promoted to sergeant in charged to its customers through chang- ers, PLMP stated in a recent press re- Monday, calling it a “dif cult decision to 1998, lieutenant in 2002 and captain in es to the Purchased Power and Fuel lease. The typical residential customer’s make,” but one that he had been contem- Cost Adjustment (PP&FCA),” said Pea- plating for a long time. He has been with DESMARAIS, A3 body Municipal Lighting Commissioner PEABODY, A3 Saugus $100M development a oat turning at north harbor development rink over to state By Elyse Carmosino ITEM STAFF SAUGUS — The state will take over operations at Sau- gus’ Kasabuski Rink in order to implement more than $3 million in facility upgrades. The news comes after Sau- gus’ Board of Selectmen vot- ed 4-0 last week to accept a mutual agreement ending a lease and sublease between the town, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), and the rink’s oper- ators, Nathaniel Maniff and John Curley. “I think the arrangement we voted on is really in the best interest for our town,” said Selectwoman Debra Pa- netta. “Over the years, there were different things that needed to be done that just weren’t being done, and un- der the former lease agree- ment, capital improvements (structural changes or resto- By Gayla Cawley pretty open and a lot of the work was outdoors, so Work is pro- rations made to a property) ITEM STAFF the timing of where we were at in the construction gressing on the were supposed to be done by cycle was to our advantage as well.” $100 million LYNN — 40 years vacant, not even a pandemic can the person leasing the rink.” Loth said crews from Callahan Construction are redevelopment slow down redevelopment of the north harbor site. In September 2008, the framing the rst building now, which will contain of the north The $100 million waterfront development, town entered a 20-year lease 231 units and is located on the Lynnway. He antic- harbor site in dubbed Breakwater, will result in two buildings with the Division of Capi- ipates that the building will be substantially com- Lynn off of the with 331 market rate apartments and commercial tal Asset Management and pleted by November. Lynnway. Maintenance (DCAMM), in space. He said crews are a bit behind on the second 100- consultation with the De- “You drive by and you can see there’s a fair unit building, with substantial completion expect- ITEM PHOTO | partment of Conservation amount happening there,” said Eric Loth, manag- ed by next March or April. That building will be OLIVIA FALCIGNO and Recreation, that would ing director of Minco Corp. “We did not have much located farther back on the site. effect from COVID. We actually kept working. have allowed the town to use LYNN, A2 and operate the rink until “Luckily, we were at a point where the site was 2028. However, when keeping up with the rink’s nances be- came too dif cult, the town’s former administration opted to sublease the rink to ease Reid’s Ride up for the its nancial burden on the community. Town Manager Scott Crab- challenge in Lynn eld tree said that under its lease with the state, the town By Anne Marie Tobin is the 16th annual and raises money for could have been liable for ITEM STAFF the Reid R. Sacco Adolescent and Young more than 3 million in neces- Adult (AYA) Cancer Alliance in memory LYNNFIELD — Stronger together sary capital improvements. of Sacco, a 2003 graduate of Lynn eld while we’re apart. “Right after (the rink) High School who was diagnosed with was subleased, there was a That’s the theme of this year’s Reid’s cancer shortly before graduation. After steady stream of issues that Ride which concludes Sunday. battling the disease for two years, he died continued to arise. The cap- Due to the ongoing pandemic, ride orga- ital improvements the rink nizers modi ed the format. Normally it at the age of 20 in April of 2015. needed piled up, and the is a one-day, 28-mile bike trek from Lyn- Sacco’s mother Lorraine Sacco, the town continued to receive n eld High School to Stage Fort Park in founder and executive director of the Al- notices and demand letters Gloucester, instead, the event was virtual liance, said, “This year is the best ever. from the state,” he said. “The Instead of a one-day 28-mile bike ride, this with participants able to choose any ac- “I am just totally shocked by the re- town relayed these demands year’s Reid Ride fundraiser allowed par- tivity to their liking to complete the 28- sponse this year as, incredible as it ticipants to choose their own activities for mile event. SAUGUS, A3 their fundraising. The event, which began in late April, REID’S RIDE, A3 COVID-19 King’s Beach posted second worst water quality last year No new virus deaths reported. A3 By David McLellan Health, within the Massachusetts Depart- ceed water quality standards. ITEM STAFF ment of Public Health (DPH), has released its Water quality is determined in part by Opinion We salute annual report for Massachusetts beach-test- measurements of the level of certain bacte- Chief Mageary. A4 LYNN — Second only to a beach in Boston, ing results — the most current report is a ria, such as enterococci, which can cause a Lynn’s King’s Beach had Massachusetts De- summary of data for the year 2019. variety of infections. If multiple samples at a Charles: Tradition, partment of Public Health’s signage warning The data shows that in 2019 King’s Beach beach are taken in a row that show bacteria tribute or tone swimmers about poor water quality more was the second most “posted” beach in the levels exceed DPH standards, a beach can be deafness? A4 than any other tested beach in the state last state — “posted” is the term the DPH uses posted. year. when signage advising against swimming is The state’s Bureau of Environmental put up because a beach’s bacteria levels ex- BEACH, A2 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 HIGH 71° VOL. 141, ISSUE 182 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-2 CLASSIFIED ...............................B6 LOW 60° POLICE/FIRE .............................A5 COMICS ....................................B4 TRAVEL......................................B8 PAGE A8 $1.50 A2 THE DAILY ITEM THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020 OBITUARIES Leo W. Frechette, 70 1950-2020 LYNN — Leo W. Frechette, 70, of Lynn, passed away on April 18, 2020 in Saugus after a long illness. He was born on May 9, 1950 to the late Earl F. Fre- chette and Lorraine (Doane) Frechette. He attended Lynn schools. After high school he joined the U.S. Army and was deployed to Panama and Korea. He was employed for many years at Lynn Ladder. He loved to spend his spare time fishing and camping. He is survived by his chil- dren, Leo Frechette Jr. and daughter-in-law Mary of Virginia; daughter, Heather chette Jr. of North Carolina. Frechette of Lynn; his sister, Service information: Buri- Suzanne (Frechette) Caliri of al was at Pine Grove Ceme- Florida; and two grandchil- tery in the veterans section. dren. He was preceded in No services are scheduled at death by his brother, Earl Fre- this time. The $100 million waterfront development, dubbed Breakwater, will result in two buildings with Shirley Rhodes 331 market rate apartments and commercial space. 1933-2020 Shirley Scott Johnston Building on Beacon Chevrolet site is surging ahead Rhodes passed away peace- fully at the Concordia nursing home in Fayetteville, Ga., on LYNN project, Loth said construc- be turned over to the state. cluding state permitting, July 8.