Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, Gov. Charlie Baker, Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash, Congressman Seth Moulton and state Sen. Thomas M. McGee will headline a contingent of local, state and federal officials at an event Monday that promises to pay big dividends for the city.
The 9:30 a.m. news conference on the steps of City Hall will serve to formally announce a city, state and federal collaboration that Kennedy hopes will set the agenda, and establish priorities, for Lynn’s initiatives.
“We are grateful that Congressman Moulton, Governor Baker and Secretary Ash have recognized the opportunity to help us advance the progress we have made in the area of economic development,” she said. “We are anxious to share our priorities with our partners and look forward to the resources they can provide to help us achieve our goals.”
At least one of those initiatives has progressed, as the collaboration has already pushed the Federal Street Market Basket project closer to construction.
Ash and Market Basket CEO Arthur T. DeMoulas joined city officials and legislators Nov. 6 on the Federal Street site where Market Basket wants to open an 80,000-square-foot store and announced a $2 million MassWorks grant to pay for road, sidewalk and other improvements on streets surrounding the store site.
Moulton Friday called creating a Lynn Economic Advancement Team “exciting” and said types of federal assistance potentially available to the city include money to expand the commuter ferry and environmental remediation money.
“The city has to take the lead. We all recognize the great potential of Lynn. The time is now,” Moulton said.
Ash, too, has expressed willingness to work with city officials to help advance its economic revival.
“I am excited to work with the city, the legislative delegation, and Congressman Moulton as we help Lynn realize its potential,” Ash said. “The city of Lynn has tremendous development potential, and is in the middle of an economic renaissance.”
Lynn/EDIC Executive Director James M. Cowdell said the willingness of the state and federal government to invest in Lynn is a reflection of the positive steps the city has taken to be in position to take advantage of the resources they can provide, pointing to the Market Basket project as an example of a recent success story.
“In a short period of time, Gov. Baker and Secretary Ash have delivered for the City of Lynn,” Cowdell said. “The $2.5 million Massworks grant from the state for infrastructure allowed the Market Basket project to move forward.”
Also expected to attend Monday are: Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack; Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton; State Reps. Robert Fennell, Brendan Crighton, Lori Ehrlich and Donald Wong; EDIC Chair Charles Gaeta; and Community Development Director James Marsh.
Kennedy said conversations between aides for Baker, Moulton, Ash and her aides led to plans for a “formalization of the coordination of efforts of all three levels of government.”
