Lynn City Council President Dan Cahill
BY THOR JOURGENSEN
City Council President Daniel Cahill announced his candidacy Thursday afternoon for the special election to fill the legislative seat being vacated by veteran state Rep. Robert Fennell hours after the Massachusetts House of Representatives approved a May 10 special election to fill the 10th Essex District seat.
“Having served the residents of Lynn over the past 12 years as a School Committee member, Council at large and Council president, I can continue my service as your next state representative by hitting the ground running and advocating on behalf of the 10th Essex residents,” Cahill wrote in a Facebook posting.
The Water and Sewer Commission in December hired Fennell, a 21-year House veteran, to be deputy director. Fennell is recovering from hand surgery and is scheduled to start working at Water and Sewer in a week.
“You don’t replace 21 years of seniority and experience but I feel I am the candidate who can hit the ground running,” Cahill said. Elected to the School Committee in 2004 and to the council in 2007, Cahill has been Council president since January, 2014.
Nomination papers for the special election were sent by the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s election division to the City Clerk’s office on Thursday. Candidates must obtain 150 certified signatures of voters by March 1. Democratic and Republican primaries are scheduled for April 12.
Fennell is the fourth area legislator in three years to leave office for other pursuits. Peabody state Rep. Leah Cole announced her exit last year and former state Reps. Stephen Walsh and Kathi-Anne Reinstein departed the House in 2014.