LYNN — After nearly a quarter of a century as a numbers man for Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND), Joseph Scanlon III has called it quits.
The 66-year-old worked his last day Friday as the nonprofit’s accountant.
Scanlon is the son of former Lynn Fire Chief Joseph E. Scanlon Jr. and grandson of former Fire Chief Joseph E. Scanlon. They served the city from the 1930s through 1987. While firefighting was in the family’s blood, young Scanlon wasn’t interested.
“Joining the fire department was highly discouraged by my father,” he said. “He told me it was dangerous work and at the time, it didn’t pay well.”
As an undergraduate at Boston College in the 1970s and later as an MBA candidate at Boston University, Scanlon said he had no idea what he wanted to do.
“I wound up working as an accountant in an engineering company for 18 years before I came to LHAND,” he said.
But it turns out his real passion was politics. He loves history, he said, worked on campaigns, and has been a member of the Lynn Democratic Committee since Richard M. Nixon lived in the White House.
In 1977, he saw an opportunity to run for office and was elected Ward 1 City Councilor. He served for eight years and said he is most proud of boosting the minimum lot size to build a home in Lynn to 10,000 square feet, up from 7,000.
“We saw what was coming and we didn’t want the neighborhood to be overcrowded and services to be overloaded,” he said.
In addition, he helped author new rules to reorganize the city’s financial structure that led to the creation of the chief financial officer and chief assessor jobs, he said.
“That’s when the city’s back was against the wall financially and the state wanted some reforms in exchange for a bailout,” he said.
In 1985, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for councilor-at-large. But two years later, he won the seat and served for two terms. His political career ended in 1993 when he took on incumbent Mayor Patrick J. McManus. While Scanlon came in first in the primary, he was defeated in the final.
“Running and being mayor is where it’s at,” he said. “Voters are looking for your vision of the city, and what policies you would bring.”
But politics’ loss was LHAND’s gain, according to Charles J. Gaeta, LAND’s executive director, who served with Scanlon on the City Council.
“Joe has always been a reliable, honest, and loyal person,” he said. “His work ethic, the time he put in, and his knowledge are unsurpassed.”
Scanlon has been Gaeta’s right hand man on policy and fiscal matters for years.
“He keeps a lot of balls in the air,” he said. “We have a large portfolio and he and his staff have kept it going.”
Longtime LHAND employee Rosario Fresco has been named as his successor and will be the next policy and finance director.
In retirement, Scanlon said he plans to continue his work as member of the Lynn Museum’s board of directors.
Drew Russo, the museum’s executive director, praised Scanlon.
“The museum has been Joe’s passion for many years,” he said. “He has been an invaluable source of support for me and the staff. There are few people who have the appreciation for Lynn history and the city’s cultural contributions. He has been an amazing steward of this institution.”