Several local community members, elected officials and Wynn officials are looking to create a new group headed by an official moderator to begin working with the Wynn Everett casino on amicable terms.
Lynne Levesque, who said she is only a concerned resident, said she had read in the Wynn Licensing Agreement that the company had to conduct outreach to engage and consult with the Charlestown community.
With that in mind, she and others have pegged a date in early February to have a formative meeting to bring together the neighborhood, the City, Wynn and elected officials in order to start that required outreach.
“I’m spearheading an effort to figure out what that requirement means,” she said. “With the blessing of the Gaming Commission, we’ve set up a task force.”
She said the meeting will happen in early February and one possible site being looked at is at Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) and coincides with Wynn’s expected Jan. 31 filing of its all-important supplemental state environmental reports – most of which will deal with traffic in Charlestown.
More than that, the goal will be to unify the neighborhood in a recognized forum.
To that end, Levesque, Rebecca Love, Terra Lally, State Rep. Dan Ryan, Councilor Sal LaMattina and Wynn official John Tocco have turned to the state Office of Public Collaboration to help employ a moderator. Official moderators have to be registered with the office, and Levesque said they have had eight responses with four qualified. They are working on a short list of two persons right now, she said.
She said the February meeting won’t entail any major decisions other than figuring out how everyone can come together and work together.
“The goal is to have all of Charlestown working together in one wonderful fashion so we can work most efficiently and effectively with Wynn,” she said. “If we can come out of this with some unified voice for Charlestown…that could make us much more powerful and effective. It would not be easy for Wynn to divide and conquer. As much as possible, I want to work amicably with the Wynn people so that all of Charlestown, not just some, can get what they want.”