Lenzi to move to Dracut, will resign from Tech committee

The Lenzi property at 7 Brianna Way in Dracut

Mike Lenzi will move to Dracut.

Lenzi, one of four Lowell representatives on the Greater Lowell Technical High School Committee, reconsidered moving north after someone offered to buy the home he had just purchased at 7 Brianna Way at a substantial profit.

Lenzi said in a telephone interview Thursday that deal “fell through” and he, his wife Sandy and children have decided the clan will indeed move to Dracut. Lenzi closed on the $775,000 deal May 15, having bought the home from Scott and Laurie Lee. Lenzi’s mortgage, from the Washington Savings Bank, totaled $620,000.

The decision means Lenzi will resign from the Tech school committee, but not until late August or early September.

When Lenzi first raised the possibility of moving and resigning, it set off a political flurry from folks who expressed some interest in taking his seat. Like Ray Boutin, a member of the school council at the Greater Lowell Tech; retired Air Force officer and conservative blogger Cliff Krieger; former Tech school committee member Dave Laferriere; unsuccessful candidate for the committee in last fall’s election William Sheehan; former Lowell School Committee member Jackie Doherty; and Paul Belley, a community activist and twice unsuccessful former City Council candidate.

Those folks can begin their lobbying efforts now. Lenzi said he’s already had discussions with Boutin and Krieger, and he’d be willing to meet with anyone who is interested.

Lenzi was re-elected to a fourth term last fall. His term expires in 2015. Now that he has decided to move, it will be up to the Lowell City Council and School Committee, meeting jointly, to appoint a replacement. The appointee would serve until the next election, whereby the seat would be up for election for the remainder of the term.

Lenzi said he will put his Belvidere home on the market in a couple weeks.

For the remainder of the summer, Lenzi said his priority will be to use his position on the school committee too work with Tech administrators and other elected and appointed officials throughout the region to publicize what he described as an epidemic: opioid overdoses.

According to the city Health Department, 31 people died in Lowell last year from opioid overdoses.

Lenzi hopes to form a task force of state and local officials, convene public meetings, and take other measures. Stay tuned.

Follow Column Blogger Christopher Scott on Twitter @cscottlowellsun 

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