Lindstrom hopes to tackle health issues

MEDWAY – With what he calls a “unique background,” Eric Lindstrom hopes to defeat incumbent Jordan Warnick for his Board of Health seat next Tuesday in a showdown between two medical professionals.

Lindstrom, 46, a regional sales and development manager at Implanet, a company that specializes in orthopedic implants, has been an active Medway resident, including coaching youth sports, but now wants to do more.

“I don’t think it’s enough to live in a great town,” he said.

Lindstrom’s background, however, began in his younger years, when he played football for Boston College and was drafted by his hometown New England Patriots in 1989. He spent parts of two years in the National Football League, playing outside linebacker for the Patriots, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints before playing in the Canadian Football League and NFL Europe until 1995.

Lindstrom highlighted three ongoing discussions among the board and town officials: artificial turf, Exelon’s proposed expansion and medical marijuana.

Although he said the town should be “highly aware” of the impact crumb rubber – tiny pieces of ground-up rubber used as dirt on artificial turf fields – he cited the lack of conclusive data that links the material to cancer. The material has been the subject of a national discussion about whether the rubber is potentially cancer-causing.

He said a study by three federal agencies should determine how the town moves forward, especially with the possibility of a three-year moratorium on using the material that will go to Special Town Meeting next month thanks to a resident petition.

“I think any moratorium would be premature, other than keeping a watchful eye on the (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency),” he said.

Warnick, in an interview with the Daily News May 1, took a different stance on the matter.

As a soccer coach and parent, Lindstrom said he wouldn’t want children playing on material that wasn’t safe, but reached out to various medical professionals who said studies have been inconclusive.

“Where there’s smoke there’s fire? Maybe, but maybe not,” he said.

On Exelon’s proposed 200-megawatt expansion, Lindstrom commended selectmen for negotiating a $75.3 million payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement to bring “much-needed financial resources” into the town.

With the EPA as stringent as can be, Lindstrom said he has the “utmost faith” in the agency to make sure the plant is safe.

Three of Lindstrom’s six brothers were also drafted by the NFL, he said.

“I’ve been pretty darn blessed,” he said. “I’m always looking over my back saying, ‘Hey, who can I help? What resources … can I bring to the game?’”

On occasion, Lindstrom said he will see former Boston College and New England Patriots quarterback Doug Flutie, with whom he played with in 1984 when Flutie heaved a Hail Mary pass to Gerard Phelan – one of the most memorable plays in college football history.

Unfortunately, Lindstrom was out injured that week, but returned for the Cotton Bowl, which the Eagles won 45-28.

“It always goes back to how lucky and fortunate I am,” Lindstrom said.

Zachary Comeau can be reached at 508-634-7556 and zcomeau@wickedlocal