Sun staff reportMUTTERING PROFANITIES under his breath, Dracut Housing Authority member Tom Salem walked out of Monday’s heated meeting about a senior housing project at 1476 Mammoth Road while Chairman Ken Martin was in midsentence.

Salem’s path cut right in front of Martin and the cameras from Dracut Access Television. And for good measure, Salem called fellow DHA member Ken Cunha a nasty name, the audio of which was picked up loud and clear by those very same cameras.

Salem, who didn’t speak publicly at the meeting, was visibly upset with Cunha. But Cuhna had other bones to pick with Selectman Bob Cox, who had previously accused Cunha of being political after Cunha said he was leaning toward not supporting the project because of capital expenses and the project’s price tag.

“I’m getting sick and tired of hearing my actions are political,” Cunha said at the meeting, which took on the feel of a professional tag-team wrestling match, with Martin and Cunha taking on Cox and Selectman James O’Loughlin.

Cox chided the commission for doing nothing to create affordable housing in town and for trying to hinder efforts that have been ongoing since 2006.

“You guys haven’t done anything since 1988,” Cox told DHA members. “To sit there and beat this plan down is just plain wrong.”

The project plans 38 units of affordable housing in an existing building.

Martin said he has been concerned since the beginning that DHA won’t have enough money to pay for capital repairs.

“We’re not going to put the town or the Housing Authority at risk,” he said.

O’Loughlin said Cuhna and Martin purposely attacked the selectmen and showed up ready to pick a fight.

“It’s very difficult for me to believe your intent and Mr. Cunha’s intent is to provide elderly housing,” O’Loughlin told Martin. “You came in here tonight with venom to attack the board.”

And just when you thought things were simmering down, Selectman John Zimini took offense to Cox’s remarks that Zimini, Martin and Cunha, along with Finance Committee Chairman Gary Marsella, favored the project until they “drank the Kool-Aid.”

The squabbling, however, has had an impact on Jerry Lussier, the owner of the building proposed for the elderly housing project. Lussier has made it clear that he will not extend the time frame to get the deal done and, according to sources, is considering pulling out because of the political infighting.