Board of Selectmen |
May 17, 2010 |
Regular Meeting |
Selectmen’s Hearing Room, Town Hall |
Present: |
Al Merritt, Chairman |
|
Arthur J. Bourque III, Selectman |
|
Robert P. MacKendrick, Selectman |
Chairman Merritt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Fire Chief search
Chairman Merritt said that five members of the Lynnfield Fire Department had applied for the position of chief. He said the selection process would be laid out in the future. He said he had spoken to Austin Sennett of Emergency Management Systems, with whom he will consult on technical matters. He noted his colleagues have professional backgrounds in public safety. Chairman Merritt recommended that the Board go forward and name three finalists for the position: Thomas Bogart, Michael Feinberg and Francis Lennon.
Selectman MacKendrick said he had reviewed the applications and agreed on the selection of three finalists. He said the other two applicants are fine individuals and have been great firefighters but have not had the fire officer experience of the other three applicants. He said that he hoped they would continue to advance in their careers.
Selectman Bourque said he also concurred with the choice of the three finalists, saying leadership and command experience is a big issue. He also said he felt it is important to choose from within the department due to the hybrid nature of the department.
On the motion of Selectman Bourque, seconded by Selectman MacKendrick, the Board voted unanimously to name Thomas Bogart, Michael Feinberg and Francis Lennon as finalists for the position of Fire Chief.
Rail to Trail project
Richard Simmons Jr. of the Recreation Path Committee appeared before the Board to discuss the progress and plans related to the Wakefield-Lynnfield Recreational Path.
Mr. Simmons credited Dot Halpin of the Wakefield committee with being instrumental in this effort, and Donald Harriss and John and Jean Fullerton with providing early leadership in Lynnfield.
The path would follow the old commuter rail line across Reedy Meadow and past the golf course to Wakefield. He said it would really be a paved, elongated park allowing access to the Meadow for canoeists, kayakers and others. The Lynnfield portion will be about two miles long, and the entire path four to five miles. It will connect to an abandoned rail line in Peabody, providing the possibility of future expansion.
Access points include St. Paul’s Church, possibly the Middle School, Town Hall, and the High School.
Abutters have raised some concerns and the committee wants to work with them on issues such as barriers and fencing. In other communities, fences installed at the request of abutters have been removed, as abutters later decided they enjoyed access to path. These communities have found that fears about increased crime rates are unfounded. The trail can accommodate emergency and police vehicles, although other motorized uses would be prohibited.
The two participating towns are considering a lease on the property. The communities and the state are working on insurance issues. The state has provided $500,000 for design. A request for proposals will be sent out and a design team will be selected. The committees are looking into working with a company that will remove the rails and ties at no cost and provide some grading, as Danvers has. The Town will have to maintain its portion of the path once it is built. The cost to build and maintain the path will become clearer once the design phase has been completed.
The timeframe for completion is uncertain, but Mr. Simmons felt it would be built in the next five years. He said the committee hopes the path can be built using federal and state funds. A nonprofit corporation has also been founded to assist in the development of the path.
What is needed now, said Mr. Simmons, is community support. Mr. Simmons is the only active member of the committee from Lynnfield. He is hoping other volunteers will come forward and offer to serve or assist the committee.
Mr. Gustus has been to the State House with Mr. Simmons in furtherance of this project many times. Mr. Simmons thanked Mr. Gustus, the Board of Selectmen, Sen. Richard Tisei and Reps. Bradley Jones and Mark Falzone for their support of these efforts.
Dorothy Halpin of Wakefield serves on that town’s recreational path committee, and explained the route the path will take through that town. She said it will follow the old Newburyport rail line and could conceivably connect with the Peabody path and eight other communities north of Danvers if federal funding is forthcoming, and would create a 45-mile trail.
Selectman Bourque said that abutters to a recreational path trial in Lexington, Arlington and Concord had concerns about the trail’s effect on crime and home values, and found crime was reduced and home values increased. Selectman MacKendrick agreed.
Mr. Simmons said that in his work as a real estate appraiser, he found that prices of homes near the Lexington trail were higher than those of comparable homes away from the trail.
Selectman Bourque said that the trail will allow access to Partridge Island, which he said is a wonderful piece of land. He said access to that area should be improved.
In response to concerns about trash and safety, Mr. Simmons said as an avid bicyclist, he has found that the trails are clean and users tend to respect them.
Selectman Bourque said he agrees with the advantage of access points at the Middle School and High School. He said the Town Hall lot is usually empty on weekends and could accommodate parking for path users during that time. He said crossing the wetlands for access points could be an issue
Chairman Merritt thanked Mr. Simmons for shepherding this process for Lynnfield, and said he needs assistance. Any person willing to help is asked to contact Mr. Gustus or one of the selectmen. He also thanked Dot Halpin and Wakefield for taking the lead role on the project.
Town Administrator William Gustus said that the two towns have to finish and execute the intermunicipal agreement on the project to utilize the $500,000 in design funds that has been appropriated. It appears no matches from the towns will be necessary. Once the design is completed, funds will be needed to construct the recreational path. There are federal and state programs that provide such funds, including the T21 program, formerly known as ISMTEA. Generally, federal allocations for transportation programs such as this are for 75 of the project cost. The remainder would come from state funding ideally, or the towns may have to come up with about ten percent of the cost.
The project would include paving with stone dust or gravel, fencing, possibly the creation of parking areas and trail heads. It will require a tremendous amount of work. The design phase will likely take 12 to 15 months. At that point, it will be time to seek funding from the federal government and other sources.
Police patrolman vacancy
The Board took up the matter of filling a vacant police patrolman position created by the promotion of Richard Lamusta to sergeant.
Selectman Bourque said the Town has three options: taking a transfer from another department, accepting an officer laid off by another department, and seeking a list of those who took the most recent patrolman exam and selecting from the top three scorers. He said the last of these three options is his preference, as there are a number of people within the community interested in serving. He said it is possible the Town may have to offer the position to laid-off officers from other communities first.
On the motion of Selectman Bourque, seconded by Selectman MacKendrick, the Board voted unanimously to request a patrolman list from Civil Service.
Selectman Bourque explained that the list would include anyone who had requested Lynnfield as well as local residents.
Mr. Gustus that if there is a laid-off officers list, Civil Service will send it. Those who have been laid off from departments located far from Lynnfield would have to agree to move to this area if they were to accept the position. Many laid-off officers will prefer not to move and wait to be recalled by the departments that laid them off.
The Town does have local preference on the general Civil Service exam, and there are likely to be several local residents on the list.
One-day liquor license
On the motion of Selectman Bourque, seconded by Selectman MacKendrick, the Board unanimously approved a request for a one-day liquor license from the Knights of Columbus for May 22 from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Approval of minutes
On the motion of Selectman Bourque, seconded by Selectman MacKendrick, the Board unanimously approved the minutes of the meeting of March 8, 2010 as presented.
Donation of flags and hardware
Mr. Gustus announced that the Town had received a generous donation from resident Rick Obey of four flags, poles and brackets to be affixed to telephone poles along South Common Street. Reading Municipal Light Department has found that there is room on the pools for this and will be happy to allow their placement there. The Department of Public Works will handle the installation.
On the motion of Selectman Bourque, seconded by Selectman Merritt, the Board voted to accept with gratitude the donation by Mr. Obey and approve the installation of the flags on the four utility poles on South Common Street.
Passing of longtime officials
Board members offered their condolences to the families and friends of two longtime public servants who passed away recently: Ernestine June Rose, a former member of the Board of Library Trustees, Conservation Commission, Town Report Committee, North Shore Regional Vocational School Committee, and who served the Town in many other capacities, and Fred Brooks, longtime secretary to the Finance Committee.
Transfer of ownership of stock, Bostonville Grille
Mr. Gustus informed the Board that it is required by law to approve any change in the ownership of stock of any entity holding a liquor license. From the Ashes, LLC, doing business as The Bostonville Grille, Broadway, has a change in stockholders, with the three percent ownership stake owned by Richard Dalton being purchased by the other existing stockholders. There will be no new owners.
Selectman Merritt noted that the Richard Dalton who was a stockholder is not Planning Board member Richard Dalton.
On the motion of Selectman Bourque, seconded by Selectman MacKendrick, the Board unanimously approved the change in stockholders for the restaurant all-alcohol license of From the Ashes, LLC, doing business as Bostonville Grille.
In other business
Selectman MacKendrick congratulated Townscape, Inc. the Lynnfield Art Guild, and all other organizations and individuals who participated in the recent Geraniumfest.
On the motion of Selectman MacKendrick, seconded by Selectman Bourque, the Board voted to adjourn the meeting at 7:46 p.m.
| 
