January 22, 2020 meeting

Chairman Crawford called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. He announced that the meeting was being recorded for cable television and led those assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Change of manager, California Pizza Kitchen

No representatives of California Pizza Kitchen were present. The agenda item was tabled.

Discussion of proposed bylaw regarding seating of minors at the bar in restaurants and club

Town Counsel Thomas Mullen was in attendance to discuss the proposed bylaw, reflecting concerns raised by Board members.

Mr. Mullen said that the Board could accomplish the goal of banning the seating of minors at bars in liquor-serving establishments by having the Board vote to adopt a regulation, or by putting a proposed bylaw before town meeting. He recommended doing both. He said the Board could impose such a restriction on future licenses, but may not be able to do so on current license holders without passage of a bylaw.

Chairman Crawford said enforcement could be through suspension and revocation of the license, not non-renewal. Mr., Mullen said that works if the bylaw and regulation applies to all license holders. Chairman Crawford said Selectman Dalton and Town Administrator Robert Dolan discussed adoption of this regulation with establishments that have bars, and only one license holder objected. Selectman Dalton said he worked in the restaurant business for 40 years and said he believes such a restriction is reasonable, as barstools traditionally have not been available for minors. He said of the current licensees, only one allows minors to sit at the bar. He said that the regulation would not apply to tables in the bar area. He said he would rather have had the operators agree voluntarily to this practice, but said he believes formal regulation is necessary.

Mr. Mullen said he would research whether the Board must publish a notice before adopting the measure. Board members said they would like to see this action taken as soon as po9ssible. Mr. Mullen said he will draft a bylaw and a regulation based on the Board’s comments fo9r consideration.

MOTION by Selectman Barrett, duly seconded by Selectman Dalton: I move that the Board vote to direct the Town Administrator include the proposed bylaw on the annual town meeting warrant. Vote was unanimous.

Discussion of extension of the RMLD 20-year agreement

The Town’s 20-year agreement with the Reading Municipal Light Department for the provision of electricity to a portion of the Town is expiring. An extension of the agreement has been proposed.  Mr. Dolan said he and Public Works Director John Tomasz discussed the matter and are recommending the extension of the agreement, which is in the tenth year. He said RMLD has been very responsive during outages and emergencies.

MOTION by Selectman Barrett, duly seconded by Selectman Dalton: I move that the Board vote to direct the Town Administrator and Town Counsel to review the proposed extension and direct the Town Administrator include an article that would approve the extension on the annual town meeting warrant. Vote was unanimous.

FY21 Budget Presentation: DPW

Director John Tomasz reviewed his FY21 operating and capital budget requests. He presented a proposed operating budget with a 1.7 percent increase, based on historical and expected expenditures in each category. He said some budget lines were on the higher side to protect against unforeseen circumstances and to allow transfers to cover any deficits in the snow and ice budget due to a hard winter. A reserve of $275,000 is being held for snow and ice overruns as well. He noted that the new bus contract came in with a 15 percent increase in the current fiscal year, an additional $44,000. In response to questions from the Board, Mr. Tomasz said it still makes sense to lease buses instead of buying buses and hiring drivers, who will be eligible for benefits.

Mr. Tomasz said he has increased the drain cleaning line as regulations require that material is disposed of at a specialized landfill. He said trash and recycling lines were increased by two percent, but warned that the trash con tract expires at the end of the next fiscal year and that a major cost increase can be expected due to the collapse of the market for recyclable materials. He said come communities are doing away with recycling; in Lynnfield the Recycling Committee is looking for ways to encourage proper recycling, with the work funded by a Department of Environmental Protection grant.

Resident Patricia Campbell said that she notices that school buses are not full. Mr. Tomasz said that the Town must provide a seat for each eligible rider whether or not they use the bus service daily.

Major items in the public works capital budget include $80,000 to meet federal and state pollutant discharge permit requirements, $40,000 for catch basin cleaning, $560,000 for road construction, $85,000 each for two dump truck replacements, $450,000 for the Ledge Road drainage project (for which state grant funds are being sought, $260,00 for the Hawkes Brook drainage project, which affects Timberhill Lane and Fletcher Road, $20,000 for a fire alarm panel upgrade at the library, $35,000 for the third of a five-year payment plan for two school buses, $70,000 for flooring and drainage at Huckleberry Hill School, $30,000 for repairs to the High School walkway and entrance, $15,000 for a rooftop HVAC unit for the High School library. Some new cleaning equipment of the schools is also being requested.

The Board thanked Mr. Tomasz for his presentation. They said the DPW staff does a good job keeping the schools clean and in good shape. Mr. Tomasz said that the High School fitness center project is almost complete, and that the Jordan Park project is going very well. Ms. Campbell asked if the Town should purchase a street sweeper. Mr. Tomasz said this would not be cost effective.

FY21 Budget Presentation: Fire

Chief Glenn Davis reviewed his FY21 operating and capital budget requests. He said that there is approximately a four percent increase requested for the combined Fire, Fire Alarm, Emergency Management and Emergency Medical Service enterprise budgets.

He said firefighter overtime has been underfunded for several years and his request brings that item into line with experience. He said that call firefighter salary budget request the annual pay increase and that expenses would be level-funded. The fire alarm budget was increased by $1500 for vehicle maintenance due to the age of the bucket truck.

Selectman Dalton asked about discontinuing the street alarm box system. Chief Davis said that it is not expensive to maintain and the Town takes in box maintenance fees from businesses with boxes. He said boxes are not replaced when they go out of service.

The Emergency Medical Services budget request is up by two percent. Chief Davis said the department has 17 paramedics, an all-time high. He said all treatment is under the direction of the medical director, a physician at Partners Healthy, who reviews procedures and protocols. He said ambulance billing collections are very good.

For the capital budget, the request includes $111,000 to replace turnout gear that is ten years old (Chief Davis said he wants to get on a staggered replacement schedule in the future); $280,000 to replace self-contained breathing apparatus that is nine years old and was purchased from a grant, which he will supplement with $65,000 from the current year capital budget (he will also seek a grant for this item, but the department has been turned down twice); $49,000 for a command vehicle to replace a 2000 vehicle with 159,000 miles; $48,500 for the fifth and final year of the fiber optic cable replacement project; $11,500 for a key scan security system; $14,000 for information technology costs to buy equipment that will be supported by the current operating software packages; $30,000 for portable and mobile radio replacement that is 8 to 12 years old; $34,000 to replace a 20-year-old vehicle extraction tool; $625,000 for a new pumper truck, which is a long-term need for which grant funding will be sought, to replace a 1984 truck with mechanical issues; $5,000 for fire hose replacement, and $11,000 for a telecommunications system.

Resident Patricia Campbell asked about the audible fire alarm horn tested every day at noon and 7 p.m. at headquarters. Chief Davis said this costs little to maintain and was used twice to in the past two years to alert firefighters during radio failures. Ms. Campbell asked about the Town’s failure to secure grants for certain equipment needs. Chief Davis said many of these grants are needs-based.

FY20 budget update

Town Administrator Dolan provided an update on the FY20 budget at the midyear point. He said all revenue assumptions have been on target, and that while many line items are more than half-spent, many costs such as insurance premiums are paid in full up front. Line items that may need transfers are salary lines for the town clerk and treasurer to allow for the payout of accrued time for two employees who left Town service, police overtime due to two vacant positions, and possibly the snow and ice account due to lengthy storm events. He said the golf operation has already brough in 74 percent of the revenue achieved in the prior fiscal year.

Adoption of 2020 mileage reimbursement for employees

The Board annually adopts a reimbursement rate for Town employees using their own vehicles for Town business that reflects the IRS approved rate. The IRS has approved a rate for 2020 that reduces the previous rate by a half-cent per mile.

MOTION by Selectman Barrett, duly seconded by Selectman Dalton: I move that the Board vote to adopt 57.5 cents per mile as the reimbursement rate for Town employees using their personal vehicles for Town business, effective January 1, 2020. Vote was unanimous.

Town Administrator update

Mr. Dolan will provide an update on ongoing projects, including negotiations of a new contract with the rail trial engineering firm, the choice of a consultant to review public safety facility options, an upcoming meeting with the architect on the King Rail clubhouse project, and the near completion of the study of school space options by Tappe Architects. Mr. Dolan also recently met with the state Department of Transportation to discuss the Summer Street TIP project.

Town Administrator contract

The Town Administrator’s contract provides that his annual compensation will be reviewed each year. The proposed second amendment to the Town Administrator’s contract would extend the contract by one year, and address compensation. The Town Administrator would be granted a 1.5 percent increase in salary and would be made eligible for inclusion in the incentive program for department heads. The agreement has been reviewed by Town Counsel.

Chairman Crawford said Mr. Dolan has done a great job and met all the Town’s goals. Selectman Barrett said that Mr. Dolan hit the ground running upon his hire and noted that the town charter restricts the town administrator’s contract to a term of no more than two years. Selectman Dalton said that Mr. Dolan has made the Board more effective and provides a regular weekly update. He said he has brought a level of professionalism to the job he appreciates and said he has done an outstanding job for the Town.

Mr. Dolan thanked the Board and said it has been a joy to work for the Town of Lynnfield. He also thanked the Board, department heads and Town employees for being a team.

MOTION by Selectman Barrett, duly seconded by Selectman Dalton: I move that the Board vote to approve the Second Amendment to the Town Administrator’s contract as presented. Vote was unanimous.

Request for executive session under Mass. General Laws Chapter 30A, Section 21 (A) (3) to discuss collective bargaining strategy with union personnel for which an open discussion may adversely affect the Town’s negotiating position.

MOTION by Selectman Barrett, duly seconded by Chairman Crawford: I move that the Board for executive session under Mass. General Laws Chapter 30A, Section 21 (A) (3) to discuss collective bargaining strategy with union personnel for which an open discussion may adversely affect the Town’s negotiating position.

Roll call vote: Barrett – yes; Dalton – yes; Crawford – yes.

Chairman Crawford announced the Board would not be resuming regular session. The Board entered executive session at 8:21 p.m. and adjourned at 8:36 p.m.