June 18, 2019 minutes

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.

Application for common victualler, weekday entertainment and automated amusement device licenses, MDK Ventures LLC, 591 North Avenue, Door 12, Wakefield MA, for the site of the existing Bali Hai restaurant, 160 Moulton Drive

The applicant was before the Board at its June 3 meeting and received approval of its all-alcoholic beverages license application. These applications are identical to those held by the former Bali Hai restaurant. The entertainment license provides for recorded music, television and karaoke.

MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board approve the common victualler, weekday entertainment and automated amusement device licenses for MDK Ventures LLC as presented. Motion was approved unanimously.

Appointments to boards and committees and offices

The Board is presented with a list of appointments that expire on June 20, 2019. Current Board and committee members were asked if they are willing to be re-appointed. As of Friday, there were two members of committees who had not responded with a decision.

MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board appoint the following Town officers, employees and board and committee members as listed. Motion was approved unanimously.

ONE-YEAR APPOINTMENTS

BUILDING INSPECTOR Roberto, Jack

LOCAL BUILDING INSPECTOR O’Callaghan, Joseph

ASST. BUILDING INSPECTOR Luther, John; Colantuoni, Richard; DeCola, James

CLERK, Town Reid, Trudy

ASST. TOWN CLERK Hammerbeck, Diane

CONSTABLES Minsky, Paul; Ruerwhein, John; Small, Ronald

DOG OFFICER Crockett, David

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIR. Davis, Glenn

ASST. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIR. Burnham, Kenneth

GAS/PLUMBING INSPECTOR Donohoe, Paul

ASST. GAS/PLUMBING INSPECTOR LoConte, Donald; Kulacz, Stanley; Flores, Paul; Ellis, Joseph

IPSWICH RIVER WATERSHED ADVISORY BOARD Pezzella, Jerry

LOCK-UP KEEPER Breen, David

POLICE SPECIAL OFFICERS Lamusta, Richard; Peabody, Charles

TREASURER/TAX COLLECTOR/PRETAX PLAN ADMINISTRATOR O’Sullivan, Christine

WIRE INSPECTOR Sardella, David

ASST. WIRE INSPECTOR DeCola, James; Metell, Alfred Skinner, Arthur

TWO-YEAR APPOINTMENTS

TOWN COUNSEL Mullen, Thomas

THREE-YEAR APPOINTMENTS

AGING, Council on Lemieux, Gloria; Migliori, Anita; Sjoberg, Richard

APPEALS, Board of Chisholm, Eric

CONSERVATION COMM. Martone, Christopher; Solomon, Janice

CULTURAL COUNCIL Ellis, Diana

FINANCE COMMITTEE Riley, Stephen

HEALTH, BOARD of Iocco, Dr. Rocco

HISTORICAL COMM. Lynch, Shelley; Todisco, Steven

LIFE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Grasso, Ronald; Maney, H. Joseph

RECREATION COMM. Cuddy, Michael; Farrell, Teri; Sjoberg, Richard

RECYCLING COMM. Moreira, Brian

Chairman Crawford announced the Board is seeking applicants for the following committees: Finance Committee, Conservation Commission, Reading Municipal Light Dept. Citizen Advisory Board

Town Clerk Trudy Reid has submitted a list of election officers to be re-appointed.

MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the elections officers be appointed as listed. Motion was approved unanimously.

End-of-year transfers

Town Accountant Julianne McCarthy is preparing a proposed list of Fiscal Year 2019 transfers in accordance with state law. The transfers will be available to the Board soon, said Town Administrator Robert Dolan.

Transfer of funds from bicentennial trust to tercentennial trust

The committee that organized the 2014 celebration of the Town’s bicentennial and the tercentennial of the Meeting House utilized funds that were held over from previous Town celebrations. The co-chairs of that committee and the town accountant recommend that the $7,835.97 left be placed in an interest-bearing trust to help fund such future celebrations.

MOTION by Selectman Barrett, duly seconded by Selectman Dalton: I move that the Board approve the transfer of $7,835.97 from the 200th Anniversary Gift Account to the bi-centennial/tercentennial trust. Motion was approved unanimously.

Delegation of approval of use of facilities requests to Town Administrator during July and August

The Board generally meets with less frequency during the months of July and August. During that period, the Town Administrator’s office receives routine annual requests for use of the Town common and other Town facilities. The Board could choose to delegate disposition of such request to the Town Administrator when the date of the event would not allow the Board to process it in a timely fashion due to the summer meeting schedule.

MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board delegate approval of use of facilities requests to the Town Administrator during the months of July and August. Motion was approved unanimously.

Town Administrator update

Town Administrator Robert Dolan gave very brief updates on a number of projects and issues, including: upcoming Strategic planning Committee and Recreational Path Committee meetings; funding for the Hawkes Brook project being approved by FEMA; work with the City of Lynn to alleviate flooding on Ledge Road; the Jordan Park and Lynnfield High School weight room project proposals, funding for which will be sought at fall town meeting; and the King Rail clubhouse and golf related issues.

Mr. Dolan said he will be meeting with representatives of LIFE, Inc. about issues raised about golfer behavior and dust abatement issues from the parking lot; another treatment of the lot is planned for July. Arborvitaes will be planted to shield the view of trash and bathrooms from residents on Walnut Street. A clubhouse proposal is being worked on with the cost within the available funding for the project.

Chairman Crawford said the Jordan park project would include a parking lot expansion, a new playground and reconfiguration of the fields to allow for two full-sized fields, and fencing. He said Lynnfield Youth Soccer will be contributing funds toward the project, and Townscape, Inc. and the Lynnfield Moms Group will contribute funds toward the playground.

Board members praised John Leonard of the Dept. pf Public Works for keeping the playgrounds and fields in great shape.

Use of facilities requests

MOTION by Selectman Barrett, duly seconded by Selectman Dalton: I move that the Board approve the use of Town streets for the Lynnfield Athletic Association Road Race on July 4, 2019 and allow the placement of a banner over the common for the period of two weeks in advance of the event. Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Selectman Barrett, duly seconded by Selectman Dalton: I move that the Board approve the use of the South Fire Station for a car wash by the Girls Soccer team on September 22, 2019. Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board approve the us Vote was unanimous.

Continuation of a Public hearing: Application for Cable Television Renewal License to Verizon New England, Inc. pursuant to G.L. c. 166A and 207 CMR 3.00 et seq.

Chairman Crawford declared the public hearing, adjourned to this date and place the previous evening, re-opened at 7:30 p.m.

Town Counsel Thomas Mullen explained that the Town’s license agreement with Verizon for provision of Cable Television services has expired and has been extended. A new agreement has been negotiated by Atty. Mullen and John Harrington, counsel representing Verizon, that mirrors the provisions of the Town’s agreement with Comcast, the other cable television service provider.

Atty. Mullen said that the annual PEG grant would increase from 3 percent to 4.5 percent of subscriber payments. He said a new high-definition channel would be provided for public access programming. The PEG capital grant will now be $20,000 annually, up 15 percent.

Atty. Harrington said negotiations had taken place over a span of two years. He said Verizon was ambivalent about continuing cable service and sought unilateral termination, with PEG support based on the number of subscribers. Atty. Mullen said that was unacceptable. Verizon intends to seek a termination provision from other communities. The Town agreed to a five-year contract rather than a ten-year contract, as Verizon desired the shorter term due to the uncertainty of the cable television industry due to the new availability of streaming services. He said Verizon has been a good citizen.

In response to a question from Chairman Crawford, Atty. Harrington said that the cost to subscribers of the capital grant would be 73 cents a month.

No one from the public wished to speak on the matter. Chairman Crawford declared the public hearing closed.

MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board approve the Cable Television Renewal License to Verizon New England, Inc. as presented. Vote was unanimous.

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

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

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

The chairman announced that the Board will not return to public session.

The Board entered executive session at 7:43 p.m. and adjourned at 7:58 p.m.