March 23, 2020 minutes

Chairman Crawford called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. He noted that the meeting was being recorded for cable television transmission and being conducted by remote participation under the guidelines promulgated by the Governor. The Board and participants recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Town Administrator Robert Dolan read a statement from Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis explaining to residents how to access emergency services and the information they should give to emergency dispatch regarding their symptoms. There are 73 cases in Essex County and six cases in the Town of Lynnfield. He reviewed social distancing and hygiene recommendations. Town Hall is closed to the public but department heads are returning phone calls. Schools, the library, the senior center and the golf courses are closed. Resident

Closing of annual town meeting warrant

Town Administrator Robert Dolan explained that the annual warrant consists of the usual articles, as well as three articles unique to the 2020 warrant: the bylaw prohibiting seating of minors at the bar in liquor establishments; an article transferring funds for upgrades to the common, and a petition article seeking to require a 2/3 vote for approvals of any amendment to the zoning bylaws, regardless of other actions taken.

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

Essex, ss.

To the Constable of the Town of Lynnfield in the County of Essex, GREETINGS:

In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of said Town, qualified to vote in elections and in Town affairs, to meet in their respective polling places in said Lynnfield, on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 7:00 a.m., then and there to bring in their votes on one ballot for the choice of all necessary Town Officers for the ensuing year, chosen in this manner, viz.: one Board of Selectmen member for three years; one Town Moderator for one year; one Board of Assessor member for three years; one Board of Library Trustees member for three years; one Board of Library Trustees member for one year; one School Committee members for three years; one Planning Board member for five years; one Housing authority member for five years; one Housing Authority member for the remaining two years of an unexpired term.

The Polls in each precinct will open at 7:00 a.m., and will be closed at 8:00 p.m., on said April 14, 2020.  The polling places for voters in Precincts 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be at Lynnfield High School, Essex Street, all in said Lynnfield.

And you are further directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Lynnfield qualified to vote in elections and Town affairs, to meet in the Middle School Auditorium, Cafeteria, and the Gymnasium, if necessary, on Monday, April 27, 2019 at 7:00 p.m., then and there to act on the following articles:

ARTICLE 1. To act on reports of Town officers and special committees as published.

ARTICLE 2. To choose all Town officers not required to be chosen by ballot: viz.; three field drivers, one pound keeper and three wood measurers.

ARTICLE 3. To see if the Town will vote to FIX THE COMPENSATION of each of the Elective Officers of the Town as required by General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 108, as amended.

ARTICLE 4. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds, sums of money to supplement certain accounts in the current 2020 Fiscal Year where balances are below projected expenditures for various reasons; or to take any other action in connection therewith.

ARTICLE 5.  To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or appropriate by transfer from available funds, sums of money to pay overdue bills of a prior fiscal year, or to take any other action in connection therewith.

ARTICLE 6. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, or appropriate by transfer from available funds, or otherwise, a sum of money for the necessary Town charges and expenses; or to take any other action in connection therewith.

ARTICLE 7. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, or appropriate by transfer from available funds or by borrowing, or from any or all such sources, sums of money for the purchase of various equipment and items in the nature of capital expenditure and to give authority to credit the value of the various old equipment to be turned in toward the purchase price of said items, said sums of money to be expended under the direction of various Town boards, committees, or officers; or to take any other action in connection therewith.

ARTICLE 8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate and/or appropriate by transfer from available funds a sum of money for the town’s Stabilization Fund, or to take any other action in connection therewith.

ARTICLE 9. To see if the Town will vote to establish, with respect to each of the following revolving funds, the following limits on the total amount that may be expended from each such fund in Fiscal Year 2021:

or to take any other action in connection therewith.

ARTICLE 10. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money from Emergency Medical Service Enterprise receipts to pay expenses and contractual services required to operate the emergency medical service in the Town of Lynnfield, said Enterprise Fund to be credited with all fees and charges received during Fiscal Year 2021 from persons using said service; or to take any other action in connection therewith.

ARTICLE 11. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money from Golf Enterprise receipts and/or Golf Enterprise Retained Earnings to pay expenses and contractual services required to operate the Reedy Meadow Golf Course and King Rail Golf Course, said Enterprise Fund to be credited with all fees and charges received during Fiscal Year 2021 from persons using the golf courses; or to take any other action in connection therewith.

ARTICLE 12. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate by transfer from available funds, or from any or all such sources, a sum of money for improvements to the Town Common, such funds to be available for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2020, or to take any other action in connection therewith.

ARTICLE 13. To see if the Town will vote to amend the General Bylaws by adopting as Chapter 169 thereof the following:

Chapter 169 – Liquor Licensees With Bars

1. Minors Prohibited From Sitting at Bar.  In any restaurant, club or other facility where a bar is operated under a liquor license issued by the Board of Selectmen pursuant to G.L. c. 138, it shall be unlawful for the licensee to permit any person under the age of twenty-one (21) years to be seated at the bar at any time.

1. Posted Notice of Prohibition.  In any such restaurant, club or other facility, one or more signs shall be prominently posted in such a manner as to be

plainly visible to anyone seated at the bar, which sign(s) shall state that persons under the age of twenty-one (21) years may not sit at the bar.

1. Condition of License. The Board of Selectmen may include compliance with this bylaw as a condition of any liquor license for a licensee that operates a bar.

1. Enforcement.  This bylaw shall be enforced by the Police Department. Any violation of this bylaw shall be punishable by a fine of three hundred dollars ($300).  In the case of a continuing violation of subsection (2), above, each day during which the violation continues shall be treated as a separate violation.  Where compliance with this bylaw has been made a condition of a liquor license, such fines may be assessed notwithstanding that the Board of Selectmen takes action to suspend or revoke the offender’s liquor license under G.L. c. 138, § 64.

or to take any other action in action in connection therewith.

ARTICLE 14. To amend the Zoning Bylaws, Town of Lynnfield, by adding the following text to the end of Section 1.5 Amendments:

“Regardless of any provisions to the contrary any amendment, adoption, or change to the Zoning Bylaws, Town of Lynnfield, shall require a two-thirds vote of a Town Meeting.”