Town meeting to be held on June 20

Dear Lynnfield Voters:

Our spring town meeting presents some challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I expect that many are concerned about the safety and integrity of the meeting in June.

On March 23, the Select Board voted unanimously to post our Annual Town Meeting Warrant and conduct the meeting on April 27. Immediately following their meeting, I posted a Declaration of Continuance and Recess to May 27, citing the inherent public health risk of COVID-19, the longest delay allowable under then-existing State Law. Again recently, I posted another notice citing that it was not safe to have the meeting after consulting with our Director of Emergency Management. The meeting was delayed until June 20 at 9:30 AM.

I believe it best to share the specific plans/instructions for the Saturday, June 20 Annual Town Meeting at the High-School Field.

Please know that the primary concern of all town officials is to conduct the meeting in a way that protects the health and safety of everyone, while at the same time upholding our town meeting tradition and standards of participatory democracy.

Many will ask, why are we having this meeting at all?

It’s simple. All Town spending must be approved by Town Meeting. If we do not have a budget in place by July 1, our Town services would be affected. Furthermore, this Town Meeting will present a vote on an essential expenditure for our First Responders. Further, our Firefighters require new personal protective equipment that is essential to their safety. This item can only be voted on at a Town Meeting as it’s a one-time capital item, there is no alternative.

The following is a summary of some of the measures to help conduct town meeting safely and efficiently.

If you are sick or show signs of illness, you should stay home.

Meeting Venue: The meeting will be held at the High School Football Field.

● Pre-Meeting: The Moderator, Town Administrator, and Chair of the Finance Committee plan to review the details of all financially substantive articles. The plan is to present only 4 Motions before Town Meeting. The presentations under each article will be posted on the town website; there will be no visual presentation at the meeting. (UPDATE: The Bill (S2680) the Governor signed allows for all article to be considered not just financially substantive articles)

● Face Coverings: Members must wear face-masks covering both nose and mouth. The Town will provide masks for those who do not have them, and anyone who does not wear a mask will be out of order. (If you have a health condition that would prevent you from wearing a mask, you are required to notify staff on entering the High School parking lot.)

● Meeting Check-In: Voter check-in will be conducted while you are sitting in your vehicle. On entering the High School area, you will be directed to the Student Bus drop-off circle.
A Firefighter, in personal protective gear, will approach your window and conduct the voter check-in. You must stay in your vehicle.

Vehicles will then be directed to the Student Parking Lot, where Department of Public Works Staff/Police Officers will direct you to specific socially distanced parking spaces. You must remain in your vehicle until you are instructed to exit. If you do not have a mask at this time, you will be given one.

After you are directed to exit your vehicle, you will be ushered to the field. Prior to the field, there will be hand sanitizing stations. Strict CDC social distancing guidelines will be adhered to while entering the field by staff members. Once on the field, you will be directed to your seat, which will be 9 ft. from anyone else. A regular Town Meeting will assume from this point on.

● Main Motion: The Chairman of the Board of Selectman will read the main motions under the articles, and after a second, we will go to debate. Please be sure to review the Finance Committee report they send out ahead of the meeting.

● Questions from the Floor: We will publicize a phone number or e-mail address for questions on the various articles which members can send during the meeting; the Moderator will relay the questions to the appropriate person for a response. Additionally, microphones will be strategically placed around the field, with staff managing strict social distancing.

● Microphone Cleaning and Disinfecting: Appropriate cleaning supplies will be utilized by our trained Fire Department staff to sanitize microphones after every use.

● Quorum: Our bylaw says the meeting cannot do business unless 175 members are present, and it is entirely possible we do not get that many. Special legislation is available to our Select-Board to reduce the quorum to as low as 18 members.

Finally, the Governor has already signed emergency legislation authorizing the Moderator, after consulting public health officials and the Select Board, to recess the meeting for up to 30 days, and to do so repeatedly. I will be monitoring the situation with the State and Town officials, and if necessary, will reschedule the meeting and let everyone know.

See you at town meeting!

Joe Markey
Town Moderator