February 13 2023

Chair Crawford called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. He stated that the meeting is being recorded for cable television transmission. He asked those in attendance to join him in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Joint meeting with the Lynnfield Water District Board of Water Commissioners to set the compensation for the Tax Collector and Board of Assessors for Fiscal Year 2024

Pursuant to Section 108B, Chapter 41, of the General Laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this Annual Joint Meeting between the Select Board and the Water Commissioners is called to set the salary to be paid to the Tax Collector and the Board of Assessors for work performed for the District. Lynnfield Water District Commissioners John Harrigan and Stephan Rondeau were in attendance.

MOTION by Ms. Rondeau, duly seconded by Mr. Harrigan: I move that the joint meeting be

chaired by Mr. Crawford. Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Mr. Harrigan, duly seconded by Ms. Rondeau: I move that the joint meeting vote

to waive the reading of the minutes from the 2022 joint meeting. Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Mr. Rondeau, duly seconded by Mr. Harrigan: I move that the joint meeting vote

to approve compensation for Fiscal Year 2024 annual compensation for services rendered to the

Lynnfield Water District to be set as follows: Tax Collector, $550, and Assessors, $250 each.

Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Mr. Harrigan, duly seconded by Mr. Rondeau: I move that the joint meeting be

adjourned the meeting sine die. Vote was unanimous. The joint meeting was adjourned at 6:02 p.m.

Joint meeting with the Lynnfield Center Water District Board of Water Commissioners to set the compensation for the Tax Collector and Board of Assessors for Fiscal Year 2024

Pursuant to Section 108B, Chapter 41, of the General Laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this Annual Joint Meeting between the Select Board and the Water Commissioners is called to set the salary to be paid to the Tax Collector and the Board of Assessors for work performed for the District. Lynnfield Center Water District Commissioners Joseph Maney and Anders Youngren were in attendance.

MOTION by Mr. Maney, duly seconded by Mr. Youngren: I moved that the joint meeting be

chaired by Mr. Crawford. Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Mr. Youngren, duly seconded by Mr. Maney: I move that the joint meeting vote

to waive the reading of the minutes from the 2022 joint meeting. Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Mr. Maney, duly seconded by Mr. Youngren: I move that the joint meeting vote

to approve compensation for Fiscal Year 2024 annual compensation for services rendered to the

Lynnfield Water District to be set as follows: Tax Collector, $550, and Assessors, $300 each.

Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Mr. Youngren, duly seconded by Mr. Maney: I move that the joint meeting be

adjourned the meeting sine die. Vote was unanimous. The joint meeting was adjourned at 6:04 p.m.

Interview: Rod Boone, Council on Aging

Rod Boone, former Recreation Commission member, was on hand for a brief interview. He has been attending Council on Aging events and meeting. He said he is a 25-year resident, with his wife and four children, one of whom is a Lynnfield firefighter. He has serves as a youth sports coach, Recreation Commission member and scoutmaster.

Board members thanked him for his extensive volunteerism and for applying.

MOTION by Mr. Connell, duly seconded by Mr. Dalton: I move that the Board vote to appoint Rod Boone to a vacant position on the Council on Aging with an expiration date of June 30, 2024. Vote was unanimous.

Application for Change of Manager, the Next One, Inc., dba as Alchemy, 1100 Market Street

Prospective manager Vincent Polcari attended, along with legal representative Kurt Mann from Mann & Mann. Mr. Mann said the Board has a full application as well as Mr. Polcari’s SafeServ certification. Mr. Crawford said Mr. Polcari has extensive experience in the business and all the required credentials. Board members wished him good luck.

MOTION by Mr. Connell, duly seconded by Mr. Dalton: I move that the Board vote to approve the application for Change of Manager to Vincent Polcari at Alchemy, 1100 Market Street. Vote was unanimous.

Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services FY24 Budget Presentation

Chief Glenn Davis presented the Fire and EMS operating and capital budgets.

He said his chief concern is recruiting and retaining firefighters, and said he has served 32 years as a Lynnfield firefighter and is strongly committed to the hybrid operation of full-time and call firefighters. He said that the department has to evolve to remain strong and sustainable. In 2017 the department went to 12-hour, seven-day coverage by full-time firefighters. Between 6:0 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., there are only to firefighters on duty, and the department relies heavily on full-time firefighters coming back on overtime and call firefighters during those times. Call firefighters are finding it hard to balance their regular jobs, their firefighting obligations and their family and personal commitments. Over recent years, the Town has lot 23 call firefighters and has hired 15, There are strenuous certifications required to be a call firefighter.

Chief Davis also said that the staffing crisis in private ambulance companies is increasing mutual aid calls for medical emergencies. While this is taxing on firefighters, the Town receives the insurance payments for the calls. Call volume is up 30 percent since 2017.

In his proposed budget he is requesting four additional full-time firefighters. He would add two firefighters to each of the regular shifts and expanded overnight coverage from two to four firefighters. This would address concerns about reliance on callbacks for multiple calls during the overnights. He said that responses to callbacks are not as robust as they were years ago.

Mr. Crawford asked how often there is a second overlapping call on the night shift. Chief Davis says it is a frequent occurrence and that the Town relies often on mutual aid from surrounding communities, which can result in a delayed response.

Mr. Connell asked about calls received by Lynnfield to assist other communities. Chief Davis said this also happens frequently, with the most calls coming from Peabody and Saugus.

Mr. Dalton asked about the destination of the ambulances now that the Union Hospital has closed. Chief Davis said most are to Lahey Clinic Burlington, then Melrose-Wakefield, which often has no beds. This requires the ambulance crew to remain. Mr. Dalton asked if there are other options to adding full-time firefighters. Chief Davis said that the call department is very well paid compared to others in the region, which helps retention. He is looking at ways to further incentivize response to calls.

Chief Davis reviewed his capital budget request, which includes a four-year lease on a new ambulance, paid for through the retained earnings in the EMS enterprise fund; a new fire engine to replace a 39-year-old engine, although he said he has sought a grant to pay for this item; the joint project with the police to upgrade the phone systems, and a fire alarm bucket truck.

Chief Davis said the bucket trucks is needed to maintain the fire alarm system which services boxes and commercial buildings. He said the revenue from the commercial boxes makes this system about a break-even item budgetarily. He said the truck is unlikely to pass its next inspection. He said a regionalized purchase would not work, as all communities would need it at the same time in the case of a storm bringing wires down. He said the Department of Public Works utilizes it as well.

Town Administrator Robert Dolans asked about making the fire alarm division an enterprise fund. Chief Davis said it likely would not qualify under state guidelines.

The fire engine request has been made for five years in a row. Chief Davis said that he wants to avoid having to purchase two trucks at once.

In further discussion of the operating budget, Mr. Crawford asked how often the department is shorthanded on callbacks. Chief Davis said this occurs about a couple times a week and has been a problem during structure fires. Mr. Crawford asked about the SAFER grant and its funding of additional firefighters. Chief Davis said he will be applying for that grant and his hired a grant writer. The grant would pay for all salaries and benefits for the new positions for three years, and then the Town would have to pay in year 4 and beyond. He said he hopes to have a response by spring, although last year decisions were not made until September.

Police Department FY24 Budget Presentation

Chief Nick Secatore presented the proposed Police Department operating and capital budgets. He said the chief concern is staffing levels. The department has recently had one resignation and one retirement, with one new officer currently in the Police Academy. The current staffing level allows for three patrol officers and one supervisor on each shift. Any time an officer is out for any reason, the vacancy must be filled with an officer on overtime, he said, this strains the overtime budget. He is requesting a 23^rd position to serve as an investigator. He said ideally the department would have 26 officers. He noted it takes an officer about a year to take on shifts after attending the police academy and undergoing local training.

The other chief operating budget request is $50,000 more in the overtime budget to reflect actual costs. He said that the account requires transfers in mid-year every year. He said to help offset the costs, oftentimes training overtime is cut back. He said he does not want to cut back training in these times with mental health and substance abuse training is necessary.

In response to questions from Board members, Chief Secatore said that there are no longer long lists of qualified applicants on the civil service list. He said the department is selective and reviews the candidates thoroughly. He is looking form people with life experience and people skills who can de-escalate stressful situations.

Mr. Connell said that offering officers back to work on overtime is a concern, as the Town does not want tired officers forced to work. Chief Secatore said he is concerned about any loss of an officer to injury.

Mr. Dolans asked how the addition of an investigator would help to reduce overtime costs. Chief Secatore said this officer would be available to fill a street shift.

The capital budget includes a request for two vehicles, replacing 2014 and 2016 models. Prices of vehicles have risen significantly. Each would cost about $43,000. A dispatch console project is in the second of two years. It can be used in the renovated station. There is also a request for computers and networking, at $40,000.

Use of Facilities requests

            a. Lynnfield Library, Common, June 29

            b. Lynnfield Library, Common, August 8

            c. Lynnfield for Love, Common, April 29

MOTION by Mr. Connell, duly seconded by Mr. Dalton: I move that the Board approve the Use of Facilities requests subject to any conditions imposed by the Public Works Director and the Chief of Police. Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Mr. Connell, duly seconded by Mr. Dalton: I move that the Board adjourn. Vote was unanimous.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:03 p.m.