April 23, 2018 meeting

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

Board of Selectmen liaisons

Chairman Dalton is proposed that Board of Selectmen liaisons for Town departments and elected boards be eliminated. He has prepared a list of liaisons, shown below. Chairman Barrett and Selectman Crawford agreed with this approach, as the Board should work through the town administrator when dealing with department heads.

CHARTER COMMTTEES

Aging, Council On                                                      Crawford

Appeals, Board                                                           Barrett

Conservation Commission                                          Barrett

Finance Committee                                                     Dalton

Health, Board of                                                         Crawford

Historical Commission                                                Crawford

Personnel Board                                                          Barrett

Recreation Commission                                              Barrett

School Committee                                                      Barrett

SELECTMEN ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Library Building Comm.                                             Dalton

Market Street Development                                        Dalton                        

Recreational Path Comm.                                           Dalton

Healthy Lynnfield                                                      Crawford      

Recreational Fields Advisory                                     Barrett

Senior Citizens Advisory                                            Crawford

School Enrollment and Capacity                                Barrett

Town Meeting Study Committee                               Dalton

REGIONAL AGENCIES                                                                                                    

MAPC                                                                         Planning Board

MBTA Advisory Board                                              Crawford

MWRA                                                                       Crawford

North Shore Vocational Regional                               Barrett

North Suburban Planning Agency                              Planning Board

Peabody Municipal Light Dept.                                 Crawford

Reading Municipal Light Dept.                                  Crawford

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board approve the list of liaison assignments as presented. Vote was unanimous.

Goals for Board of Selectmen

Chairman Dalton has drafted a proposed list of goals for the Board of Selectmen. Goals for the Town Administrator will proceed from these goals and will be presented at a subsequent meeting. Chairman Dalton noted the goals included additions of new projects, such as senior citizen tax relief, strategic planning initiatives and proposed housing developments before the Town. Board members said they were ready to adopt these goals this evening.

Board of Selectmen Goals for 2018-2019

• Mission Statement
  • To provide strong community leadership to ensure a high quality of life through the promotion of:
    • Professional, quality and accountable service
    • Responsiveness to community issues and concerns
    • Growth management
    • Long-term financial stability
    • An atmosphere for a good local economy
    • Environmental stewardship
  • Preserve the character of our community
    • Promote programs and policies that preserve our friendly, welcoming, small-town community atmosphere
  • We're committed to engaging all segments of our community and promoting Town-wide consensus and unity of purpose
  • Review, modify and establish sound, clearly defined policies that will direct and support the administration to effectively deliver public services
  • Provide effective leadership, facilitating public policy discussions and fostering the sharing of factual information for public decision‐making.

• Delivery of Public Services
  • Deliver quality public services efficiently (in a fiscally responsible manner) and effectively so as to ensure the safety, education and well‐being of our citizens
  • Continually seek improvements in the processes and methodology by which the Town is managed so as to promote efficient and cost-effective government
  • Create a culture of open government within all town departments.
  • Adopt Best Practices recommended by the Massachusetts Municipal Association that relate to town governance
  • Be responsive to the community by immediately addressing concerns and issues that are brought to our attention by residents
  • Ensure that Selectmen’s meetings are accessible to the public and foster an open, transparent discussion of public policy decisions and Town policies.
  • Promote and support resident participation in Town government and volunteering
  • Encourage the preservation of our Town’s historic buildings
  • Preserve and maintain the beauty of our natural setting
  • Review  recommendations of Town Meeting Study Committee and take action to implement changes that will improve town meeting
  • Promote the health and wellness of the Town and work with A Healthy Lynnfield and local and regional entities to address substance abuse issues.
  • Senior Tax Relief –Review the recommendations of the Senior Citizen Advisory Committee and consider making recommendations for changes in senior tax benefits to assist senior residents.
  • School Buildings
    • Manage and regularly review the progress of the short and long term maintenance plan for the buildings of Lynnfield Public Schools.
    •  Appoint School Enrollment and Capacity Exploration Committee and work with the School Committee to ensure that the Town is positioned to address a likely growth in enrollment.
  • Strategic Planning
    • Form a Strategic Planning Committee that will be charged with preparing a long-term strategic plan to address the capital needs of the Town as well as recommendations regarding the operating budget
      • A potential major benefit of this effort will be to better position the Town for an upgrade in its bond rating
  • Financial Reporting
    • Adopt best practices with respect to the financial reporting of the Town so as to present the Town with an accessible and transparent system of reporting
  • Management of Development
    • Provided that the Town approves one or both of the proposed senior housing developments, the Board through its actions ensure that the Town maximizes the benefits of said development/s.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board adopt the Mission Statement and Goals for 2018-2019 as presented. Vote was unanimous.

Revision of membership for and appointments to School Enrollment and Capacity Exploration Committee

Chairman Dalton proposed a change to the composition of the School Enrollment and Capacity Exploration Committee. He recommended that the two parent and one community positions be converted to three at-large positions and that the Capital Facilities Advisory Committee positions be eliminated and a fourth at-large position added. He said a number of very talented people had applied. He outlined the qualifications of the proposed members. Selectman Crawford said they are highly qualified, and that the Board had many excellent candidates to choose from. Selectman Barrett greed it was a difficult decision and said he was honored to be included.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett:  I move that the composition of the School Enrollment and Capacity Exploration Committee be amended to convert the two parent positions, one community position and the Capital Facilities Advisory Committee position be changed to four at-large positions. Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett:  I move that the following members be appointed to the School Enrollment and Capacity Exploration Committee: At-large: Arthur Swanson, Kathryn Price, Gary Romano, and John Scenna. Finance Committee representative: Bob Priestley. School Committee representative: Tim Doyle; Board of Selectmen representative: Chris Barrett. Ex-officio members: Town Administrator Robert Dolan, Superintendent of Schools Jane Tremblay and Public Works Director John Tomasz. Vote was unanimous.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move the Board designate John Scenna as temporary chairman of the School Enrollment and Capacity Exploration Committee. Vote was unanimous.

Perley Burrill property deed restrictions

Selectman Barrett recused himself from the portion of the meeting, as he has an ownership stake in an abutting property.

Town Counsel Thomas Mullen reviewed proposed language for a deed restriction on the Town-owned Perley Burrill land. The proposed language provides that no additional buildable lots beyond the two lots of the proposed subdivision would be created with the use of the Town-owned land for sale in conjunction with any other land, and other provisions reflecting the Board’s direction at its last meeting. They include prohibiting use of the land for an affordable housing development under Chapter 40B; he said this provision also includes a severability clause as it has been used by municipalities in the past but has never been challenged in court. He said deed restrictions are good for 30 years, except for specific restrictions for historic recreation and open space land.

Board members said that the proposed language reflected their wishes and those of the neighborhood.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Chairman Dalton: I move that the language presented by Town Counsel be incorporated as a deed restriction on the land at the former Perley Burrill service station on Salem Street that will be sold at auction; and that such restrictions are reflected in the documents prepared for the auction. Vote was 2-0 (Selectman Barrett not participating).

Recommendations on annual town meeting warrant articles

The Board made recommendations on most of the annual town meeting warrant articles at its last meeting.

ARTICLE 4. Fiscal year 2018 transfers.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett:  I move that the Board recommend passage of Article 4 with the amounts listed on the Town Meeting handout sheet. Vote was unanimous.

ARTICLE 5.  Paying overdue bills from a prior fiscal year.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett:  I move that the Board recommend passage of Article 5 with the amounts listed on the town meeting handout sheet. Vote was unanimous.

ARTICLE 6. Paying wages from a prior fiscal year for a dispatcher after resolution of a contract issue regarding application of EMT stipend to overtime wages.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board recommend the passage of Article 8 with the use of $2,486 in free cash. Vote was unanimous.

ARTICLE 13. EMS enterprise fund

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board recommend passage of Article 13 with the amounts listed in the Town Meeting handout sheet. Vote was unanimous.

ARTICLE 14. Golf enterprise fund

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett:  I move that the Board recommend passage of Article 14 with the amounts listed in the Town Meeting handout sheet. Vote was unanimous.

Selectman Dalton said that that the golf enterprise funding recognized efforts to decrease expenses. Town administrator Robert Dolan said that he will review staffing levels and managing of off-season activities.

ARTICLE 18. Approval of new zoning map.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett:  I move that the Board defer action on Article 18, awaiting the recommendation of the Planning Board. Vote was unanimous.

ARTICLE 19. Petition article rezoning portion of Sagamore golf course for Elderly Housing.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board recommend passage of Article 19. Vote was unanimous.

ARTICLE 20. Petition article to allow private commercial golf course as a permitted use in an Elderly Housing District.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett:  I move that the Board recommend passage of Article 20. Vote was unanimous.

ARTICLE 21. Petition article to increase the maximum units in an Elderly Housing District to 154 from 132.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett:  I move that the Board recommend passage of Article 21. Vote was unanimous.

ARTICLE 22. Petition article to allow a residential sewage treatment system in an Elderly Housing District with a special permit from the Board of Appeals.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett:  I move that the Board recommend passage of Article 22. Vote was unanimous.

ARTICLE 23. Petition article rezoning land of proposed Wills Brook development to Elderly Housing District.

A petition to withdraw this article was submitted with the same signatories on the original petition. However, Town Counsel advised that because the warrant has already been posted and insufficient time remains in which to repost the warrant in conformity with the requirements of the Town Charter, this petition cannot be granted by the Board.

Angus Bruce, the developer associated with this project, asked that the article be referred to the Planning Board for further study. He said he needed more time fort traffic studies, percolation tests and mitigation efforts. He said he wished to preserve the option of bringing the matter back in the fall. Defeat or postponement of the article at town meeting would trigger the two-year waiting period for zoning-related articles, relief from which can only come through Planning Board approval.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board recommend referral of Article 23 to the Planning Board for further study. Vote was unanimous.

Discussion of FY19 capital budget

Selectman Dalton said that the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen have adopted different capital budget recommendations. The Finance Committee added funds as requested by library officials to address septic backup issues, but also included funding for sidewalks, stairs and windows. After discussions with the Library Director and the Public Works Director, the Town Administrator is recommending that nay such funding be added to the Public Works capital allotment, as has been done in the past. He asked that a recommendation be deferred on this article until additional discussions are held. He said he would have preferred that these requests were submitted according to the usual procedure.

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board defer its recommendation on Article 8.

Town Administrator Update:

Mr. Dolan gave brief updates on the topics of budget documents and repots, department head  goals, the regional permitting software effort, technology issues, the recreational path discussion, Perry Avenue flooding, the King Rail golf clubhouse, the recreational fields project, school space, the Main Street development proposals, and school safety.

Public participation

Resident Patricia Campbell asked that every committee include public participation on every meeting agenda, and the removal of any chair of a committee that refused to include it.

Use of Town facilities

MOTION by Selectman Crawford, duly seconded by Selectman Barrett: I move that the Board vote to approve a banner over the common for Townscape, Inc. for the Geraniumfest from May 6-12, 2018.

Request for executive session to discuss the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, specifically the Sagamore Golf Course

The chair made the following declaration prior to the roll call vote: "An open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Town."

MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Crawford: I move the Board enter into executive session to discuss the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, specifically the Sagamore Golf Course. Roll call vote: Barrett, yes; Crawford, yes; Dalton, yes.

Chairman Barrett announced that the Board does not plan to re-enter open session.

MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Crawford: I move the Board adjourn. Vote was unanimous.

The Board adjourned at 7:55 p.m.