December 7 2022 meeting

Vice Chair Connell 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.

6:00 p.m. Public hearing as required by Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 56, as amended.  The subject of the hearing concerns the allocation of the local property tax levy among the five property classes, as defined in Section 2-A of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 59, for the fiscal year 2023 beginning July 1, 2022

MOTION by Mr. Dalton, duly seconded by Mr. Connell: I move that the Board vote to reopen the public hearing. Motion was approved 2-0.

The public hearing was duly posted and advertised.

Assessing Manager Victor Santaniello made a presentation on tax classification. He explained the options that the Board could choose to exercise, including the minimum residential exemption; chiefly used by communities with a large number of apartment buildings or vacation homes; the open space discount, for which no properties in Town qualify, and the small business exemption, which is available to the property owners of commercial properties with no more than ten workers in total, not businesses renting space. Lynnfield has never accepted any of these options.

Mr. Santaniello said that if the Town chose to go back to the single rate, all taxpayers will pay $12.11 per thousand dollars of property value annually. He said last year, the Town adopted the maximum shift, which would result in a tax rate of $11.31 for residential properties and $18.17 for commercial properties. The average single-family home is valued at $899,600, which would in an annual tax bill of $10,894. The split rate, if adopted, saves the average residential taxpayer about $720. For the average commercial payer, it results in a tax bill about $3,000 higher than the single rate would. The average residential taxpayers will see a 3.6 percent increase in property tax.

Mr. Connell thanked him for a thorough presentation. Mr. Dalton asked if the debt exclusion passed the previous night would affect the tax rate.  Mr. Santaniello said the impact will come in subsequent years. Mr. Santaniello also confirmed the Town cannot go beyond the maximum residential factor of 1.5.

MOTION by Mr. Dalton, duly seconded by Mr. Connell: I move that the public hearing on tax classification be closed. Motion was approved 2-0.

Over the past several years, the Board has chosen a split tax rate, and has chosen to adjust the shift factor to address variations in the relative rates of appreciation in properties in the various classes. Due to the disparity in the rate of appreciation between residential properties and commercial properties in 2021, even the maximum allowable shift factor will not equalize the percentage increase on the average tax bill in both classes. The maximum shift allowed for Lynnfield is 1.50.

No members of the public wished to speak.

MOTION by Mr. Dalton, duly seconded by Mr. Connell: I move that the Board vote to adopt the minimum residential factor of 0.933400. Motion was approved 2-0.

MOTION by Mr. Dalton, duly seconded by Mr. Connell: I move that the Board vote not to adopt the residential exemption. Motion was approved 2-0.

MOTION by Mr. Dalton, duly seconded by Mr. Connell: I move that the Board vote not to adopt the small commercial exemption. Motion was approved 2-0.

MOTION by Mr. Dalton, duly seconded by Mr. Connell: I move that the Board vote not to adopt the open space exemption. Motion was approved 2-0.

Promotion of Steven O’Connell to police sergeant

Steven O’Connell was hired as a patrolman in 2013. He is currently the training supervisor and the department’s armorer. He is the highest-ranking candidate on the civil service promotion list. He has the recommendation of Chief Secatore, and the appointing authority, Town Administrator Dolan. Chief Secatore said that he has been serving temporarily in that position since the retirement of Sgt. Al Scotina six months ago. He is a U.S. Marines veteran.

Officer O’Connell said he appreciates the opportunity and is grateful and honored to serve the community and work with his fellow officers.

MOTION by Mr. Dalton, duly seconded by Mr. Connell: I move that the Board vote to concur in the promotion of Steven O’Connell to police sergeant. Motion was approved 2-0.

Use of Facilities applications

a. Use of common, May 20, 2023, Healthy Lynnfield, Health Expo

b. Use of Common, December 18-29, Chabad, Menorah

MOTION by Mr. Dalton, duly seconded by Mr. Connell: I move that the Use of Facilities applications be approved, subject to any conditions imposed by the Chief of Police or Director of Public Works. Motion was approved 2-0.

MOTION by Mr. Dalton, duly seconded by Mr. Connell: I move that the Board adjourn. Motion was approved 2-0.

The Board adjourned at 6:15 p.m.