February 10 2022 meeting

Chair Dalton called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. He announced that the meeting was being recorded for cable television.

MOTION by Mr. Connell, duly seconded by Mr. Crawford: I move that the Select Board enter into joint meeting with the Board of Health. 

Roll call vote: Crawford – yes; Connell – yes; Dalton -yes.

MOTION by Board of Health member Dr. Rocco Iocco, duly seconded by Dr. Gail McCausland: I move that the Board of Health enter into joint meeting with the Select Board. 

Roll call vote: Iocco – yes; McCausland – yes; Dr. Kelly Migliero -yes.

MOTION by Mr. Connell, duly seconded by Mr. Crawford: I move the Richard Dalton be named chair of the joint meeting. 

Roll call vote: Crawford – yes; Connell – yes; Dalton -yes; Iocco – yes; McCausland – yes; Migliero -yes.

COVID update by Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis 

Chief Davis provided an update based on Monday morning which shows a dramatic reduction of cases in Lynnfield and Massachusetts. There were only 100 new cases in the prior 14 days. Hospitalizations are down across the state dramatically. Some say that at-home testing reduces the number of reported cases, but wastewater testing samples and declining hospitalizations show reductions as well. He said Massachusetts has among the highest vaccination rates in the nation, with vaccination beginning for the youngest age groups. Lynnfield vaccination rates are higher than the state averages.

Mr. Dalton made the following remarks:

I would like to begin by acknowledging that the past several months have been difficult ones for Town residents, businesses and employees.

All our lives have been changed in some way due to this pandemic – we have seen friends and love ones become sick, and in many cases, we have had someone close to us die due to COVID-19. Many faced loneliness and isolation as social distancing and best health practices kept friends and loved ones apart. And all of us can recall how our lives have been disrupted in countless ways.

Businesses faced shutdowns and altered operations. Students, teachers, and parents had their lives turned upside down by loss of in-person learning, cancellation or modification of activities. Our police and fire personnel as well as those working in the medical profession were asked time and again to put their own health and lives at risk to assist those in need. Essential workers also faced these risks to keep our economy running and to meet the basic needs of our society during this time.

I want to thank all of those people who did so much to make sure that rest of us could have the best care, the best education, and the best quality of life possible during this trying time. Thank you to all the Town employees who came to work every day under difficult circumstances.

Thank you to our school personnel for making sure Lynnfield’s children kept learning despite the unprecedented obstacles and challenges they faced. Thank you to the parents, students, residents and business owners and employees here who worked so hard to keep their fellow citizens safe while continuing to go about their daily routines.

During this pandemic, many difficult decisions had to be made. Both nationally and locally there has been vigorous debate on a number of issues surrounding the pandemic, and while we may have disagreed on specific measures, I know that everyone has had the best interests of their families and their community at heart.

I want to thank the Emergency Management Team and Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis for their efforts to guide the Town through these many difficult decisions. In the team’s regular meetings, I was able to witness the thoughtful consideration given to the data, the latest guidance from federal and state agencies, and the ramifications of national, state and local policies and actions.  Thank you all for your work.

You have heard from Chief Davis on the current state of COVID. While the pandemic is not over and we have to continue to be vigilant about routine best practices such as hand washing, I believe it is time to take the steps necessary to return, as much as possible, to our normal lives. For these reasons, I have asked for this joint meeting to recommend that the Town lift immediately the mask mandates in all Town buildings.

I know the School Committee on Tuesday plans to take up at its meeting the state’s recent announcements regarding lifting of mask mandates at the High School, which has reached the 80 percent vaccination threshold for staff and students, and the lifting of mandatory masking for all schools on the February 28 date set by the state.

Mr. Dalton invited public comment on the subject on the agenda. No one wished to speak.

Dr. Iocco thanked the emergency Management Team and Chief Davis for their work. He said there is still work to be done but said it is time to return to normal life as much as possible.

MOTION by Board of Health member Dr. Rocco Iocco, duly seconded by Dr. Gail McCausland: I move pursuant to G.L. c. 111, s. 31, the Board rescind the August 18, 2021 regulation of the Board of Health mandating masks all Town buildings, effective immediately.

Roll call vote: Iocco – yes; McCausland – yes; Migliero -yes.

MOTION by Mr. Connell, duly seconded by Mr. Crawford: I move that effective immediately, the Board rescind the August 18, 2022 order of the Select Board mandating masks be worn in all Town buildings. 

Roll call vote: Crawford – yes; Connell – yes; Dalton -yes.

MOTION by Mr. Connell, duly seconded by Mr. Crawford: member: I move that the joint meeting be adjourned. 

 MOTION by Select Board member: I move that the Select Board adjourn. 

Roll call vote: Crawford – yes; Connell – yes; Dalton -yes.

MOTION by Board of Health member Dr. Rocco Iocco, duly seconded by Dr. Gail McCausland: I move that the Board of Health adjourn.

Roll call vote: Iocco – yes; McCausland – yes; Migliero -yes.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:16 p.m.