October 26, 2020 meeting
Board of Selectmen
October 26, 2020
Regular Session
Conducted remotely via Zoom
Present:
Christopher Barrett, Chairman
Philip Crawford, Selectman
Richard Dalton, Selectman
Chairman Barrett called meeting to order at 7:31 p.m. He announced it was being recorded via Zoom, for cable television transmission.
COVID-19 update
Town Administrator Robert Dolan reported that the Town has had 174 COVID-19 cases involving 122 households. He said 14 have passed away from the disease. Lynnfield is currently rated as a red community, the highest level. He said he expects that will continue for at least one more week. Five public schools students have tested positive, which has resulted in quarantine of students. He said parents and school staff are working well with the Town. The emergency management team has put out recommendations for a safe Halloween.
Chairman Barrett reminded residents to wear masks, practice social distancing, and observe safety recommendations.
Opening of November 21 special town meeting warrant
Chairman Barrett noted this topic was discussed at length in its prior meeting.
MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Crawford: I move that the Board vote to open the November 21, 2020 special town meeting warrant for the acceptance of articles. The vote was unanimous.
Review of warrant articles and closing of warrant
Chairman Barrett noted this topic was discussed at length in its prior meeting. The proposed warrant has a single article, authorizing the borrowing and appropriation of funds for a proposed school building project at the Summer Street and Huckleberry Hill School, including additions, renovations, site work, design, project management and other related costs. That proposal was reviewed in depth at the Board’s meeting last Monday.
The article has been approved for form by Town Counsel and bond counsel. Town meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. on the Lynnfield High School football field.
MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Crawford: I move that the Board vote to close the November 21, 2020 special town meeting warrant. The vote was unanimous.
Chairman Barrett asked the Board to recommend the article to voters. He noted this Board initiated this issue.
MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Crawford: I move that the Board vote to recommend passage of Article 1 with a funding amount of $17 million. The vote was unanimous.
Chairman Barrett thanked his fellow members for their support on this issue.
Setting of quorum for the special town meeting
The town meeting quorum has been set at 50 voters for the remainder of the State of Emergency. Should the Board wish to change the quorum, it will have to give seven days’ notice of the meeting at which the change would be voted.
Approval of special town election warrant
Town Clerk Linda Emerson has prepared a special town election warrant for Tuesday, December 8 with a single question which would authorize debt exclusion under Proposition 2-1/2 for the elementary school building project. The language of the question has been approved for form by both Town Counsel and bond counsel.
Voting will take place at Lynnfield High School on that date between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Voters who have requested that they be mailed a ballot for all elections taking place in calendar year 2020 will receive a ballot by mail.
MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Crawford: I move that the Board vote to approve the special town election warrant as prepared by the town clerk. The vote was unanimous.
Approval of amendment to police chief contract
Chairman Barrett said that as Police Chief David Breen having announced his intention to retire as of February 1, 2021, a final contract amendment has been drafted to address his compensation for the current fiscal year, the Town’s intention to continue to indemnify him for actions he undertook during his Town service, and an accounting relating to final payment of his accruals under the contract terms.
Town Administrator Dolan said the contract expired in 2019. This agreement speaks to the accruals of time Chief Breen has accumulated after lengthy service.
Selectman Crawford thanked Chief Breen, Mr. Dolan and Town Counsel Thomas Mullen for their work on this contract amendment.
MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Crawford: I move that the Board vote to approve the Chief of Police contract amendment as presented. The vote was unanimous.
Chairman Barrett wished the community a happy Halloween and urged residents to be safe.
MOTION by Selectman Dalton, duly seconded by Selectman Crawford: I move that the Board adjourn. The vote was unanimous.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
LYNNFIELD TOWN WARRANT
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
SPECIAL TOWN ELECTION – DECEMBER 8
Essex, ss.
To the Constable of the Town of Lynnfield in the County of Essex, GREETINGS:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of said Town, qualified to vote in elections and in Town affairs, to meet in their respective polling places in said Lynnfield, on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 7:00 a.m., then and there to bring in their votes on ONE BALLOT for a Ballot Question as follows:
Shall the Town of Lynnfield be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two-and-one-half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to renovate and expand the Huckleberry Hill Elementary School and the Summer Street Elementary School, including the payment of all other costs incidental and related thereto?
Yes ___ No___
The Polls in each precinct will open at 7:00 a.m., and will be closed at 8:00 p.m., on said December 8, 2020. The polling places for voters in Precincts 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be at the Lynnfield High School, 275 Essex Street, in said Lynnfield.
L Y N N F I E L D T O W N W A R R A N T
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING – NOVEMBER 21, 2020
Essex, ss.
To the Constable of the Town of Lynnfield in the County of Essex, GREETINGS:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of said Town, qualified to vote in elections and in Town affairs, to meet at the Lynnfield High School athletic field, and in the Cafeteria and Gymnasium, if necessary, on Saturday, November 21, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. then and there to act on the following articles:
ARTICLE 1: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money for the remodeling, enlargement, reconstruction, rehabilitation, improvement, alteration, constructing additions to and extraordinary repair of the Huckleberry Hill Elementary School and the Summer Street Elementary School, including the cost of engineering, architectural and other services for feasibility studies, plans and specifications, and the cost of original equipment and furnishings of the said buildings, and landscaping, paving and performing other site improvements incidental or related thereto; to determine whether to fund this appropriation by raising and appropriating some or all of said amount from tax levy, by transferring funds from existing accounts, and/or by authorizing the Treasurer with the approval of the Board of Selectmen to borrow under G.L. c. 44, §7(1) or any other enabling authority and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, such funds to be expended under the direction of the School Building Committee; provided that any premium received upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved under this article, less any such premium applied to the payment of the costs of issuance of such bonds or notes, and any accrued interest may be applied to the payment of costs so approved in accordance with G.L. c. 44, § 20, thereby reducing the amount authorized to be borrowed to pay such costs by a like amount; and provided further that any appropriation and debt authorization hereunder shall be subject to and contingent upon an affirmative vote of the Town of Lynnfield to exempt the amounts required for the payment of interest and principal on said borrowing from the limitations on taxes imposed by G.L. 59, §21C (Proposition 2½); or to take any other action relative thereto.
Submitted by BOARD OF SELECTMEN