LYNNFIELD — If it were any other year, Saturday morning’s town meeting in Lynnfield would have been nothing out of the ordinary.
However, this is 2020, and nothing is ordinary.
Instead of at its usual location in the Lynnfield Middle School auditorium, more than 90 residents gathered for the annual town meeting on the turf field outside Lynnfield High, sitting in folding chairs that had been carefully spaced six feet apart early that morning by the Department of Public Works.
The unconventional setup was the latest example of creative measures taken by towns in recent weeks as they strive to comply with state-mandated social distancing guidelines.
“Everything came together perfectly, I think,” said Department of Public Works Director John Tomasz, who helped plan the event’s logistics. “For our first time doing it, we’re very happy.”
Tomasz said there had been “a few key things to consider” when it came to making the outdoor meeting a reality.
“We had to estimate the number of people who were going to show up, we had to make sure the social distancing space was right, then of course we had to set up the visual and audio (components),” he said. “We got water for people, just in case. We got wipes, we got masks. We tried to cover every concern a visitor may have.
“I think for our first time, it worked out pretty good.”
Microphones stationed at both ends of the field were wiped down after each use, and emergency personnel also flanked the field in case anyone were to faint in the nearly 90-degree heat.
“I know it’s not your average town meeting, but bear with me and we’ll get through it,” Town Moderator Joseph Markey told the crowd as he ran through the 14-article budget.
All but two items — Article 13 and Article 14 — were passed unanimously by voters.
Article 14 — a zoning bylaw petition submitted by resident Alan Dresios — was denied after failing to reach a two-thirds majority vote, and Article 13 — an amendment to a general bylaw that would make it illegal for anyone underage to sit at a Lynnfield bar — passed 69-32.
Even with the early 9:30 a.m. start, attendees on the field were already visibly sweating by the time Markey called the meeting to close.
“It’s hot,” said resident Julie Mallett, who came prepared with extra water and an umbrella. “Turf fields are tough.”
Not everyone was pleased with the results of the meeting, however, which was 45 minutes long — relatively short compared to typical town meetings.
“We paged through the budget in seconds, and I think that’ll be problematic in future fiscal years,” said resident David Basile. “It’s not a Zoom conference call. This is real money. I would have liked more time to examine the budgets, especially since there’s been this lockdown and we haven’t really had an opportunity to stay on top of this stuff.”
“Socializing, where you have a conversation, a discussion — that element was missing.”
