LYNNFIELD — Due to the weather forecasts calling for rain on Saturday morning, the Special Town Meeting, originally scheduled to start at 10 a.m., has been pushed back to a 4 p.m. start.
“Hundreds of hours go into planning a Town Meeting and we made the most prudent decision we could at the time with the resources and information that was available to us, and that result was to move the meeting (to late afternoon),” Town Moderator Joe Markey said. “We’ve done our best to alert members of the public with a reverse 911 call and electronic message boards around town. Democracy must go on.”
Two new bylaws designed to preserve and protect Lynnfield’s trees and open spaces and an article seeking authorization for an eminent-domain taking of a historic home are among the highlights of this year’s warrant.
Headlining the issues likely to generate much discussion is Article 5, the proposal to take the Joseph Smith House, a property with ownership that dates back to a 1640 land grant of 640 acres by King Charles I of England, that is now in danger of extinction.
Owner Virgil Lynnfield Properties LLC has applied for a permit to demolish the 1850 home, located at 163 Lowell Street, adjacent to Pocahontas Spring and the Boston Clear Water Co. The town has used the demolition-delay bylaw to postpone demolition for a year.
The meeting will be held on the Lynnfield High School football field, 275 Essex St. Members of the Lynnfield Fire Department will be assisting the Town Clerk’s staff in checking in voters to ensure that the safest COVID-19 protocols are followed. Social distancing will be maintained in the seating area and is encouraged before, during and after the meeting. Face masks covering the nose and mouth are mandatory and residents must observe all public health safety protocols. Residents who are sick, showing signs of being ill or under quarantine or isolation, should stay home.
Check-in will begin promptly at 3 p.m. Residents are encouraged to allow extra time for the check-in process and seating so the meeting will start on time.
The town warrant will be distributed at the meeting and is also available online on the town’s website, https://www.town.lynnfield.ma.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif3391/f/uploads/warr.
Residents are urged to familiarize themselves with the warrant so that they are aware of the issues that will be discussed and voted on.
All registered Lynnfield voters are eligible to attend, participate in the discussion and debate, and vote on the warrant articles that are before the meeting.
Markey said that even though it may be cold and wet for attendees, holding the meeting outdoors is the only way for the town to conduct a “cherished New England tradition with true democracy on display” in the safest possible way.
“Not only is it the safest way, it is being done in a fashion that supports elderly participation, supports those that have disabilities or pre-existing conditions that might otherwise discourage them from attending and participating if the meeting was indoors.
“I spoke with a few residents who were afraid they might miss Town Meeting after many years of attending and they were so happy they can attend and fully be a part of a community they love and it truly is a victory for all of us to be able to attend.”
Anne Marie Tobin can be reached at [email protected].
