LYNNFIELD — The warrant for the June 12 Town Meeting has been closed.
The real news, however, is the Select Board declined to include a proposed tree preservation bylaw on the warrant.
Planning Board Brian Charville told the Select Board during the latter group’s Wednesday meeting that he had hoped to give an update about the work done on the bylaw since the last Town Meeting.
“I understand it only recently has come to your desks, and would hate more than anything for procedure and process to get in the way of a substantive discussion,” he said. “My board would love to say, ‘gentlemen, put it on the warrant.’ … We understand if you’d like more time. We’re open to it being held for the October Town Meeting. We want everyone to know that we’ve pared it back and this draft really only applies to building activity.”
“It was a very controversial issue at the last meeting and (we need to) have appropriate time as a board for us to vett it so people realize that it’s been drastically rewritten.” Select Board Chair Dick Dalton said. “I think that would be the best way to present it to the town.”
Select Board members Phil Crawford and Joe Connell agreed.
“Brian is right on track here,” said Crawford, who said he did not see the revised bylaw until two days earlier. “To give it its due process, it’s best we take it up early in the fall as we get prepared for the October Town Meeting when we have time to properly review and vett it.”
“They’ve worked very hard on this,” said Connell. “Truthfully there’s a lot of great information, but not for the town to get it so quickly and to understand it, so this is best.”
Planning Board member Amy MacNulty felt passionately about the contents of the bylaw, saying the board spent “a lot of time talking about this.”
“The residents are very worried and concerned and we want to respond to that concern,” she said. “So we’re ready. I know you’re not ready and I wish you were. I don’t know why it took this delay, but this is what’s going to come in October, too. We’re ready to go.”
The highlights of the warrant are the operating and capital budgets.
Article 6 — referred to by Assistant Town Administrator Bob Curtin as “the big one” — asks the town to approve the proposed FY22 operating budget of $60,843,604. The figure represents a 2.37 percent increase from FY21.
During a public hearing on the budget earlier this month, Town Administrator Rob Dolan said he was extremely proud of the budget and that it “speaks to the community’s core values and choices” by investing in education, public safety and health and proper planning.
Article 7 asks the town to approve a capital budget of $1,045,431 for several projects including Pillings Pond water quality improvement, new return bins and self-checkout software/hardware at the library, police radio site replacement and funds for a utility interceptor vehicle, a command vehicle and PPE turnout gear for the Fire Department, various DPW projects — including road construction, a new dump truck and mowers for the golf courses.
Article 13 seeks an appropriation for security equipment, drainage and site improvements in connection with the elementary school project.
Article 14 seeks to rescind borrowing authority for completed capital projects where the stipulated amount exceeded actual costs.
Article 15 seeks approval of a lease-purchase agreement for the acquisition of energy-efficiency improvements, while Article 16 seeks to amend the town’s bylaws regarding fees.
Article 17 seeks to increase the number of hours residents may work under the so-called “senior tax reduction program” to 125 volunteer-service hours. Article 18 seeks to provide an additional exemption.
“This will match the state amount for real-estate tax exemptions for veterans, the blind and seniors and others who are state-qualified based on assets and income,” Curtin said.
Article 19 seeks a vote to add Zepaj Lane as a public way, while Article 20 seeks to amend the Stormwater Management Bylaws.
The annual warrant, as well as the changes to the Stormwater Bylaw, are available at https://www.town.lynnfield.ma.us/town-meeting. The meeting begins at 10 a.m.
