LYNNFIELD — On Tuesday, the annual Town Meeting will be held at the Lynnfield Middle School Auditorium, where residents will vote on a total of 21 articles.
The articles likely to generate the most discussion are those pertaining to a request for a possible $5 million override and the rail trail project.
Town Administrator Rob Dolan is urging residents to educate themselves about the issues and participate in the process. He said residents’ votes “will decide the future of our schools, the rail trail, our public services and our quality of life.”
“I cannot think of a more important time for the citizens of Lynnfield to have their voices be heard than at this year’s Town Meeting,” Dolan said. “In Lynnfield, our form of government, the open Town Meeting, is the oldest and most inclusive and democratic in the country. Now, more than ever, you have the opportunity to be educated about the issues and vote – the decisions are now yours. Please choose to participate.”
Article 9 of the town meeting warrant relates to the town’s operating budget of $77,038,620 that the Select Board and Finance Committee have requested.
Dolan explained that there are two components to Article 9; the first is the balanced budget, which he says “is necessary for the town to operate.” The second is what he describes as a “contingency budget,” which breaks down how funds will be designated should an override be approved at a June 4 Special Election.
Article 10 also pertains to the budget, as it votes on the Capital Improvement Plan expenditures, which allocates money for various one-time expenses, like equipment for the Department of Public Works, Police Department, and Fire Department.
Three articles relate to the Rail Trail Phase 1 project, which was recently fully funded by the Boston Area Metropolitan Planning Office and was approved for construction in Fiscal Year 2026, and these need to be passed in order to proceed.
“The three Rail Trail articles … have unanimously been endorsed by the Select Board, Finance Committee and Planning Board,” an update on the town website said. “The Town will ask Lynnfield residents to vote on these warrant articles to advance Phase 1 of the Rail Trail so that the State can fund construction on the earliest possible date.”
Article 6 will allow for temporary easements on property that may be entered during construction, Article 7 will accept Ford Avenue as a public way for rail trail access, and Article 8 will dedicate a portion of the Lynnfield Middle School property to the rail trail, connecting it to the school’s athletic field area.
Other issues on the warrant which will be addressed include accepting FEMA flood maps into the town’s zoning maps, adjustment of town fees, and establishing the maximum expenditures for revolving funds some departments may use.
Dolan said he expects a large turnout Tuesday night. Additional parking will be available at the Town Hall parking lot with shuttle bus service to the middle school starting at approximately 6:30 p.m. Should the auditorium be filled to capacity (approximately 450), overflow will be seated in the cafeteria. Dolan said the total seating capacity between both areas is 640 with the same number of electronic clickers available for distribution.
All information on the Town Meeting and the budget can be found on lynnfieldma.gov.
