Lynnfield Voters Approve Prop. 2 1/2 Override

By a 1,613-1,052 margin, Lynnfield voters approved a $560,000 Proposition 2 1/2 override Monday.

The vote allows the town to close a budget deficit that once stood at about $1.5 million while avoiding what could have been dozens of layoffs and even the elimination of the high school hockey program.

A significant portion of the town's deficit, about $750,000, is expected to be filled by health insurance concessions by the town's employee unions. A 3:30 p.m. selectmen's meeting at town hall on Tuesday is expected to feature a memorandum of understanding signed between town officials and union representatives. Earlier this spring, voters also approved a local  meals tax that could bring in about $100,000 in revenue for the coming year.

Before the override, town officials had initially sought to close the rest of the budget deficit with school bus fees and a pay as you throw trash disposal fee. Pay as you throw was rejected at town meeting, while the school committee reversed an earlier decision to implement the bus fees, setting the stage for Monday's override vote.

"I wasn't sure what to expect," said Superintendent of Schools Robert Hassett after the vote. "I was optimistic throughout the whole process."

The breakdown of the votes among the town's four precincts was as follows:

Precinct 1:  495 yes, 272 no
Precinct 2:  396 yes, 243 no
Precinct 3:  272 yes, 198 no
Precinct 4:  450 yes, 339 no.

Out of 8,934 town voters, 2,665 cast ballots on Monday - a relatively strong voter turnout by special election standards in the 25-30 percent neighborhood.

Town officials had warned that rejection of the override would have led to the elimination of dozens of positions in town, particularly hitting the school system hard but affecting other services, such as police and fire and public works. The override has been estimated to cost about $95 per Lynnfield household.

"I'm always very confident that Lynnfield voters will support the town and the schools," said School Committee Chair Dorothy Presser soon after the votes were counted.