Future of Reedy Meadow Golf Course Emerging as Town Issue

With available space at a premium in Lynnfield, the future of Reedy Meadow Golf Course has been coming up

One topic that came up during Monday night's town meeting was the Reedy Meadow and King Rail Golf courses and the costs and revenues they bring. The attached video clip up above from Monday night shows Town Administrator Bill Gustus saying that when the King Rail Golf Course re-opens next year, golf should account for several hundred thousand dollars in net town revenues. Selectman Tom Terranova released the statement below about Reedy Meadow Golf Course the day after town meeting: "Town Meeting was livelier than most, with various topics being raised, one of which was the true financial picture of Reedy Meadow Golf Course. Tom Terranova pointed out that $791,318 and $799,338 was transferred to the golf course enterprise fund in 2011 and …

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Does Town Meeting Still Work?

Town meeting is a form of government that dates back to the earliest days of America. It's technically one of the purest forms of democracy. What is its place in the future?

The same day that Lynnfield happened to be heading into its own spring town meeting, Jennifer Braceras of the Boston Herald wrote a column entitled "Town's Meeting's Great, as History." Town Moderator Arthur Bourque even mentioned the column in passing as he opened Monday night's meeting, citing the important role that town meeting plays in democracy. Many residents remember that back in the fall of 2011, too few people showed up at that town meeting to have a quorum. For Monday's town meeting, the start time was scheduled for 7:30 p.m. But it took a little extra time to get resident #175 into the LMS auditorium so that the required quorum could be attained. Low attendance is not just a Lynnfield issue for town meeting. Neighboring …

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Town Meeting Voters Approve Budget, Other Items

Medical marijuana moratorium, auto excise tax exemption for active duty overseas military personnel also approved.

There was some concern at the outset about whether the required 175 people would show up at the Lynnfield spring town meeting for a quorum, but within a few hours voters passed the FY 2014 budget plus a couple of other proposals. The 18 town warrant articles from Monday night can be viewed at this link. The town's budget for fiscal year 2014 is just over $44.7 million, and a handful of motions offered by residents would have changed certain aspects. For example, at one point resident David Miller proposed moving $150,000 to road repairs from the school budget, which School Committee Chairwoman Dorothy Presser warned would jeopardize the district's iPad initiative for the students. "It's money that we only have this year," said Presser, …

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You Asked, Patch Answers

Here's a Look at Tonight's Lynnfield Town Meeting Warrant

Medical Marijuana moratorium, excise tax exemption for active duty military personnel among 18 warrants for town voters this spring. Here's the full text of it. Town meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at Lynnfield Middle School auditorium.

The following is the text of the Lynnfield town warrant as provided by town hall. LYNNFIELD TOWN WARRANT THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION - APRIL 8, 2013 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING - APRIL 29, 2013  Essex, ss To the Constable of the Town of Lynnfield in the County of Essex, GREETINGS: In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby directed to notify  and warn the inhabitants of said Town, qualified to vote in elections and in Town affairs, to meet in their respective polling places in said Lynnfield, on Monday, April 8, 2013 at 7:00 a.m., then and there to bring in their votes on one ballot for the choice of all necessary Town Officers for the ensuing year, chosen in this manner, viz.: one Assessor for …

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Medical Marijuana Moratorium on Town Meeting Ballot

Town meeting is Monday, April 29th. Proposed moratorium would last until July, 2014 or until release of state guidelines.

Selectmen Endorse Town Meeting Warrant Articles

Selectmen endorse the various warrants that will go before Lynnfield voters at Monday night's town meeting.

A newly reorganized board of selectmen engaged in a thorough discussion of the town warrant this week, endorsing all 18 of the articles that voters will consider Monday night. Newly-elected Phil Crawford will serve as select board chair for the next year, reflecting the one-year term he was elected to serve earlier this month. Dave Nelson will serve as vice chair, while Tom Terranova, newly elected to a full three-year term, will be the clerk this year. Nelson explained that the chair is usually the selectman whose term is ending the next year. Residents David Miller and Harry LeCours, themselves longtime Lynnfield public servants, engaged the selectmen in a thorough discussion of the warrants and various town budget procedures during the …

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Medical Marijuana Moratorium Expected on Town Meeting Ballot

Town meeting is Monday, April 29th. Proposed moratorium would last until July, 2014 or until release of state guidelines.

Lynnfield town meeting voters will likely be asked to approve a warrant article establishing a temporary moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries. The proposed moratorium would last until either July 1, 2014, or until the town enacts more permanent regulations based on guidelines expected to come from the state. "This should give us a chance to review what the (Mass. Department of Public Health) regulations will be to write up a bylaw," explained Lynnfield Planning Board Secretary Kathy Randele. Last week, Attorney General Martha Coakley's office announced that a medical marijuana bylaw in neighboring Wakefield was inconsistent with state law because it actually banned medical marijuana dispensaries in town. Voters in Massachusetts, …

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Budget Process Getting Underway Amid Concern Over State Aid

Wednesday night, the town holds its annual budget summit, beginning a process that leads up to the April town meeting.

Tonight at 7 p.m. at the Lynnfield Senior Center, town department heads will be on hand to talk with town officials about their projected budget needs for the coming year. The town's financial picture remains generally stable, with help from the coming MarketStreet at Lynnfield project as well as the deal a couple of years ago to lower health insurance costs for municipal employees. However, one thing to watch for in the coming weeks will be whether the state moves to lower its local aid for fiscal year 2014. This week, Governor Deval Patrick announced an expected $540 million shortfall in the FY 2013 state budget and he proceeded to lay out a series of cuts to help close it. Many media outlets noted that Patrick's plan includes $225 …

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Average Home's Tax Will Go Up $186 In FY '13

Based on a projected 2.5% property tax increase, average single family home tax in 2013 would be $7,538.

Lynnfield residents will see a 2.5% property tax increase in the coming fiscal year, in part because average home values remain down. The average single family home in Lynnfield (3,817 of them) would pay $7,538 in property taxes in FY 2013, according to figures provided to local media at the last selectmen's meeting. This would be an average tax increase of $186, at a rate of $14.82 per $1,000 in assessed value. A report from the board of assessors during the meeting noted that residential values were down about 1.8% in town over the last year, while commercial values were up about 2.6%. Town statistics indicate an average single family home value of $508,761 in Lynnfield in FY13. Commercial, Industrial, Personal Property The town's …

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