By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Fall Town Meeting approved allocating more funds for the King Rail Reserve Golf Course clubhouse last week.
DPW Director John Tomasz recalled that the 2022 Fall Town Meeting approved the $900,000 clubhouse project. He said Article 8 was requesting an additional $300,000 from
Golf Course Retained Earnings to complete the clubhouse project, which would increase the project’s price tag to $1.2 million.
After the project was approved last year, Tomasz said local officials learned that the clubhouse’s proposed location had to be moved because the originally proposed location was on a drainage easement.
“Since we are relocating the building, it has additional utility costs,” said Tomasz. “We also have to install an elaborate stormwater management system that would direct, treat and discharge clean water around the golf course area. We are also trying to be good neighbors to the abutters. We have added some things such as landscaping and fencing to make life better for them as they look down on this new clubhouse.”
Town Administrator Rob Dolan noted that the $300,000 is coming from Lynnfield Golf’s “revenues and receipts.”
“It’s not coming from the tax rate,” said Dolan. “This money can only be used for golf. It can’t be used for anything else.”
In resident to a question from Patrice Lane resident Patricia Campbell, Dolan said approving Article 8 would increase the clubhouse’s cost from $900,000 to $1.2 million.
While the Select Board voted to recommend Article 8, the Finance Committee opposed allocating additional funds for the clubhouse project.
“We all agree that we would love to see a clubhouse at King Rail eventually be built,” said Finance Committee Chairman Chris Mattia. “Every time we look at this project, it gets more expensive. We would like to make sure this is the last time we have to put more money towards this building.”
After speaking with the project’s contractors, Tomasz said he was “totally confident that what we are requesting will do the job.”
“I am very confident this is the last time you will see me up here discussing this,” said Tomasz.
Chair Brian Charville said the Planning Board voted to recommend Article 8 in a 4-1 vote.
“We just wanted to note, with any municipal construction in this day and age, whether it be a golf course clubhouse, elementary school additions or a new Fire Headquarters, there are significant state and utility grants available that would make them more green and energy efficient,” said Charville. “We want to encourage everybody in town, especially elected officials, to think about those grant opportunities for projects like these.”
After the discussion, voters approved the additional $300,000 for the King Rail clubhouse by a 320-157 vote.