By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Select Board approved transferring $1,522,227 to close out fiscal year 2025 during a recent meeting.
Town Administrator Rob Dolan said the $1,522,227 in transfers “cleans up the books” for FY25, which ended on June 30. Fiscal year 2026 began on July 1.
Dolan said the transfers include $188,365 for call firefighter salaries.
“The Fire Department lost three call people, one to retirement and two to unanticipated injuries, but they should be back relatively soon,” said Dolan. “We feel that the budget for this year will be strong.”
Dolan said $1,270,000 for union contracts was stored in the town’s reserve fund, and said approving the transfers would distribute those funds to different departments to fund their respective employees’ salaries.
“We are starting the year fresh with everyone’s new salaries,” said Dolan.
Select Board member Dick Dalton asked why the Fire Department transfer was “so large.”
“They lost two call people, who probably take up about 60 hours a week,” said Dolan. “They were injured. It has nothing to do with the schedule or overstaffing. I made sure of that.”
Dolan said the Fire Department currently has four firefighters on duty for overnight shifts who primarily respond to medical aid calls. He said the Fire Department does not spend money on overtime to cover “anything more than two pieces” of equipment for the overnight shift.
“This is just two call firefighters who give us a ton of hours,” said Dolan.
Select Board Chair Phil Crawford said career firefighters are currently filling in for the two call firefighters who are out on leave.
“We are filling the spots with the full-time people,” said Crawford. “They are paid on a different scale.”
Dolan said four firefighters who were previously in the fire academy are “now back.”
“It was the worst case scenario in a six-week period,” said Dolan.
Dalton noted that the FY25 transfers included $337,567 that the town owed snowplow contractors, $124,202 for salt costs, $88,949 for snow removal overtime and $40,065 for snow vehicle repairs/maintenance from this past winter. He said the FY26 operating budget for the Department of Public Works (DPW) includes $450,000 for snow removal after the town previously budgeted only $120,000 annually for a number of years.
“That is something that shouldn’t happen in the future because now we are budgeted appropriately,” said Dalton.
Dolan said Dalton was correct.
After the discussion, the Select Board unanimously approved the FY25 yearend transfers.
New MarketStreet restaurant
The Select Board unanimously approved a common victualler license for Cava, 335 Market St.
Cava construction manager Kevin Brown said the new restaurant will be located next to the Yard House.
“We are opening up just to the left of Yard House,” said Brown. “We specialize in Mediterranean food. Some of you have experienced it from our Woburn location. We are super excited to be up here.”
Brown said Cava will be open from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“You can order online, you can dine in or take it out with you as well,” said Brown. “We don’t serve alcohol. We are super excited to be in the plaza and part of Lynnfield.”
Crawford said Cava “will be a nice addition” to MarketStreet Lynnfield.
“I want to wish you the best of luck with it,” said Crawford.
After the discussion, the Select Board unanimously voted to approve the common victualler for Cava.
“Thank you very much,” said Brown. “I appreciate your time tonight.”
In addition to the Woburn and soon-to-be MarketStreet Lynnfield locations, Cava also has restaurants in Boston, Beverly, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Hingham, Mansfield and North Andover.