THE SELECT BOARD presented late Selectman/School Committee member Bob Weiss’ family with the Townsend Award prior to the state of Town Meeting last week. From left, Kathryn Weiss, Select Board Chairman Dick Dalton, Jane Weiss, Assistant Town Administrator Bob Curtin and Select Board member Phil Crawford. Missing from photo is Select Board member Joe Connell. (Dan Tomasello Photo)
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Select Board recognized the 2021 recipients of the Daniel Townsend Award for Excellence prior to the start of Fall Town Meeting last week.
Select Board Chairman Dick Dalton recalled that the board voted to create the Townsend Award in the spring of 2017 in order to “recognize a local volunteer or volunteers who have worked diligently to make the community a better place.”
“The award is named after Daniel Townsend, who perished on April 19,1775 in the first battle of the Revolutionary War,” said Dalton. “Previous Townsend Award winners are former Town Moderator/Selectman/Fields Committee Chairman Arthur Bourque, late Selectman Al Merritt, former Selectman Dave Drislane, former Selectman/Town Administrator/Town Moderator H. Joseph Maney, retired Conservation Administrator Betty Adelson and Council on Aging Board of Directors Chairman Fred Santangelo. We thank each of them for their exemplary dedication and commitment to the town of Lynnfield.”
Dalton said the recipients of the fifth annual Townsend Award are late Selectman/School Committee member Bob Weiss and Durham Drive resident Ellen Crawford.
“This year’s recipients are two truly outstanding and deserving individuals,” said Dalton. “Each brought a unique skillset to the table and each continuously, over a number of years, demonstrated their commitment to make Lynnfield a better place.”
Dalton recalled that Assistant Town Administrator Bob Curtin nominated Weiss for this year’s Daniel Townsend Award for Excellence.
“Bob Weiss served the town of Lynnfield as a member of the School Committee and the Board of Selectmen in the 1970s and early 1980s,” said Dalton. “The town officials and department heads who worked with Bob at that time were unanimous in their respect for his intellect, work ethic and integrity.”
In addition to serving on the Board of Selectmen and School Committee, Dalton said Weiss helped establish the Lynnfield Initiative for Elders (L.I.F.E.), a nonprofit organization that oversees three elderly housing developments in town. He recalled it was Weiss’ idea to start L.I.F.E., which he said has “benefitted Lynnfield for decades and will continue to do so in the years ahead.”
“Bob’s vision became L.I.F.E., Inc.,” said Dalton. “According to all who participated in the founding of L.I.F.E., Bob Weiss was the driving force behind the concept and the fulfillment of this vision. All these years later, it may be difficult to comprehend what a groundbreaking concept he created. Senior housing, for the most part, didn’t exist at the time. He guided the concept through the approval process, which saw local boards, committees and Town Meeting grant the approvals needed that brought this concept to fruition.”
Dalton also said Weiss was “instrumental in developing the unique relationship between the town and L.I.F.E., Inc.”
“That relationship served as an inspiration and model for many other communities,” said Dalton. “His vision allows Lynnfield residents continue to live in a community that they love.”
In the wake of Weiss passing away this past May, Dalton, Curtin and Select Board members Joe Connell and Phil Crawford presented Weiss’ wife Jane and daughter Kathryn with the Townsend Award. Town Meeting gave both women a round of applause.
“We all have great memories of your late husband and father,” said Dalton.
After the Select Board recognized Weiss and his family, Dalton recalled that Glen Drive resident Beverly Merritt also nominated Ellen Crawford for the Townsend Award. He said Merritt commended her friend’s “outstanding leadership and tireless efforts of volunteerism in Lynnfield.”
“Ellen has lived in town for over 40 years,” said Dalton. “She is a wife, mother of four, grandmother of three and a prominent Realtor. And if that hasn’t been enough to keep her busy, she’s been active in just about every aspect of Lynnfield’s civic and charitable endeavors. As the author Elizabeth Andrew once said, ‘Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.’ That aptly describes Ellen.”
Dalton noted that Crawford’s volunteerism has had a “significant impact on the town.”
“Ellen took a leadership role in both the 2000 and 2020 school building projects, and helped guide them to a successful outcome,” said Dalton. “She led the fundraising efforts for several school improvement projects, raising more than $200,000 for playground equipment and media center upgrades.”
Dalton also said Crawford led the grassroots campaign that led to the 2007 Spring Town Meeting approving the rezoning of the former Colonial Golf Club so that MarketStreet Lynnfield could be built.
“While Al Merritt was the lead, she was in effect the campaign manager,” said Dalton. “And back then, social media didn’t enjoy the prominence that it does today. The campaign relied heavily on neighborhood meetings and knocking on doors. Today, most people view MarketStreet as a great amenity for the town and an important revenue producer. But in my mind, it did something that has another lasting and significant benefit. The housing component of that development provided the town protection against Chapter 40B development by putting us over the 10 percent minimum. This town would look a lot different today because we would not have been able to control and manage thoughtful development.”
In addition to spending “untold hours” supporting different organizations and causes, Dalton said Crawford is “unmatched in her fiscal generosity.”
“She supports numerous civic and charitable endeavors,” said Dalton. “Ellen, thank you for all you’ve done for this community.”
After Dalton concluded his remarks, he invited Crawford to the podium along with her husband, Select Board member Phil Crawford, as well as Beverly Merritt and Connell so they could present her with the Townsend Award.
“I would like to thank Beverly for nominating me,” said Crawford. “I would like to thank the Select Board for accepting the nomination. To all of the residents of Lynnfield, nobody starts out volunteering to get recognized. You do it because you love it and enjoy it. This means so much to me.”
After Crawford concluded her remarks, Town Meeting gave her a round of applause.