By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Residents living in floodplain districts will be able to get flood insurance after Spring Town Meeting unanimously voted to adopt new Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplain maps on April 29.
Planning Board Chair Page Wilkins gave an overview of Article 5, which she said requested that Spring Town Meeting “vote to amend its Zoning Bylaw by replacing Chapter 260 Town of Lynnfield Zoning Bylaw, Section 9 Special Districts, Section 9.1 Flood Plain District, with the draft on file with the town clerk titled ‘Flood Plain Overlay District.’”
“FEMA administers the National Flood Insurance Program, which is a voluntarily program offering flood insurance to all properties and communities that comply with minimal standards for floodplain management,” said Wilkins. “To be eligible for flood insurance, our bylaw must regulate development in a floodplain with particular language. From time-to-time when FEMA revises the floodplain maps, the local bylaw must reference the most recent maps. This bylaw includes the required language and refers to the newest maps as required. Adoption will allow residents to qualify for insurance. Failing to do so will make all Lynnfield residents ineligible for flood insurance.”
Wilkins said the revised bylaw has “no cost to anybody.”
“If we don’t do it, people who want flood insurance cannot get it,” said Wilkins.
The Planning Board, Select Board and Finance Committee each unanimously voted to recommend Article 5.
Spring Town Meeting unanimously approved Article 5 on a voice vote.
Additional warrant articles
Votes approved Article 10, which pertained to the town’s $1,197,500 capital budget for fiscal year 2026, on a voice vote.
“This is one-time money used for one-time equipment,” said Town Administrator Rob Dolan.
The capital budget includes $300,000 for the Department of Public Works’ road construction program, $70,000 for a new Chevrolet Tahoe SUV for the Fire Department that would serve as a medical vehicle, $60,000 for a police cruiser, $50,000 for drainage improvements and $25,000 for the second year of a five-year school bus lease.
The School Department will be receiving $250,000 for school technology in the FY26 capital budget instead of $650,000 included in the proposed $4.65 million override if the proposal gets voted down during the Special Town Election on Wednesday, June 4.
Spring Town Meeting approved Article 1, which is the annual Town Report, on a voice vote.
Voters passed Article 2, which appointed Robert MacKendrick, David Crockett and Chris Barrett as field drivers; Crockett as pound keeper; and Crockett, MacKendrick and Kenneth Burnham as wood measurers. Article 2 was passed on a voice vote.
Spring Town Meeting approved Article 3, which set the salaries for the Select Board and Board of Assessors, on a voice vote. Select Board Chair Phil Crawford will be receiving $850 while Select Board Vice Chair Alexis Leahy and Select Board member Dick Dalton will be getting $700 each. Board of Assessors Chair Donald Garrity will be receiving $4,100 and Board of Assessors members Bonnie Celi and Richard O’Neil will each be getting $3,550. The Board of Assessors and the Select Board are the only boards in town that get paid.
Voters passed Article 4, which transferred $1,225,000 from Free Cash to the Reserve Fund in order to balance the current fiscal year 2025 operating budget, on a voice vote.
“This article moves $1.2 million from Free Cash to the Reserve Fund to handle any deficits that will be covered in May, June and the first weeks in July with votes from the Select Board and the Finance Committee,” said Finance Director/Town Accountant David Castellarin.
Spring Town Meeting approved Article 11, which appropriated $868,265 by transfer from Emergency Medical Service Enterprise receipts to pay expenses and contractual services required to fund emergency medical services, on a voice vote.
“We need these dollars to run our ambulance service,” said Dolan.
Voters approved Article 12, which transferred $1,329,689 from the Golf Enterprise Fund’s receipts, in order to pay expenses and contractual services required to operate the town’s two golf courses. Spring Town Meeting approved Article 12 on a voice vote.
Spring approved Article 13, which set spending limits for the town’s revolving funds, on a voice vote. The limit for the Council on Aging’s revolving fund totals $175,000. The Board of Health’s revolving fund’s limit is $15,000. The Lynnfield Public Library’s revolving fund limit totals $15,000. Lynnfield Recreation’s revolving fund limit equals $475,000. The DPW’s fields’ revolving fund limit totals $100,000. The DPW’s revolving fund limit for the Al Merritt Media and Cultural Center is $10,000, and the Tree Replacement Fund is $10,000.
Town Moderator Steve Walsh announced to Spring Town Meeting that Articles 14-21 would be postponed to a future Town Meeting.
“We have made a decision to move all articles after Article 13 to a subsequent Town Meeting because they don’t need to be voted on tonight,” said Walsh.