By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Voters overwhelmingly approved the $4.65 million Proposition 2 ½ override during the Special Town Election on Wednesday, June 4.
According to the official results released by Town Clerk Amanda Haggstrom, voters approved the $4.65 million override with 1,897 votes in favor to 1,042 votes opposed.
The Special Town Election featured a 29.29 percent voter turnout as 2,940 out of the town’s 10,036 registered voters casting ballots.
According to the official results, Precinct 1 approved the override with 509 votes in favor to 265 votes opposed. Voters in Precinct 2 supported the $4.65 million override with 419 votes in favor and 207 opposed. Precinct 3 backed the override with 398 votes in favor the plan while 274 were opposed. Voters in Precinct 4 supported the $4.65 million override with 571 votes in favor compared to 296 votes opposed.
Town Administrator Rob Dolan recently said that the proposed $4.65 million override would result in an average annual $898.72 tax impact on a house assessed at $1,045,013.
The passage of the $4.65 million override will address the town’s $4 million deficit for fiscal year 2026 as well as allocate $650,000 for school technology upgrades and replacements. In the wake of voters approving the override, the School Department, Lynnfield Public Library and Lynnfield Senior Center will no longer be facing massive layoffs, including 56 Lynnfield Public Schools staff members.
School Committee Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy thanked Lynnfield residents for passing the override in an email sent to the Villager.
“I am grateful to the town of Lynnfield for passing this override,” Elworthy stated. “It confirms to me the priority that this town has historically placed on education is alive and well — and it demonstrates our commitment to providing our next generation with the educational experience we have always prided ourselves on. This override comes on the heels of successful teacher contract negotiations, which remained within our target. The combination of these two massive successes means that we will be able to fully retain every position in the district next year. In 2025, it’s not unusual for contract negotiations to be prolonged, tense and result in staff cuts. With that in mind, I’m doubly proud of both our School Committee and the LTA (Lynnfield Teachers Association) for coming together in this true collaboration that provides a competitive contract for our teachers while serving our students with the resources they need. In the end, this comes down to our students and the passage of this override will have a tangible impact on the youngest Lynnfield residents. Many thanks to the community members who came out to vote ‘Yes’ to support our schools, and to the residents who spent tremendous time and effort organizing a campaign to get the word out and educate and mobilize voters. I look forward to building on these resources to continue improving Lynnfield Public Schools.”
Superintendent Tom Geary agreed.
“I am deeply grateful to the Lynnfield community for its support in passing the override,” Geary wrote in an email. “This positive outcome reflects a shared commitment to maintaining educational excellence in our schools and investing in the future of our students. It preserves academic programming, retains talented educators and continues to provide the high quality educational experiences our students deserve. This support speaks volumes about the value our community places on education and the pride we have for our schools.”
Then-LTA President Alex Cellucci also thanked voters for approving the override in a post on the teachers’ union’s Facebook page.
“We are beyond grateful to the Lynnfield community for passing the override,” Cellucci stated. “Your votes helped maintain class sizes, retain amazing educators and provide a much-needed technology upgrade. We are especially thankful for the parents and community members who held signs at the schools, placed signs in their yards and spoke to neighbors and friends about the importance of this vote. To the students — many of whom voted for the first time —thank you for your support, especially those of you who are graduating and heading off on your next adventure. Your support means so much.”
Lynnfield Public Library Circulation Head Katherine Decker echoed Cellucci’s sentiment.
“With this vote, Lynnfield came together to protect the services and resources so many have come to enjoy and, in some cases, rely on,” Decker wrote in a statement emailed to the Villager. “I’m a proud Lynnfield resident and my colleagues at the Lynnfield Public Library and I have been deeply moved by the support from the community that we’ve seen these past few months. Public libraries can and should open doors to not only new experiences but to critical services and support, especially during these uncertain times. (June 4’s) vote will allow us to continue our work with the hundreds of residents who walk through our doors every single day.”
Select Board Chair Phil Crawford thanked “all the residents who voted” during the Special Town Election on June 4.
“Your vote overwhelmingly approved the $4,650,000 needed to fund the new collective bargaining agreement for the schools, technology upgrades for the schools, increase in health care costs and has allowed us to maintain the services at both the Senior Center and the library,” Crawford wrote in an email. “Your vote allows us to continue to provide one of the best managed towns and one of the top school districts in the state. Your property values will stay strong and it keeps Lynnfield as one of the most desirable towns in the North Shore.”
Dolan concurred with Crawford’s viewpoint.
“We are incredibly grateful to the citizens of Lynnfield for their confidence on June 4,” said Dolan. “The library and Senior Center will remain strong and vibrant services, and every day we will work tirelessly to maintain and advance the exceptional services the citizens of Lynnfield deserve.”
The last Proposition 2½ override that Lynnfield residents voted on and subsequently approved occurred in June 2011. According to the June 2011 Special Town Election results, voters approved that override by a 1,613-1,052 margin.