Published in the April 5, 2017 edition
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Voters will head to the polls and cast ballots in the annual town election on Monday, April 10.
Townspeople from all four precincts will be voting at Lynnfield High School, 275 Essex St. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Town Clerk Trudy Reid said there are 9,268 registered voters who are eligible to vote in the election.
While this year’s election marks the first time since 2014 there will be no contested races, Lynnfieldians will be asked to vote on a referendum question that would ban recreational marijuana facilities from opening and operating in town. While Question 4 passed statewide last November, the marijuana legalization ballot question went up in smoke here. Voters rejected Question 4 in Lynnfield 4,427 votes to 2,940 votes.
The referendum question will ask voters to make an amendment to the zoning bylaws and general bylaws, which would forbid recreational marijuana dispensaries from coming to town. The pot shop ban will only apply to recreational marijuana dispensaries and not medical marijuana dispensaries.
“This is the first uncontested race since 2014 and since I’ve been town clerk for Lynnfield,” said Reid in an email sent to the Villager. “In 2014, we had 9,273 registered voters and a turnout of 403 voters for that year. This year, we have 9,268 registered voters. I’m hoping the ballot question will be the main attraction and we can see a 10 to 15 percent turnout.”
In addition to the ballot question, there will be three zoning bylaw amendments on the Town Meeting warrant seeking to prohibit recreational marijuana dispensaries from opening in town. Article 20 seeks a zoning bylaw amendment prohibiting retail marijuana dispensaries with the exception of medical marijuana shops. Article 21 uses the exact same language to outlaw it under the general bylaws. The warrant articles were written this way because the courts have not ruled on how such establishments would be regulated.
Article 22 seeks a temporary moratorium on marijuana establishments until the Cannabis Control Commission creates the regulations that will govern how recreational pot shops will be regulated throughout the state.
Candidates
In addition to the recreational marijuana dispensary ban, there are seven incumbents and one political newcomer running for office in the April 10 town election.
Board of Selectmen Chairman Phil Crawford is running for a second three-year term. Crawford, who was elected to the board to finish the final year of late Selectman Al Merritt’s term in 2013, won his first three-year seat in April 2014.
School Committee member Jamie Hayman is running for his second three-year term on the board.
“Three years ago, I ran for School Committee to be part of shaping the direction of our school system for the current and future generation of students and to serve as a voice and resource for families in Lynnfield,” said Hayman in a letter to the editor that appeared in last week’s Villager. “While I am proud of the successes the district has experienced during my time on the Committee, there is still work to be done as the needs of the district are always evolving. Lynnfield is one of the top school districts on the North Shore, yet we must continue to grow and improve to ensure our students are prepared to succeed in a global marketplace when they graduate from Lynnfield High School.”
Town Moderator Arthur Bourque is running for a one-year term. He has served as town moderator since 2012. Under the Town Charter, this position is up for renewal annually.
Board of Library Trustees Chairman Robert Calamari Jr. is running for a three-year term once again. He was first elected to the board in April 2007.
“A great deal has been accomplished at the library over the past 10 years,” said Calamari in a letter to the editor appearing in this week’s Villager. “The library’s modest operating and capital resources have been maximized to include expanded evening hours, year-round Saturday hours, robust programming for all age groups, more digital resources, access to pooled regional resources through the NOBLE network, and an inviting environment for residents of all ages.”
Library Trustee Dr. Janine Rodrigues-Saldanha, who succeeded late Library Trustee Seavey Bowdoin, is running for the final year remaining on Bowdoin’s term. Rodrigues-Saldanha was appointed to fill the vacancy on the board in a joint meeting of the Board of Selectmen and Board of Library Trustees last August.
“It is an exciting time to be involved with the library,” said Rodrigues-Saldanha in a letter to the editor appearing in this week’s Villager. “Lynnfield is a well-run, sought-after town whose population has increased in the last decade. The school system has kept pace with technological advances, and we need to do the same in our ‘crown jewel,’ the library.”
Political newcomer Brian Charville is running for a five-year term on the Planning Board. The Willard Lane resident is running for a seat currently held by Planning Board co-Chairman Alan Dresios. Charville lives in town with his wife, Bridget, and their three children. He works as an attorney for a real estate development company.
“When I think about serving our town, I think about its character and the past work by so many public servants that made Lynnfield what it is today,” said Charville in a letter to the editor appearing in this week’s Villager. “I also think about my kids and our plan to live here well past their school-age years. I think about what the town’s character will be as they grow and mature; the parks they will play in; the public schools they will attend; the summer jobs that will be available to them when they’re in high school; and the streets on which they will play. Many aspects of these things are substantially influenced by planning, and I am enthusiastic to begin serving our town to help shape its future while mindful of its past.”
Board of Assessors member Bonnie Celi is running for a three-year term. Housing Authority Vice Chairman Gerald Shulman is running for a five-year term.
