Published March 6, 2019

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — The Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail is headed to the April 9 Town Election ballot.

The Board of Selectmen voted 2-0 on Feb. 27 to place a non-binding referendum that will ask townspeople if they are in favor of moving forward with the rail trail project. Selectmen Chairman Dick Dalton and Selectman Phil Crawford voted to place the question on the ballot. Selectman Chris Barrett recused himself from the vote because he has a family member who abuts the proposed rail trail.

If the project moves forward, the Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail would begin on Main Street in Wakefield near the Galvin Middle School and would go to the Peabody line. A portion of the rail trail would go through Reedy Meadow.

The rail trail has been incredibly controversial and contentious since it was first proposed. While the 2018 Wakefield Town Meeting unanimously voted to enter into a 99-lease with the MBTA, the April 2017 Lynnfield Town Meeting approved a similar warrant article by a 342-341 vote. The Lynnfield warrant article was a citizens’ petition.

The ballot question will read as follows: “Are you in favor of the town of Lynnfield continuing to pursue efforts to develop a recreational path along the unused MBTA right-of-way, known as the Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail project?”

Rail trail opponent Jim Gerace, 20 Westover Dr., presented an alternative ballot question to the selectmen.

“While we are in favor of placing this on the ballot, we have a proposal for wording that is slightly different,” said Gerace.

Gerace’s proposal entailed asking voters if they are in favor of committing taxpayer funds and town resources for the maintenance, operation and future repairs to the rail trail. He offered to work with local officials to refine the language.

“We want to do what is best for the town,” said Gerace.

Dalton thanked Gerace for offering the proposed language, but he expressed concerns about the way it was worded. Dalton noted he, Town Administrator Rob Dolan and Town Counsel Tom Mullen “went back-and-forth” while developing the language submitted by local officials.

“This is something that has evolved over a lot of thoughtful discussion,” said Dalton. “I am in favor of the one we have before us. What I don’t particularly like about the language you included is bringing the financial aspect of the rail trail into the advisory vote. It’s an advisory vote and it gives us in town government a feel as to whether we should be pursuing this or not. And at the end of the day, any financial commitment will require an appropriation at Town Meeting. I want to thank you for offering the language, but I think the one town counsel offered serves the town best.”

Crawford agreed.

“This is an advisory vote, and the intention is to get the largest group of residents to vote,” said Crawford. “But the second reason for it is we are going to be asking the state to fund the final design of this project, which would save the town hundreds of thousands of dollars if it moves forward.”

Crawford said state Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading) and state Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) need to know if residents want the project to move forward.

“The best way to do that is get the largest vote out possible, either yes or no, and they will know if they have to go to the state to ask for this money,” said Crawford. “They are not going to do that based on the initial vote for the lease. They would like to see this vote before they go ask the state to fund this project. That is why it is generic.”

After the discussion, Dalton and Crawford voted 2-0 to place the rail trail question on the April 9 Town Election ballot.

Dalton noted that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will be holding a public hearing on the proposed 25 percent design of the rail trail on Tuesday, March 19, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Lynnfield Middle School auditorium.