By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Select Board appointed new members to the Finance Committee and the Lynnfield Initiatives for Elders, Inc. (L.I.F.E.) Board of Directors during a recent meeting.
Summer Street resident Anthony Marino was unanimously appointed to the Finance Committee. He succeeds longtime Finance Committee member Chris Caprio, who stepped down at the end of June.
Marino has served as Winthrop’s town manager for the past two years. After working as a builder for “a long time,” Marino started his municipal government career when he was hired as Hanover’s building commissioner in 2008.
“Hanover changed its government by going from a three-member board of selectmen and town administrator form of government to the town manager form of government,” said Marino. “I was at the right place and the right time, and I became the assistant town manager. I was there for 10 years”
Marino worked as Ipswich’s town manager from 2018 through 2022. He has been serving as Winthrop’s town manager since 2022.
“I certainly have experience with municipal government, finance and budgets,” said Marino. “I felt it was time to do my civic duty and give back to the town.”
Select Board Chair Dick Dalton asked Marino if he creates the operating and capital budgets for Winthrop.
Marino said yes.
Select Board member Phil Crawford thanked Marino for volunteering to serve on the Finance Committee.
“I can’t imagine anybody having more experience with what the Finance Committee does and having knowledge about the different departments than you,” said Crawford. “I think you are a fantastic fit for the Finance Committee, and I appreciate you offering your time and expertise.”
Select Board member Alexis Leahy agreed.
“I want to thank you for throwing your hat into the ring,” said Leahy. “This kind of experience will be very beneficial for the Finance Committee.”
Leahy said the town will be facing a “challenging budget environment” the next few years. She asked Marino how he has handled challenging budgets in the past.
“Challenging budget environments exist throughout the commonwealth,” said Marino. “Winthrop, Ipswich and Hanover are no different. I handle all of the union negotiations, and I understand how to negotiate contracts and what we are up against with Proposition 2 ½. You can only raise the levy by 2 ½ percent plus whatever you get for new growth every year. Obviously, town and school budgets outpace those. You try to stay and work within your means, but you have to understand that you might have to go for overrides at some point. There are towns that had recent overrides that didn’t pass. It’s a challenging time. And if you don’t get them, you have to work within your means. I started in this business back in 2008, and we were running lean and mean back then. I survived getting through COVID and those challenging times. I think my experience would be a good fit. I would ask the hard questions, and would give some ideas to the different department heads about how things can run a little leaner in these challenging times.”
Dalton expressed his support for appointing Marino to the Finance Committee.
“I want to thank you for stepping forward,” said Dalton. “Your resume and experience is certainly impressive.”
Leahy concurred with Dalton’s viewpoint.
“I think your experience will fill a gap on the Finance Committee,” said Leahy.
After the discussion, the Select Board unanimously voted to appoint Marino to the Finance Committee. Marino’s term will expire on June 30, 2027.
“Congratulations Mr. Marino,” said Dalton.
Marino joins Finance Committee member David Castellarin as the Select Board’s newest appointments to the FinCom.
The Select Board also interviewed residents Kristen Dorsky, Jordan Hegedus and Kris Kasuli for the open Finance Committee seat. Town Administrator Rob Dolan said he will be forwarding the other applicants’ resumes to Town Moderator Steven Walsh for consideration.
L.I.F.E Board
The Select Board also voted to appoint Center Village resident Bruce Glinski and Essex Village resident Beverly Merritt to the L.I.F.E. Board of Directors.
Glinski said he has lived at Center Village for the past five years, and previously lived at the Green Dolphin Village Condominiums in Salem for 17 years.
“I served as president of the association for 11 of those 17 years,” said Glinski. “I also worked for the city of Boston for 21 years, and spent 16 years running Faneuil Hall Marketplace. I retired in 1986, and went into the private sector.”
Glinski said he wants to serve on the L.I.F.E. Board of Directors because he wants to address “numerous issues” at Center Village.
“I want to address them one by one if I am appointed to this board,” said Glinski. “One of the biggest problems is there is serious lag time when someone vacates a unit. The problem is when people either pass away or move out, they don’t get their money until the place is sold. That really is a serious problem.”
Glinski also said drivers are using Center Village as a cut through to get to Main Street and Summer Street.
“It’s not working well,” said Glinski. “When drivers are going 40 to 50-mph, somebody is going to get hurt or killed.”
Merritt said she recently moved to Essex Village after selling her home. She recalled that she and her late husband, Selectman Al Merritt, raised their children in town. She has volunteered in the community for the past 50 years.
“I did a lot of volunteer work with the schools, the superintendent and I am now a poll worker,” said Merritt. “What precipitated me to apply for the position is I went to a board meeting, and there were a lot of questions the board couldn’t answer. I would like to become an advocate for my Village and the other three Villages. People have questions, but they don’t know how to navigate them.”
Merritt said a number of residents from all three L.I.F.E. Villages did not vote during the Town Election in April. She was recently told that Village residents are “confused” about mail-in-voting and many of them don’t drive. She has discussed the issue with Town Clerk Amanda Haggstrom, who she said is developing a plan with Dolan to help Village residents vote.
“She thinks we need to work on this project and get something going, especially with the presidential election coming up,” said Merritt. “I have a lot of experience working with the public in town, and I think I can help by serving on the Board of Directors.”
Dalton said he has been a friend of Merritt’s for decades, and said she is very active with Saint Maria Goretti Catholic Church.
“You have been an absolute gift to the entire community,” said Dalton. “You have taken things on and seen them through, and are a very good manager of people and situations. When you put your mind to it, you get to the goal line.”
Merritt said she received “a lot of training” from late Summer Street School Principal Dr. Nancy Santeusanio.
Crawford expressed his support for appointing Merritt to the L.I.F.E. Board of Directors.
“Essex Village is very fortunate to have you there,” said Crawford. “They need an advocate and need somebody who can help them. You and I had a long talk about the voting issue, which needs a solution. You have a tremendous amount of experience in the town, especially with the church. You also have a tremendous amount of common sense, and you are nice and direct.”
Leahy said Merritt has a “thoughtful approach” to addressing the three Villages’ issues.
“I appreciate that,” said Leahy.
Merritt thanked the Select Board for the kind words.
After the discussion, the Select Board unanimously voted to appoint Merritt to a three-year term on the L.I.F.E. Board of Directors. Merritt’s term will expire on June 30, 2027.
The Select Board unanimously voted to appoint Glinski to a two-year term on L.I.F.E. Board of Directors. He is serving the remaining two years of former member James Wilkie’s term.
Leahy and Crawford both said they were impressed with Glinski’s knowledge of the different issues occurring at Center Village.
“Congratulations to Mr. Glinski and Mrs. Merritt,” said Dalton.
Former L.I.F.E. Executive Director Stefan Taschner, who lives at Colonial Village, also interviewed for the Board of Directors position.
