By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — The Select Board appointed two new members to the Recreation Commission in a recent 2-0 vote.

Edgemere Road resident Kimberlee Kossover Hansen stated in a letter sent to the Select Board that her two children, a fourth-grader at Huckleberry Hill School and a sixth-grader at Lynnfield Middle School, have “benefited from the excellent programming that the Lynnfield Rec Commission has offered.” She wrote that she is “vested in seeing that these programs and events continue for the benefit of our entire youth community.”

“I served on the board of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association for five years in a number of different capacities, including director-at-large for programming, and then later for strategic growth initiatives,” Kossover Hansen stated. “I also served on the executive council as secretary for one year. In terms of local leadership positions, I am the immediate past president of the Lynnfield Moms Group, and prior to my nearly three-year term as president, I was director of adult events for two years.”

Kossover Hansen also recalled that she has been “heavily involved” with the Huckleberry Hill School PTO, where she served as classroom liaison coordinator for three years. She is also chairing the Huckleberry Hill School Moving On Committee this year and previously chaired the 2022 Moving On Committee. She was a member of the Huckleberry Hill School Council from 2021-2023.

“As a result of my vast volunteer experiences and a 15-year career in pharmaceutical sales at Takeda Oncology, I understand board governance and compliance, and am a strong proponent of process and financial documentation,” Kossover Hansen stated.

After briefly serving on the Recycling Committee, Kossover Hansen told the Select Board that she was “recently presented with this opportunity to join the Recreation Commission.”

“I have a lot of different experience both in town and outside of town with different professional organizations,” said Kossover Hansen. “I feel like I have a lot of skills that can benefit the Recreation Commission moving forward.”

Select Board member Dick Dalton thanked Kossover Hansen for volunteering to serve on the Recreation Commission.

“I want to thank you for volunteering, as you do for so many things,” said Dalton. “I think you will bring a lot to the Rec Commission.”

Select Board member Phil Crawford agreed.

“Thank you Kimberlee,” said Crawford. “We worked together with the Lynnfield Moms Group on different projects. We got to know each other pretty well and I think you will be a great fit. Thanks for coming forward.”

Stone Lane resident Catherine Connell, who is the wife of Select Board Chair Joe Connell, noted that their son Jake will be attending college this fall.

“With our last child heading off to college in the fall of 2024, I would like to volunteer to serve on a committee,” said Catherine Connell. “I served on the Strategic Planning Committee from 2018 to 2021. I found that time to be very valuable to me. I am very pleased to see so many of the recommendations the Strategic Planning Committee suggested to the town are now coming to fruition.”

Catherine Connell also recalled that she helped her husband while he served on the Lynnfield Youth Lacrosse board of directors.

“I assisted him in ordering equipment, maintaining the storage container and restringing all nets prior to the youth and high school seasons beginning,” Catherine Connell wrote. “Although we are not on the youth lacrosse board anymore, we still restring all the nets and this will be our ninth year doing that this spring.”

Catherine Connell also noted that she runs the scoreboard for the Lynnfield High varsity boys’ lacrosse team and volunteers for the lacrosse boosters. She also stated that her family maintains the “Welcome to Lynnfield” sign on Main Street that is near the Wakefield line.

“We have been doing this for this for eight years,” said Catherine Connell about maintaining the sign. “This brings us great reward and involvement in this great town.”

Catherine Connell said she wants to help Lynnfield Recreation with “making sure our fields are well maintained by providing the DPW with a comprehensive and detailed plan for all our outside recreation properties.”

“Right now, and for at least the next several years, the DPW is probably at its capacity with tasks,” Connell wrote. “It is crucial that we do not let our fields get behind on maintenance and projected projects, for instance, when the turf fields need replacement. I believe through my skills, we can ensure that the money we raise through the renting of our fields will maintain the current forecasted and foreseeable budget needed to not have a request to the town for money needed to help replace fields.”

Catherine Connell told the Select Board that she has known Recreation Commission Chair Mike Cuddy for a while, and would like to work with “him and his team.”

“I am an accountant by trade,” said Catherine Connell. “I think I can help with budgeting and that type of stuff.”

Dalton expressed his support for appointing Catherine Connell to the Recreation Commission.

“You are very modest in what you do,” said Dalton. “I think most people don’t know what you and your husband both do at the fields and have been doing that for a longtime. That doesn’t go unnoticed by me. You are a true volunteer in every respect and I think you will be a great addition to the Rec Commission.”

Crawford concurred with Dalton’s viewpoint.

“I think you will be a great addition not only for all of the work you have done volunteering, but I also like that you bring the accounting part of it into play,” said Crawford. “Thank you. I appreciate you coming forward.”

After the discussion, Dalton and Crawford voted to appoint Kossover Hansen and Catherine Connell to the Recreation Commission. Select Board Chair Joe Connell recused himself from approving both appointments because his wife was one of the applicants.

“Congratulations,” said Dalton.

A new era

Kossover Hansen and Catherine Connell succeeded former Recreation Commission Chair Rich Sjoberg and Recreation Commission member Terri Farrell. Sjoberg resigned from the Recreation Commission, the School Committee and the Council on Aging Board of Directors in late December.

Farrell resigned from the Recreation Commission on Jan. 17.

“I originally agreed to remain through June 30 to assist with winter programs and events,” Farrell wrote in an email sent to the Select Board. “However, my husband and I made the decision to winter in Florida from February through the first week of March. I am unable to assist with programming/events as originally intended. I appreciate the opportunity to have served the last eight years with some wonderfully dedicated individuals.”

The Select Board recently accepted Farrell’s resignation “with regret.”

“During her long tenure, Terri has helped grow Lynnfield Recreation programs and ensured programs were available to all members of this community,” said Chair Joe Connell. “She has served for many years in the position and has tirelessly advocated for residents. I would like to thank Terri for all of her hard work and dedication to the community. She will sure be missed.”

While the Select Board thanked Farrell for her service to the Recreation Commission, the Select Board has yet yet to recognize retired Director Julie Mallett for growing and expanding Lynnfield Rec. The Select Board has also yet to recognize Sjoberg for his contributions to Lynnfield Recreation.

The Select Board appointed Fairview Avenue resident Gerry Noumi to the Recreation Commission this past December. He succeeded former Recreation Commission member Patrick Mazzola.

In addition to the Recreation Commission’s changes, the entire Friends of Lynnfield Recreation Board recently resigned from their respective positions and canceled the popular Cornhole Tournament fundraiser that was scheduled for late January.

The town has been collecting resumes for recreation director over the past two months.