By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Spring Town Meeting approved the recommended operating and capital budgets for fiscal year 2025 on Monday night.

The $69,882,770 operating budget for FY25, which appeared as Article 6 on the Spring Town Meeting warrant, represents a 4 percent increase over FY24’s $65,737,091.18 spending plan.

Patrice Lane resident Patricia Campbell criticized town employees’ salaries throughout the discussion about Article 6. She noted that the Finance Committee is concerned about the financial direction the town is headed in, and one of the recommendations the FinCom made in a letter given to residents at Town Meeting stated that the Select Board and Town Administrator Rob Dolan should “limit salary increases in future labor negotiations with town unions.”

“There are some very high salaries, and that is one of the things the Finance Committee is saying we have to control the next couple of years if we don’t want an override,” said Campbell.

Campbell criticized Fire Chief/Emergency Management Glenn Davis, who was repeatedly lauded for leading the town’s COVID-19 response several years ago, for being paid for his fire chief and emergency management director responsibilities.

Dolan explained that Davis will be earning a $155,427 base salary for serving as fire chief. He also noted that the $16,500 emergency management director line item included funds for Davis as well as Police Capt. Chris DeCarlo, who is the town’s assistant emergency management director.

Canterbury Road resident Stephanie Slate inquired why Animal Control Officer David Crockett will be receiving a $31,979 salary in FY25.

“I want to know why it is significantly lower than the state average when we seem to be increasing everyone else’s salaries appropriately,” said Slate.

Dolan said all town employees who are either union or non-union personnel will be receiving 2 percent salary increases in FY25.

“(Crockett) does an excellent job,” said Dolan. “We will take that into consideration.”

Campbell was disappointed that the DPW budget included $25,000 for sidewalk construction and maintenance.

“That doesn’t go very far,” said Campbell.

In response to a question from Tophet Road resident Jane McDuffee, Dolan said the DPW’s operating budget funds busing, custodial services and school maintenance costs that is separate from the School Department’s operating budget.

“Those services are provided by the town,” said Dolan.

Pine Street resident Brendan Cooney asked why the DPW operating budget includes $55,500 for “other expenses.”

Dolan recalled that the DPW reorganized this year, which included eliminating the $110,000 town engineer position.

“We took that money and created an inter-municipal agreement with the Lynnfield Center District for the services of Superintendent John Scenna, who is in charge of our capital projects that included our school projects and public safety buildings,” said Dolan. “He is taking over the responsibilities for park and recreation management. In the end, we do save money by eliminating that position. The line item is for other services and not a town employee.”

Campbell, a retired teacher, continued her long-standing tradition of criticizing School Department employees’ salaries due to educators receiving step raises in addition to the 2 percent cost of living adjustment in FY25.

“I am sorry, but the taxpayers of Lynnfield should not have to be paying increases like this,” said Campbell. “It’s unsustainable.”

Charing Cross resident Bob Prosperi asked about the School Department’s budget increases for special education out-of-district tuition and transportation.

Interim Superintendent Tom Geary recalled that the School Department has signed a one-year contract with the New England Center for Children (NECC). The $375,000 pact will have NECC take over the two Differentiated Learning Program (DLP) classrooms at Huckleberry Hill School and Lynnfield Middle School next year.  The town agreed to use $260,000 in Free Cash from FY24 to help finance the cost of the NECC contract.

“These programs were vetted throughout the budget process, and there is a significant increase for those,” said Geary. “The busing contracts are tied to transporting special education students.”

Former Finance Committee Chair Jack Dahlstedt asked when was the last time the town used Free Cash to help balance the operating budget.

Dolan said FY25 is the first time the town has used Free Cash to help balance the operating budget in the six years he has served as town administrator. He believes that the last time Free Cash was used to balance the operating budget was before MarketStreet Lynnfield was built.

While Campbell criticized the majority of the recommended FY25 operating budget, she was pleased that $100,000 was being appropriated to the Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Trust.

“I am very glad we are paying it off,” said Campbell.

After the discussion, Spring Town Meeting approved Article 6 in a 146-25 vote.

Capital budget OK’d

Spring Town Meeting also approved Article 7, which was the recommended $1,638,570 capital budget for FY25.

“I believe that we have met almost of the requests made by town departments,” said Dolan.

Campbell recalled that DPW Director John Tomasz requested $500,000 for road construction, and Dolan recommended that $300,000 be appropriated for road construction.

“We all know how disgusting our roads look like, especially our main roads,” said Campbell. “I would like that to be corrected.”

Campbell made a motion to reallocate the $110,000 being proposed to raze the historic Danforth House that is located in close proximity to the Reedy Meadow Golf Course to the road construction budget.

“That would give us $410,000 for road construction in hopes of getting our streets better taken care of,” said Campbell.

Dolan said Campbell’s motion was illegal because the $110,000 for razing the Danforth House originates from the Golf Enterprise Fund, which can only be used for expenses related to the two golf courses.

“We can only pay for golf capital,” said Dolan. “There is never enough money for road construction in every community. We are going to spend almost $1 million on roads, which is the most in the history of the town of Lynnfield. The state contributes money for roads, and we have gotten some fantastic grants. We are going to redo the horrible intersection at Summer and Salem streets. We are carrying over some money from last year’s budget. Granted, it’s never enough.”

Finance Committee Vice Chair Tom Kayola said the two golf courses “generate over $1 million in revenue every year combined and spin off $200,000 to $300,000 in Retained Earnings every year.”

“As currently structured, the Retained Earnings in the Golf Enterprise Fund can only be used for the operation of the golf courses,” said Kayola. “We have a lot of budgetary issues and pressures going forward. The Finance Committee is calling on the Select Board to look into creating ways to tap into the enterprise fund so that the Retained Earnings can be used for other town needs in the future other than just golf.”

Campbell encouraged the DPW to use the road construction funds appropriated for FY25 on the town’s main roads and not side streets.

Archer Lane resident Nina Emery urged town officials not to raze the Danforth House.

Dolan said the Danforth House is a “safety issue in the community.”

“If young children got into that house or if someone got injured there, it would be a liability,” said Dolan. “At this point, it is an eyesore. We have to take it down. We haven’t decided what that space might be used for. Our fire chief and building inspector both believe that building has to be taken down because it is a public safety risk.”

Huckleberry Road East resident Kendall Inglese noted that the capital budget includes $16,000 for the Lynnfield Public Library, which she argued was insufficient. According to the FY25 capital budget, $15,000 is being used to purchase a new phone system and $1,000 is being appropriated to buy an outdoor sound system.

Dolan acknowledged that the library has “many challenges.” He said a new committee is going to be formed that will be tasked with reviewing three different renovation options for the library.

After the discussion, Spring Town Meeting approved Article 7 in a 151-15 vote.