By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Voters rejected two debt exclusion ballot questions pertaining to the Lynnfield Public Library renovation project and the Department of Public Works’ street improvement program during the Special Town Election on Monday.
According to the official results released by Town Clerk Amanda Haggstrom on Monday night, voters rejected Question 1, which pertained to the $18.3 million Lynnfield Public Library renovation project, 835 votes against to 540 in favor.
Townspeople also rejected Question 2, which involved the DPW’s 10-year street improvement program totaling $12,850,000, by 792 votes against to 580 in favor.
The Special Town Election featured a 13.64 percent turnout of registered voters, as the official results revealed that 1,376 out of the town’s 10,082 registered voters cast ballots during the Special Town Election on Monday. There were 8,167 registered voters who cast ballots during the presidential election in November.
If voters approved the $18.3 million library renovation project during the Special Town Election on Monday, it would have cost $208 per house annually for 30 years. If voters approved the $12,850,000 street improvement program, it would have resulted in a residential tax increase of $258 per house on an averaged assessed home for 10 years.
Library renovation rejected
The official results revealed that the $18.3 million library renovation project was defeated in three out of four precincts and tied in one.
According to the official results, Precinct 1 rejected the library renovation project 230 votes against to 164 in favor. Question 1 ended up in a 127-127 tie in Precinct 2. In Precinct 3, voters rejected the library renovation project 223 votes against to 104 in favor. Precinct 4 voters rejected the library renovation project 255 votes against to 145 in favor.
In the wake of the 2023 Fall Town Meeting rejecting the new $34 million Lynnfield Public Library project, the Select Board hired Tappé Architects in November 2023 to conduct a feasibility study that examined three different library renovation proposals. The Library Renovation Committee authorized Tappé Architects to develop a design for Option 3 last spring.
Tappé Architects proposed constructing an addition at the rear of the library, raze the roof in order to expand the second floor and fix ongoing maintenance issues such as electrical problems, roof leaks and water leaking into the basement. The project also would have made the library compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and all current building codes.
Fall Town Meeting overwhelmingly voted to send the $18.3 million library renovation project to a townwide ballot vote by a 305-89 margin in November.
Board of Library Trustees Chair Joe Gallagher was disappointed that voters rejected the $18.3 million Lynnfield Public Library project.
“Obviously this is a disappointing outcome for all supporters of the library renovation and for our town,” said Gallagher. “Thanks to all residents who voted ‘Yes’ for the library renovation. I urge any interested library supporters to join the Friends of the Lynnfield Library (www.foll.org) to learn more about future efforts to support the Lynnfield Public Library.”
Roads program defeated
In addition to voters rejecting the Lynnfield Public Library renovation project, townspeople also voted down the DPW’s $12,850,000 street improvement program that would have been implemented for a decade.
According to the official results, Precinct 1 rejected the street improvement program 221 votes against to 173 votes in favor. Precinct 2 narrowly approved the street improvement program 132 votes in favor to 120 votes against. The street improvement program was defeated in Precinct 3 with 213 votes against to 114 in favor. Precinct 4 rejected the project 238 votes against to 161 in favor.
The DPW has used the Beta Group since 2016 in order to evaluate the town’s roadway network every three years. The engineering firm developed the 10-year street improvement program last fall, totaling $23,458,212.43.
Under the plan, the Beta Group recommended that the town invest $2 million annually in order to improve the condition of the town’s streets. In addition to appropriating $300,000 in the capital budget and using $415,000 in Chapter 90 road construction funds awarded by the state each fiscal year, the engineering firm recommended that the town request voters to approve a 10-year capital debt exclusion that would have appropriated $1,285,000 annually for 10 years.
While Fall Town Meeting overwhelmingly approved sending the $18.3 million library renovation project to the Jan. 6 debt exclusion vote, two votes was what it took for the street improvement program to pass Fall Town Meeting by a 194-95 margin. Town Moderator Steve Walsh noted that the street improvement program passed with a 67.12 percent majority in November.
Select Board Chair Dick Dalton emailed the Villager the following statement about voters rejecting the street improvement program.
“The street improvement program was an initiative that the Select Board undertook after listening to the valid issues raised by residents at public meetings,” Dalton stated. “This is why we say that the town form of government is truly the most democratic form of governance. A well-thought-out proposal was presented at Town Meeting for consideration and garnered the two-third’s majority required for approval. On Jan. 6, the residents of this town had yet another opportunity to approve or defeat the proposal. However, this time the proposal was defeated. With limited funding for capital projects, it will be a challenge to maintain the status quo.”
