Library renovation, roadway program votes set
A RENDERING of the Lynnfield Public Library’s proposed new front façade that would be constructed as part of the $18.3 million renovation project that will be voted on during a Special Town Election on Monday, Jan. 6. A separate ballot question pertains to the DPW’s 10-year road improvement program, totaling $12,850,000. (Tappé Architects Photo)
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Voters will decide the fate of two large capital projects during a Special Town Election on Monday, Jan. 6.
Fall Town Meeting approved sending the $18.3 million Lynnfield Public Library renovation project and the Department of Public Works’ $12,850,000 road improvement program to separate townwide debt exclusion votes on Monday, Jan. 6. Question 1 pertains to the library renovation project and Question 2 involves the roadway improvement program.
Similar to previous elections, the polls will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. in the Lynnfield High School gym. There will be no early voting for the Special Town Election.
Fall Town Meeting overwhelmingly voted to send the $18.3 million library renovation project to a townwide ballot vote by a 305-89 margin. The project entails constructing an addition at the back of the library where the HVAC units are currently located. The Children’s Room will be expanded as well. The main Reading Room on the first floor will be reconfigured in order to increase the library’s collections.
The library’s roof will be razed in order to expand the second floor. The second floor will include an all-purpose meeting room and an enclosed Teen Room. A glass wall will be added to the Mezzanine in order to make it acoustically separated. Study rooms will also be added to the library.
Additionally, the library renovation project seeks to address ongoing maintenance issues such as electrical problems, roof leaks and water leaking into the basement.
Department of Public Works Director John Scenna, who is the chair of the Library Renovation Committee, recently told the Select Board that the $18.3 million library renovation project will cost $208 per house annually if voters approve the project on Jan. 6.
Board of Library Trustees Vice Chair Anne Malfenant, who serves on the LRC, urged voters to approve the library renovation project in a statement emailed to the Villager.
“I encourage Lynnfield residents to vote ‘Yes’ on Jan. 6 for the library renovation project,” said Malenfant in an email. “The Lynnfield Library has decades of deferred maintenance and the proposed renovation not only addresses these issues in an efficient manner, but also provides key new library spaces, creating the best possible version of the library building for generations to come. To learn more, please visit lynnfieldlibrary.org/renovation or reach out to Library Director Abby Porter.”
Road improvement program
Voters will also be asked to approve the DPW’s 10-year road improvement program, totaling $12,850,000, during the Special Town Election on Jan. 6.
Scenna said during a “Town Talk” episode last fall that 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 a 10-year road improvement program, totaling $23,458,212.43.
Town Administrator Rob Dolan said during the “Town Talk” episode that the Beta Group is recommending 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, Dolan said the firm recommended that the town request voters to approve a 10-year capital debt exclusion that will appropriate $1,285,000 annually for 10 years.
“The borrowing results in a residential tax increase equal to $258 per house on an averaged assessed home for 10 years,” said Dolan.
Scenna said during Fall Town Meeting that the Beta Group uses a zero to 100 score in order to rank the condition of the town’s streets from worst to best.
“The good news is that a third of our roads are good,” said Scenna. “The bad news is a third are poor. Our roadway network is failing. If we only rely on Chapter 90 funding, our network will continue to fail. If we are able to still fund a portion of our roadway program through community capital funds, we just stay the course. If we are able to increase our roadway program to a level of $2 million a year for a period of 10 years, our roadway ranking will go from the bottom of what Beta sees in communities to the top of the range where Beta sees in communities. Lynnfield is at the bottom of that range.”
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 road improvement program to pass Fall Town Meeting by a 194-95 margin. Town Moderator Steve Walsh noted that the road improvement program passed with a 67.12 percent majority.
