By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Spring Town Meeting voted to form a Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) on April 29.
Main Street resident Tom Manning submitted Article 15 as a citizens’ petition for Spring Town Meeting. He said the TSAC would be tasked with advising the Select Board on traffic-related issues.
“We all desire safer and more livable neighborhoods here in Lynnfield,” said Manning. “The purpose of this committee is to recommend actions that will do so by providing a forum where the residents of Lynnfield can voice traffic safety concerns, suggestions and requests. Please vote in favor of this article.”
While the Select Board unanimously voted to recommend Article 15, the Finance Committee voted not to recommend forming the TSAC.
Former Finance Committee Chair Jack Dahlstedt asked the FinCom why the panel voted against recommending Article 15.
“We discussed it before Town Meeting,” said Finance Committee Vice Chair Tom Kayola. “In conversations with the chief of police, we understand there is an existing process in place for residents to raise concerns about traffic. That seems to be working well and a monthly meeting would not be an efficient use of time.”
Canterbury Road resident Stephanie Slate disagreed with Kayola.
“With all due to respect, I have made complaints to the police,” said Slate. “I live on Canterbury Road, which is an emergency access road to the (Lynnfield Commons) apartments. People have used that not for emergency access, and the police have done nothing. For two years now, I have also requested road markings to be put on the corner of Canterbury Road and Salem Street, which still has not occurred. I am in huge favor of this committee to just have a voice and move things along. I would like to see action and resolution to what we bring forward.”
Historical Society Treasurer Bob Gillon, 300 Main St., said he supported creating the TSAC.
“I also disagree with the Finance Committee’s recommendation,” said Gillon. “Similarly, I have made many complaints to the chief and have gone to visit him. He has made promises and he doesn’t keep his promises. I have sent emails, and I don’t receive responses to emails. If you believe things are working well, you obviously haven’t been talking to the residents of this town. Main Street has become a speedway. I have asked several times for traffic patrols, and I don’t get that. The chief did put up a speed sign for two or three weeks. He was going to give me the results from that, and I never got the results.”
Gillon said he had a “medical episode and needed rest” last September.
“I was awakened at 11 p.m. to speeding cars,” said Gillon. “I called 911, and the response was ‘did I get a license plate?’ I don’t think we get the respect in town from our police. They do a great job, but I don’t think the chief is responding to the needs of the people. There are motorcycles going 60-mph and 70-mph down the street and popping wheelies. We have cars now making unusual noises. You may not hear it if you are on the side streets, but I think they refer to it as a ‘fart can’ because all you hear is cars backfiring. You can hear them all the way down the street. I think this is the type of committee this town needs so that the residents can be heard and they can bring it to the forefront of our elected officials.”
Conservation Commission/Historical Commission member Erin Hohmann said traffic is a “huge problem” in town.
“I don’t know what the mechanism to make complaints is because I have been before the Select Board numerous times to discuss this, and nothing ever changes,” said Hohmann. “We have got a growing problem. I hope everyone will vote for this committee.”
Patrice Lane resident Patricia Campbell made a motion to amend Article 15 by requiring the proposed seven-member TSAC to include three town employees who live in Lynnfield. As originally proposed by Manning, Article 15 did not include a stipulation that that the town employees serving on the TSAC would be required to live in town.
“I think this will protect the committee and keep the intent they intended,” said Campbell.
Planning Board Chair Page Wilkins expressed concerns about Campbell’s amendment.
“My concern with having three employees who live in Lynnfield is we might not have the most effective employees such as someone from the Department of Public Works who has the knowledge that we need to help with traffic safety,” said Wilkins. “They might not live in town, but they are our employees. The other concern that I have is it is a pretty large group. It may be inefficient to have that many people.”
Campbell said having seven people serve on the TSAC was “not a huge number for a committee.”
In response to a question from Wilkins, Kayola said the Finance Committee voted not to recommend Article 15 because the FinCom was concerned about the expense of having town employees attend a meeting instead of handling their official duties.
Kayola inquired if the Select Board needed Spring Town Meeting’s approval to form the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee.
“Before the petitioner presented the article for the warrant, I said to him and others that we would form a Traffic Safety Advisory Committee,” said Select Board Chair Dick Dalton. “Whichever way the vote goes in my mind, we are going to form a committee that would address the issue.”
DPW Director/Town Engineer John Tomasz said Campbell’s amendment would exclude himself and Police Chief Nick Secatore from serving on the TSAC.
“I don’t think it is a good idea to exclude either one of us,” said Tomasz.
After the discussion, Spring Town Meeting narrowly approved Campbell’s amendment by a 76-73 vote.
In response to a question from Lynnfield Center Water District (LCWD) Water Commissioner Andy Youngren, Manning said the TSAC would be tasked with advising the Select Board about traffic-related issues.
Edgemere Road resident Mary Legrow expressed her support for forming the TSAC.
“I have lived in this town for almost 50 years,” said Legrow. “The traffic has become worse. I think we need new avenues because the old ones have failed.”
Spring Town Meeting approved Article 15 by an 86-65 vote.
