By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Voters overwhelmingly approved the $63.5 million public safety buildings and Town Hall project during the Special Town Election on Tuesday.
According to the unofficial election results released by Town Clerk Linda Emerson on Tuesday night, voters approved the public safety project 694 votes to 508 votes, representing a 58 percent to 42 percent margin.
The project passed in Precinct 1 by a 170-116 vote. Precinct 2 voters approved the project by a 177-134 vote. The project passed by only four votes in Precinct 3, prevailing 152-148. Precinct 4 voters approved the project by a 195-110 vote.
“I want to thank the Lynnfield residents for supporting this extremely important public safety buildings project,” said Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis. “By voting in favor of this capital project, the townspeople have demonstrated a commitment to improving the deficiencies that exist in our current facilities through renovation and replacement.”
The town’s firefighters union echoed Davis’ sentiment in a Facebook post.
“Lynnfield Firefighters Local 2472 would like to extend our gratitude to the residents of Lynnfield for voting ‘Yes’ today and approving the public safety building project,” the union wrote on Tuesday night.
Select Board Chairman Phil Crawford thanked the community for supporting the public safety buildings and Town Hall project.
“On behalf of the Select Board, Chief Davis and Police Chief Nick Secatore, we thank the citizens of Lynnfield for their support of a public safety project that will solve the challenges brought forward of officer safety, equity for women and accessibility for all,” said Crawford. “Our team shall deliver a project that is on time, on budget and make our community more safe for all,” said Crawford.
According to the unofficial election results, 1,204 voters cast ballots in the Special Town Election, representing a 12 percent turnout. The State Election last month featured 6,016 voters casting ballots.
The $63.5 million project entails constructing a new three-story Fire Headquarters that will have four bays next to the existing South Station. The current South Station will be razed once the new Fire Headquarters is built.
Additionally, the existing Police Station, current Fire Headquarters and Town Hall will be renovated and expanded. The Town Hall component of the project will make it compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by constructing an elevator. The project will also build a new H. Joseph Maney Meeting Room for municipal boards and community groups to use.
Fall Town Meeting voted 287-33 on Nov. 14 to send the public safety project to a townwide debt exclusion vote on Tuesday.
The $63.5 million public safety buildings and Town Hall project includes $52 million for construction and $11.5 million for soft costs that include architectural and design services, dispatch equipment, furniture, technology and temporary facilities.
Town officials originally estimated that the public safety buildings and Town Hall project would cost $41.25 million last winter, but the price tag increased due to rising interest rates, supply chain challenges, construction cost escalations and inflation.
Due to $33 million in debt from the early 2000s school projects and the Reedy Meadow Golf Course purchase expiring by the end of 2025, the project’s tax impact will be based on $30.5 million instead of the full $63.5 million. Based on the average home value of $816,964, the average tax impact on each home will be $385 annually and $32 per month.
The Public Safety Building Committee recommended in October that the project be built simultaneously. The project’s final design will be completed in January 2023, and it will go out to bid in the fall of 2023. The committee also supported Tappé Architects Managing Partner Charlie Hay’s recommendation that the town proceed with a construction manager (CM) at-risk procurement approach.
In the wake of the project moving forward, public safety and Town Hall employees will work in temporary spaces from the fall of 2023 until the project is completed in late 2025 or early 2026.
