LYN NF IELD
ADVOCATE SUBSCRIBE TO THE ADVOCATE
SEE PAGE 13 ECRWSSEDDM
PERMIT # 167 WOBURN, MA
Vol. 4, No. 20 - FREE - www.advocatenews.net Lynnfield@advocatenews.net 978-777-6397 Friday, May 18, 2018
Lynnfield Troop 48 honors seven new Eagle Scouts
Municipal audit firm applauds town’s FY17 finances By Christopher Roberson
Z
Shown at Troop 48’s newest Eagle Scout honorees, from left to right, are Jack Madden, Joseph Mackey, Zachary Boone, Gerald Hinch, Alex Ichimura, Jamie Kassiotis and Kevin Travers. (Courtesy photo)
B
oy Scouts of America (BSA) Troop 48, which was chartered by the Centre Congregational Church in Lynnfield, celebrated its newest seven Eagle Scout honorees on Sunday, May 6. Zachary Boone, Gerald Hinch, Alex Ichimura, Jamie Kassiotis, Joseph Mackey, Jack Madden
and Kevin Travers each were presented their Eagle Scout Badges. During the Court of Honor ceremony, the Eagle Scouts received their BSA Eagle Scout certificates along with proclamations from the Lynnfield Board of Selectmen presented by Chairman Richard Dalton, Massa-
chusetts State Representative Brad Jones, Massachusetts State Senator Brendan Creighton and Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Keith Rhoades. These seven young men are part of a proud Eagle Scout tra-
TROOP 48 | SEE PAGE 8
Home loans, designed with you in mind. LET US HELP FIND THE RIGHT MORTGAGE OPTION FOR YOU.
F I X E D R AT E M O R T G A G E S — N O P O I N T S .
15 YEAR
30 YEAR
4.125%
4.625%
4.210%
4.674%
R AT E
APR*
E V E R E T T – 4 1 9 B R O A D WAY LY N N F I E L D – 7 7 1 S A L E M S T R E E T 617-387-1110
R AT E
APR*
Learn more at
EVERETTBANK.COM
*Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is effective May 10, 2018 and is subject to change. All rates and APR’s are calculated based on a $250,000 loan for an owner-occupied single family dwelling with a 20% down payment. Rates are also based on Loan to Value and credit scores. The monthly principal and interest payment for a 15 Year fixed rate mortgage is $7.46 per $1,000 borrowed. The monthly principal and interest payment for a 30 Year fixed rate mortgage is $5.14 per $1,000 borrowed. Those payment do not included taxes and insurance. Your payment may be greater if the loan is secured by a first lien. Loans are subject to credit approval. NMLS #443050.
Member FDIC Member SIF
ackary Fentross, an audit supervisor at Melanson Heath, praised town officials for striving to keep Lynnfield in a secure financial position. Following his audit of the town’s monetary activities for fiscal year 2017, Fentross called attention to Lynnfield’s net obligation of $36.9 million for Other PostEmployment Benefits (OPEB) and the $634,941 balance in the OPEB Trust Fund. “This is a hot topic for bond rating agencies right now,” Fentross said during the May 14 Board of Selectmen meeting, adding that Lynnfield’s historical OPEB contribution of $200,000 per year is sufficient – “They’re not looking for large contributions, but steady contributions.” Selectman Christopher Barrett asked if the town’s contribution was “aggressive enough.”
“You’re right in line with other communities,” said Fentross. “I have communities that haven’t started an OPEB fund.” However, he did not want to make any comments about adjusting the contribution, as that is the board’s decision. “I don’t want to overstep our bounds,” said Fentross. He also spoke highly of the town’s AA+ credit rating issued by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services. “Having a AA+ is very admirable,” he said, adding that Lynnfield is in the “upper echelon” of the credit rating world. According to the Standard & Poor’s website, AA+ is the second-highest credit rating that a municipality can receive. Therefore, Fentross said, having a Comprehensive Financial Report could be all that separates Lynnfield from an AAA credit rating. In addition, Fentross said
FINANCES | SEE PAGE 14
ConCom looks at wetlands adjacent to Summer Street properties By Christopher Roberson
T
he Conservation Commission voted unanimously during its May 15 meeting to accept the 354-linear-foot wetland delineation for the parcels at 333, 339 and 349 Summer St. “Right now, we’re analyzing the feasibility for a residential development; it’s the first step on a long road,” said Gregory Hochmuth of William & Sparages, representing project applicant Hannon Property Investments. Calling the properties “boring with respect to wetlands,” he said there is a two-foot drop in elevation at the rear of the parcels where the wetlands begin. “It’s a very abrupt wetland area,” said Hochmuth, adding that it is categorized as Bordering Land Subject to Flooding. Hochmuth said he also discovered a manmade hole, which he initially thought was a vernal pool, adding that the water in the hole is “knee-deep and nutrient-rich.” Conservation Administrator Emilie Cademartori said the hole did not appear naturally. “It doesn’t look like it belongs
there,” she said. In addition to walking the site with Cademartori on May 9, Hochmuth said he has explored the area numerous times. However, he could not find evidence of mole salamanders, wood frogs, fairy shrimp or any other species that thrive in a vernal pool. What he did find were green frogs and a substantial amount of algae. “It’s not even shown as a potential vernal pool; my guess is it’s not deep enough,” he said, adding that the water level has “dropped about six inches.” According to the Vernal Pool Association, “a few feet” is the required depth for a vernal pool. Should a residential development be constructed, Conservation Commission Chairman Paul Martindale told residents, the hole is “on record as an isolated wetlands.”“It will remain there, they can’t touch that,” he said. In addition, Martindale said he did not take issue with the presented demarcation of the wetlands. “My feeling here is
PROPERTIES | SEE PAGE 15