Governor Signs Lynnfield Home Rule Petition

A release from State Representative Brad Jones and Senator Brendan Crighton:

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker has approved a home rule petition that will allow the Town of Lynnfield to remove the position of sealer of weights and measures from the provisions of the civil service law.

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) and Senator Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) sponsored the home rule petition on the town’s behalf after it was approved at the Annual Town Meeting on April 29 by a vote of 409-101. Following a public hearing and a favorable recommendation by the legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Service, the House and Senate enacted the bill on August 12 and it was signed into law last week as Chapter 64 of the Acts of 2019.

Town officials moved to make the change after the former sealer of weights and measures, Edward J. Michalski, retired after 40 years of service to Lynnfield. The town has been using a temporary sealer who has been working in the position as an hourly employee, but the Board of Selectmen wants to hire a permanent part-time sealer.

“Exempting the sealer of weights and measures from the civil service law will provide Lynnfield with additional flexibility to fill this position on a permanent basis,” said Representative Jones. “I’m pleased that Senator Crighton and I were able to work together to fulfill the town’s request by moving the bill through the legislative process in a timely fashion.”