Monday, May 21, 2012
Whether to allow bed and breakfasts to operating in town and whether or not to allow sidewalk cafes in town are still up for debate, as well as an assisted living development.
On the third night of Wakefield's Town Meeting residents still have some notable decisions to make, including whether to allow bed and breakfasts, whether to allow sidewalk cafes in town, and whether to approve an assisted living facility on Crescent Street. The issues of bed and breakfasts and sidewalk cafes are ideas by the economic development committee with hopes to help expand commerce in the downtown area. The assisted living facility would be a series of units of more than 500 square feet each with parking requirements of one space for every three units. It would also be allowed to have hairdressers/barbers, retail sales, and a dining room available for its residents. Monday's edition of town meeting will begin on Monday, May 21 …
Friday, May 18, 2012
With significantly less residents in attendance than on Monday night, Thursday's town meeting sailed through 20 articles.
Headlining Thursday night's town meeting were three different issues affecting the Police and Fire Departments: a new contract for the Wakefield Police Department, which has been out of a contract for the last two years, a new fire truck for the Wakefield Fire Department, as the current truck is nearing the end of its life expectancy, and a new policy to require fingerprint-based background checks for those applying for certain licenses in town. All three passed, as well as 17 other articles addressing everything from storm drainage to tree care to money for school technology. Police Contracts The new police contract in Wakefield is effective retroactive to 2010, as Wakefield police officers have been working for the last two years …
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Town meeting re-convenes on Thursday night to discuss and vote on the remaining 29 articles.
With the $74 million Galvin Middle School Project, the $5 million WHS fields repair, and the Fiscal Year 2013 budgets out of the picture - all were passed - residents will now turn their attention to the remaining 29 articles. Notable upcoming articles are whether to approve a new educational incentive plan for the Wakefield Police Department, whether to buy a new ladder truck for the Wakefield Fire Department, whether to allow bed and breakfasts, and whether to allow sidewalk cafes in town. Thursday's edition of town meeting will begin on Thursday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Galvin Middle School auditorium. Since Articles 2 and 4 were skipped at Monday night's meeting, the town will start at Article 2, continue to 4, then address 6 and …
Wakefield's state legislators, Sen. Katherine Clark, Rep. Paul Brodeur and Rep. Donald Wong don't have any challengers in their 2012 re-election campaigns.
While the presidential campaign between incumbent Democrat Barack Obama and presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney will heat up this year, the 2012 election will be a little sleepier on the Wakefield front. Neither Sen. Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, Rep. Paul Brodeur, D-Melrose, or Rep. Donald Wong, R-Saugus, the town's representatives in the state Senate and House respectively, will face a challenger in this fall's election on Nov. 6, 2012. Would-be candidates for district and county offices, which includes the state Legislature, had until the end of the day on May 1 to submit nomination papers to local election officials for certification of the signatures required for nomination papers—300 signatures for state senator and 150 …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Wakefield has once again earned the distinction of being a "Tree City USA" by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Wakefield has been recognized as a "Tree City USA" by the Arbor Day Foundation again this year - making 2012 the 11th year in a row the town has won the designation. The Arbor Day Foundation is the country's largest nonprofit dedicated to planting trees. "We all benefit when communities like Wakefield place a high priority on planting and caring for trees, one of our nation's most beautiful resources," said John Rosenow, chief executive officer of the Arbor Day Foundation. "Trees shade our homes and add beauty to our neighborhoods, and they also provide environmental, economic, and social benefits. We applaud Wakefield's elected officials, volunteers, and citizens for providing vital care for its urban forest." "Even though we continue to …
Monday, May 14, 2012
Wakefield residents voted to build a new Galvin Middle School by a decisive vote of 1331 to 7.
Wakefield residents chose to build a new Galvin Middle School by a decisive vote of 1331 to 7 at Monday night's town meeting. The total cost of the project is approximately $74 million, the funding for which must still be approved at a town-wide vote for a debt exclusion to finance the project. That vote will take place on June 9. Under this plan the town will receive a grant from the Mass. School Building Authority of approximately $35 million, or 54.67 percent of eligible reimbursement. The town would be responsible to bond approximately $39 million, or approximately $188 per household per year for our portion of the funding. Wakefield School Committee Chairman Lisa Butler said she's feeling positive about the future of the project. "…
Last week we asked you what you thought about the upcoming town meeting. Here are the results.
Most Wakefield residents believe more than 400 people will attend the May 14th Town Meeting, that the meeting will go for two days, and that the town will vote to build a new Galvin Middle School, according to your votes. Out of about 75 people who voted in the poll, nearly half (45 percent) voted that town meeting would run two days this year and that more than 400 people would attend (47 percent). More than two-thirds of voters (82 percent) believed the issue that would take the most amount of time to decide would be whether or not to build a new Galvin Middle School, but 85 percent also believed the measure would pass. The majority of voters also predicted that the town would vote to allow sidewalk cafes (93 percent) would repair WHS …
There are 31 articles to be voted on at the May 14, 2012 Wakefield Town Meeting.
The Galvin Middle School tops the list of warrant articles up for vote at the May 14th, 2012 Wakefied Town Meeting. At Monday night's meeting, voters will decide whether or not to approve the $74 million dollar project, $39 million of which would be paid for by the town, and the rest by the state. Other major warrant articles up for vote include repairs to Wakefield High School's athletic fields and facilities, whether to approve a new educational incentive plan for the Wakefield Police Department, whether to buy a new ladder truck for the Wakefield Fire Department, whether to allow bed and breakfasts, and whether to allow sidewalk cafes in town. Town meeting will begin on Monday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Galvin Middle School auditorium…
Five things worth knowing about the Monday, May 14th, 2012 Town Meeting.
Wakefield Patch will have coverage of the top stories on the site tonight, as well as the next morning.
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A one-stop shop place for all the coverage from the past few weeks of the issues coming up at this year's town meeting.
Sara Jacobi
10:24 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
Sorry! Forgot to include the last line that the meeting was adjourned at Article 23. Picking back up on Monday at 7:30 p.m. Wil add that in now. more ›