Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Wakefield residents approved allowing sidewalk cafes and assisted living facilities to operate in town, but shot down the prospect of bed and breakfasts during the final night of town meeting on Monday.
Wakefield residents approved allowing sidewalk cafes and assisted living facilities to operate in town, but shot down the prospect of bed and breakfasts during the final night of town meeting Monday. No bed and breakfasts Much of the concern raised by residents about bed and breakfasts was that the article failed to define exactly what a bed and breakfast was. Resident and former Selectman Al Turco said that he would be in favor of the idea if he knew what exactly the town would be approving. “It strikes me that the absence of a definition is somewhat problematic,” Turco said. “I would be really happy to support something like this if I knew what a bed and breakfast was.” Matthew Lowry, chairman of the Planning Board, said that his board …
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Galvin Middle School
525 Main St, Wakefield, MA
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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 …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
More than 1300 Wakefield residents turned out for the first night of town meeting.
In a crowd of 1300, it's unthinkable to imagine a $74 million investment for a new middle school or a $5 million project for improvements to Wakefield Memorial High School's fields and facilities passing with a 99 percent margin. But the message at Monday night's town meeting was clear. More than 1300 Wakefield residents joined one another in saying: Invest in Wakefield's educational and community resources. And they spoke loud and clear in the form of near unanimous approval for the two large-scale school and community improvement projects. Improvements to fields Residents first voted in favor of the improvements to fields and athletic facilities at Wakefield High School, in a vote of 1360 to 1. The repairs will go to upgrade several …
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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Galvin Middle School
525 Main St, Wakefield, MA
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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.
Anu
9:53 am on Tuesday, May 22, 2012
yay for outdoor seating!!! this will only enhance the "on it's way to fantastic" atmosphere of main st downdown Wakefield!! more ›