By NEIL ZOLOT

WAKEFIELD – Town Meeting passed a $127,850,159 budget for Fiscal 2025 Monday night in the Galvin Middle School auditorium. Town Administrator Steve Maio said it was put together under the assumptions less aid would be forthcoming from the state and with pandemic-related grants expiring and those funds being replaced by local dollars.

As is customary, various departments or areas of government activity budgets were approved separately from the grand total. The School Department received its $52,434,699 request, but only after a recommendation from the Finance Committee to allocate $500,000 less was defeated.

While not speaking on behalf of the committee, Finance Committee member Daniel Sherman objected to the larger request, citing unspent funds and $3.6 million in revolving fund accounts from activity gate receipts among other things. “Why are the balances so large?” he asked.

He did acknowledge however, various grant funds have decreased or disappeared.

School Superintendent Doug Lyons countered, “The idea revolving accounts can be an offset is false,” referring to the fiscal independence of those funds.

He called the budget “a labor budget,” reflecting a new employee contract, which he called “well deserved.”

He confirmed pandemic related grants ending and the School Department “providing supports we never have before post-COVID” and a reduction would lead to eliminating positions.

Also speaking only on behalf of himself, Finance Committee Vice Chairman Doug Butler said the Finance Committee “got a number we didn’t like and wanted to reduce it.”

When the School Department request was approved, there was no need to vote on the Finance Committee recommendation.

The only other significant issue during the budget voting process was about eventual approval in adding $24,090 to the $56,578 Conservation Commission budget to pay a full time Conservation Agent, as requested by retiring Conservation Commission member Teresa Belmonte. She said the town needs such an employee because there will be new development near wetlands.

 “We lost an employee because of this,” Town Councilor Michael McLane added in reference to part time agent Rebecca Davis leaving. “We’re trying to retain people.”

Resident Bronwyn Della-Volpe called not having a full time conservation agent “an outrage. The town boasts how wonderful we are, but we can’t afford a full time conservation agent? This will allow us to hire a qualified conservation agent.”

The Conservation Commission budget is one element of the larger General Government budget of $2,982,160 after the amendment passed.

Other budgets include $20,670,209 for Benefits and Administration, including employee health and life insurance and retirement systems; $15,680,422 for Protection of Persons and Property, including the Police and Fire Departments; $8,102,058 for the Public Works Department; $2,769,467 in miscellaneous items including cable TV; $2,558,485 for the regional vocational school; $1,972,883 for the library and $1,125,069 for Human Services, including the Council on Aging and Veterans Department.

In discussion, Maio noted revenue from cable TV subscriptions are falling because people are switching to streaming services and more funds will be needed for the vocational school in the future as construction of a new facility progresses.

All that totals $125,157,826. The rest of the $127,850,159 is comprised of $1,6628,489 transferred from the Light Department Operation Account to the Employees’ Group Insurance Account; $1,024,744 transferred from the Light Department Operation Account to the Contributory Retirement Pension Accumulation Fund Account and $39,7000 transferred from the Light Operation Account to the Worker’s Compensation Account.

Independent from the budget is $16,837, 774 in Public Works Enterprise Department funds.

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Articles 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 were approved in one motion as a Consent Agenda. Town Moderator William Carroll called the items “nothing controversial” and “articles no one ever discussed.”

Article 3 was for $5,359,880 for payments on the town’s borrowings for capital projects.

Article 4 was to allow the Board of Assessors to use $974,425 as payment in lieu of taxes from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department.

Article 5 was for funding expenses that exceeded previously approved budgets, including $500,000 for the Fire Department to fund overtime expenses.

Article 6 was to use $80,000 of Free Cash for direct medical expenses for injuries on duty suffered by police officers and firefighters.

Article 7 was to allow the Town Council to take easements or conveyances or minor projects, “but only where consideration is nominal. The motion is to use $1 from the Tax Levy for eminent domain takings.”

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Town Meeting continues tomorrow night.