Published in the January 20, 2020 edition.

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKFIELD — The Fiscal Year 2021 budget season is officially underway as the Town Council approved 16 of the smaller town department budgets last week. All budgets are also reviewed by the Finance Committee before going before Annual Town Meeting in the spring for final approval by the voters.

Town Accountant Kevin Gill was on hand to present the budgets and Jan DiGiambatista from the Finance Committee was also on hand. DiGiambatista chairs the FinCom subcommittee on Town Hall budgets.

The Town Council approved the Legal Department budget in the amount of $187,677. This amount includes a $3,405 increase in personal services. The rest of the budget line items were level funded.

The Election Expense budget total was $36,975, up from $25,450 last year. The increase is due to an additional election in FY 2021. The town Council approved the budget.

The Finance Committee budget was approved at a level-funded $7,060.

The Conservation Commission budget included a small increase in personal services for negotiated pay raises for the two part-time employees, Digiambatista said. The remainder of the $43,902-budget was level-funded. The budget was approved.

The Board of Appeals budget included a $2,500 increase based on an increase in the estimated number of hearings. The budget was approved at a total of $27,800.

The Fire Alarm/Traffic Signal budget was approved at a level-funded $63,515.

The Animal Inspector’s budget was approved at $83,533, including a small contractually negotiated salary increase, Digiambatista said.

The Parking Clerk’s budget was approved at $9,375, including a decrease of $3,000 in contractual services.

The Town Council approved the Council on Aging budget, including an increase of $5,358 in personal services for contractually negotiated salary increases.

The Recreation Department budget was approved at $106,734. That amount includes only personal services. All Recreation Department programs are funded through activity fees.

The Veterans Department budget was approved at $246,437, an increase of $929 over last year.

The Street Light budget was approved at a level-funded $188,131.

The Town Council approved the level-funded Historical Commission budget at $2,000.

The Unemployment budget budget was also level-funded at $75,000.

The Reserve Fund budget, which is used for unforseen, unbudgeted or underbudgeted items and emergencies was approved at a level-funded $300,000.

The Professional medical budget, used for things like prospective employee physical exams, was level-funded at $10,850.

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In other business last week the Town Council:

• Appointed Christine “Chi Chi” Canavan to the Wakefield Human Rights Commission.

• Appointed 10 individuals as election workers.

• Named Sherri Dalton as the Town Council appointee to the Wakefield Retirement Board.

• Approved an application for a stock transfer and change of officer/director on the liquor license for S&M Liquors on Water Street.

• OK’d a request from the Council on Aging to accept and expend $13,715 in gifts from various donors.

• Approved a request from the Fire Department to accept and expend a gift of $150 from The Savings Bank.

• Approved a request from Beebe Library seeks to accept and expend $2,313.16 in gifts to from various donors.

• Granted renewals of Common Victualler Licenses Entertainment Licenses for various establishments.

• Approved renewal of Class II licenses for 11 used car dealers.

• Approved request from the Doyle School PTO for a one-day Liquor License for a fundraising event at the Americal Civic Center on March 14, 2020.

• OK’d a request from the Friends of Wakefield High School Hockey for a one-day Liquor License for a fundraising event at the Americal Civic Center on Feb. 14, 2020.

• Approved a request from the Wakefield Alliance Against Violence to hang “White Ribbon” banner on Main Street from March 2, 2020 through March 16, 2020.

• Approved a request from Kara Meade, buyer of the town-owned land located at 28 Redfield Rd., asking for a decrease in the purchase price of $14,500.00 for the cost of the demolition.