Published in the June 14, 2021 edition.
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — Tonight’s Town Council agenda includes a public hearing on the proposed FY 2022 water and sewer rates. Public Works Director Joseph Conway will present the new rates as recommended by the Advisory Board of Public Works.
The Water and Sewer Divisions are self-sustaining enterprise departments. Their operations are funded by the water and sewer rates and not by the tax levy.
The rates recommended tonight will need to be sufficient to fund both operating budgets. The water and sewer reserves need to be sufficient to provide for consumption shortfalls, emergencies and future capital improvements
The Water Division serves approximately 8,500 water accounts and the Sewer Division serves about 8,200 accounts.
Tonight’s public hearing on the rates gets underway at 7:25 p.m. via Zoom. For links to join tonight’s meeting, go to the town’s web site at wakefield.ma.us.
There is another public hearing on tonight’s agenda as well, regarding a change of manager on the liquor license for Tonno Wakefield, located at 175 North Ave. That public hearing is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
Also on tonight’s Town Council agenda is an update on the Broadway commuter rail crossing. The crossing has been closed since last November pending Federal Railroad Administration authorization that would allow the town to reopen the crossing and also maintain its “quiet zone” status, whereby trains do not sound their horns at road crossings.
The Town Council will also be asked tonight to authorize Town Administrator Stephen p. Maio to issue a Request for Proposals for a parcel of tax title, town-owned land on Water Street.
The Town Council will discus a letter to MassHousing regarding comments on a Chapter 40B application filed with MassHousing for 572 and 596 North Ave.
At tonight’s meeting the board will also consider the possible dissolution of the town’s Emergency Declaration, which was issued on March 18, 2020.
Tonight’s agenda also includes items called “Review of Lake events” and “Public Meetings Update.” The latter is presumably a discussion of the future of Zoom vs. in-person public meetings.
