North Ave. solar project to be named for longtime WMGLD commissioner
THE WAKEFIELD MUNICIPAL GAS & LIGHT DEPARTMENT (WMGLD) Board of Light Commission honored former Commissioner Ken Chase (third from left) with a plaque in recognition of his 42 years of service to the Board and the Town of Wakefield. The longtime Commissioner was honored by family members, invited guests, state and local officials, WMGLD employees, and fellow Commissioners, including (from left to right) Commissioner Jack Warchol, State Representative Donald Wong, former Commissioner Chase, Board of Light Commission chair Thomas Boettcher, WMGLD General Manager Pete Dion, Commissioner Philip Courcy, Commissioner Jennifer Kallay, and Board of Light Commission Secretary Elton Prifti.
WAKEFIELD – The Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD) recently recognized former Commissioner Ken Chase for his 42 years of service to the WMGLD and the Board of Light Commissioners. The longtime commissioner, who chose not to run for re-election in the April 2021 election, has the distinction of being among the longest-serving municipal light commissioners in Massachusetts as well as being among the long-serving WMGLD commissioners in the department’s 127-year history.
Board Chair Thomas Boettcher presented the former commissioner with a plaque commemorating his years of service to the Town of Wakefield and the WMGLD. His presentation also included the announcement that the WMGLD solar project at the 480 North Ave. facility will be named in Ken’s honor.
State Representatives Donald Wong and Kate Lipper-Garabedian also presented a citation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the House of Representatives in honor of his four-plus decades of service.
First elected in 1979, Ken served as WMGLD Board Chair eight times and has played a key role in many of the department’s major projects and milestones throughout the past four decades, including the battery storage project at the Beebe station, the investment in the Berkshire Wind Cooperative project, the North Avenue headquarters, automated meter reading, and IT solutions to streamline internal processes and controls. He has long been recognized as a fiscal watchdog for the department, ensuring that the WMGLD employs best practices in all its financial reporting and decision-making. Ken also served for many years as the Board’s liaison for the WMGLD’s historical calendar.
In recognition of his significant contributions to the WMGLD and the municipal electric industry, Ken was the recipient of the prestigious Commissioner Service Award from the Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA) in 2019, an award he was nominated for by his fellow Commissioners.
Professionally, Ken was associated with Commonwealth Energy Systems, now Eversource, where he managed accounting divisions and special projects. He is a lifelong resident of Wakefield, where he is actively involved in the community as a member of both the Wakefield Elks and Knights of Columbus and was a coach for several sports teams.
“The Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department, and the Town of Wakefield certainly owe a debt of gratitude to Ken Chase for his 40-plus years of exemplary service as an elected member of the Board of Light Commissioners,” WMGLD General Manager Pete Dion said on behalf of the Board and WMGLD employees. “He has been a key member not only of the WMGLD Board, but also to the New England municipal electric industry. We wish him and Nancyellen good health and happiness in their future endeavors.”
