Published in the February 7, 2020 edition.
WAKEFIELD — The Town Council is scheduled to deal with fiscal year 2021 spending plans for most of Wakefield’s public safety departments at its meeting Monday night.
Police Chief Steven Skory and Town Administrator Stephen Maio are requesting that a total of $5,960,655 be allocated to the Police Department for the year beginning July 1. Of that, $5,534,035 would be for personal services, most of which are salaries, education incentives, training, fitness incentives and estimated overtime for patrolmen and superior officers.
The councilors will also be asked to support $243,820 in contractual services the department has with outside vendors; $169,800 in materials and supplies, and about $13,000 to pay dues to the professional organizations the town’s law enforcers belong to.
The Police Department’s fiscal year 2021 request is a paltry .21 percent more than it is working with currently.
All budgets are reviewed by the selectmen and then the Finance Committee before being passed on to participants at the May Town Meeting for final approval.
Fire Chief Michael Sullivan and Maio are requesting that Fire Department spending total $5,706,306 in fiscal year 2021, an increase of 1.66 percent over this year’s allocation of $5,612,860. Personal services account for $5,437,506 of the total. The local fire service also seeks $117,200 to pay for contractual services and $148,600 in materials and supplies.
The town’s Emergency Management Department seeks $74,200 to cover its operation in fiscal year 2021, up $1,200 from this year’s allocation. Of that amount, $30,000 is for contractual services and $41,200 in personal services.
Monday’s Town Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the large studio at the WCAT facility at the rear of Wakefield Memorial High.
—————
Other business before the council includes a request from the Wakefield Independence Day Committee to use the parking lot at the Galvin Middle School for the annual July Fourth Parade fundraising carnival planned for April 20-26.
