Published in the July 1, 2021 edition.

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — A new Seagrave pumper has been delivered to the Wakefield Fire Department and is scheduled to be placed into service in the next several weeks, replacing “Engine 4,” a pumper that has served the town for the last 25 years.

Fire Chief Michael Sullivan this week asked the Town Council to declare the 1996 engine as surplus property so that it could be sold.

Sullivan told the Town Council in a memo that his department no longer has any need for the older engine and the city of Malden has expressed an interest in purchasing it for $3,000 to use as a backup engine while they wait for a new apparatus to manufactured and delivered.

Sullivan stated that $3,000 is a fair price, considering the engine’s age and condition. Malden would purchase the pumper “as is,” with full disclosure of the engine’s mechanical condition and a full set of maintenance records.

Sullivan said that Malden “has been an excellent mutual aid partner over the years. This sale is an opportunity to dispose of excess fire apparatus and help out a nearby fire department at the same time.”

Town Councilor Edward Dombroski asked if the town should put the old engine out to bid, in case there was a possibility of getting a little more money in a sale. 

But Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio said that it was his understanding that given the condition of the engine, $3,000 was a fair price and anything more that the town might get by putting it out to bid would be marginal.

Other members of the Town Council agreed and voted 5-1 to declare the engine as surplus property and to authorize its sale to the Malden Fire Department. Dombroski was the opposing vote.

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The Town Council appointed 16 individuals to serve on the Youth Council.

Appointed as high school members were Ali Zain Al-Abideen H. Atoui, Thomas Berinato, Lauren Blois, Joshua Catino, Uma Gerwick, Yana Herzog, Paige MacGibbon, Nicholas Pilleri, Elly Tropeano, Nivea Waterman and Sophie Veilleux.

Middle School members appointed were Jenna Farber, Charlotte Holmes, Madeline Naper, Teagan Sparhawk and Nicholas Walczewski.

It was noted that only five members applied for the six middle school slots, so the Town Council will re-advertize to fill the remaining position.

There was also a discussion of how to handle non-voting members on the Youth Council, including the question of whether applicants who were not appointed would automatically become non-voting members.

Councilor Jonathan Chines proposed that the Town Council “defer to the Youth Council to sort of set the criteria as to how they would want to identify a non-voting member. I don’t think we, as a Town Council, need to necessarily impose that on the Youth Council.” Chines suggested having the Youth Council come back with a proposal.

Dombroski reminded the Town Council that they are the appointing authority and should not relinquish that authority by letting the Youth Council make membership decisions. In the end, the Youth Council was asked to come back to the Town Council with a proposal for a process as well as the names of suggested non-voting members.

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The Town Council voted to adopt the The “Youth Pass Program,” a partnership between the MBTA and participating cities and towns that offers reduced bus, subway and commuter rail fares to young adults with low income.