Town Council notebook

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — The Town Council voted last week to increase the cost of living adjustment that retired town employees will receive for FY 2023.

Finance Committee member Dan Sherman noted that last November, Gov. Charlie Baker signed legislation that provides local retirement systems with the option to increase the cost of living adjustment (COLA) for FY 2023 from 3 percent to 5 percent. Sherman noted that the legislation was passed in response to the current high inflation rates.

The Wakefield Retirement Board approved a 3 percent increase in the COLA in April of 2022. Last month, the Retirement Board voted to up the increase to 5 percent, which will apply to the first $16,000 of a retiree’s earnings. About 357 retirees are eligible for the added 2 percent, Sherman said.

The total cost to the town will be about $1 million, which Sherman said would be paid over time.

The Town Council approved the increase unanimously.

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The town has entered into an agreement to pay attorney Mark Bobrowski $45,000 to re-codify the Zoning Bylaws.

Town Counsel Thomas Mullen noted at last week’s Town Council meeting that Bobrowski is “the leading voice on Massachusetts land use and planning law.” He said that $45,000 is a “fairly typical fee” for the services being rendered.

Mullen discussed the contract, which calls for Bobrowski to attend up to six meetings with the Bylaw Review Committee. He will also attend the Planning Board’s public hearing on the recodification and the Town Meeting where the recodified bylaws are presented for approval.

Bobrowski will provide up to three drafts and will provide hard copies as well as a WORD copy of the final document.

The Town Council unanimously approved the contract with no discussion.

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In other matters last week, the Town Council:

▪ Set Monday, May 15 at 7 p.m. as the date and time for the Annual Town Meeting to be held at the Galvin Middle School auditorium. They also opened the Town Meeting warrant and set the closing date for the Warrant as April 7 at 12 noon.

▪ Appointed Sherri Oken to the Council on Aging.

▪ Approved a request from Greater Pizza +, Inc., located at 1117 Main Street, for a new Common Victualler license.

▪ Renewed the Common Victualler License for the Bread Shop located at 411 Main St.

▪ Voted to accept gifts to Beebe Library in the amount of $1,212.45 from various donors.