By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The FY 2025 budgeting process officially got underway this week as the Town Council approved the first 12 budgets under its purview, mostly for Town Hall departments.
Town Accountant Kevin Gill presented the budgets, beginning with his own Accounting Department. His department’s budget will see a $14,168 increase, which includes negotiated salary increases. The total FY 2025 budget for the Accounting Department is $490,152.
Town Counsel Thomas Mullen’s Legal Department budget will be increased by $7,633, including increases in personal services and materials and supplies. The total Legal Department budget for FY 2025 is $206,152.
The Tax Collector’s budget for next year totals $311,855. A $7,382 increase in this budget includes a salary increase for the Tax Collector.
The Assessing Department budget of $258,875 incorporates an increase of $8,951, which includes a contractual salary increase for Director of Assessments Victor Santaniello.
A $7,386 increase to the Town Clerk’s $259,479 FY 2025 budget includes a 3 percent salary increase for Town Clerk Betsy Sheeran.
The $42,300 Election and Registration budget includes a $1,600 increase for postage and office supplies.
The Election Expense budget of $40,350 includes an increase of $13,000 based on extra elections in FY 2025.
Town council approved the first budgets of the upcoming fiscal year at the January 8, 2024 meeting (Screen shot from WCAT cablecast)
The Finance Committee’s $7,060 budget was level-funded for FY 2025.
The Planning Board’s $10,775 budget reflects a $2,200 reduction for next year due to a decrease in subscriptions to publications.
Gill said that the Zoning Board of Appeals budget is level funded at $30,300 for next year. He noted that the ZBA generates between $20,000 and $70,000 in fee revenue annually.
A $29,504 increase in the Council on Aging budget reflects bringing staffing back to pre-Covid levels. It also includes salary increases for the director and other employees. The total budget for the Council on Aging is $288,193 for FY 2025.
The Recreation Department’s $130,814 budget for next year includes an increase of $5,118, all of which is in personal services. Gill noted that the entire Recreation Department budget is funded through programs.
Gill noted that the Finance Committee’s budget subcommittee, headed by Evan Kenney, had reviewed all of the preceding budgets. Kenney was on hand at Monday’s Town Council meeting in case any questions came up.
Town Councilor Edward Dombroski questioned some of the line items for postage and other expenses for Accounting, the Tax Collector and Town Clerk related to paper billing and notices sent through the mail. He wondered if technology in 2024 offered better and cheaper alternatives to using paper and the postal service to conduct town business.
Gill said that the Accounting Department lacks the staff to manage an online system, which he thought would be cumbersome. Town Counsel Thomas Mullen said that legally the census has to be done through the mail.
