Wakefield Town Council Notes - June 9, 2025

Here’s a summary of our Town Council meeting on Monday, June 9:

• We reviewed an Eagle Scout project to install two picnic tables with embedded chess boards at Spaulding Park. One of the tables would be designed to be wheelchair accessible. In accordance with our policy on structures near Lake Quannapowitt, there will be a thirty-day public comment period before the Town Council considers moving forward with this proposal.

• The Town Council approved the warrant for the special Town Election to fill a vacant Council seat. The election will take place on Tuesday, June 24, with absentee voting available at the Town Clerk’s office before then.

• The Council approved an alcohol sales license for Time and Materials Beer, which will be participating in the Wakefield Farmers Market this summer. We also engaged in a lengthy discussion about whether to allow alcoholic beverage sampling at the Farmers Market in the future. While a majority of the Council expressed an interest in allowing sampling subject to appropriate limitations, we chose to continue this discussion at a future meeting to allow the Health and Human Services Department work with the Board of Health and Town Council to complete a more comprehensive review of Wakefield’s alcohol regulations. That review began in the spring, and is expected to be completed this fall.

• We approved an entertainment license for Plaza Jazz at the Beebe Library, approved a second-hand dealer license for Indy Clover, and accepted several donations for the Beebe Library and rail trail.

• The Council appointed Kevin Gill as Interim Town Administrator following outgoing Town Administrator Steve Maio’s retirement on July 3. Kevin currently serves as Wakefield’s Assistant Town Administrator, and will fill the interim role until a new, permanent Town Administrator is hired. We also appointed Ericca Sadler and Sonia Bhardwaj-Patel to the Human Rights Commission.

• Town Administrator Maio gave an update on the state budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2025. Both chambers of the state legislature passed their versions of the budget, and now need to negotiate a final proposal. The House and Senate budgets both contemplate an increase in state funding to Wakefield of 3.2-3.3%. In addition, the House budget includes earmarks for HVAC upgrades at the Senior Center, softball field improvements at Mapleway Playground, installation of a pollinator garden, and accessibility enhancements at the Albion Cultural Exchange.

Our next meeting will be on Monday, June 23 at 7:00 PM, on Zoom and Wakefield Community Access Television. Please join us, and don’t forget to vote in the special Town Election on Tuesday, June 24!