Published in the May 11, 2018 edition.
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — It took 130 voters two and a half hours to finish the business of Annual Town Meeting last night, as they dealt with the final 13 articles on the warrant. As the third and final session got underway at 7 p.m., there were only 76 voters on attendance, but that number swelled to 130 by 8 p.m.
No effort was made to revisit Article 8, despite a motion for reconsideration filed with the Town Clerk on Tuesday by Harvest Road’s Dennis Cloherty that was withdrawn the following day.
Leading off the session was Article 13, which was a routine annual request that allows the town to accept or take by eminent domain any conveyances or easements as may be necessary to construct and maintain town infrastructure. A sum of $1 was attached to Article 13, which passed unanimously with no discussion.
After a brief discussion on Article 14, Town Meeting approved $1,798,000 for the collection and disposal of trash and recycling.
Under Article 15, DPW Director Richard Stinson moved for the appropriation of 350,000 to supplement the anticipated $666,777 in state Chapter 90 funds for roadway improvements. Stinson explained that the combined amount is still not enough to accomplish needed street repaving during the year.
Finance Committee Chairman Daniel Sherman said that the FinCom was very concerned about the condition of the town’s roads. He made a motion to increase the amount to $500,000 from tax levy.
Town meeting approved $500,000 under Article 15.
Under Article 16, Stinson made a motion to appropriate $75,000 for new sidewalks, primarily near schools and other high traffic areas. Sherman once again made a motion to increase the amount to $100,000. Voters approved $100,000 under Article 16.
Article 17 sought $125,000 for a new radio system for the DPW. Stinson explained that the DPW’s current low-band radio system has reception problems and is incompatible with the radio systems of other town departments and other towns.
Dennis Cloherty argued that it would be cheaper to just by some cell phones for the DPW, but Town Meeting approved Article 17 as presented.
Stinson presented Article 18, which sought the appropriation of $4,085,000 for water main improvements and allows the town to borrow the money in part from the MWRA’s interest-free local assistance program.
Article 18 required a two-thirds majority and passed unanimously.
Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio presented Article 19, which requested Town Meeting authorization for the town to enter into a 99-year lease for a portion of an abandoned rail bed that is part of the route of a planned “rail trail” recreational walking/biking path from Wakefield through Lynnfield. The project would be built with MassDOT Transportation Improvement Program (TIPS) funds. Maio explained that executing the lease with the MBTA would show the state that the town is committed to the project.
Speaking in favor of Article 19 were James Scott of Elm Street, Dot Halpin of Lowell Street, Bob Mitchell of Spaulding Street and Town Council Chairman Paul DiNocco. Town Meeting approved Article 19.
Zoning Board of Appeals chairman David Hatfield presented Article 20, which would have raised the amount of certain fees that the ZBA charges to project applicants. Hatfield said that the current fees are so low that they aren’t covering the costs of hearings and other expenses, resulting in shortfalls having to be covered by tax levy. Planning Board chairman William Spaulding said that his board recommended favorable action on Article 20.
Water Street’s Bob McLaughlin questioned whether costs really justified the fee increases.
Sarah Guerin of Valley Street made a motion to amend Article 20 to reduce the fees for art studio accessory uses from $200 to $50. That amendment passed after brief discussion.
Matthew Jewett of Byron Street argued that the fees were unfair to applicants of smaller residential projects which often take very little of the ZBA’s time as opposed to large commercial projects that can involve many hearing sessions. After some discussion of the options for handling Article 20, Jewett made a motion to refer the matter to the ZBA for further study.
After Town Moderator William Carroll ordered a hand count, Jewett’s motion passed 46-45.
Articles 21 through 25 on the warrant involved bylaw changes recommended by the Bylaw Review Committee.
But before Town Meeting could take up Article 21, Dennis Cloherty made a motion to adjourn, claiming “nobody has read” the proposed bylaw changes and arguing that adjourning Town Meeting would afford people the time to study them.
After some back and forth between Cloherty, Carroll and Town Counsel Thomas Mullen, Cloherty withdrew his motion for adjournment and moved to table Article 21. The motion failed when no one seconded it.
Bylaw Review Committee Chairman Daniel Lieber then presented Article 21. He explained that it would remove some chapters of the General Bylaws that have become redundant or obsolete. In some cases, they are now covered in the Town Charter or by state law. The recommended changes in Article 21 also codify certain current practices, he said.
After a brief discussion, Article 21 carried.
Article 22, Lieber said, made more minor changes to the General Bylaws, such as allowing certain notices now sent out to residents on paper to be sent by email, as long as there is confirmation of receipt. It also makes changes to the chapter related to the Town Report, bringing it in line with current practices and adding references to Veterans Services and the Human Rights Commission.
After another brief discussion, Town Meeting approved Article 22.
Article 23 was more problematic. Lieber explained that the article dealt with how vacancies on the Finance Committee are filled. But things got heated after Lieber described recommended changes to the Permanent Building Committee where the current nine-member board would be changed to have six permanent members with the remaining three members representing the department or agency associated with the particular building project (i.e., the School Department or the Police Department).
Permanent Building Committee member Chip Tarbell and Chairman Joseph Bertrand took exception to the changes, saying that the Bylaw Review Committee had never discussed the changes with any member of the Permanent Building Committee.
Bertrand said that the change would put a “cumbersome onus” on his committee. “There is no need to change it,” he said.
Bertrand also objected to the proposed change whereby members of appointed committees could be removed after missing five meetings.
Town Councilor Edward Dombroski proposed an amendment eliminating the portions of Article 23 that would change the composition of the Permanent Building Committee. Bertrand agreed with the proposed amendment.
Article 23 passed as amended.
Article 24, Lieber explained, updated the town’s bylaws with regard to dogs and other animals, making biting in public an explicit violation and permitting off-leash areas in designated dog parks. Town Meeting approved Article 24.
Article 25 proposed to update the towns bylaws related to snow and ice removal. It would require commercial properties and large multi-family dwellings (more than four units) to clear snow, ice and slush from the public sidewalks abutting their property within 12 hours of the end of a storm. It would also change the fines to $200 per offense and expand enforcement to include both the Police and Department of Public Works.
Dan Sherman said that he thought 12 hours to remove snow from public sidewalks was not enough time and proposed amending it to 24 hours. That amendment passed and Article 25 was approved as amended.
At 9:30 p.m., Town Councilor Ann Santos moved to dissolve the 2018 Annual Town Meeting. That motion carried.