Published November 20, 2019
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The chairman of the Veterans Advisory Board would like to see the board expanded so that additional members can do more to assist in getting the word out to Wakefield veterans about services and benefits available to them.
Chairman Jay Pinette appeared before the Town Council last week to update them on the role and activities of the Veterans Advisory Board.
The Veterans Advisory Board was established in 2012 to provide recommendations to the Town Administrator and oversee the operations of the Wakefield Veterans Services office, Pinette said. The Board brings accountability and provides a strong veteran voice to policies and procedures affecting Wakefield veterans.
Pinette explained that a primary function of the Veterans Services office is to administer benefits under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 115.
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS veteran Jay Pinette let the Pledge of Allegiance at last week’s Town Council Meeting. As chairman of the Wakefield Veterans Advisory Board, Pinette also provided the Town Council with an update on the board’s activities. (Mark Sardella Photo)
The Chapter 115 Benefits Program is run by the Massachusetts Department Veterans’ Services (DVS). DVS runs the program in partnership with local Veterans’ Service Officers (VSOs). The Program provides financial aid for food, shelter/housing, clothing, and medical care to veterans and their dependents who have limited incomes.
Pinette noted that in the past the Veterans Advisory Board has worked with local Boy Scouts on their Eagle Scout projects. Another Eagle project is in the works to clean the headstones in the veterans’ area of Forest Glade Cemetery, Pinette said.
Pinette said that the city of Melrose Veterans Advisory Board is very active in the Melrose schools and in promoting fundraisers for veterans projects. More of those kinds of things could be done in Wakefield, he said, if the board had more members to share the workload.
Pinette said that there is a real need to get the word out regarding services available to local veterans, especially younger, post 9/11 veterans. He said that one hindrance has been the lack of a physical meeting place in Wakefield, like a VFW or American Legion hall.
Councilor Mehreen Butt asked Pinette to talk about the Wreaths Across America program.
Pinette said that the program coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery as well as at veterans graves at more than 1,600 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad. Pinette said that last year at Forest Glade Cemetery, they had plenty of volunteers but unfortunately the number of wreaths did not keep pace and there were not enough wreaths to decorate all 325 headstones in the veterans section. He hoped for a greater number of wreath donations this year.
Local residents can donate wreaths for $15 each at wreathsacrossamerica.org/ and can specify a specific cemetery, like Forest Glade in Wakefield.
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In other business last week, the Town Council:
Signed a Sewer Bond representing a borrowing of $188,397.50 from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority for the purpose of defraying costs of improvements to the town’s sewer system. The town will pay back the no-interest loan in 10 annual payments of $18,839.50 to the MWRA from 2020 to 2029.Granted a request from the Wakefield Community Partnership to hang a banner across Main Street for the upcoming Holiday Stroll. Approved a request from DPW Director Joseph Conway to auction off surplus equipment.Approved a request from Council on Aging Director Judy Luciano to accept and expend $2,680 in gifts from various donors. Approved a request from Library Director Catherine McDonald to accept and expend $548 in gifts from various donors.Authorized the Town Administrator’s office to advertise for candidates to fill a vacant three-year term on the Finance Committee.
