Published in the April 7, 2020 edition.

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — The 2020 Town Election will take place on Tuesday, June 23, after the Town Council voted last night to postpone the election, originally scheduled for April 28.

But that wasn’t the only dramatic measure that the Town Council took last night. They also voted to enforce social distancing among Lake walkers by restricting parking in town-owned lots and on streets near the Lake.

In another looming act of restriction, Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio also indicated that the town’s annual Fourth of July celebration will likely not happen this year.

The board met via Zoom teleconference with all seven town councilors participating along with Maio, Town Clerk Betsy Sheeran and Town Counsel Thomas Mullen.

Maio noted that on March 23, Gov. Charlie Baker signed legislation that allows cities and towns to move municipal elections to any date prior to June 30.

He said that after consulting with Sheeran, Health Director Ruth Clay and school officials, he recommended rescheduling the Town Election to June 23. (The town votes at the Galvin Middle School. By June 23, the schools would be closed for the summer, even if they were to re-open this year.)

Sheeran said that once the Town Council votes, she will be able to immediately set things in motion for a June 23 election. She said that there will be early voting available for the first time in a Town Election as well as absentee ballots.

Sheeran said that early voting and absentee voting has been expanded in municipal elections this year to accommodate those with concerns about COVID-19, and will include options for early voting by mail. Sheeran said that once the date change is official she will publicize all pertinent information.

In the meantime, all local elected officials will remain in office, including those up for re-election this year.

Councilor Mehreen Butt said that she agreed with changing the election date, adding that she would not be voting on the the new date because she on the Town Election ballot running for re-election.

Councilor Jonathan Chines asked about election deadlines, such as the last day to register to vote, in light of a rescheduled election.

Sheeran said that the last day to register for the June 23 Town Election will be June 12, but she re-iterated that once the Town Council vote to change the election was official, she would immediately begin publicizing all of the pertinent election information.

There was some discussion on whether the board should wait to reorganize until after the June 23 election or choose a new chair and vice chair in early May, as they would have had the election not been postponed.

Maio said that would be entirely up to the Town Council. Town Counsel Thomas Mullen agreed, saying it was entirely up to the board’s own wishes and traditions.

Councilor Ann Santos said that since the board won’t be changing (Chairman Edward Dombroski and Butt are running unopposed for re-election), reorganizing in May would not be as much of an issue as it might be if there were potential for new members to join the board in the election.

The board voted 5-0 to postpone the Town Election to June 23, with Dombroski and Butt abstaining because they are on this year’s ballot.

The only other matter on last night’s meeting agenda was a COVID-19 update.

Dombroski said that the total number of cases in Wakefield as of yesterday was 60. He stressed that the best mitigation measure is social distancing, calling it “the most important thing that people can do.”

He said that the number of people walking around the Lake continues to be problematic because sidewalk width does not permit proper social distancing. He implored people to “take a break from the Lake” and walk in their own neighborhoods or any other route.

He acknowledged that walking the Lake is “engrained in our DNA” but added, “The Lake is not where you want to be right now.”

Maio went even further and asked the Town Council to limit parking along the Lake, in all public parking areas near the Lake and on all side streets adjacent to the lake as a way to cut down on the number of people walking the Lake. He said that he believed that the recent declaration of a state of emergency in town gave the Town Council the power to take extraordinary measures.

He also said that he had heard that Northeast Metro Tech parking lot will also be closed to discourage people from walking in Breakheart.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to take this route,” Maio said. He added that he will instruct the town’s two civilian parking enforcement officers enforce the new parking limits around the Lake.

The Town Council voted 7-0 to limit parking around the Lake effective immediately.

Maio also indicated that at next Monday’s meeting, he will ask the Town Council to cancel the town’s July Fourth celebration, including the parade. Even if social distancing was eased by then, he did not think it wise to bring over 50,000 people into Wakefield so soon.

He also noted that the virus-related shutdown has hindered planning and fundraising by the Wakefield Independence Day Committee and the West Side Social Club, the two organizations that put the annual celebration together. Maio said that he had spoken to representatives of both groups.

He added that canceling July Fourth would give the police and other first responders a much needed break and save the town a sizable chunk of money at a time when it is taking a big revenue hit.

Maio and board members thanked town employees and first responders for stepping up during the emergency.

It was noted that the Food Pantry remains open for those in need. Residents were urged to support the Food Pantry, the Boys & Girls Club and the town’s Emergency Fund during this time.

Maio also encouraged donations to the Chamber of Commerce Wakefield Cards for the Community fund, which uses donations to purchase gift cards from Wakefield food establishments and then gives them to needy individuals and families identified by the Food pantry and the School Department.

Town Councilor Paul DiNocco noted that national crowd-funding organization Patronicity had reached out to him regarding possible crowd-funding approaches to helping struggling local businesses. He said that he is looking forward to hearing more about their ideas.