WaylandeNews.com

Representative Thomas Conroy welcomes applications for internships

Representative Thomas Conroy welcomes applications for internships in his office at the State House this summer. Preference will go towards college students, and applicants from the district are strongly encouraged to apply. Interns will divide their time between researching legislation and issues, writing letters, attending hearings and legislative briefings, and conducting a research project of [...]

Volunteers Needed for MetroWest Medical Program

The MetroWest Free Medical Program provides health care for those without insurance in our communities. The program offered services to more than 1,100 individuals in 2009.  We have openings for volunteers at the Sudbury location for Social Workers and Registered Nurses. Social work volunteer responsibilities include meeting with patients to screen for mental health needs, making [...]

Domestic Violence Services Network Volunteer Training Opportunity

Collaboration, Connection, Community.  DVSN will be holding its Spring Advocate training from March 1, 2010 through March 22, 2010. DVSN is a community-based organization that works in collaboration with the Police Departments of its ten member towns (Acton, Bedford, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Maynard, Stow, and Wayland) and Hanscom AFB to combat Domestic Violence.  [...]

State Ways & Means Committees to Hold Hearing in Sudbury on FY 2011 Budget for Health and Human Services

State Representative Thomas P. Conroy is pleased to announce that on February 23, 2010, at the Sudbury Town Hall (322 Concord Road, Sudbury), he will be co-chairing a joint House and Senate Ways and Means Committee budget hearing on our Commonwealth’s provision of health and human services to vulnerable families and individuals.  The 10am hearing [...]

Wayland Residents Named a “Massachusetts Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers Magazine

Wayland attorneys Lawrence M. Green and Edward F. Perlman were both named 2009 “Massachusetts Super Lawyers” by Massachusetts Super Lawyers magazine.  Massachusetts Super Lawyers identifies the top 5 percent of attorneys in the state, as chosen by their peers and through the independent research of Law & Politics.  About 31,000 attorneys in Massachusetts who have [...]

Free home energy saving seminar coming to Wayland

Want to reduce your home energy costs? Looking for cheap, do-it-yourself solutions? Want to know how to get the most bang for your buck when weatherizing your home? Interested in ways to finance this work and rebates available?
You’ll learn about all this and more by attending a free Weatherizing Your Home for Ultimate Savings seminar [...]

Admissions coffee for NashobaBrooks School

Learn more about the NashobaBrooks School on Wednesday, February 10, 8:45-10am at the home of Janet and Steve Correia, 188 Glezen Lane, Wayland. The Head of School and Interim Director of Admission will be on hand to answer questions. Meet current parents and hear more about the school's commitment to rigorous academics, character education, diversity, and social [...]

Board of Selectmen stand firm on traffic mitigation for Town Center

Wayland Town Crier 2/2/10: Board of Selectmen stand firm on traffic mitigation for Town Center. The Board of Selectmen dug in its heels on Monday night, refusing to amend traffic mitigation measures in its Development Agreement for the proposed Town Center project, thus continuing a stalemate with the Historic District Commission (HDC) which decreed that no road work take place in the Historic District until the project is substantially under way. Twenty Wayland is in litigation with the HDC over the conditions issued in its decision. "In view of the clear recommendations of our traffic consultant, it would be quite imprudent for the board to fly in the face of that and amend the agreement," said Selectmen Michael Tichnor. The selectmen’s decision was in response to a letter from Twenty Wayland on Jan. 20, in which the developer requested the four parties who previously issued or were party to agreements relative to traffic improvements required for the development to amend their agreements as outlined in the HDC’s certificate of hardship.

First peek at upcoming Town Meeting articles

Wayland Town Crier 2/2/10: First peek at upcoming Town Meeting articles. Forty articles were submitted for inclusion in the warrant for annual Town Meeting starting May 10, but two Planning Board articles have already been withdrawn, and more articles may be withdrawn or deferred until special Town Meeting in the fall. The Finance Committee held a hearing on Monday night for petitioners to present their articles. The deadline for petitioners’ final comments is March 10 and final adjustments to the warrant are due on April 14. Three petitioner’s articles – 20, 22 and 29 – seek to modify procedures or the format of town meeting itself. A newly appointed Town Meeting Procedures Review Committee will provide its recommendation on these articles.

Parents, doctors prod NFL on brain injuries

Boston Globe 2/2/10: Parents, doctors prod NFL on brain injuries. There was the nasty concussion Ben Price suffered from an eighth-grade skiing accident. Then the countless jarrings from wrestling and baseball. By senior year, he was plagued by nagging headaches after football practices at Wayland High School. His mother, Wendy Price, did not connect the incidents until a chance conversation last year with another parent at a youth soccer game. That parent, Dr. Ann McKee, is studying a form of early dementia that was once thought to develop primarily in boxers. Now McKee and her colleagues think the disease may be silently destroying the brains of athletes in a variety of sports after years of repetitive blows to the head. "You don’t know who is going to be the unlucky one," said Price, who asked McKee to speak at a forum in Wayland. The turnout – 200 parents, coaches, and students attended – was a sign of the success of the nation’s first center to study chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. Created by McKee and three partners 17 months ago at Boston University Medical School, the center has quickly spread awareness about the dangers of repetitive head injuries, largely by targeting the National Football League.

Wayland Spirit Wins Indoor Soccer Championship!

Wayland Spirit won the Newton Indoor Sports Friday season 1 league championship in thrilling fashion this January! The sixth grade girls beat 2nd place Needham 4-1 in the semi-finals, and beat undefeated and heavily favored Wellesley 4-2 in the championship match. Despite being significantly out shot, the girls managed to make their few shots on [...]

A new way to check out books from the library

Wayland Town Crier 2/3/10: A new way to check out books from the library. The Wayland Library – along with more than 40 other members of the Minuteman Library Network – is now offering its patrons free anytime anywhere access to a growing collection of digital audio books, as well as downloadable e-books.

New Photo Exhibit at Town Building

The Wayland Cultural Council is pleased to announce a new photo exhibit in its Gallery at the Wayland Town Building. This exhibit describes the trip taken by the Wayland High School Honors Jazz Band and its director, Joe Oneshuck, to New Orleans in April 2009.
 
Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, Wayland resident and BSO member Richard Sebring composed [...]

Temple Shir Tikva Runs Tent Drive for Homeless in Haiti

In the aftermath of January’s catastrophic earthquake in Haiti, the congregation of Temple Shir Tikva is organizing a Tent Drive to help provide shelter for some of the hundreds of thousands who are homeless. Working in conjunction with a Harvard relief team that is already on the ground, the Temple is asking for contributions to buy family-size tents that can house 7-8 people. Each tent costs about $150, but donations of any size are welcome. Please do not donate actual tents, as the Temple has a bulk supplier they will be working with. Checks should be made out to Temple Shir Tikva, with “Social Action – Tents for Haiti” in the memo line. Please feel free to contact Mimi Facher for more information.

Earth Day Celebration

earthdaynetwork Earth Day Celebration. The Wayland Schools’ Green Team is hosting an Earth Day Celebration designed to bring the schools and the community together to support our planet. It will be held at the Wayland Town Building, 41 Cochituate Rd, Wayland Massachusetts from 11am-2pm. Numerous vendors and committees will display their information and detail [...]

Wayland’s Jill Stein to launch campaign for governor

Metrowest Daily News 2/4/10: Wayland's Jill Stein to launch campaign for governor. Dr. Jill Stein of Wayland will declare her candidacy for governor of Massachusetts on Monday, Feb. 8 at a rally in front of the State House. The event is scheduled for 11 a.m., across from the Robert Gould Shaw monument. A crowd of enthusiastic volunteers from across the state is expected to attend.

Many Thursdays, October-May, Great Presenter Series, Wayland Library, 7:30-9pm

[ October 1, 2009; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. October 8, 2009; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. November 12, 2009; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. January 7, 2010; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. February 4, 2010; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. February 18, 2010; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. March 4, 2010; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. April 1, 2010; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. May 6, 2010; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. ] Great Presenters Series: This year we have organized a series of programs by local experts. The series started on the evening of October 1 when technology leader John Landry will answer the question “What’s Next in the Tech World?” 
It continues on October 8 with Sudbury Valley Trustees' Ron McAdow and Marylynn Gentry.  Do you want [...]

Thursday, February 4, Great Presenters Series: Jerrold Mitchell on Investing Strategies, Wayland Library, 7:30-9pm

[ February 4, 2010; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. ] WHAT CAN INDIVIDUALS LEARN FROM
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTING STRATEGIES?
Jerrold Mitchell
Jerry will explain the strategies that “thought leaders” in institutional investing employ and whether or not individuals can copy those strategies to improve their own portfolios. He will talk about the best ways to avoid disappointment when investing.
Over the past 40 [...]

HSBC outlines student parking details and roadmap for construction

Wayland Student Press Network 2/4/10: HSBC outlines student parking details and roadmap for construction. Over 75 students piled into L1 on Wednesday, as a part of Winter Week, to hear about the development of the new high school plan and the future of student parking. The session was led by Lea Anderson, the Chairman of High School Building Committee, with the help of Diane Bladon, head of the Wayland High School Parents Organization. Anderson and Bladon led students through a presentation outlining the plans for the new school. The idea for a new high school first emerged more than eight years ago. The need for a new school arose from numerous factors, including the lack of handicap accessibility and overcrowding in the current school. One possible option was renovating the existing school; however, said Anderson, “It is cheaper to build new.”

To Tell, or not to tell: Laws conflict on public disclosure of job reviews

Worcester Telegram 2/5/10: To Tell, or not to tell: Laws conflict on public disclosure of job reviews. A recent Supreme Judicial Court decision does little to resolve a long-running conflict between state laws that govern public meetings and public records, according to local officials and observers. The state’s highest court sided with the Middlesex district attorney’s office when it found the Wayland School Committee violated the Open Meeting Law by evaluating the school superintendent in executive, or nonpublic, session. The Open Meeting Law requires that discussion of a public employee’s professional competence be public; it does not apply to discussion of his or her reputation, character or health. But under public records law, written performance evaluations are exempt from disclosure, unless made public by the employee being evaluated. “Many of us are still confused as to how a board is to compile a confidential, nonpublic document (the evaluation) but discuss the same subject in an open meeting,” said Gregory B. Franks, Westboro’s town counsel.

Special election dates set for Scott Brown state senate seat

Boston Globe 2/5/10: Special election dates set for Scott Brown state senate seat. The state Senate announced that residents of Brown’s former state Senate district will vote May 11, with party primaries scheduled for April 13, according to State House News Service.

Wayland Library Newsletter, February 5, 2010

WEATHERIZING YOUR HOME
On Monday, March 8, from 7-9 p.m., the Library and Wayland’s Energy Initiatives Advisory Committee are co-sponsoring a program by the Massachusetts Municipal Association on “Weatherizing Your Home for Ultimate Savings” in the library’s Raytheon Room. The workshop is being supported also by Energy Unlimited, a local business providing energy conservation products, wood stoves, [...]

Grand Opening of Viva Mexican Grill and Tequileria on February 10

Viva Mexican Grill and Tequileria will celebrate their grand opening on Wednesday, February 10. The restaurant is located at 15 E. Plain St., the former site of Morn's.  Contact them via email at viva@vivamexicangrill.com.

Friday, February 5, From the Romantic Salon, First Parish Church, 8pm

[ February 5, 2010; 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. ] Join the Historical Society for an evocative evening of intimate chamber music for guitar, flute, viola, and cello.  The program will include a Schubert’s Notturno for flute, viola, cello, and guitar; a trio for guitar, viola, and cello by Paganini; and other chamber works. Olav Chris Henriksen will join the ensemble, performing on an authentic [...]

Friday, February 5, Musicians of the Old Post Road present From the Romantic Salon, First Parish, Wayland, 8pm

[ October 23, 2009; 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. October 24, 2009; 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. February 5, 2010; 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. ] Musicians of the Old Post Road will offer a fascinating musical time capsule this February. Performing on a guitar that has been in his family for generations, Olav Chris Henriksen will join the ensemble for a program that will include music from a collection that has also been in his family since the early 1800’s, but [...]

Friday, February 5, Livingston Taylor Benefit Concert for Natick Community Organic Farm, Wilson Middle School, Natick, 8pm

[ February 5, 2010; 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. ]

Advance tickets $30 members, $33 nonmembers. At-the-door tickets $35.

VIP tickets ($65 members, $70 nonmembers) include priority seating at the concert and admission to pre-event 'Gathering Round the NCOF Woodstove with Livingston, drinks, NCOF turkey and vegetarian pot pie, and NCOF salad greens from 5:30-7pm. Advanced reservations only

Order online with a credit card or order online with an e-check or send your check and order form to Natick Community Organic Farm, 117 Eliot Street, Natick, MA 01760

The history behind house on Harrison Street

Wayland Town Crier 2/4/10: The history behind house on Harrison Street. The house at 20 Harrison St. in Wayland has a long and lively history. Originally built around 1870 and first owned by a member of the prominent Goodnow family, it is believed to be the oldest extant dwelling on the street and one of the oldest in Cochituate. Starting in the early 1970s and until very recently, it was occupied by a colorful town character, Charlie Campbell, and known among locals as the "Who Hotel." No one seems to know exactly why it was given this moniker, but scuttlebutt has it that the Who Hotel was known among local teens as well as older partygoers as the go-to place for a little late-night action.

Inside look at new Department of Public Works

Wayland Town Crier 2/4/10: Inside look at new Department of Public Works. The League of Women Voters hosted a forum last week for the public to meet and ask questions of the director of the recently created Department of Public Works (DPW). Don Ouellette, Wayland’s first DPW director, began by speaking of the advantages of the department in terms of cost cutting, high quality of work and well-coordinated projects. "Savings will be achieved in administrative matters by one department doing the job that originally took four," he said. Three superintendents for highways, parks and water, respectively, who report to the director, are part of this administrative overhaul. According to Ouellette, "Efficiency savings will result from shared equipment and reduced management cost since increased coordination will create a more streamlined process."

Wayland High students ready for trip of a lifetime

Wayland Town Crier 2/5/10: Wayland High students ready for trip of a lifetime. When buying a cup of coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts, not many high school students stop to think about where that coffee actually came from – beyond the worker behind the cashier all the way to where and how it was grown. Jim Page, teacher of entrepreneurship and business management at Wayland High School, has made it his business to see that his students are educated consumers. Fourteen juniors and seniors will be accompanying Page to Chiapas, Mexico, during February vacation to learn about sustainable development and ethically traded coffee. "The driving factor behind the trip to Mexico is that I want students to understand there’s a story behind every product they use," said Page.

Meet new director of Wayland School Community Programs

Wayland Town Crier 2/5/10: Meet new director of Wayland School Community Programs. Brian Jones, the new director of the Wayland School Community Programs (WSCP), believes a high- performing district like Wayland deserves exciting new activities for the children every day. Initially hired to be director of Pegasus, WSCP’s summer program, Jones began to get to know the Wayland schoolchildren. While looking for an administrative position, this new opportunity presented itself. Formerly a seventh- and eighth-grade math teacher in the Brookline Public Schools, Jones also worked as after-school director and acting vice principal in his last year at the Lincoln School in Brookline. With a master’s in education and another master’s almost complete in education administration from Boston College, he feels confident that WSCP has the best programs possible.

Elderly couple went on alleged swindling spree

Boston Globe 2/7/10: Elderly couple went on alleged swindling spree. They were youthful sweethearts who, after separate lives and failed marriages, had found each other again later in life. They settled in an idyllic Cape Cod cottage she had inherited from her father, refurbishing it, taking long walks with their golden retriever, Winston, and spending hours on their back porch overlooking a tidal salt marsh on the bay. It was a storybook tale of second chances and rediscovered love, and Benjamin and Jane Wolff told it often. They also talked of his once high-flying investment career at Goldman Sachs, of the times he rubbed elbows with the likes of Martha Stewart and Warren Buffett, and of the lucrative investment deals he was pursuing in retirement. But then in 2005, the story line received a jolt: A Barnstable County sheriff’s deputy seized the Cape Cod cottage in foreclosure proceedings, and the couple soon disappeared.

Sunday, February 7, 8th Annual Summer Camp Fair, L-S Regional High School, 11am-2pm

[ February 7, 2010; 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. ]

80+ camps offering information on day, overnight and travel programs for students in grades K-12. Parents and students can meet and speak with representatives from these camps offering unique programs including travel, community service, arts, sports, academic enrichment and traditional camp options.  Admission is FREE   For Additional information, visit www.sudburycampfair.org

Sunday, February 7, Sara Wheeler’s Little Groove, Claypit Hill School, 3pm.

[ February 7, 2010; 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm. ] The Wayland Children and Parents Association presents a children's musical performance by Sara Wheeler's Little Groove at the Claypit Hill Elementary School on Sunday February 7th at 3:00 pm. The cost is $7 for WCPA members and $10 for non-members (children under 1 are free). Claypit Hill Elementary is located at 40 Adams Lane in [...]

Monday, February 8, Author Chris DeVany, Wayland Library, 7pm

[ February 8, 2010; 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. ]

Come hear Wayland author Chris DeVany discuss his book, 90 Days to a High-Performance Team, recently published by McGraw Hill. Chris is the founder and president of Pinnacle Performance Improvement Worldwide, a management consulting firm which focuses on management and organization development. Location: Raytheon Room. [Note: date changed from initial schedule of January 28]

POSTPONED! Final Public Flu Clinic This Season rescheduled for Tuesday, February 23

Press Release

WAYLAND BOARD OF HEALTH

 
URGENT

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10th FLU CLINIC has been POSTPONED due to weather concerns
 
New Date: Tuesday, February 23rd, 3-7pm at Wayland Town Building

 
H1N1 FLU MIST AND INJECTABLE VACCINE AVAILABLE;
SEASONAL VACCINE INJECTABLE ONLY AVAILABLE
(NO SEASONAL FLU MIST)

Available to all interested individuals regardless of age. No restrictions. No appointments necessary. No charge to you, but please [...]

Earth Day Celebration Poster Contest

Budding young artists up to grade 8 are invited to enter the Earth Day Coloring Contest hosted by the Wayland GREEN TEAM. The theme is "Earth Day Every Day."
Posters based on this theme should be on standard paper size of 8 ½ inches x 11inches, preferably on re-used or recycled-content paper, and can be created [...]

Earth Day Celebration hosted by the Wayland GREEN TEAM Task Force

The Wayland Schools' GREEN TEAM is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day by hosting an Earth Day Celebration at the Wayland Town Building, 41 Cochituate Rd, Wayland Massachusetts on Sunday April 11, 2010 from 11:00am to 2:00pm. This event is community-wide and designed to mobilize all of us to create change by taking small [...]

Split decision to grant new liquor license

Wayland Town Crier 2/9/10: Split decision to grant new liquor license. In a split decision on Monday night, the Board of Selectmen voted to grant a beer and wine license to Wayland Variety and Deli, located at 70 Boston Post Road. Resident Pankaj Patel, principal shareholder of the corporation and manager of the store, appeared before the board with his attorney Tim Collins. The debate centered around the proximity of Wayland Variety and Deli to Post Road Liquors, at 44 Boston Post Road, as well as the fact that the store is frequented by local teenagers. There was also concern that, although the town currently has several licenses available, they should be saved for potential use at restaurants and package stores in the proposed Town Center. Joe Nolan, Steven Correia and Michael Tichnor voted to grant the license. Tom Fay and Susan Pope opposed it.

Sudbury and Wayland may decide to share transfer station

Wayland Town Crier 2/9/10: Sudbury and Wayland may decide to share transfer station. The town of Sudbury plans to raise the cost to use the transfer station from $125 to $155, and implement a $25 recycle-only sticker fee in July. In addition, the town is working on details to determine if consolidating its transfer station with Wayland is feasible.

Wayland historian and author to give talk in Lowell

Wayland Town Crier 2/9/10: Wayland historian and author to give talk in Lowell. Wayland historian and author Jane Sciacca will be giving a talk and book signing as part of the upcoming Kids’ Week on Feb. 15 to 20 sponsored by the Lowell National Historical Park. She will be speaking about her children’s work, "Mr. [...]

Pro Poker Player and Media Personality Bernard Lee Named Official Spokesperson for Foxwoods Resort Casino

PRESS RELEASE
 
MASHANTUCKET, CT (February 9, 2010) –Foxwoods Resort Casino today announced that professional poker player and media personality Bernard Lee has been named official spokesperson for the property’s World Poker Tour-branded Poker Room. Foxwoods, a charter member of the WPT, is the first major casino to sponsor a poker professional.
 
A Wayland, Massachusetts resident, Lee has [...]

Fresh Air Fund seeks host families for Summer 2010

Yes, there is snow on the ground, but the countdown to Summer 2010 has begun and The Fresh Air Fund is again in need of host families. Please help place these children into a loving host family home for a fresh air experience they will never forget.  In 2009, The Fresh Air Fund's Volunteer Host [...]

Moody’s Assigns Aaa credit rating to Wayland

From the Town Administrator:

Please find pasted below a link to the statement from Moody’s Investors Service regarding the Town’s credit rating.  The rating reflects the continuing confidence of independent evaluators of the Town’s fiscal condition, management, and long-term financial planning.

According to Moody’s:   “The Aaa rating is based on the town’s favorably located and wealthy tax base as well as a sound financial position with significant flexibility provided by voter support of Proposition 2 ½ operating overrides and debt exclusions. The rating also incorporates the town’s modest debt burden that is expected to remain very manageable despite future debt plans.Wayland’s financial strength has improved significantly due to management’s conservative approach to budgeting revenues and managing expenditures.”

The full report is available online here:   http://www.wayland.ma.us/accounting/Moody's%20Wayland%201-10%20Rating.pdf

Wayland Recreation Department Youth Summer Programs at a Glance

Spring/Summer Brochure will be mailed to Wayland residents and will be available online for all to read at the end of February. Registration will begin then. Website: www.wayland.ma.us
 
Week of June 21         Archery, Summer Adventure
 
Week of June 28         Summer Adventure, Beach Buddies, Counselor In Training,
Baseball, Tennis,Gizmo Robot Factory, Wheelthrown Pottery, Thundercats -Kiddie Cat Jam, Thundercats -Sports Jam
 
Week [...]

WHS Junior wins investment essay award

Wayland Student Press Network 2/10/10: Junior wins investment essay award. Junior Ben Shelton was awarded a first place trophy from InvestWrite, a statewide essay competition, in a surprise presentation in Mr. Gavron’s Stocks class on Monday morning.

InvestWrite, a program run by SIFMA, the Foundation for Investor Education, holds competitions for students in grades 4-12 twice a year. Participants submit essays about stocks and investing strategies. Students from Wayland High School have been finalists in the competition for the past four years, but Shelton is the first from Wayland to win first place.

Warning Regarding Solicitation for Water Line Insurance Coverage by Home Service USA Corp.

Residents of Wayland likely received a package of material from Home Service USA Corp. offering insurance protection  for the water supply line that connects water service from the pipe in the street.  The marketing material has a headline entitled “State of Massachusetts, Middlesex County, City of Wayland, Water Line Service Coverage for (name and address [...]

Newest recipient of Mary L. Johnson Travelship award named

Wayland Town Crier 2/9/10: Newest recipient of Mary L. Johnson Travelship award named. With the announcement of the Mary L. Johnson Travelship award this year, Kevin Delaney joins a distinguished group of 22 past and present Wayland educators.

WSCP Debuts Middle School Computer Class

Computer-savvy Wayland Middle School students will have a chance to bring their skills to a new level through a “Computer Cadets” course being debuted in March by Wayland School Community Programs (WSCP).
 
While helping individual students build on existing skills, the eight-week course is designed to create a core of trained “Computer Cadets.” Their skills will [...]

Wayland High School student leads electronic voting demonstration

Wayland Town Crier 2/11/10: Wayland High School student leads electronic voting demonstration. fter the chaos and confusion of last November’s special Town Meeting, many Wayland voters are ready for changes that will make the event more efficient, effective and user-friendly. Of the many recommendations that have been submitted, electronic voting seems to have gained considerable traction. Earlier this month, about 50 residents attended a demonstration of electronic voting organized and presented by 17-year-old Wayland High School junior Monique Sager. Sager’s group, Improve Wayland Democracy, is supporting articles 20 and 29 at next May’s annual Town Meeting. Article 20 calls for determining whether the town will appropriate funds for electronic voting. Article 29 calls for determining whether the town will support the creation of a Web site to allow voters to debate the pros and cons of town meeting issues online and interactively. Reaction to the presentation was mixed. "We spend a lot of money in this town on a lot of things," said resident Anette Lewis. "So if it’s really $16 per person and it will last for a number of years, I think it’s money well spent." Selectman Susan Pope was concerned about the cost and the fact that, if Wayland adopts electronic voting, it will be the first community in the commonwealth to do so. She also felt the Web site sounded too much like a blog. Alluding to the impending creation of the Town Meeting Procedures Review Committee to study all of the proposals on the table, Pope believed it was premature to move ahead on electronic voting and the Web site. For more information on the proposal click here.

Save Our Services omits contribution of e-mail list in original filing

Wayland Town Crier 2/11/10: Save Our Services omits contribution of e-mail list in original filing. Grassroots organization Save Our Services (SOS) is catching flak for donating an e-mail distribution list to a ballot question committee created to support the High School building vote last year, with questions hovering over whether the organization violated its own anti-spam policy.

SOS donated the list to the ballot question committee Yes4WHS prior to last fall’s election and Town Meeting, despite a policy on its Web site that SOS has a spam-free e-mail list “used solely to keep you informed about issues related to Wayland services.” The site also states that you can unsubscribe to the e-mail list at any time.

Yes4WHS then failed to report the donated e-mail list to the town clerk’s office.