League forum airs nine Wayland warrant articles before May 1 Town Meeting

WAYLAND -- April 20, 2023, Wayland petitioners preview nine warrant articles, headlined by an MWRA connection and FinCom overhaul. At a League of Women Voters forum moderated by Mary Antes on April 20, Board of Public Works member Cliff pitched Article 12, a permanent Massachusetts Water Resources Authority connection via a three-mile main along the Hultman Aqueduct right-of-way, estimated at $13 million to $14 million after engineers trimmed an initial $41 million figure; the MWRA has waived a roughly $7 million connection fee. "We're not asking for any money at all under this article," Cliff said, only a favorable vote, with about $2 million in design funds to follow, half from ARPA. Jeanne Downs presented a $150,000 Special Education Reserve Fund as FY24 special ed costs jump 48 percent. CPC member Kelly Pierce walked through three CPA-funded projects at Heard Farm, Cochituate Ball Field and the Town Beach, while George Harris, standing in for Moderator Dennis Berry, argued Article 21's former-member appointing seat better preserves "separation of powers" than the Select Board's competing Article 20.