Personnel Board denies firefighter's request to further extend vacation carryover

WAYLAND -- December 16, 2025, Wayland Personnel Board rejects firefighter's bid to further extend a vacation carryover deadline. The board voted 4-0 Tuesday to deny a request to push past Dec. 30 the deadline to use five vacation days and four vacation nights that had already been carried over from fiscal 2025 under a May 6 approval. HR Director Kate Ryan said every other firefighter granted carryover used the time within the six-month window; the requesting firefighter wrote that he had been "reluctant to use any time as I don't want it to interfere with my ability to work overtime." Neither the firefighter nor Fire Chief Neil McPherson appeared. Member Mary Ellen Castagno warned against precedent: "Every year we say this is going to be the last time, and then we do it." Chair Maryanne Peabody also announced the appointment of new member Dave Williams.