Personnel Board approves three town hires but split on fire department funding

WAYLAND -- August 1, 2023, Wayland Personnel Board approves three salaries but splits over fire department funding transparency. The board on Tuesday unanimously set the incoming library director at Grade N11, step 7 ($115,876) and the new town engineer at Grade N9, step 10 ($113,905), with HR Director Kate Ryan noting the engineer position has been vacant for months because private-sector pay runs $150,000 to $200,000. A fire department administrative assistant was approved 3-0 at Grade N4, step 9 ($65,809), with member Mary Ellen Castagno abstaining after objecting that the town's full-time equivalent chart still shows the role at 0.54 FTE with no benefits. "I'm not comfortable taking from Peter to pay Paul," Castagno said. Fire Chief McPherson joined by invitation to confirm the department's salary line already carried funding for two part-time positions being combined into one. The board also approved a revised HR assistant job description 3-1.