Wayland Cultural Council picks "nature and community" theme for new utility box art

WAYLAND — October 11, 2022 — Wayland Cultural Council unanimously adopts "nature and community" as its 2023 utility box theme. The 5-0 vote at the Oct. 11 remote meeting, on a motion from Rabbi Katie Allen, expands last year's two-box nature pilot to as many as three new locations — Wayland High School, West Plain Street at Cochituate Road, and Old Connecticut Path at Route 27 — pending Select Board approval. Chair Rachel Seidman Kurtz said 11 grant applications were in hand with five or six more in draft ahead of the Oct. 17 deadline; the scoring meeting is set for Nov. 8. Treasurer Sean reported the council's $6,300-plus state allocation leaves roughly $1,340 for council-led projects and about $63.67 in unspent administrative funds, and said the annual state report is delayed because town accounting figures don't yet reconcile with the council's ledger. A previously approved box at routes 20 and 27 was deferred because of pending road construction, and an election ballot box project is on hold while a new town clerk gets up to speed.