Wayland Finance Committee may pull transfer station compactor, questions school cost overruns

WAYLAND — January 8, 2024 — Wayland Finance Committee questions $200K school cost overruns, may strike transfer station compactor. The committee on Monday flagged that fiscal 2025 quotes for a middle school fire control system came in around $370,000 versus a $170,000 budget, and boiler work rose roughly $61,000 to $170,000, weeks after the capital plan was finalized. A high school wastewater replacement also jumped from $2.45 million to $5.5 million. Member Kelly Lappin said she would not support a partial appropriation: "No idea where the other money is coming from." Members signaled they may pull a $75,000 transfer station compactor, citing a roughly $150,000 town subsidy propping up the enterprise fund with no business plan. The committee voted 6-0 to insert a placeholder omnibus budget article for the May 13 annual town meeting.