Wayland FinCom deadlocks 3-3 on tax-foreclosed property sale article

WAYLAND -- February 3, 2025, Wayland Finance Committee splits 3-3 on tax-foreclosed property sale. The deadlock on Article Q leaves the committee without a recommendation on whether to let the Select Board sell or repurpose a four-acre parcel the town foreclosed on in 2019 for about $100,000 in unpaid taxes; the property is now assessed at more than $800,000. The chair said he voted no because there is no concrete reuse plan and the town has not committed to returning excess equity to the former owner, calling it the morally "right thing to do." Member Carl Barnes questioned the site for affordable housing, citing the "opportunity cost" of not selling at market. The committee recommended approval of the $30,000 Sudbury Valley water quality article, the CPA set-aside moving $138,651 to the Affordable Housing Trust, and the personnel bylaw update carrying 2.5 percent COLAs (2.75 percent for police). Finance Director Brian Keveney said the Select Board takes up OPEB and related items Feb. 10.