Wayland HRDEI Committee elects new chair, adopts program co-sponsorship rules

WAYLAND — January 16, 2024 — Wayland's HRDEI Committee elected Karen Blumenfeld chair through June 30 and adopted formal co-sponsorship guidelines. Blumenfeld, the outgoing vice chair, was nominated unanimously to succeed Yamini Ranjan, who resigned; the committee will rotate the vice chair role monthly among Mary Ann Burkowski, Carlin Gruber, Yawu, Heather Pino and Eunji. Members unanimously approved an eight-point framework requiring "yes" answers on inclusivity and educational value and "no" answers on whether a program could be construed as "religious proselytization or coercion." Using the new rules, the committee voted to co-sponsor the Wayland Chinese American Association's Feb. 10 Lunar New Year celebration and two library programs on the swastika symbol and the Massachusetts flag and seal. Procurement Officer John Bugbee said the town's roughly $80,000 community equity assessment drew 20 to 30 vendor downloads, with bids due Jan. 25. Jessica Schendel reported a $2,000 Wayland Cultural Council grant for the May 19 multicultural festival — "very, very generous," she said.