Wayland HRDEI Committee taps local consultant for $100,000 equity assessment

WAYLAND — August 15, 2023 — Wayland's HRDEI Committee unanimously picked a local DEI consultant to guide the town's $100,000 equity assessment. Vice Chair Karen Blumenfeld and Chair Yamini Ranjan recommended Dr. Eden-Renee Hayes of Pluralism Solutions as "thought partner" after interviewing her alongside UPD Consulting CEO Doug Austin and Belmont Human Rights Commission Chair Kim Hailey-Jackson. The committee plans to spend roughly $10,000 on the partner contract, hold $10,000 in contingency, and reserve $80,000 for the firm that will conduct the assessment under a forthcoming RFP. The Wayland Public Schools will not be included; Belmont paid MIT about $49,000 for a separate school audit. Members also voted 4-2 with two abstentions against co-sponsoring a film screening over concerns about its Christian framing, and unanimously agreed to co-sponsor a Sept. 17 community safety meeting with acting Police Chief Ed Burman. Town Clerk Trudy Reid opened the meeting with an Open Meeting Law refresher, warning that "you should not be using acronyms on the agenda."