Wayland Personnel Board OKs fire vacation carryovers, backs bylaw rewrite

WAYLAND -- May 6, 2024, Wayland Personnel Board approves fire vacation carryovers and splits over its own bylaw rewrite. The board unanimously granted carryover requests from 14 of 28 firefighters, totaling 42 day shifts and 37 night shifts, and required the time be used by Dec. 31, 2024. Firefighter Tim Dempsey, out seven months on injured-on-duty leave, won an exception for seven days and four nights; union president Mitch Mabry amended his request to two-and-four. On Article 12, which would make the board advisory to the town manager, members voted 3-1 to authorize Chair Maryanne Peabody to speak at town meeting reflecting the original 3-1-1 vote. "It would be really strange for the personnel board to speak against a motion that it carried," member Mary Ellen Castagno said. Police received 3.25 percent cost-of-living raises for FY24 and FY25; non-union miscellaneous staff get 2.75 percent.