Wayland's new Capital Improvement Planning Committee organizes, elects Lappin chair

WAYLAND — September 9, 2025 — Wayland's new Capital Improvement Planning Committee organized Tuesday and elected Kelly Lappin chair. The five-member panel, authorized at spring town meeting and cleared by the Attorney General's office, unanimously chose Lappin — a former six-year Finance Committee member — as chair and litigation attorney Bradford Carver as vice-chair, both on 5-0 roll calls. Town Manager Michael McCall said the committee will vet capital projects above $25,000 with useful lives over five years, screen mid-year opportunities like a possible $1.5 million acquisition of 14 West Plain Street, and weigh in on CPA requests that create maintenance obligations. Finance Director Brian Keveney said the bylaw's Oct. 15 recommendation deadline cannot be met this year; departments will submit fiscal 2027 requests by mid-October. Member Brian O'Herlihy urged scrutiny of the existing plan, not just adding a fifth year: "It's getting really really down in the dirt on why those first four years are what they are." Next meeting: Sept. 17.