Wayland school finance panel moves to restart long-range building plan

WAYLAND — July 24, 2024 — Wayland's School Committee Finance Subcommittee voted July 24 to revive a long-range school building plan and bring it to the full committee in August. Chair Erin Gibbons, new member Betsy Cullen and finance director Susan Bottan said roughly $288,000 in FY25 funds is available and that next steps include working with Assistant Town Manager John Bugbee on a scope of services for an engineering and design firm, modeled on Lexington's master planning committee. Bottan said the town wants multi-year budgets wrapped by the end of August to avoid an FY26 override, and that Town Manager Brian Keveny's placeholder school figure does not reflect WTA step increases. Cullen, citing the 2017 RAP report, said it is "past time" to assess facilities for the next 5, 10 and 20 years. Members approved May 13 minutes 2-0 and set a 5 p.m. pre-meeting cadence.