Wayland Select Board declines in-person early voting for April election

WAYLAND -- February 6, 2023, Wayland Select Board skips in-person early voting and steers ARPA funds to Snake Brook Dam. Town Clerk Trudy Reed told the board the September primary cost about $22 per in-person early voter against 81 ballots cast, and recommended retaining vote-by-mail only; the board took no action, leaving the status quo. Member Christopher Reynolds pushed back, saying "life is not convenient right now for a lot of people." The board voted 5-0 to allocate $650,000 in ARPA funds to the Snake Brook Dam project and $25,000 to town building defibrillators. Finance Director Brian Keveny said proceeds from the River's Edge sale and the town's 212 Stonebridge Road property are legally restricted from operating use, but $900,000 in capital closeouts will let staff eliminate $687,000 in taxation from the FY24 capital budget. The board also unanimously appointed Prashant Shukla as Planning Board associate and Wayland High sophomore Tara Karr to the Energy and Climate Committee's student seat.