Town Elections and Ballot Question are tomorrow, Tuesday, June 9. Options for voting are to (1) vote at the polls on Tuesday (7am-8pm), (2) vote in person absentee (Monday, 8am-12pm at the Town Clerk’s window at Town Building), (3) return your absentee or early voting ballots — if you have ballots and haven’t already returned them, you can hand-deliver them to the vestibule dropbox at Town Building (open 24 hours/day). They must be returned by 8pm on June 9, so it is not advisable to mail them at this point.
A sample ballot is online here. When you vote, don’t miss the ballot question tucked at the bottom of the page.
For links to candidate websites, please visit our Candidates page online here.
A water ban is now in effect. Underground and above ground sprinklers may only be used Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12-9am and 5-11:59pm
Visit our Events Calendaronline here. Many online events have been added.
Mission: The Town of Wayland has established the COVID-19 Relief Fund to collect financial donations and will use the funds to purchase grocery items from Wayland’s Donelan’s and Stop & Shop. Weekly deliveries to residents start the week of April 6th. Any Wayland individual or family with a self-identified need will be included. The Town is also coordinating with the three food pantries in Wayland.
Waylandenews Executive Director Kim Reichelt is a member of the Wayland School Committee
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Voting Information
Voting Options for June Elections/Ballot Question
Note: When you vote, don’t miss the debt exclusion question on the Loker Roof at the bottom of the ballot.
Town Election Ballots must be received no later than 9pm on June 9
Early and Absentee Voting
Ballots must be received no later than 8:00 pm on June 9.
Please note that the USPS mail delivery to the Town is slower than usual due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Town Election ballots can be hand-delivered to the Town Building vestibule drop box 24 hours every day.
Voting in Person at the polls
is from 7:00 am – 8:00 pm on June 9
In Person Absentee Voting
Voters who wish to In Person Absentee Vote may do so between 8:00 am and 12:30 pm on Friday, June 5 and between 8:00 am and noon on Monday, June 8 outside the Town Building at the Town Clerk’s office window.
* Wayland hair salons reopen with some restrictions. Wayland residents weighing the risks of giving themselves a haircut at home can breathe a sigh of relief. Hair salons and barbershops were allowed to open on May 25, with certain guidelines and restrictions, during Phase One of the four phases to reopen businesses across Massachusetts.
* Garden at Happy Hollow School in Wayland wins award. Thanks to the efforts of Happy Hollow School second-grade teacher Deborah Niles and countless families, students and colleagues, the Happy Hollow School Garden won a Green Difference Award from Project Green Schools. Project Green Schools is an organization finding and supporting tomorrow’s environmental leaders today while developing the next generation of environmental leaders through education, project-based learning and community service.
* Wayland May Use Monthly Budgets Until It’s Safe For Town Meeting. Wayland is preparing a way to move town finances into the fiscal 2021 budget year without holding the spring 2020 Town Meeting. The meeting, originally scheduled for April 5, may not happen until the end of June. Town Moderator Dennis Berry has pushed back the meeting due to safety issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.
* Wayland High grades won’t count toward GPA. The School Committee last week unanimously approved a proposal from Wayland High School administrators to not count this year’s grades into the cumulative grade point average for students. Transcripts for Wayland students, which will be seen by college admissions offices, will include letter grades for the first half of the 2019-20 school year, derived from the first quarter, second quarter and midyear exam. The remainder of the school year will be graded on a pass/fail basis, depending on whether students met or exceeded expectations on tasks at least 60% of the time. Students will earn full credit for courses if they pass both semesters.
* Non-profit Dignity Matters receives Cummings Foundation grant. Dignity Matters is one of 130 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 to $500,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s $20 Million Grant Program. The Framingham-based organization was chosen from a total of 738 applicants during a competitive review process.
Wayland Warriors Black Lives Matter Mask Fundraiser
During these difficult times, it is more important than ever to rise up and make a change in and with our community. By purchasing a mask, you are supporting an organization that is constantly fighting to end the oppression of black lives across the country, and you are keeping our community safe by combating the spread of COVID-19. Your support is greatly appreciated, and all profits will be sent directly to the Black Lives Matter Foundation. Click here to purchase.
For those who are in need of basic food resources, please call 508-358-7701.
Wayland Community Fund Needs Your Help! Please Donate!
We are expecting the Corona virus to present unusual challenges to our funding. With so many people out of work, it will become difficult for local residents to pay bills such as rent, utilities, and food purchases. The Wayland Community Fund (WCF) continues to help families in need during the Coronavirus epidemic and we continue to need your support! Please Donate! WCF provides short-term emergency financial assistance to Wayland residents who have lived in Wayland for at least one year. WCF provides funding for basic needs such as utilities, rent, food, medical bills, and other living expenses. The current epidemic has affected everyone in one way or another. Many of our neighbors have lost jobs, have no oil left in their tank, little food and/or are challenged with family care.
“Requests for help increased sharply this past year and donations continue to be down” according to Wayland Community Fund Chair, Lynn Dowd. WCF receives no public funding. It relies primarily on contributions from Wayland residents and a few businesses, supplemented by a small trust fund created 20 years ago. Managed by five appointed volunteer professionals, it has no overhead or administrative expenses.
Please consider supporting this vital Wayland community organization by sending a charitable donation to: The Wayland Community Fund, ℅ Treasurers’ Office, 41 Cochituate Road, Wayland, MA 01778 or Donate online. Residents must apply with a formal request for assistance and if eligible, payment is made directly to the vendor or supplier of service. If you know a Wayland resident who needs financial help, please ask them to call 508-358-3624. More information can be found on the Town of Wayland website.
Please Donate to Keep Families Safe from Abuse. Recently, the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable board voted to donate $20,000 to five area domestic violence agencies to support them in their efforts to keep survivors safe during the Coronavirus pandemic. While this time of social distancing is challenging for all of us, we know that for survivors, this crisis is being felt multi-fold and in some cases may be life threatening. We hope that many of you will join us to provide funds to keep victims safe. Our local programs are all continuing to provide support to survivors. Shelters and transitional living programs remain open, and community advocacy has shifted to a mostly phone/video call support system.
In addition to the safety risk that being confined to home has created, there are a plethora of other concerns. Right now, many survivors are facing lost wages due to workplaces closures. Food access is limited. Bills, rent, and utilities are likely not going to be able to be paid. Domestic violence agencies are already hearing increased needs for financial support from survivors, and they know this will only grow exponentially as this pandemic continues. We know that we live in very generous communities, and we are asking those of you who are able to make an online financial donation. A financial donation gives the agencies the greatest flexibility to meet the needs of survivors stated above as well as possibly placing survivors in hotels as there is currently no shelter space available due to the pandemic. Our local agencies include:
Please join the Roundtable in supporting some of the most vulnerable in our communities. We appreciate your consideration of this request and thank you for your support.
Join the MRC! New Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers are always needed! We have a great group of volunteers, however, we would love to recruit new members. If you are interested in helping out your community and would like to volunteer please contact the Health Department at Health@wayland.ma.us.
Upcoming Meetings
Meeting Schedule for The Week: See the Town Website’s Calendar online here. Please check the online calendar for the latest updates, as meetings noted below could have been updated (change in date, time or location) since we captured them. Also, some meetings could have been added since we collected the calendar information.
Please check the Town Calendar to confirm meeting times, locations and agenda. There can be updates from when we capture the schedule below.
The call-in number for public comment during board and committee teleconference meetings is 508-358-6812
Monday, June 8
* Board of Health, 5:30pm. Agenda includes: COVID-19 situation, Governor Baker’s reopening plan
Tuesday, June 9
* Council on Aging, 12pm. Agenda includes: conversation with Town Administrator on COVID-19, COA appointments
* Planning Board, 6pm. Hearing on 81 W Plain continued to June 23
Wednesday, June 10
* Library Trustees, 9am. Agenda includes: monthly reports, director evaluation, Library response to COVID-19, Gossels’ program, strategic plan, 3D printer deployment and use during state of emergency
* June 8, 7:30-8:15 pm: Backyard Gardening and Compost. Learn about soil and compost from the professionals at Black Earth Compost, get some backyard composting tips and learn of resources for backyard vegetable gardening. Click here to register and you will receive a confirmation email containing the link.
* June 25, 7:30-8:15 pm: Green Cooling and Heating Webinar. Hot weather is ahead and, beyond that, cold weather too. Hear from neighbors who are using heat pumps to both cool and heat their homes. Click here to register and you will receive a confirmation email containing the link.
Help honor Robin Rossi who is retiring after teaching 34 years at Claypit. Robbin Rossi is retiring after 34 years of teaching at Claypit Hill School! Please join us in honoring Robbin’s career and the impact she has had on her students and our community by contributing pictures, videos and memories you have of Ms. Rossi. Please upload any photos or videos to the shared Google Photos Album: Tribute to Ms. Rossi. Please add a comment with your name and description of the photo or memory. (Shared Photo Album online here) Send emails to MsRossiRetires@gmail.com. Share to MsRossiRetires@gmail.com if you would like to share a memory, story or tribute in a Google Doc or Slides Presentation. Thank you for taking the time to honor Robbin and all she has accomplished at Claypit Hill School over the years.
Lifelong Learners: An Independent Collaborative invites you to join their virtual information session, Monday June 22, 1-2:30pm
LLAIC is a vibrant learning community of older adults who love learning with no pressure and no tests. Join us on Monday, June 22, to learn about our expanded summer session and outstanding list of fall courses. Several of our course leaders will present a summary of their courses… a taste of what is to come. Because these programs are all online, you can be a part of the LLAIC community from wherever you are. All courses as well as the information session will be presented via ZOOM. Please request an invitation to our Information Session by sending your name and email address to LLAIC2014@gmail.com. A ZOOM invitation will be sent to you.
Wayland Buzz Spotlight on: Where is Annual Town Meeting 2020? This week we’re going to discuss the status of Annual Town Meeting. Now that it’s been postponed because of COVID-19, will it be held at all this year? If so, when, and where? Why has it taken so long to decide? And what are the conditions that would ensure public safety? Our guests this week are Selectperson Cherry Karlson and Town Moderator Dennis Berry. Join us starting June 14th. The Buzz airs on Sundays and Tuesdays, at 10am and 6pm on your public cable channel (Comcast Ch. 8; Verizon Ch. 37). And online on-demand anytime at WayCAM.tv/buzz
The latest from the Wayland Library (full newsletter online here)
Adult Programs:
* Reopening, Step 1: Curbside Pickup (June 1)
* Picturing Political Power in the Suffrage Movement (signup for online meeting, June 16)
* State of the Birds (signup for online meeting, June 17)
* Delivery for the homebound resumes
For Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers:
* Weekly Facebook Live Storytimes (June 16 and 23 at 10:30am)
* Weekly sing-alongs and programs on Facvebook (Fridays)
* Storytime moves to Zoom (Thursdays)
* Kids Yoga moves to Facebook (June 11)
For Elementary School:
* Weekly Craft programs posted on Facebook (Wednesdays June 17 and 24)
* Magic Show with Mike Bent (register for June 25 event)
* ScienceTellers present Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress (register for June 30 event)
For Teens:
* Virtual Escape Room for Tweens (goes live June 11)
* Teen Crafternoon: Glitch Art (posted June 18)
* 6th Grade Book Club on Zoom (July 17)
Summer Reading: The theme for this year’s Summer Reading Program for children in grades pre-K to Grade 5 is Imagine Your Story.
Listings from Prior Newsletters
Free tutoring to help you learn English or improve your English available online or by phone. English for Speakers of Other Languages – ESOL Sponsored by the Wayland Free Public Library (not connected with the U.S. government) The Wayland library, located near Wayland Center, provides tutors to work one-to-one with learners. While a tutor cannot work with you in person at this time, you could still have tutoring by phone or with your computer or other digital device. You can get an application form online here while the library is closed because of the coronavirus. Fill out the form and send it to: Jane Albert, 22 Hillside Dr., Wayland MA 01778 or email it to: Jane-esol@cohen-family.org. When there is a tutor available, someone will phone you. For more information call Ginny Steel at 508-358-7517 or email her.
Wayland Garden Club. The Wayland Garden Club continues to maintain gardens and planters throughout Wayland. While social distancing, Wayland Garden Club members continue to tend gardens at the Wayland Settlement sign on Boston Post Road, the Wayland Free Public Library and a pollinator garden on the Rail Trail. The Club also maintains planters at the Town’s public and historic buildings, as well as several traffic islands in town. For more information about the Club and membership, you can visit waylandgardenclub.org.
SVT Has Openings for TerraCorps/AmeriCorps Members. Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT), a regional conservation organization, is seeking to fill two TerraCorps/AmeriCorps position for the 2020-2021 service year. These full-time, 11-month positions provide wonderful experience for anyone interested in a career in land conservation or nonprofit marketing. TerraCorps is a Massachusetts-based organization that is part of the national AmeriCorps program that annually engages more than 75,000 Americans in service at nonprofit organizations, schools, and public agencies. TerraCorps Members receive a living allowance, an education award, and additional benefits. As part of the TerraCorps program, SVT is seeking a Land Stewardship Coordinator and a Community Engagement Coordinator for the 2020-2021 service year, which will run from August 31, 2020, to July 30, 2021. Both positions will be based out of SVT’s office in Sudbury.
* The Land Stewardship Coordinator (LSC) will become an integral part of the Stewardship staff, which monitors and cares for SVT properties. The LSC will work closely with the Native Pollinator Task Force of the Metrowest Conservation Alliance and will also collaborate with volunteers on stewardship efforts and citizen science projects.
* The Community Engagement Coordinator (CEC) will work with the Development and Outreach staff to build awareness of SVT and encourage area residents to engage with the organization. The CEC will play an important role in social media campaigns and in outreach efforts to various communities, with an emphasis on outreach to the youth of the service area.
Complete job descriptions, requirements, and application instructions are available at https://www.svtweb.org/jobs.
Town seeks poll workers for Annual Town Election
If interested in working as a poll worker at the Annual Town Election, please contact the Office of the Town Clerk at (508) 358-3630. Poll workers are needed for Massachusetts State Primary (September 1), Early Voting for Federal General Election (October 19-October 30) and Federal Election (November 3)
A Message from Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT) regarding trail policies
While SVT properties remain open to the public, SVT has updated trail policies for the safety of all during this time of high use. Visit www.svtweb.org for a detailed outline of these policies.
* Please comply with state and federal orders regarding public activities.
* Maintain social/physical distancing on the trails.
* Keep your dog on a leash.
* Please park in designated parking areas. If our lots are full, do not park along the edge of the road.
* Please do not use the map boxes at our kiosks. Download or print map from home to avoid having to touch the map boxes.
* These guidelines will also be posted at our trail heads. Please remember that our natural areas are home to an amazing array of plants and animals. We are guests in their home. Please take care not to disturb it.
Sudbury Valley Trustees is a nonprofit, member-supported land trust that protects natural areas and farmland for wildlife and people in the region surrounding the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers.
Would you like to serve on a Town Board or Committee? The following board or committee positions are currently open. Please send your information to the Board of Selectmen c/o Seath Crandall:
* Cable Advisory Committee (open end date)
* Cultural Council (multiple positions) three-year terms
* Public Ceremonies Committee (moderator appointment, ends June 30, 2021)
* Surface Water Quality Commission (ends June 30, 2020)
2020 Kindergarten Information is now available. The Wayland Public Schools have begun planning for Kindergarten registration for September 2020. Letters have been mailed home to families with children who will be 5 years old on or before August 31. The Intent to Enroll process begins on March 9. More information is available on the WPS Kindergarten Information website
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