The annual Wayland Town Meeting will take place on May 13th. Forty articles are included in the warrant released by the town, and will be under consideration during the meeting.
Here are five of the most important articles to look for :
Article 6 (Independent Review of Town and School Budget Process):
This article proposes the creation of an independent review of the town’s budget, with special attention given to the school budget, to which a large portion of the town’s finances go. The point of this review would be to “discover inefficiencies, redundancies, etc. that could lead to cost savings for the town,” according to the article.
This review would cover both the allocation of funds and the budgeting process as a whole. The reviewers would then determine whether a full audit is required. This article comes after the town budget cuts earlier this year. The budget will also be voted on at Town Meeting.
Article 15 (Transfer and Restrict Use of Certain Town-Owned Land for Septic Purposes and Conservation Purposes)
If this article is passed, land in Dudley Woods would be designated for two purposes, and future use of the land would be restricted. One parcel of land would be transferred to the Conservation Commission and designated as conservation land. Another parcel of town-owned land in Dudley Wo0ds would be transferred to Wastewater Management District Commission for the creation of an updated town septic system.
According to petitioner comments in the warrant, the article would protect the “environmental health of the Pond and the neighborhood.” Arguments against this plan say it is too soon to be ending the development in the Dudley Woods area.
Article 22 (Electronic Voting at Town Meetings):
This article, if passed, would create a new system for electronic voting during town meetings. It would allow for the purchase of new “wireless handheld mobile devices,” to be used in the 2011 annual Town Meeting. The Board of Selectmen will decide whether the funding for this program – at least $145,000 for the initial purchase as well as yearly maintenance costs – will come from taxes, cuts in the yearly budget, grants from the state or federal government, or borrowing money.
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Article 23 (Create Town Meeting Debate Website):
This article, supported by www.waylanddebates.com, proposes that the Board of Selectmen fund the creation of a new town website, to be used for debating items of interest at town meetings. This website would also be used to provide residents with information regarding these issues. The site would be funded by taxes, unappropriated funds, grants, or any other source. This article comes after a chaotic special town meeting in November at which the new high school was approved.
Article 25 (Transfer and Lease the Recreation Portion of the Loker Conservation and Recreation Area):
If approved, this article would establish a recreation area on the former Dow site around Route 30 and Rice Road. This land was purchased by the town in 2000 and is currently a conservation and recreation area. The Board of Selectmen, together with the Recreation Commission and the Town Counsel, would decide how the land is to be leased.
The Recreation Area would provide space for adult and youth sports. It would not increase taxes, as private developers would build the facility and would bring the town revenue in the form of leasing fees. According to the Route 30 Recreation Center Foundation, the town would bring in between $50,000 and $100,000 from the project.