Candidates’ Night Draws Large, Inquisitive Crowd (Part 1)

Editor's note: Part 1 provides a general overview of the evening and specific details related to the presentation of the Board of Selectmen candidates. Please come back Saturday at 8 a.m. for coverage, including video, of the School Committee portion of the evening.

The crowd spilled into the hallway outside the Large Hearing Room at the Wayland Town Building Thursday night as candidates for the upcoming Town Election took to the stage to introduce themselves and answer questions.

Hosted by the League of Women Voters, the event proved a popular opportunity for voters to become better acquainted with the people behind the names on the April 5 ballot.

The night belonged to the three candidates running for two open seats on the Board of Selectmen and the five individuals campaigning for a total of three positions – one, one-year term and two, three-year terms – on the School Committee. A few uncontested candidates, however, did attend the event.

Thomas Klem, running for a Board of Health position; Dennis Berry, running for the position of moderator; Andrew Reck, running for a Planning Board position; and William Whitney, running for a position as a Planning Board Associate all took the opportunity to speak publicly with voters.

“Even when there’s not a contest, it’s important to hear from you because it does educate the voters,” Erin Pastuszenski, the evening’s moderator, told the four uncontested participants.

Board of Selectmen

Board of Selectmen candidates Don Bustin, Steven Correia and Joseph Nolan each issued personal statements before the Q&A from the audience began.

Audience questions fell generally into two categories: Vision for the Town of Wayland and budget issues and concerns.

When it comes to a vision for the town, all three candidates expressed a desire to maintain Wayland’s semi-rural character and noted that rapid commercial development seemed unlikely in Wayland.

“The road system doesn’t support it,” Bustin said.

Nolan agreed, adding that there are only so many areas in town that can support development. “We need to help our businesses that are here to grow. Nobody is suggesting we need a Wal-Mart.”

In response to a question about the most important issues facing Wayland in the coming year, Correia addressed three projects: “serious issues” with recreation facilities, a new library and the Council on Aging’s need to expand.

“We need to figure out in the next year … how to start to plan to make these projects happen,” Correia said. “What is the next plan, how do we do it and how does it fit into the financial model.”

The financial model of the town seemed to be on the minds of multiple audience members as several questions related to town finances.

Correia and Nolan both noted that the recently administered affirms the Town’s overall financial well-being. Correia said that there is always room for improvement, but overall “the controls are in place.”

Bustin, however, disagreed, saying he did not think the current financial controls are adequate and that he believed the recently released draft of the Abrahams Report raised “serious reservations” about how Wayland handles its money.

Candidates also addressed a question of why Wayland “can’t truly avoid any overrides.”

Bustin expressed his displeasure with seeking overrides and said he would prefer the town “look at the money we have before we borrow more.”

Nolan disagreed. He said that the current economic instability means, “This is not the time to raid our cash reserves.”

Spreading the cost for certain long-lasting projects over multiple years, Correia responded, means that several groups of taxpayers who will benefit from the project, will also help pay for it.

”Many people are going to be using those fields,” Correia said, using the as an example. “The use of those fields will be over many, many years, so you want to stretch out that burden and save your cash for rainy days.”

Check with Patch Saturday at 8 a.m. for a recap of the School Committee candidates’ portion of the evening.