Candidates’ Night Draws Large, Inquisitive Crowd (Part 2)

Editor's note: Part 2 provides specific details related to the presentation of the School Committee candidates. For a general overview of the evening and coverage of the Board of Selectmen segment of the event, please see .

The five individuals running for positions on Wayland's School Committee took the stage to conclude the candidate portion of Thursday's League of Women Voters Candidates' Night.

Three candidates, Elizabeth Butler, Barbara Fletcher and Alexia Obar, are running to fill two, three-year terms. Candidates Louis Jurist and Ellen Grieco are running for one, one-year position.

Each candidate offered a two-minute statement, each of which is available in video to the right of this article.

Following those statements, moderator Erin Pastuszenski accepted questions from the audience and allowed each candidate one minute to respond. The topics of finances and elementary school configuration dominated the question and answer time.

When asked about the most pressing issue facing Wayland's schools, the candidates responded that the configuration of the elementary schools – whether neighborhood or grade-level – needed to be addressed sooner rather than later.

In addition, Fletcher mentioned that the transition to the new high school scheduled for December 2011 and the one-to-one student to computer ratio initiative in the high school were also pressing issues.

Another question addressed recent open meeting law violations the attorney general agreed the School Committee had committed. Butler commented that the School Committee had taken steps to correct the "technical failure" cited in the attorney general's letter.

When the question of whether the School Committee had committed "financial improprieties," as allegedly indicated by a draft of the Abrahams Report, the candidates noted that the report is currently only in draft form, but did indicate a desire to pursue changes if necessary.

“There did seem to be many issues that could be addressed," Obar said. "A forensic audit, even if limited, seems to be prudent at this time.”

Grieco agreed that there appeared to be a number of places for improvement indicated within the report, but said that created a good opportunity to address issues. “The report has cited so many deficiencies that I would think any official would like to address them,” she said.

Fletcher pointed out that the School Committee has been supportive of the Operational Review Committee, who is overseeing the finalization of the draft report, and said, “We’re all eager to start acting upon the recommendations of the Abrahams Report.”

Candidates also expressed their support of and said they would welcome the opportunity to ease his transition into the Wayland Public School system.

Town Elections are April 5. Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.