Finance Committee weighs combined $4.5 million wastewater and ball fields package

WAYLAND — February 25, 2026 — Wayland Finance Committee weighs bundling $2 million wastewater fix with $2.5 million high school fields rebuild. Town Engineer Abigail Charest and Tighe & Bond engineer Ryan Morrison told the committee Tuesday that combining the projects would save about $250,000, including roughly $100,000 in earthwork efficiencies and $100,000 in shared general conditions, against an original $5.5 million capital line. Recreation Director Catherine Brenna said the diamonds host roughly 80 high school players and 250 to 300 youth-league participants and are used "every single day" from March through September. Lighting, not in the current number, would run about $550,000 per diamond and $400,000 per rectangular field. The committee, chaired in Pranav Giudice's absence by Vice Chair Cliff Barnes, voted 6-0 to recommend Article R (Chapter 53, Section 18B ballot-summary mailings) and 6-0 to recommend Article F (FY27 revolving fund limits). Finance Director Brian Keveny pegged borrowing at roughly 3.5 percent, or about $70,000 a year in debt service on $2 million.