Wayland DPW board backs tiered water billing for municipal departments

WAYLAND -- January 20, 2026, Wayland Board of Public Works moves to bill town departments at tiered water rates ahead of a 30 percent hike. Chair George Uveges said Finance Director Brian Keveny has already warned department heads of the fiscal 2027 increase, driven by new debt service for the long-term water supply project. The board voted 4-1, with Uveges dissenting, to insert a $200,000 placeholder in the water enterprise fund warrant article matched to retained earnings, Vice-Chair Michael Wegerbauer's motion to preserve the funding mechanism. A separate 5-0 vote reaffirmed a request for $50,000 from the general fund and $50,000 from retained earnings to plug a transfer station gap, with bag sales projected to fall roughly $100,000. Finance Committee rep Carl Barnes said the water article is "in great shape." Superintendent Don Millette reported $400,000 of the $525,000 snow and ice budget is already spent across 11 events.