Wayland HRDEI Committee votes to seek up to $8,000 from Select Board

WAYLAND -- May 19, 2026, Wayland HRDEI Committee votes unanimously to ask Select Board for up to $8,000 in programming funds. Vice Chair Heather Pino and Chair Karen said the request would cover roughly $4,500 in stipends for facilitators such as Jamil Adams and Dr. Eden Renee, about $500 for materials and outreach, and a contingency reserve so the committee can respond to bias incidents without waiting on a grant cycle. Members also clashed over a separate resident-led effort to bring in Essential Partners for facilitator training, with Freedom Team member Mariam warning it duplicates existing work and saying it "makes us lose motivation to keep going." The committee approved April 21 minutes 6-0 with five abstentions and bid farewell to departing youth members Maya and Asma.