Joe's positions on the issues facing Wayland

The Environment

One of the great things my family and I enjoy about our life in Wayland is the wonderful open space and conservation land. As a kid growing up I first learned to swim in Lake Cochituate and to skate on Dudley Pond. I’ve spent countless days of my life, then as a son, and now as a father, walking our conservation lands and fishing our lakes, ponds and streams. As a Selectman I have consistently supported the acquisition of open space and development of new recreation areas. I have and will remain committed as Selectman to preserve these natural resources and expand the passive and active recreation areas that are so essential to the character of our town.

Affordable Housing

Safe, clean, affordable housing that fits in with the character of our neighborhoods is critical to ensure that our police, fire, teachers, municipal employees and seniors have the opportunity live and be full partners in our community. Wayland has both great and poor examples of affordable housing projects to use as the models we should emulate or oppose as we go forward. As a member of the Board of Selectman I was an ardent supporter of the Nike Site housing development, through the hard work of the a talented volunteer committee and overwhelming support of the voters at town meeting, we will soon begin to construct a high quality 16 unit all affordable home ownership community nearly 90% funded by state and federal dollars. The other side of the coin is the exceedingly oversized development proposed at the former Kathryn Barton Nursing home site which is being forced in by a private developer under state 40 B laws that bypass local zoning. As Selectman I will support changes to 40 B laws at the state level to balance the need for sound affordable housing while recognizing the need to protect small town interests and prevent ill conceived, oversized projects that place unfair burdens our towns resources and neighborhoods.

Our Schools

Wayland as a community has consistently been committed to provide a first rate education to our children. This is a core value for our town and nothing we do could be more important. As such, we can and should be proud that our schools deservedly enjoy an excellent reputation for the quality and content of our educational curriculum. My Three brothers, sister, and I, all received our public education in Wayland schools. My parents continued to support our schools for the 20 years following my graduation until Elizabeth and I bought our family home and began sending our children to Loker School. It is this intergenerational compact that insures that Wayland’s next generation of children will be granted the same opportunity that we have supported for our own.

The recent decision by the School Committee to move to the 2 1/2-school model has been difficult for all of us who consider ourselves Loker families. I realize that this change is supported by declining enrollment and was done in consideration of the need to reduce all budgets in the face of diminished resources and rising expenses. Still, it hurts to realize that my sons Ryan and Jamie won’t be singing the Loker song or speaking at the weekly school meetings we have all come to hold dear. The solace I find as a parent is knowing that all Wayland schools are jewels and our commitment to our children will endure and flourish in any building they attend classes. I have great friends who adore both Claypit and Happy Hollow Schools and appreciate their outpouring of support and welcome for those of use who’s kids will be moving.

As Selectmen I will do everything I can to insure that the town secure every bit of state funding available to rebuild our High School and will always support our commitment to the first class education our children deserve and will need to lead our next generation.

The Town Center Project

The most humbling experience I have had as a public servant was the night of the town meeting vote supporting the zoning change allowing the mixed use town center development. Those of us who where there remember a rainy night in which voters patiently waited hundreds deep to wage their vote in the best attended town meeting in the Wayland history. I will always appreciate how over two thousand neighbors came out on a rainy weeknight to literally stand and be counted on this important issue.

The recent vote of the Planning Board to support the master special permit paves the way for this mixed use retail and housing development to become a reality. This development will provide much needed amenities at a primary location adjacent to the heart of our towns existing business district. The New England architecture, Town Green, housing and municipal element will forever change this existing office park for the better. The $700,000 to 1 Million dollars in additional tax revenue expected to be generated by this development is an integral part of reducing our residential tax burden.

With these opportunities come real challenges. As this project becomes reality we as municipal leaders need to develop the best developer funded infrastructure plan possible to balance the existing and additional traffic and to improve the downtown business and historic district in a manner that sustains our small town center’s character. As selectman, I will support prudent phased traffic mitigation efforts, promote new sidewalks down Route 20 and walking paths down the railroad ROW to improve safe pedestrian access from Plain Road and Russell’s to the downtown area. Further I will support the development of new historically significant open space and public parking downtown adjacent to the Wayland depot. All of this can be funded in great part by leveraging mitigation dollars committed by the developer to secure available state and federal historic, recreational and development grants. I will work diligently to obtain these available dollars.

The 2009 Budget and Override

The decision to fund override propositions is always a difficult one. All to often misinformation abounds as we consider the merits of such decisions. The fiscal equation is really very simple. The fixed costs of health care, retirement benefits and utilities alone grow faster each year than the revenues available under Proposition 2½. When you add very modest contracted employee raises, real deficits occur annually. At that point you either have to cut existing core services or allow the voters the opportunity to consider paying the additional costs needed keep these services. Though some override opponents would vote to deny the voters this choice I will always favor voter choice.

Personally, I support the override because the services included are core needs, not luxuries, as some opponents would suggest. It is very easy for politicians to say, “Just say no” or “Cut out waste” but the reality is that after 25 years of proposition 2½ there is nothing nonessential left to cut. This years proposed budget including the override provides level funding but not level services. The proposed deficit has already been reduced by some $700,000 just to get it down to the 1.9 million dollar override amount to be considered by the voters.

Further, a vote against the override could jeopardize the town’s strong fiscal standing and cost us more in the long run. Moody’s investors have just this year removed the negative outlook on our AAA bond rating. This is the rate at which we borrow for capital projects and Wayland is one of only 11 towns that enjoy this highest rating. If we lose this we will pay higher interest on all future capital projects, to risk this is penny wise and dollar foolish.

If the override fails the 1.9 million to be cut will reduce all our core services. A failed override will significantly impact class sizes in our schools, cut most middle school and freshmen sports, and decimate the Library’s hours and resources. Youth Services counseling and the Council on Aging budget will also suffer major reductions. The BOS has committed to cut public safety by the least percentage (2-3%), but even then we risk losing some of our best and brightest new men and women on the force. Like our rising bills at home we as voters will have to choose either to pay the costs or cut the service. Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is fooling either themselves, or you.

Making the choice to support an override is always difficult and one that each voter has to make based on his or her values and resources. I wish that easy answers or slogans would solve this problem but they won’t. This override choice will cost the median home owner ($544,000 assessed value) $323 more dollars than this year. I feel strongly that this is money well spent to preserve essential services and hope you will choose to support this override.
Please check out this link to the finance committee’s power point presentation describing in detail this year’s budget and how we stack up against our peer towns. The numbers speak for themselves.


2009 Budget and Override - Finance Committee