WAYLAND, MA — Wayland residents will vote on May 4 on several local offices, including two open seats on the town's Recreation Commission, and resident Mike Grant has announced his candidacy.
Grant, an attorney in private practice at a Boston firm, has been involved in the Wayland community for several years. He currently serves on the town's Recreation Commission.
Grant said he was inspired to serve as an elected official in town after a tragic loss. Last February, a beloved Wayland resident and member of the Recreation Commission, David Pearlman, died unexpectedly at 59 years old, according to his obituary.
"He was really a driver of trying to make sure that there were good recreational opportunities to all constituents in Wayland," Grant told Patch, speaking of Pearlman. "When he passed, I was inspired to try and take a next step, in terms of getting involved in the community."
Grant said others encouraged him to see whether he could help out on the Commission and make recreational options available to all Wayland residents.
The candidate said he has been involved in youth sports and has coached kids for several years. He has three kids in the district, who are now ages 7, 9 and 11, who participate in various sports.
As an attorney, Grant says his job is essentially to help clients solve the problems they face.
"Skills that often necessary to solve problems in my work are critical thinking, rigorous analysis and then perhaps most importantly, collaborating with other people to solve a problem," Grant told Patch. "I think those skillsets make me well suited to serve on the Recreation Commission."
Grant says the Recreation Commission is often confronted with diverse ideas and goals, so it's necessary to think critically and collaborate with various stakeholders to achieve the best outcomes.
Grant said the Recreation Commission's general mission is to assist Wayland's Recreation Department. He said there are a few projects he is excited to get involved with in the coming year.
"I know with respect to the Route 20 landfill site, there was recently a final report given to the Select Board that recommended that space being used for potentially developing another athletic field along with open recreation space and a place for the school buses to park," Grant told Patch. "I think working on that in the coming year is going to be really exciting."
Grant also mentioned the sale of Wayland Town Center, which occurred late last year. He said there are plans to create a community space as a part of the outdoor shopping center, which could include a dog park.
Wayland residents will head to the polls on May 5 to vote on the Board of Assessors, Board of Health, Board of Library Trustees, Board of Public Works, Moderator, Planning Board, Recreation Commission, Select Board, School Committee, and Trust Fund Commission.
Grant is running for a seat on the Recreation Commission to fill a vacancy, and another current member, Mark Norton, is running for a full term. Other members of the Commission include co-chair Asa B. Foster, Lesley Stewart and Jeff Bergeron.
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