More Support For Wayland Select Board Candidates: Letters

The following letters to the editor do not reflect the views of Wayland Patch

I am writing to share my enthusiastic endorsement of Tom Fay for re-election to our Select Board.

I have known Tom since we were teammates on the original Lavelle softball team that played in the inaugural Wayland Men's softball season in 2014 (see our team picture below). We played together on a closely knit team who genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. Through a host of conversations, Tom’s integrity, intelligence, and sense of purpose were apparent.

Tom was an instrumental advisor as we conceived of and developed the Wayland Dads group and our programming, including the Loker Dads and Kids Saturday morning drop-ins. Tom helped us navigate the various town groups and infrastructure to chart the course for the successful community group that Wayland Dads has ultimately become.

During my 11 years in Wayland, I have been keenly aware of the leadership roles Tom has played and the outsized impact he has had on the many boards and committees upon which he has served. Tom's leadership, persistence, and dedication to our Town earns my full support.

I encourage you to support Tom at the ballot on May 10th for the Select Board.

—Scott Walters, Wayland Dads cofounder

We, John and Gretchen Schuler, are voting for Clifford Lewis to become a member of the next Select Board because we are convinced that he will bring professionalism, expertise, organization, knowledge and common sense to the management of our Town.

Cliff’s service on the Board of Public Works and before that as Chairman of the Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) Committee has been vital. He is detail-oriented (look at his research on the old landfill and plan for this 17-acre parcel) and makes sure that proper procedures are followed. He knows how to solve problems and remain within budgets, making it his job to know the rules and regulations for the proper management of projects.

Cliff took on the complicated OPEB issues and how they could be resolved. His presentation of the solution for OPEB at Town Meeting was intelligent and convincing. Most important was his collaborative approach while respecting other Committee members’ views and expertise, and working with them to reach a solution together — a wonderful skill contributing to good management in government.

An informed citizen, Cliff takes town business seriously. He has volunteered for a variety of Town projects and will bring a wealth of knowledge to the Select Board. Gretchen worked with Cliff on the Community Preservation Committee to which Cliff brought much common sense and even good humor to the discussions. John has worked with Cliff on issues common to both the Boards of Health and Public Works.

Cliff will always attend meetings prepared to contribute to the discussion of items on the agenda. Please join us in voting on May 10th to give Cliff a seat on the Select Board. He will serve us well — that we know!

—Gretchen and John Schuler

We write in enthusiastic support of Tom Fay who is running for re-election to the Select Board in Wayland. We have three simple reasons: Tom’s experience, knowledge, and energy for improving our beloved town.

Wayland is at crossroads with the recent enactment by the Commonwealth of a special act to form a town manager model of government, as approved at the 2021 Annual Town Meeting. The next few years will require a steady hand in attracting, selecting, and guiding a permanent town manager, supporting town staff and volunteers, and moving projects forward.

The Select Board has experienced significant turnover in the last two years. Now is the time to re-elect an experienced, knowledgeable, energetic candidate whose institutional knowledge will not be lost in a time of transition. Tom understands the critical balance between responsible fiscal management and support for services required in a town like Wayland. Tom is the right person for the Select Board at this critical time.

Please join us in voting for Tom Fay on May 10.

—Lea and Charlie Anderson, Wayland

I’m writing today to ask your support for Cliff Lewis, who’s running for Select Board in our upcoming Wayland Town Election on Tuesday, May 10.

I’ve known Cliff for some years now and I can say without reservation that he’s a man of unquestionable integrity. In addition, he has served the town in the past in a number of capacities, including as chair of the OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) Committee and the Board of Public Works. He and his wife Anette have lived in Wayland for 43 years. Anette, who is an attorney, has also served on many town boards over the years

One of Cliff’s strengths is a rare one: the ability to break down very complex subjects into easily understandable pieces and then begin to solve the problem. I saw this when I was working for The Town Crier and covering the OPEB story. OPEB is a very complicated subject, but Cliff sat me down one morning and explained it to me in a way that even I — with no background whatsoever in finance or actuarial matters — could understand. It was impressive, and I was very grateful.

Cliff also knows how to get projects off the ground and, very importantly, HOW TO GET THINGS DONE! A chemical engineer by training, he created a high-tech company with 50 jobs out of nothing, adding those 50 jobs to the employment roster of the Commonwealth. Here in Wayland, he transformed the OPEB conundrum from a disaster on Town Meeting floor to a complete solution.

More recently, during his chairmanship, the Board of Public Works implemented a program for the removal of PFAS from the drinking water at the Happy Hollow wells. This solution has gone from concept to completion in less than a year — one of the very, very few major projects in town that has ever been completed this quickly. Such skills as his are sorely needed now in Wayland with its complex organizational structure and more than 90 vital projects funded but still not completed.

Wayland needs Cliff Lewis. He will make a splendid Selectman. He knows our past; he lives in our present; and he will assure our future.

Please vote for Cliff Lewis on Tuesday, May 10. For more information, go to www.electcliffordlewis.com.

And please forward this letter on to your friends in Wayland.

—Susan Wagner, Wayland