Police warn residents after black bear sighting
Police urged residents to secure trash containers, remove bird feeders and avoid approaching the animal following reported sightings in town.
Authorities have not reported injuries or property damage connected to the sightings. The advisory instead focused on standard wildlife precautions intended to discourage bears from returning to residential neighborhoods.
Regional bear activity has increased in parts of MetroWest in recent years as black bears have expanded their range into suburban communities.
Vokes Players announce June performances of “1776” The Vokes Players, in partnership with the Wayland 250 Committee and the Wayland High School theater department, will stage a concert version of “1776 the Musical” in June as part of the town’s semiquincentennial programming.
Performances are scheduled for June 12 and June 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Wayland High School. The production falls outside the Vokes Players’ regular theater season and is tied to local observances connected to the nation’s 250th anniversary. The concert version of the musical is being co-produced with the high school theater department and the town’s 250 Committee, continuing a pattern of collaboration between community arts organizations and local schools.
“1776” will follow Vokes’s current production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which has sold out through the end of its May 16 run at Beatrice Herford’s Vokes Theatre on Boston Post Road.
Outdoor water use restrictions now in effect The Wayland DPW Water Division is issuing Outdoor Water Use Restrictions in accordance with Section 190-4 of the Town of Wayland By-Laws and the Wayland’s Department of Environmental Protection Water Management Act Permit. These restrictions are being implemented due to a reduced ability to produce water. Nonessential Outdoor Water Use must be limited to ensure proper tank level for fire protection purposes and consumption.
Nonessential outdoor water use is prohibited between the daytime hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Customers are allowed to water via underground automatic sprinklers on Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning at 5 p.m. and continuing to 9 a.m. the following day.
These restrictions will remain in effect until well-withdrawal conditions improve. Nonessential outdoor water uses that ARE subject to mandatory restrictions include:
Irrigation of lawns via sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems.
Washing of vehicles, except in a commercial car wash.
Washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks except as necessary to apply surface treatments such as paint, preservatives, stucco, pavement or cement.
The following are allowed when mandatory restrictions are in place:
Irrigation to establish a new lawn or plantings during the months of May and September.
Irrigation of public parks and recreational fields by means of automatic sprinklers outside the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Irrigation of lawns, gardens, flowers and ornamental plants by means of hand held hose.
Violators are subject to the following fines and penalties. Offenses will range from a warning to termination of water and fines.
Town of Wayland launches redesigned website Town officials have launched a redesigned municipal website intended to improve navigation, alerts and access to online services for residents and visitors.
The updated website replaces the town’s previous public-facing platform while maintaining department pages and core municipal resources. Officials described the redesign as an effort to create a more streamlined and accessible online experience for residents seeking agendas, permits, public notices and town services.
The rollout came immediately after the conclusion of the 2026 Annual Town Meeting, one of the busiest periods of the year for Town Hall communications and public information distribution.
The redesigned site continues to operate under the town’s existing municipal web address and retains the CivicPlus platform infrastructure used by many Massachusetts municipalities.
Changes coming for Wayland Electricity Choice
May will bring a change in price and program structure for participants in Wayland Electricity Choice, the town’s group electricity buying program. Through the program, the town of Wayland secures a price for the supply portion of participants’ Eversource electric bills. Since the program launched in May 2024, an average household has saved $284 compared with Eversource’s electricity supply prices and program participants together have saved more than $1.3 million.
In May 2026, the program’s current electricity supply contract with First Point Power will expire and a new contract with First Point Power will go into effect. At that time, the program will transition from offering three options to one option with a new price of 14.776 ¢/kWh for all participants. The new price will be fixed for 25 months from May 2026 through June 2028 and will provide savings compared with Eversource’s current residential and small business prices, though future savings cannot be guaranteed.
The current program structure and prices were secured when Wayland Electricity Choice was established in 2024, and electricity supply prices have increased since then. As a result, the new single Wayland Electricity Choice price is higher than current prices for the Wayland Standard Green and Wayland Economy options, though participants in the Wayland 100% Green option will see a price decrease.
As a participant in Wayland Electricity Choice, current customers may notice that the program is changing from three options (Economy, Standard Green, and 100% Green) down to one option. This change is due to larger market changes in the renewable energy landscape.
Wayland Electricity Choice previously purchased more renewable energy certificates (RECs) than are required by Massachusetts state law for participants in the Wayland Standard Green and Wayland 100% Green options. To learn more about Wayland Electricity Choice and the new price, visit WaylandElectricityChoice.com.
Yet another scam The Wayland Police Department was notified that a scam — very similar to the one a few months ago—is occurring again.
This scam involves requests for payment via bank wire transfer to the “Town of Wayland’s Planning Commission.” The town of Wayland would not request payment through a wire transfer, and residents should be aware that wire transfers are extremely difficult to recover once sent.
Detective Sgt. Tyler Castagno strongly recommends that if anyone receives a bill from the Planning Commission and is unsure of its legitimacy, they should visit the office in person to verify it. Once confirmed, payment can be made safely by check.
If anyone has further questions, they should contact the Planning Board directly or reach out to the Wayland Police Department.
