News

Wayland Business Association honors Ralph Wegener

The Wayland Business Association (WBA) presented its most prestigious award, The Robert A. Waters Award, to Ralph Wegener at the group’s Feb 16th dinner meeting. The award is given to a WBA member who has made extraordinary contributions to the Wayland Business Association and the Wayland community over a period of years.

Both Ralph and Elaine Wegener, long-time Wayland residents, have been active in many Wayland projects including the High School scholarship program, the Town Beautification Committee, and Christmas baskets for the Elderly. Ralph served four years as president of the WBA, during which he began the annual WBA Silent Auction program that has raised more than $60,000 for scholarships and nonprofit community groups and programs since 1999.

The Robert A. Waters award was created in 1998 in memory of long-time Wayland business and civic leader Robert A. Waters, a founder of the WBA. The award is not given annually; it is presented only when it is merited. Parker Wheeler Sr. was the first recipient of the award. Other recipients have been Werner Gossels and Alan Chapman.

Wayland Selectmen Vote
No to Split Taxes

Last Fall, several Wayland Business Association members, including Werner Gossels, Patricia MacNeil, Ralph Wegener, Sherman Lin, Frank Poisson, Robert Lavin and Joseph Strazzulla appeared before the Wayland Selectmen on two different occasions to request that the Selectmen vote against instituting a separate tax rate for commercial real estate owners.

Consequently, the Selectmen voted not to split the taxes for fiscal year 2006. However, they stated that they would revisit this issue on an annual basis. This is an important matter for any commercial real estate owner in town. If the Town of Wayland decides to split the taxes in the future, the increased costs to local businesses could be significant.

If you would like to get involved or get more information regarding the possibility of split taxes in Wayland, please contact Patty MacNeil at (508) 358-5136.

Ralph Wegener (l) is presented with the 2005
WBA Robert A. Waters Award
by WBA president Patricia MacNeil.