Community Corner

Top Story of 2013: Sudbury Expands Board of Selectmen By 2 Seats

The vote passed overwhelmingly for a second time, 1,936-625.

After nearly a year of resistance, Sudbury got what it wanted.

Opponents of Sudbury’s movement to increase the Board of Selectmen from three to five members were defeated a second time during the March Annual Town Election when voters approved the addition of two seats.

After voting to approve the measure in September 2012 during Special Town Meeting, opponents in town, which included then Board Chair Larry O’Brien, asked the State Legislature to overturn the ruling.

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State Legislation and the town ultimately agreed to vote again via ballot. After the March vote, the only thing left was to ask who wants to run for the two new seats?

“I'm incredibly pleased the people of Sudbury chose to make this important change, that they again expressed their desire for more representation, and again called for more transparency and accountability in the decisions made on their behalf,” resident Mike Troiano, who spearheaded the movement last year, said after the election. “Too many citizens to name were involved in the effort to bring about this change, but I'd specifically like to recognize Pat Brown, Joel and Carrie Malo, Chris and Shanti Skiffington, Dan DePompei, John Kohler, Sarah Troiano, Bryan Semple, Bob Haarde, Bob Abrams, Larry Jobson, Scott Nassa, Molly and Steve Logan, Doreen Neale, Siobhan Hullinger, Art and Mara Huston, Joanne and Mark Minassian, Markian Pawluk, Marianne Reardon, Bob Stein, Pepper and Krista Riley, Renata Pomponi and our 900 or so neighbors on the One Sudbury Facebook Group for standing behind this effort from the beginning.”

Find out what's happening in Sudburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The vote passed overwhelmingly for a second time, 1,936-625, with 120 blanks.

Troiano brought forth the movement last year after discussions about the Lavender liquor license violation stalled.

“It was an overwhelming response,” Selectman Bob Haarde said after the vote. “Some call it a flash mob, others call it democracy. I hope it’s the beginning of a new era for Sudbury, with transparency and inclusion.”

Chuck Woodard and Len Simon were elected to fill the new seats in June.


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