Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Nearly a year after the scandal, the town is one step closer to more representation, more transparency and peace.
May 8-9, 2012, will likely go into the history books as a major turning point in the history of Sudbury. For decades, the town was governed by a Board of Selectmen composed of three members who diligently represented the town and its best interests. Three volunteers who would sit behind microphones and take both ridicule and praise. But somewhere along the timeline, residents demanded change. They said they wanted a larger board. They wanted more representation. The town ultimately said 'no' on multiple occasions, because studies were needed to see how an increase would affect the town financially. No proof of a study was ever presented as the town continued with its charter. But things began to change that night in 2012. Lavendergate was …
Monday, March 25, 2013
Vote passes overwhelmingly for a second time, 1,936-625.
Opponents of Sudbury’s movement to increase the Board of Selectmen from three to five members were defeated a second time when voters Monday approved the addition of two seats during Annual Town Election. After voting to approve the measure in September last year during Special Town Meeting, opponents in town, which included current Board Chair Larry O’Brien, asked the State Legislature to overturn the ruling. It was overturned and the town was told to vote again via ballot. After Monday’s vote, the only thing left is 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 …
Town Clerk's office reports just 8.6 percent of the voters have hit the polls as of 1 p.m.
Sudbury voters are starting to hit the polls are a higher clip, Sudbury Town Clerk Rosemary Harvel said. "It's busy here now," she said. Between the 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. updates, a big jump in the number of ballots cast was recorded: Precincts (1pm) 1 -- 238 2 -- 187 3 -- 239 4 -- 192 5 – 182 Total 1,038 8.6 percent Precincts (5pm) 1 – 409 2 – 337 3 – 456 4 – 382 5 – 325 Total: 1,909, 15.9 percent 12,037 registered voters Harvell said she is hoping to have the unofficial results posted to the town's website by 9:30 p.m. "But we're hoping for earlier," she said.
Sudbury Patch will provide updates throughout the day.
Sudbury's Annual Town Election is off to a slow start according to the numbers supplied by the Town Clerk's office at 11 a.m: Precincts "It’s quiet," Elain Fortney of the Town Clerk's office said, "but we’ll see what happens later." Since Special Town Meeting in September there has been a strong effort by numerous residents in town to continue its push to add two seats to its Board of Selectmen. The town overwhelmingly voted in favor of the change, but after those against it petitioned to the State Legislature late last year, the town has been forced to vote again today. The race for Sudbury Public Schools Committee is another hot-button item today, as hopefuls Scott Nassa and Matthew Barach vie for Vice Chair Lisa Gutch's seat. Gutch …
Friday, March 22, 2013
Resident Larry Jobson says he's voting for ballot question to increase the board.
By now, most of you are aware of the pro and con arguments for voting to change from a 3-member Board of Selectmen (BOS) to a 5-member BOS in the March Sudbury town ballot. As I see it, there are two fundamental questions on which we should focus our attention when considering a 3-vs-5 BOS: According to the Town’s charter, the principal roles of our BOS are: There are clearly many other subordinate roles that the BOS must perform, but none are fundamental to optimizing the town’s long-term growth path. Central to the effective execution of the three principal roles is the enumeration of and management to a set of measurable strategic goals and objectives. These goals and objectives should be part of a strategic plan, which essentially …
Friday, March 15, 2013
Resident Bryan Semple explains his views as Annual Town Election approaches.
I am writing to express my support for several candidates and also the change to our town charter. First, I support the move to five selectmen. Despite another 6 month opportunity to study the issue, those opposed to increasing the board still only offer up the reason that “we need to study it”. The studies have been done, they just point to the need for five selectmen. Please join me in supporting an increased size in our board. For the town planning board, please support Peter Abair. His positions on 40B and his work on the Sudbury Housing Trust are in line with those of us who don’t believe Sudbury should be overrun by 40B developers. As Peter appears to be the outsider candidate, I will vote for Peter alone. For school committee, …
Friday, March 8, 2013
Resident Mike Troiano, who has spearheaded the movement to increase Sudbury's Board of Selectmen from three to five members, says issues threatening the town can be solved with two more seats.
It's not a fundamental change, nor is it a result of a "flash mob" looking to elect a "burgermeister or some other form of government." Resident Mike Troiano explained the effort to increase the town's Board of Selectmen from three to five members Wednesday night in front of dozens of residents at Goodnow Library in the simplest of terms: more representatives equals more representation. Despite an overwhelming vote at Special Town Meeting on Sept. 24 to pass the movement, State Legislature overturned the ruling and said residents had to take it to a ballot vote. That will happen on March 25 during Annual Town Election. Since that decision, Troiano and others have feverishly spread the positive word on why Sudbury would benefit from adding …
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Sudbury resident Dan DePompei explains why increasing the number of members on the Board of Selectmen is better.
The upcoming ballot initiative to increase Sudbury’s selectmen from 3 to 5 has generated differing opinions about the issues in Sudbury’s governance. One recently published opinion column by Mr. David Wallace, Sudbury selectman 1986-1982, stated “the real issue in Sudbury and all over the country is the issue of incumbency and the ability of an electorate to realize when it is truly time for a change.” Realizing the time for change in Sudbury is difficult, because we have no established standards to measure the performance of our government officials. Long-term incumbency in any office is beneficial to the electorate if the incumbent continually produces measurable, positive progress against established goals and objectives. Success or …
Robert Fucci
6:15 pm on Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Thank you, Sid ... much appreciated! more ›