Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Sudbury resident who spearheaded the 3 to 5 selectmen increase creating a new group to provide open commentary.
The Lavendergate Facebook page was created last year by Sudbury resident Michael Troiano after a scandal involving the Board of Selectmen and other town representatives He wanted a forum where residents could speak freely without ridicule or censorship. Those opportunities were not always available at numerous board and committee meetings in town, making other residents fume. After two elections approving the increase of the selectmen by two seats, and the Board approving a special election on June 25 to fill those seats, Troiano has decided to shut down the popular Facebook page, which had more than 900 members. The closing will happen a week from today, April 17. The following is a letter written by Troiano explaining his thoughts: …
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 …
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Vote to fill the seats will take place on June 25 with the U.S. Senate ballot.
Sudbury Town Clerk Rosemary Harvell said it was possible, and so the Board of Selectmen said, 'OK.' After months of resistance from the Board, a successful vote at Special Town Meeting in September, and a successful ballot vote in March that was forced by the State Legislature, Sudbury residents are now meer weeks away from filling two new seats. The Board unanimously approved the Special Town Election which will coincide with the June 25 election to fill John Kerry's U.S. Senate seat. "What will happen is we would incure the cost of the election," Harvell said. "The state would then only pay for additional costs above our cost. I don’t know if it will happen." Check back Wednesday for a full report.
Monday, April 8, 2013
The Sudbury resident will present the signatures Tuesday during the Board of Selectmen meeting if the Board does not support putting the vote to ballot in June.
It's all a formality now. The signatures have been gathered. The Town of Sudbury doesn't need the Board of Selectmen's approval to add a special election of two new board members to the June election, although no resistance is the hoped-for outcome. Resident Michael Troiano, who spearheaded the effort to increase the Board of Selectmen to five members, announced on the OneSudbury Facebook page residents have collected enough signatures to put the vote on the June ballot. "We just crossed the 1200 line, with a margin for error and duplicates," he wrote. The Selectmen plan to discuss the issue Tuesday night, as stated below: (Agenda item) 17. Vote: Question of determining the date of a Special Town Election to be called by the Board of …
Town meetings on tap this week.
Tuesday's Board of Selectmen's meeting may be the most anticipated meeting in months. Expected to be discussed is the Board's position on allowing the town to piggyback the June special election for U.S. Senate: (Agenda item) 17. Vote: Question of determining the date of a Special Town Election to be called by the Board of Selectmen to elect two new Board members; discussion and post-Town election overview with the Town Clerk including scheduling and deadlines to coincide with the June 25th Special State Election. Residents have been out for more than a week trying to gather enough signatures that would force the election to fill the Board's two new seats, which were approved for a second time during Annual Town Election on March 25. Also …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
1,200 needed to vote for the 2 new Board of Selectmen seats on June 25.
If you happened to go shopping in either Sudbury Farms or Shaw's, or visited the transfer station, Fairbank Community Center or a number of other landmarks in town the last few days, you may have noticed numerous residents asking others to sign a petition. The petition is to put an election for the two new seats to Sudbury's Board of Selectmen on the June 25 special election ballot. Resident Michael Troiano, the key figure in Sudbury changing its charter and expanding the Board by two members, and other residents supporting the change have been out at the various locations, trying to gain the 1,200 signatures needed should the current Board of Selectmen choose not to support a quick election. According to Troiano on the One Sudbury …
Friday, March 29, 2013
After passing the motion for a second time on Monday, Sudbury now prepares for a possible Special Town Election in June.
Michael Troiano, the Sudbury resident who successfully spearheaded the historic movement to add two seats to the town's Board of Selectmen, has already said he won't run. There's been no word on whether past members will throw their hats into the ring. So, Sudbury, here's a question for you: Who would you like to see campaign for the two new seats? Tell us in the comments section below.
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.
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 …
Concerned Sudbury Parent
2:30 pm on Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Excellent job Mike! We will forever be grateful for the service you have done for this town! more ›