Delivering Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency

The town moves too slow on capital projects. Delays in project approval, inefficient practice, short-sighted leadership and a lack of proper planning have cost the town millions of dollars and failed to deliver projects as expected.  The Select Board is considering capital matters too late in the year. The Select Board should begin considering capital projects for the following year no later than September and involve the Finance Committee and CIAC at the same time. 

The Town Budget is not transparent. The Town of Sudbury Budget should be disclosed to elected and appointed officials and the community. My experience and proven record on the Sudbury School Committee demonstrate my ability to implement process changes that transform budgeting and capital planning efforts.

The Fix:

A transparent review of all Town Department MUNIS reports. Plan and prioritize capital projects earlier in the year, no later than September. Involve the Capital Investment Advisory Committee (CIAC) and Finance Committee as soon as possible so those groups have the time needed to render their recommendations pursuant to our Town By-Laws.

Proper Planning: A lack of consistent and transparent processes has led to delays in project approval, undue expense, and contributed to distrust in the community. The Select Board must do a better job of coming to consensus and agreement regarding the processes employed to plan. I will promote a positive, forward-thinking culture on the Select Board. While individual Board members have their own individual opinions on projects and issues, the Select Board needs to do a better job of representing the will of the community and taxpayers. 

Delivering Public Safety and Services

Public safety is paramount. New residential developments in town require additional public safety services. There has been a rise in calls for emergency services in the past few years, and the demand is expected to increase further. 

Sudbury’s Fire Chief directly advised the Select Board last year that it would cost the town more money to do the project in a phased approach. While the all-in approach would have cost the town more up front, the town would have saved millions in the long term. The Select Board supported the more costly phased approach for fire station 2 anyway. In doing so, we have delayed the rollout of critical public safety services.

Watch the Select Board meeting when Chief Whalen presents at 1:22:50. 

Fire station 3 on Route 117 is up next. It must be renovated and/or re-built to meet the public safety needs of our community members.  This fact has been known for years by leadership in our town.  We cannot afford to make the same mistakes when lives are on the line. 

The Fix:

Recognition of our public safety needs, communicating those needs to the community and implementation of a plan to make sure we have the public safety systems to respond to the needs of our community. Proper prioritization of public safety needs is necessary and new Fire Stations and proper EMS equipment are essential.

Moving Town Projects Forward

Fairbank Community Center: Last year the town overwhelmingly voted to pass the Fairbank Community Center project. It was long overdue. But the project that is going to bid this year will be very different from what Sudbury taxpayers voted for at our polling stations.  

Mismanagement of the project and a failure to involve the community in key design decisions throughout a challenging design process will yield a building that fails to live up to the potential of the project.

We can and should do better when it comes to capital planning and following through on the will of our taxpayers and residents.

Town Hall: The town spent $600,000 for design plans to renovate Town Hall.  This project, as designed, is not expected to be constructed. We can’t continue to throw money at plans and designs if we don’t intend to follow through on our commitments to voters. We can ill afford to waste valuable tax dollars.

The Fix:

For projects like the Fairbank Community Center and Town Hall, we require proper Short and Long-Term Planning.  The Town of Sudbury also requires a space needs assessment.  As the town continues to grow in population, we need to make sure we have proper office space to accommodate our employees and staff.  Proper communication to the community regarding the needs of our town is a must. In a typical town election, between 16 percent and 20 percent of registered voters turn out to vote. That represents approximately 11 percent of Sudbury’s population. Many residents are completely in the dark about our largest projects, and others have to work far too hard to get their voices heard. It’s clear the town is not doing enough to engage the entire community.

Delivering Respectful and Honorable Leadership

I will bring strong, competent, and respectful leadership to the Select Board. Disrespectful members continue to plague the Select Board. Such contentious behavior is unacceptable.  It wastes time, it fuels divisiveness in our town, and it signals to partners that the town will be difficult and expensive to work with. In short, the conduct we have observed on our Select Board isn’t just unacceptable, it increases costs for taxpayers. Sudbury deserves better!  

The Fix:

Implement SMART Goals 

  • Focus on goals within the purview of the Select Board

  • Better prioritize goals

  • Make goals achievable and measurable

Improve Governance Practices to allow the Select Board to:

  • Abide by the defined roles and responsibilities of the Select Board and the Town Manager

  • Streamline the Agenda practice

  • Increase transparency

  • Implement a self-assessment process for the Board

  • Establish norms and protocols for the Select Board to follow during meetings to shorten meetings, improve communication to the public, and build trust with every resident. 

Adopt a new and updated Select Board Policy Manual

The current Policy Manual entitled Town of Sudbury Selectmen’s Policies and Procedures is outdated and inappropriate. The Select Board’s recent creation of its Financial Policies Manual is well received, but long overdue. I have advocated for the implementation of financial policies since being a member of the Strategic Financial Planning Committee for Capital Funding. Watch Lisa advocate for Capital policies to drive fiscal discipline. In addition to financial policies, the entire Policy Manual must be reviewed and updated. 

Doing so will allow the Select Board to:

  • Document roles and responsibilities of Select Board

  • Document roles and responsibilities of Town Manager

  • Provide transparency to the community regarding policy

  • Update and provide inclusive, gender neutral language to the Policy Manual

  • Remove practices and procedures which are better suited for a Select Board Handbook

  • Lead by example in promoting the adoption and implementation of appropriate procedures, policy and process across all town-wide committees and boards

Adopt a Select Board Handbook

The Select Board must prioritize the development of a Handbook that delineates its operations. Doing so will allow the Select Board to:

  • Document and maintain consistent practices, processes and procedures

  • Promote transparency with the community regarding its practices, processes and procedures

  • Allow for better planning of its work

  • Improve its governance practices

  • Remove practices and procedures currently in the Policy Manual

  • Lead by example so that other Boards and Committees in Sudbury adopt similar Handbooks to promote consistent practices and procedures

Procure Professional Development

The Select Board can benefit from significant professional development conducted during open meetings so that the entire community may also benefit. Areas of focus should include the following:

  • Roles and responsibilities of the Select Board and the Town Manager

  • SMART goal setting

  • Equity

  • Building rapport and a collaborative culture on the Select Board

Delivering an Inclusive and Culturally Proficient Community

The Select Board needs to be actively engaged in encouraging an Inclusive Sudbury where we celebrate ALL of our community members. 

The Fix:

Expanding and accelerating the equity work the Select Board has begun will be a priority for me. Making sure every human being feels welcomed, valued and respected in Sudbury should be a priority for the Select Board. Establishing the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission (DEIC) alone is not enough.  The Select Board should:

  • Procure professional development for its members, and recommend all town-wide Committees and Commissions undergo same

  • Commit to proper funding of the DEIC

  • Improve culture by fostering an atmosphere of inclusion and supporting community wide events that bring residents together 

  • Model respectful behavior during meetings

  • Build community engagement and civic participation by everyone 

Yes, we need more residents to volunteer and participate in the process. But the town has an equal obligation to reach out and engage those residents with greater frequency and far greater transparency. Communication is the cornerstone of community.