"A budget is a mathematical confirmation of your suspicions."

Welcome back!

It was a beautiful week in Sudbury. The weather was nice, that’s for sure. But what made it beautiful was the class placement emails from the schools. Each precious placement email gives parents hope that, soon enough, their children will be back in school for six spectacular hours per day. And they might even be out of the house for longer if you won the Hunger Games made it through a waitlist and got access to an after school program!

After school care wasn’t really a topic of discussion in this week’s meetings. But there’s plenty of news to get after!

1. Who’s On Your Ballot?

2. Schools HVAC Project Might Be Salvageable

3. Health Department: Sewataro Ponds Likely Closed For Summer

4. Select Board Sets Boundary Around Police Union Negotiations

5. Finance Committee Gears Up To Drill Down

6. EEE Confirmed In Sudbury Mosquitoes

7. SudburyWeekly.com News Roundup

Let’s get into it!

Who’s On Your Ballot?

By the League of Women Voters of Sudbury

The Sept. 3 election is a state primary election in which political parties select their candidates for the Nov. 5 general election. For that reason, voters vote using a specific party’s ballot in that election. Voters who are enrolled in a party must take that party’s ballot. Unenrolled voters can choose which ballot they want; selecting a ballot does not change a voter’s unenrolled status.

In Sudbury, there is one contested race on the Democratic party ballot. For the third district Governor’s Council seat, the candidates are Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney, the incumbent, and Mara Dolan.

On the Republican ballot in Sudbury, there is also one contested race. Robert J. Antonellis, Ian Cain and John Deaton are running to be the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in November, to oppose Elizabeth Warren.

There are no candidates on the Libertarian ballot in Sudbury.

The last day to register to vote in the Sept. 3 election is Saturday, Aug. 24. Check your voter registration status or register online at www.VoteInMA.com.

Request a mail ballot now to receive it in time to vote by mail. Check here for information on voting by mail.

In-person early voting will be Aug. 24-30 at Town Hall for all precincts; check hours here. Voting on Election Day, Tuesday, Sept. 3, will be at the Fairbank Community Center for all precincts; polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can find answers to frequently asked questions about voting here.

Schools HVAC Project Might Be Salvageable

By Kevin LaHaise

After failing to win support for funding from the Energy and Sustainability Committee, the schools HVAC project might have one last chance for funding. The project would replace critical HVAC equipment on the roofs of Curtis Middle School and Haynes Elementary School. The current equipment is at the end of it’s useful life, and the Combined Facilities Director has warned that it could fail at any time, which could cause a school building closure.

On Tuesday, Town Manager Andy Sheehan informed the Select Board that the Town would likely be making a request for somewhere around $75,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds at their next meeting. The money would be used to fill the funding gap on the schools HVAC project. (38:30 and 41:40)

The Select Board asked a variety of questions about the project, but they were mostly similar to what was already discussed at the Energy and Sustainability Committee meetings. One new piece of information did emerge when Combined Facilities Director Sandra Duran informed the board that they are already experiencing humidity issues in the schools.

“The entire control systems this summer have been somewhat problematic. Our maintenance supervisor for the schools has been really challenged with trying to get those controls working by the time school starts. I was there a week or two ago and it was quite hot, very muggy, and not the greatest of conditions.” (56:38)

It was not clear after the discussion if the project would have majority support of the Select Board when the formal request comes in. The board members wanted more information to be included with the formal request.

The Town had previously asked the Energy and Sustainability Committee for $223,000 from the Solar Energy Revolving Fund, so $75,000 in ARPA funds won’t cover the full amount needed. To close the gap, the Town may have the option of going to the Finance Committee to ask for a transfer from the Reserve Fund, or Sudbury Public Schools could drum up a bit more money, though they’ve already come up with over $250,000 according to prior statements from the Superintendent. That’s all in addition to money appropriated at prior Town Meetings. The total project cost is now $1.2M.

The challenge for the town would be stitching together that patchwork of funding sources before it’s too late to order the equipment from the manufacturers. As Town Manager Sheehan indicated to the Select Board, the manufacturers are planning to shut down their factories soon to transition to production of equipment that complies with new refrigerant regulations that kick in on January 1, 2025. (1:05:22)

As for next steps… keep an eye on the Select Board to discuss the request at their next meeting, and it might even come up during a capital projects update with the Sudbury School Committee.

Health Department: Sewataro Ponds Likely Closed For Summer

By Kevin LaHaise

A July 26 announcement from Camp Sewataro notified the public that the swimming and fishing ponds had been closed due to “blue green algae levels” found in the fishing pond. Bleu green algae is another term used for cyanobacteria. At the August 13 meeting of the Board of Health, the public learned more about the situation.

Health Director Vivian Zeng told the board that cyanobacteria tested high in the swimming pond as well, though both were already closed when the fishing pond tested high because the two ponds feed into each other. She said test results on the swimming pond indicated a level of over 370,000 cells per milliliter. The allowable threshold is 70,000 cells per milliliter. Zeng characterized that as “significantly overboard.” (46:05) Much of the discussion attributed the issue to recent heat waves and runoff on the property, as well as the stagnant nature of the water. Staff reported a good collaboration with the camp operator, and noted the operator has a regular testing program in place.

Sudbury Weekly contacted the Sudbury Health Department on Friday, August 16, and the latest test results are even higher. The swimming pond is now over 430,000 cells per milliliter and the fishing pond is over 600,000 cells per milliliter. The public is advised that there is no swimming, boating, or fishing allowed at the ponds, and pets should be kept away.

Zeng later went on to say that she doubted the levels would drop before the end of the camp season. The State recommendation is not to do any aggressive intervention with algaecide, but rather to leave it alone and keep people and pets away from the water. She said that if you kill the bacteria then the testing can’t determine how many toxins are in the water.

Zeng was asked if cyanobacteria affects the fish in the fishing pond and she responded:

Zeng went on to say her department would be meeting with the camp operator to develop a long-term plan, as she expected this to become a more frequent occurrence as the frequency of heat waves increases. They’re looking to procure metal signs for ongoing use to alert the public to the closure and risks.

The closure happened about a month after a resident swimming program was launched in June. The program was a part of the terms of a contract extension that was agreed to by the Sudbury Select Board and the camp operator in 2022. There was a general desire to launch the swim program in 2023, but concerns about public accessibility and ADA compliance for Town programs led to a series of accessibility projects on the property. That included accessible parking and pathways nearby the swimming pond.

Those capital investments were made by the private camp operator who manages the property, not the Town, but they do impact the bottom-line revenue share the Town receives from the agreement because the projects increase costs incurred by the operator. The Town of Sudbury revenue share for 2023 was approximately $92,000.

If Zeng is correct that these closures will continue in the future, it may have further financial implications for the Town and for Camp Sewataro. Annual Camp Financials are typically reported to the Town in the late fall or early winter each year.

Select Board Sets Boundary Around Police Union Negotiations

By Kevin LaHaise

Following a single Facebook thread with residents discussing Sudbury police compensation and staffing shortages on social media, some of the noise translated into a few emails to the Select Board. Select Board Chair, Jennifer Roberts, opened the board’s Tuesday meeting with a statement about the situation:

“I’ll start by recognizing that the Select Board has received a few emails this week from residents concerning staffing and compensation of the Sudbury Police Department. So I want to highlight that the Town of Sudbury immensely values all of our police officers and all our public safety employees. I, for one, am incredibly grateful for all the hard work they do day in and day out. Public safety is always a top priority. We do take the concerns seriously and the circumstances are being examined. However, at this time, I cannot say more about this topic related to compensation as we are in active contract negotiations with multiple Sudbury public safety unions.” (1:43)

The chatter was largely driven by a Facebook post announcing the cancellation of Public Safety Day by the Sudbury Police Association. (Full story here.) Some residents, including elected and former elected officials who have experience with collective bargaining procedures, had argued on social media that American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds should be used to provide some type of one-time bonus to public safety employees, including police officers. They went on to encourage residents to write the Select Board.

After Roberts made the statement at the top of the meeting, the other four members of the Select Board steered clear of the topic during the ARPA agenda item. If the board were to start discussing one-time bonuses from ARPA funds during open meeting, it could throw a wrench into ongoing negotiations, or cause a stir regarding recently-settled contracts with other unions.

The Select Board’s restraint is consistent with the Town Charter, which states the Town Manager has the power, duty and responsibility: “to be responsible for the negotiation of all contracts with town employees over wages, and other terms and conditions of employment, except employees of the school department; such contracts shall be subject to the approval of the board of selectmen. The town manager may, subject to the approval of the board of selectmen, employ special counsel to assist in the performance of these duties.”

Their approach is also consistent with general guidance provided by the Massachusetts Select Board Association (MSA). Their Select Board Handbook calls for the Select Board to rely on the Town Manager to take the primary role in negotiations:

“Contract negotiation, or interest bargaining, is a process that can last more than a year — or sometimes two or more — especially during lean economic times. While the Select Board typically operates as the employer under the law, the board is usually represented at the bargaining table by the town manager or administrator and/or counsel. The union will almost always be represented by a professional negotiator or by an employee who has substantial experience in bargaining, so a Select Board member who actively participates in negotiations can put the town at a significant disadvantage, particularly if he or she has no collective bargaining experience. If board members are going to participate in contract negotiations, they should understand that it is a complex process, particularly when negotiating wages or other financial increases. It is best to rely on the town manager or administrator to play a primary role.”

The Select Board, as the MSA handbook says, could provide some goals for the Town Manager:

However, those goals would almost always be discussed in executive session. Once again, the MSA handbook has the relevant guidance: “Once the board develops a bargaining agenda, those charged with negotiating at the table will have clear objectives and parameters, which can dramatically simplify the bargaining process. The Open Meeting Law allows the Select Board’s meetings about collective bargaining strategy to be confidential (executive session). Disclosing confidential material to others is a violation of the state’s conflict-of-interest law, not to mention that such disclosure can undermine the town’s bargaining position.”

Finance Committee Gears Up To Drill Down

By Kevin LaHaise

The Finance Committee met on Monday. It’s not quite budget season, so they’re still discussing their approach to the budget for the next fiscal year.

The main takeaway appears to be a deeper dive on Town department-level budgets. Historically, the committee would hear from the Superintendents of each Sudbury school district, as well as the Town Manager of Sudbury, during the budget review process. Those are typically referred to as the three major “cost centers” in Sudbury.

However, member Eric Poch indicated that he felt they had done less rigorous reviews of the Town budget historically, and he felt the Town budget was less transparent than the school districts.

“There’s enough transparency through the committee meetings that happen naturally for the school committees, I think the Town cost center is a little less transparent or a little less easy to follow and that gives rise to a lot of conversation in the community and different places. And it also gives rise to misunderstanding as well as I think the complexities of the budget. That being said, I think we did a really good job during Covid in particular, pushing, not pushing back, but being a little provocative with the cost center leads and the superintendents in particular, to say: what are your first tier needs, what are your second tier needs, what are your nice to haves? And I don’t know that we’ve ever had the chance to really do that at a department level, for the Town cost center.” (19:44)

The Town Manager presents to the Finance Committee each year, just as the superintendents do. However, school budgets tend to be more dynamic as student needs and enrollment can change significantly throughout the year, frequently prompting transfers that are discussed and approved by the school committees.

The Town budget breaks out the budget in several ways, starting with a budget overview in which departments are lumped into categories, then proceeds to drill into further detail for the budget of each department. Here’s the overview:

Jump to page 34 to dive into departmental detail.

The reported departmental needs have been fairly consistent for several years. Town Manager Andy Sheehan expressed as much during last year’s presentation of the financial condition of the Town, and he also added a couple additional needs, including succession planning. (Page 61)

The Sudbury Public Schools budget book ranks initiatives in two tiers: a priority tier and a development tier:

One key distinction, however, is that Sudbury Public Schools is generally trying to get the initiatives in all tiers funded, whereas the Town hasn’t pursued funding for very many of its identified needs in recent years.

Member Ryan Lynch added that he would like to do a deeper dive on the tiered needs in the Sudbury Public Schools budget. He wanted to see if they could get pricing estimates for those tiered needs so that they could discuss if there’s a way to fund those. “We are in a fortunate position in this community to try to err on the side of making incremental improvements year after year, and you know, I guess I want us to see how we can push that forward.” (22:52)

Funding the SPS FY26 budget needs may not be the only topic of discussion among the Finance Committee in the coming months. The latest meeting agenda for the SPS School Committee was posted this morning, and they’ll be discussing an “FY25 Budget Reset” on Monday, August 19. The meeting is currently listed as in-person only without an option to watch live on Sudbury TV or an option to join remotely. You’ll want to plan on getting to the SPS offices at the Fairbank Community Center if you want to watch it live.

EEE Confirmed In Sudbury Mosquitoes

By Kevin LaHaise

On Thursday the Board of Health issued a press release announcing that Eastern Equine Encephalitis was detected in Sudbury mosquitoes:

The press release advises residents to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites and mosquito-proof their homes. That includes using bug spray with DEET, avoiding scheduling outdoor events during peak mosquito hours, and removing standing water on residential properties. Full details here.

Parting Thoughts

Money stress, beach closures, mosquito-borne illness, climate change driven public health events, and back-to-school jitters. There’s a lot of reason to be anxious in and around Sudbury these days.

But there’s good news out there too!

Sudbury’s Conservation Coordinator, Lori Capone, was honored with the Distinguished Public Service Award by the Sudbury Valley Trustees. Behind that award is years of work preserving and protecting land in Sudbury. It’s a good reminder that whatever new challenges the town might face in the future, there’s a lot of work happening today to enable the community to overcome those challenges in the future.

The Sudbury Health Department is working hard to keep residents safe this week, not just in response to various issues with bodies of water, but with regard to overdose awareness, all while preparing for flu clinics and a bevy of other initiatives.

Incoming sixth graders to Curtis Middle School will be welcomed by a scavenger hunt later this month; an event designed to “provide students the opportunity to explore the building and shake out some of their nerves before the first day!” Across town, teachers are gearing up to welcome their new classes, and prepare Sudbury’s students for the rest of their lives.

Good things are happening all around Sudbury. But one thing is for certain these days: everything seems to be a matter of perspective, and perspective seems to be a function of choice. Do things look bleak, or is there cause for optimism?

Even perspectives on optimism itself can vary. Voltaire would tell you: “Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable.”

Oscar Wilde struck a slightly more positive tone, maybe? “The basis of optimism is sheer terror.” (Okay, that’s actually hilarious.)

Meanwhile, Helen Keller said: “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”

And good old Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote about optimism using imagery:

So what’s the state of affairs in Sudbury?

That’s up to you to decide.

Onward!