"Every child is an artist..."

Welcome back!

Here’s what we have for you:

1. SPS School Committee Gives In-Person Meetings a Whirl — Community Engagement Tags Along

2. It’s Getting Hot In Here: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Results Are In

3. Events!

4. Rail Trails Advisory Committee Seeks New Members

5. HOPE’s 5th Annual Family Fishing Derby!

6. Representative Gentile Secures $1 Million for Sudbury Housing Trust in House Bill; Senate to Consider Next

SPS School Committee Gives In-Person Meetings a Whirl — Community Engagement Tags Along

By Kevin LaHaise

The Sudbury Public Schools (SPS) School Committee has shifted gears, opting to conduct some of their meetings in-person, and without a hybrid option for remote attendees. Their latest meeting was not broadcast live on Sudbury TV, opting instead to make the recording available on-demand at a later date.

Municipalities have been expanding the use of hybrid and remote meetings, which have been credited with increasing public participation in local government, and ensuring equitable access for the public to participate. Last year the State passed legislation extending pandemic-era provisions allowing for virtual and hybrid meetings. At the time, the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) lauded the move, with the then-MAPC interim community engagement director stating: “We’re excited to see this common-sense extension be approved – virtual access to public forums is a crucial component of ensuring broad and equitable community engagement…”

Debate and discussion continues at the State level on the topic of making hybrid public meetings optional or mandatory, in part because some municipalities have claimed that mandatory hybrid meetings could impose financial and logistical hardships. Many officials have also argued that they prefer in-person meetings, or meetings with an in-person option, for a variety of reasons, such as board/committee member rapport.

SPS School Committee Chair, Nicole Burnard, told Sudbury Weekly:

The Sudbury Select Board is another body that has begun alternating in-person and fully-remote meetings. The in-person Select Board meetings are fully hybrid, offer a remote Zoom option, while also broadcasting on Sudbury TV and streaming online.

The Select Board allocated $78,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to get the Town the equipment necessary to run hybrid meetings in multiple Town buildings. The Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee has frequently conducted hybrid meetings at the Flynn building when they meet in-person.

On Monday, the SPS School Committee hosted all of the school principals for presentations on accomplishments, initiatives and models (referred to as the AIM reports). The committee also finalized the annual evaluation of Superintendent Brad Crozier. (Page 68) Both agenda items are core to the primary roles and responsibilities of school committees in Massachusetts, as the SPS School Committee outlines on its website here.

The AIM presentations are among the few building-specific reports that SPS parents hear each year, with the principals discussing the results of building-specific initiatives, and laying out plans for the year ahead. That includes initiatives like math and literacy interventions at Loring Elementary School, student belonging initiatives at Nixon Elementary School, and interventions on executive function management at Curtis Middle School. Readers can access copies of those presentations here, and copies of the AIM reports here.

While many advocates of remote and hybrid meetings cite the benefits for public participation, the SPS School Committee actually received public comments in-person on Monday. One of the comments questioned the transparency of the committee and policy subcommittee. A change to SPS policies at a May meeting restricted which non-resident SPS and L-S employees could send their children to Sudbury Public Schools; limiting it to DESE-licensed positions.

According to two commenters, that effectively excludes the support staff, such as custodians, from accessing the benefit moving forward. The two commenters were SPS employees themselves, and they implored the committee to reconsider its decision, noting that it wasn’t even discussed at the May 6 meeting when the full committee voted on the proposed policy updates. (0:40)

The meeting the commenter referenced was added to the school committee schedule a few days prior to the meeting happening, and it was scheduled over the existing meeting they had posted for the committee to attend Annual Town Meeting that same evening. It was conducted in-person at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School on May 6, commencing about 60 minutes before the start of Annual Town Meeting. It also included an executive session on the nurses contract. Agenda here. School committee schedule here.

Here’s the policy edit that was referenced in this week’s public comments:

It’s Getting Hot In Here: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Results Are In

By Kevin LaHaise

On June 4 the Energy and Sustainability Committee welcomed Kim Lundgren Associates and EcoDataLab to present their findings from their Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Consumption-Based Emissions Inventory. The presentation provided data and estimates on emissions in Sudbury, and recommendations to reduce those emissions going forward.

They found that Sudbury’s 2021 geographic emissions were roughly equivalent to half of a fossil gas power plant. The presenters warned that comparison to other communities is not apples-to-apples because Sudbury’s inventory included refrigerant leakage.

Here is the emissions breakdown by sector:

And here is the breakdown of emissions by source:

The municipal share of emissions was just 2.7% of the total, but that was characterized as fairly typical.

As for paths forward, the consultants recommended weatherization and electrification of virtually all homes in Sudbury by 2040. They also recommended transitioning to 100% zero-emissions vehicles by 2050. Broadly speaking, the concept is to support a community-wide effort to transition to electric for buildings and transportation, while making use of available programs and incentives to do so.

In a bit of bad-but-not-unexpected news: the consumption-based inventory revealed that Sudbury’s average household emissions were approximately 50% higher than the national average. The consultants explained that it was not surprising given the higher incomes and larger homes in Sudbury.

The recommendations to reduce consumption-based emissions were largely the same: vehicle and building electrification. But they also recommended reducing consumption of meat and dairy, and preventing food waste.

The next step is a presentation of the findings and recommendations to the Select Board in late June.

Events!

Sudbury Pride Day — June 9

Who Says I Can’t Foundation announces annual fundraising event (June 8)

Rail Trails Advisory Committee Seeks New Members

By Kevin LaHaise

On Wednesday the Rail Trails Advisory Committee met. The news on the rail trails is straightforward: the construction process is coming along nicely, the designs for the next phase of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (Phase 3) are on track to be submitted later this month, and everybody is trespassing all over the trails, leaving a crumb-trail of dog poop bags in their wake.

Anyway, the chair of the committee, John Drobinski, informed the public that they will have some openings to fill on the committee, and they’re looking for volunteers to apply. The available seats would be Select Board appointments according to Drobinski. Interested volunteers can find the appointment application on the right-hand side of the Rail Trails Advisory Committee page here. Applicants need not have any interest in pet waste.

HOPE’s 5th Annual Family Fishing Derby!

Submitted by HOPEsudbury

Join HOPE’s 5th Annual Family Fishing Derby! WHEN: June 15 (rain or shine) WHERE: Camp Sewataro

REGISTER HERE: https://www.hopesudbury.org/fishingderby 

We’ll be hosting a special collection that morning for “The Community Closet Project” which supports the needs of two Boston area non-profits: We Are Better Together (WAB2G.org) and Youth Connect – Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston (bgcb.org). MOST NEEDED ITEMS: Underwear (all sizes, adult M – 3XL), Socks (all sizes kids-adult), Head Scarves, Khaki Pants (mens sizes), Collared shirts (medium- XXL), t-shirts (all sizes) Laundry detergent, dish soap, Lotion (Eucerin, Palmers Shea Butter), Vaseline, toothbrushes, toothpaste, Body Wash (Caress, St Ives, Suave), Aluminum-free deodorant Twin Size Bedding (Sheets, blankets, pillowcases) Bath towels, wash clothes Unscented baby wipes Pots/pans/utensils, candles, mirrors, lamps/lightbulbs, laptops (used in good condition for parents & children attending school) * Gift Cards: gas, Target, supermarket, Uber, phone minutes #powerofcommunity

Representative Gentile Announces $1 Million for Sudbury Housing Trust in House-Passed Affordable Homes Act; Senate to Consider Next

By Kevin LaHaise

Sudbury’s Representative in the Massachusetts House of Representatives is feeling good this week. Representative Carmine Gentile’s office sent out an announcement lauding the passage of the Affordable Homes Act by a vote of 145-13 in the House. The bill included $1 million for the Sudbury Housing Trust, $1 million for the Wayland Housing Authority, and $500,000 for the Lincoln Affordable Housing Trust. But it’s not just the earmarks for his district that have him fired up:

Gentile’s announcement characterized the Affordable Homes Act as an historic investment in housing because it: “includes $6.5 billion in bond authorizations, tax credits, and over 20 policy initiatives that promote housing production, facilitate the development of affordable housing, and preserve public housing in Massachusetts.”

The investments in housing are just one facet of the bill. If it becomes law, it would allow accessory dwelling units (up to 900 square feet) by-right in single family zoning districts in all Massachusetts communities. (Just don’t tell your in-laws.)

The Affordable Homes Act, as passed by the House, would also provide $1 billion for the expansion of the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority’s system to approximately two dozen communities. The bill now goes to the Senate.

Parting Thoughts

Today is Colby Caravaggio Day in Sudbury. The long-time and beloved art teacher at Peter Noyes Elementary School passed away on March 6, 2024 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He continued to teach in his classroom until February 16; and tonight the Noyes community will continue a tradition that he started years ago: the school-wide art show.

Much of Sudbury is decorated with the letter “C” in his honor today. A tribute not only to his creativity and charisma, but also his remarkable ability to cultivate creative expression in thousands of students. As the proclamation states:

In uplifting news for the community, Peter Noyes Elementary School Principal, Annette Doyle, announced earlier this week that Ms. Kat Caravaggio, Colby Caravaggio’s daughter, accepted the position of art teacher at Noyes.

Onward!