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Here we go
Welcome back!
Sudbury is off to the races in 2026. Election season is upon us, and the road to Annual Town Meeting is on the not-so-distant horizon. That means we’re about to go into overdrive… which is a good way to pass the winter, right?
Here’s what we have for you this week:
January 9, 2026 Edition
Let’s get into it!
Eight People File for Town Election in First Week
NEWS
By The League of Women Voters of Sudbury
In the first week that nomination papers were available, 8 people “pulled papers,” filing their intention to run for the 11 open town and school committee seats in the March 30 Annual Town Election. The deadline to pull papers is Thursday, Feb. 5.
According to the Town Clerk’s office, as of the close of business on Friday, Jan. 9, only one person has filed an intention to run for the two open seats on the Sudbury School Committee, and no one has filed to run for the Park and Recreation Commission nor the Planning Board.
None of the people who have filed an intention to run has become an official candidate whose name will appear on the ballot. People who have filed will not become official candidates until they return their papers with the required signatures and those signatures are certified by the Town Clerk’s office. The deadline to return papers is Monday, Feb. 10.
Here are the articles about each day’s filings for the town election:
DPW Director: 16 Miles Of Sidewalks Would Cost Over $27M
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
Sudbury’s Department of Public Works (DPW) Director, Tina Rivard, joined the Select Board meeting on January 6, and explained that Town’s strategy to meet demand for expanded sidewalks.
Rivard walked through a financial analysis of priority walkways identified in a planning process that took place in 2000. At the time, the estimated cost to add sidewalks to 16 miles of roadways throughout town was $2.8 million. Using today’s pricing, Rivard’s team estimated the same 16 miles would cost over $27 million to construct today. For context, the estimated budget for Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Fiscal Year 2027 is about $40 million.
Flu Cases Surge Locally and Across State; Emerson Health Reports Sharp Rise in ER Visits
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
As winter settles over Massachusetts, health officials are grappling with a significant spike in influenza cases, a trend that is being felt acutely at local medical facilities. Emerson Health issued a statement today confirming a dramatic increase in flu-related patient volume, urging residents to take precautions as infection rates climb.
According to data released Thursday, the surge in local cases has been steep and sudden. Dr. Barry Kitch, Chief Medical Officer at Emerson Health, described the current situation as a “very active flu season,” noting that the facility’s numbers mirror broader trends seen across the Commonwealth.
Major Community Preservation Applications Could Be At Risk
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) began voting on project applications at their January 7 meeting. While several projects were recommended for approval at Town Meeting, some of the larger projects appeared to be at risk of not making the cut.
The CPC voted in favor of:
Select Board Forms Sewataro Subcommittee
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
At the January 6 meeting of the Sudbury Select Board, the board established a subcommittee to gather information on the Liberty Ledge/Camp Sewataro property and similar municipal projects. The charge of the committee was slightly modified during the meeting, but largely tasked the subcommittee with compiling “existing materials, planning studies, comparable municipal projects, and relevant expert perspectives related to the use and long-term implications of the property.”
SPS School Committee Ratifies Contract Agreements
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
The Sudbury Public Schools (SPS) School Committee voted unanimously to ratify three tentative contract agreements on Monday, January 5. The agreements cover the Sudbury Educational Association (SEA), the Educational Support Professional Association of Sudbury (ESPAS) and the Sudbury Educational Association of Custodial Employees.
The union is expected to vote on the tentative agreements in the coming days according to comments made by SPS Chair Karyn Jones. The district will also issue a press release with further details pending the outcome of those votes. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed during the public session on Monday.
LS Athletics: Warriors Review
SPORTS
By The Lincoln-Sudbury Athletics Department
The Sudbury Weekly Guide To Child Care Services
FEATURES
By Sudbury Weekly
Nearly 50% of Sudbury households have children. In fact, the percentage of the town’s population that’s enrolled in Sudbury’s school districts is among the highest in MetroWest. Meanwhile, the number of dual working parents has been climbing for years. That creates a big market for childcare services in Sudbury, and the business community has certainly been investing to meet the demand locally. With a variety of services, philosophies and concepts, Sudbury parents have no shortage of choices for child care.
The following list includes licensed child cares in Sudbury according to the Department of Early Education and Care. We encourage you to consider supporting these Sudbury businesses, as many support Sudbury Weekly.
FY26 Assessed Property Values Published
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
The Town of Sudbury published the Fiscal Year 2026 Assessed Valuations spreadsheet on the Town website this week. Assessed valuations are one of several key determinants of your final tax bill. The list can be reviewed at this link, or in the document embedded below.
250 Years Ago…
FEATURES
By Jan Hardenbergh
250 years ago, on January 9th, 1776, several Sudbury men signed the payroll acknowledging that they had received one pound and one schilling from Capt. Asahel Wheeler. This scrap of paper is one of a couple dozen papers we have in the Town Records relating to the Siege of Boston. (Full Image)
Parting Thoughts
It’s hard to write a column called “Parting Thoughts” in the wake of what happened in Minneapolis and Portland this week. Sudbury Weekly doesn’t cover national news… but what’s happening nationally has become decidedly local for so many communities.
And it’s not just isolated events that make these times so… trying. The struggle seems to be society-wide and system-wide. One recent report said health care cost anxiety has hit record highs heading into 2026. Meanwhile, a full half of Americans report difficulties paying for basic needs like groceries and utilities.
So we leave you this week with a line often attributed to a former Sudbury resident, and a pretty good baseball player:
"It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up."
Onward!