Here we go

May 01, 2026

Welcome back!

Town Meeting is just a few days away. It’s a tradition as old as… old stuff.

It’s packed with pageantry, weird words, procedural gobbledygook, and consequential votes. All that fancy stuff seems important.

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Go for the direct democracy, and stay to watch people mashing the voting clickers like PlayStation controllers because the signal to confirm their vote hasn’t come back yet.

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Here’s what we have for you this week…

May 1, 2026 Edition

Annual Town Meeting Starts Monday

NEWS
By the League of Women Voters of Sudbury

Sudbury’s Annual Town Meeting gets underway at 7 p.m. this Monday, May 4.

Town meeting will be in the auditorium of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. It is open to all Sudbury registered voters, and voters must participate in person. There is no remote participation or absentee voting option.

The meeting is likely to continue Tuesday, May 5, and will continue Wednesday, May 6, if necessary, at 7 p.m.

Citizen’s Petition Seeks To Add Recall Election Provisions To Town Charter

NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise

A citizen’s petition that would establish a means of recalling elected officials has been submitted for Sudbury’s Special Town Meeting on May 20 (page 41). According to Ballotopedia, “A recall election is the process by which citizens may remove elected officials from office before the expiration of their terms.”

The Special Town Meeting was called in response to a separate petition calling for a vote of no confidence in the current Sudbury School Committee (SPS). The recall petition is one of three additional citizen’s petitions that have since been submitted for the Special Town Meeting according to the draft warrant in the latest Select Board meeting packet. 

The recall petition would establish a common two-step process for triggering a recall election. First is a requirement for 250 signatures on an affidavit of intent. If that is certified, the clock starts ticking for the second step where a recall petition needs to get signatures from 10% of Sudbury’s registered voters within 28 days. 

That 10% threshold is an important consideration. More than double that amount, 23.83% of registered voters, turned out for Sudbury’s Annual Town Election in March. For context, the Town of Acton has a lower threshold for recall affidavit signatures at just 25 voters. However, Acton requires twice as many (20%) voters to sign the petition in the second step (pages 4 and 5 here). Maynard also requires 20%. (Page 9) 

Draft Special Town Meeting Warrant Features 4 Citizen’s Petitions

NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise

A draft warrant for Sudbury’s upcoming Special Town Meeting has been published in the Select Board’s April 28 meeting packet. The draft warrant includes four citizen’s petitions, one article submitted by the Town Manager, and a sixth article that may or may not be a citizen’s petition. Three of the articles are purely symbolic votes—frequently called “sense of the Town” articles or “non-binding resolutions.” The other three could lead to two bylaw changes and one town charter update.

Here’s the plain English summary:

FinCom Stands Firm On VocEd Position, Supports Sewataro and Transporation Articles

NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise

The Sudbury Finance Committee (FinCom) took additional positions on Annual Town Meeting articles during their April 27 meeting. Three noteworthy votes on high-profile articles stood out as Annual Town Meeting approaches.

Special Town Meeting Will Require Reserve Fund Transfer

NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise

According to comments made by Sudbury’s Assistant Town Manager and Finance Director, Victor Garofalo, the May 20 Special Town Meeting is estimated to cost between $15,000 and $25,000. He informed the Finance Committee that the Town will request a Reserve Fund Transfer to pay for the Special Town Meeting.

Garofalo addressed the Finance Committee during an April 27 meeting. He explained that the Special Town Meeting will need to be held in the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School (L-S) gymnasium, as the auditorium is already booked and there was no other availability during the small window in which the Town is required to hold the meeting.

According to Garofalo, the gymnasium is not equipped with the same audio/visual capabilities and seating as the L-S auditorium. He went on to explain the rental of the audio/visual equipment is estimated to cost between $10,000 and $12,000. He also noted that the Town will need to rent chairs.

Energy & Sustainability Committee Cited for Improper Use of Public Funds on Pro-Solar Signs

NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise

The Sudbury Energy & Sustainability Committee has been cited for an improper use of municipal funds after purchasing lawn signs to advocate for solar canopy articles slated for the upcoming Annual Town Meeting.

According to a memo sent to the Select Board by Town Manager Andy Sheehan, the committee voted during its April 14 meeting to spend money from the Solar Revolving Fund on 50 advocacy signs. The purchase was executed using the a Town purchasing card.

Sheehan stated that neither he nor Finance Director Victor Garofalo were aware of the vote or the transaction when it occurred.

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