Over the next few months, I will be actively engaging Sturbridge residents in an effort to gain your support and your vote. The honor and privilege of serving as your selectman comes with a great deal of responsibility on my part and expectations on yours. In seeking your support, I have a fundamental obligation to provide you with as much detail as possible regarding my positions and my visions.
To that end I am committed to ensuring that there is no doubt as to what you can expect from me - should I be granted the honor of serving you. My positions on issues will be clearly articulated in print and available via this medium at all times. This will ensure that residents understand my approach to issues, my deliberative process, and the basis for the information used when coming to a decision. As well, it will provide each of you with a means of holding me accountable.
Each and every day of a three year term you have a right to expect and demand the highest level of integrity, commitment, and objectivity from your selectmen in dealing with the issues facing our community. I have an obligation to ensure that every decision I make is based upon principles as opposed to personalities.
There will be times when the decisions I make will be in conflict with positions held by long-time friends within the community. That is inevitable, and despite those relationships, I will come to my final determinations based upon the facts through careful review of all information, and grounded ultimately in the overwhelming needs of the many.
With that said, one would do well to remember that as a community activist one can advocate strongly from one side or another; as a selectman, however, one must always govern from the middle. The remainder of this post can be read by accessing the READ MORE link below.
This is, and shall always remain, my personal commitment to each of you.
Moving forward, I have outlined (and will continue to outline) a list of items that I am committed to addressing in the first 3 – 12 months of my term. These items will provide the basis for a comprehensive review and discussion regarding the manner in which we conduct and project our responsibilities to those we serve. This list should not be interpreted as being exclusive of other items warranting review, but merely as a starting point for more open and engaged dialogue on all issues of town governance.
1) Comprehensive Budget Analysis
We are well aware of the current economic crisis facing this nation, and in fact the world. Nationally our unemployment rate is at 7.6%, with many predicting 9-10% unemployment by year’s end. Home foreclosures have increased 81% since the same period last year and 225% since 2006. Further complicating the national crisis is a significant retrenchment in consumer spending which in the last 6 months has demonstrated the lowest rise in 47 years. At a time when consumer spending is receding in such magnitude due to the economic crisis, it is unconscionable that leadership at any level entity would propose or support spending initiatives that are unnecessary and or unwarranted.
At the very first regularly scheduled meeting (if not provided sooner in response to my ongoing inquiries) I will publicly request a comprehensive list of non-essential budget items planned or currently being implemented along with the taxpayer costs associated with those expenditures. I will request that a spreadsheet be developed (and made publicly available on the town website) that details the tax levy upon residents for each of the items considered or approved. This will enable residents to clearly see the associated monthly cost per resident for each item proposed or approved. As well, I will ask that these items be categorized in terms of how and why they were prioritized on the list.
Subsequently, each budget request that comes before the Board of Selectmen during the course of the year should be added to this list, and made publicly available on the town website, along with the item’s projected tax levy. This will enable residents to make more informed judgments about the use of taxpayer dollars.
All too often individual requests are acted upon as completely separate entities with little connectivity to their impact on the overall taxpayer debt. This frequently results in requests being approved because of what appears to be an insignificant tax increase associated with a particular item. Sadly, as each of these requests add up, the burden on Sturbridge taxpayers increases, resulting in diminished discretionary income for some and a loss of obligated income for others. This serves only to the detriment of residents.
This spreadsheet will include, yet not be limited to, the following items and their subsequent tax impact upon residents:
1. WWTF
2. Town Hall/Center School Renovations
2a. Alternate site locations for the Town Hall
3. Burgess Elementary School Renovation/Reconstruction Project
4. Sturbridge Landfill/Recycling Center
5. Non-dedicated funds (i.e. Community Preservation Act) associated with the purchase of land and/or capital expenditures.
6. Legal Fees and associated costs in relation to our contractual agreements with Kopelman and Paige as well as alternative agreements with other acceptable prominent law firms.
6a. In line with this request, I will seek a public accounting and detailed explanation as to the process and rationale for maintaining our relationship with Kopelman and Paige as opposed to “market shopping”
7. Hamant Brook Dam Renovations/Maintenance vs. the Stream Restoration Project proposed by the State Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
8. A detailed report and tax levy estimate on the underground power line proposal that the Town Administrator has indicated he will bring before the town for the 2010 Annual Town Meeting.
9. A review of the current tax assessments levied upon residents
Understanding the level of detail that these requests entail, I will commit to working with the Board to ensure that the foundation for this proposal be initiated within the first 4 months of my term and completely operational prior to the fiscal 2010 Annual Town Meeting.
2) Burgess Elementary School
It is no secret that we have one of the finest educational systems in the area. One lays witness daily to the remarkably talented youth that grace our community. This is certainly no accident and stems from the selfless sacrifices of parents and educators. Our children represent our future and the foundation that we lay for them, is in effect the foundation that we lay for the future prosperity of our community.
Unfortunately, our children and teachers at the Burgess School find themselves in less than “ideal” conditions that will only continue to deteriorate. We must endeavor to identify resources with which to facilitate the construction of a facility that is more conducive to our children’s needs.
Current estimates on the Burgess School are approximately $42 million, with the state thus far proposing to cover a minimum of 51% of those costs. In balancing the return on investment and the necessity of such an endeavor, we would do well to recognize the difference between “spending” and investing.
As I’ve previously stated, the future prosperity – financial, social, and historical) of a community is directly linked to the investment it makes in its youth and its educational system. Investing in a new elementary school for our children, will reap significant rewards in terms of the desirability for businesses and residents to relocate in the area.
World class businesses recognize the value of locating in desirable communities which invest in their youth and their seniors. Potential employees and residents associated with those businesses fully understand and prioritize the educational and social needs of children and seniors.
As your selectman, I am committed to promoting the renovation/reconstruction of a new elementary school at every appropriate opportunity, be it locally or if necessary at the state level. Simultaneously, working with the Board and members of the School Committee, I will encourage and pursue as much public discussion as necessary in order to ensure that residents are provided with the very best information possible with which to make an informed decision.
3) Senior Services
There is little doubt that many of our seniors are faced with mounting challenges that present significant difficulties in terms of their quality of life. Escalating costs coupled with dwindling fixed incomes have placed some of our seniors in a most vulnerable and precarious predicament. The impact of tax increases and service reductions has a much more immediate affect upon them.
Elderbus: Consider the plight of seniors who have depended upon Elderbus services to shuttle them back and forth between medical visits. Recent cuts in service over the last year have forced reductions in the number of hours and trips that Elderbus operates. In turn, this has resulted in extended day trips for seniors in order to attend a 30 minute doctor’s visit. What was once accomplished in a matter of hours has now become a full day-long trip for many who travel out of town for doctor visits.
This creates the necessity for seniors to plan a day’s worth of snacks, lunches, and medications if they need to address medical issues. For some, the logistics of such can be overwhelming and may result in failure to attend planned appointments or to simply stop making them altogether. This is unfortunate, and more importantly, it is unnecessary.
There are 21 communities in the Elderbus service area and each of those communities shares a portion of the services associated with Elderbus. An increase of $26,000 would provide the additional revenue needed to offset the costs of a second van. This cost, if spread among the 21 communities (perhaps based upon ridership/usage), would result in minimal to zero impact upon most municipal budgets. The issue here is one of engagement.
As your selectman I will personally reach out to the selectmen and/or appropriate authorities in the 21 Elderbus service communities in an effort to engage them in dialogue on a comprehensive and unified approach to addressing this shortfall. I will initiate this outreach within the first 2 months of the election, with the hopes of providing a proposal to the town within 6 months of the election.
Senior Municipal Service Program: Each year the town sets aside $10,000 for the Senior Municipal Service Program, which enables seniors within a certain earnings level to provide volunteer services to the town, which, based upon the hours worked, are converted into credits or reductions on their tax bill. The Town Administrator’s webpage indicates that up to $500 can be earned as a credit by those utilizing the program. Other figures indicate the number to be more in the range of $750.
This is an outstanding program that affords qualifying seniors with the opportunity to provide much needed assistance to the town at bargain rates that are conveyed to the seniors on their tax bill. Sadly, the program has been underutilized for a variety of reasons, all of which can be easily addressed. Consider the following statistics provided relative to the use of this program:
In fiscal 2007, there were 2 total participants resulting in $628.75 in tax credits being issued.
In fiscal 2008, there were again 2 total participants resulting in $1,000 in tax credits being issued.
As of the date of this publication, there are currently 4 residents participating in the program, which would result in a total of $2,000 in tax credits being issued.
It is unfortunate that the number of seniors taking advantage of this program is so low. Each year, the town is left with a balance in this account, which is then utilized elsewhere. An effective program of this nature would - and should - result in zero funds available at the end of the fiscal year. This would indicate an effective and convincing outreach campaign relative to the merits of the program.
Recently, I shared some thoughts with the Town Administrator relative to the reasons some qualifying seniors are, and have been, reluctant to take advantage of this program. It is my hope that he will carefully consider the merits of that information and take the appropriate steps.
Within the first month of my tenure I will work closely with the Town Administrator to develop a more sensitive approach to the implementation of this program.
4) Sturbridge Landfill/Recycling Center
Within the first month of my tenure (if not acted upon sooner based upon my ongoing inquiries) I will request that (per the recommendation of the Finance Committee over the last two years), a comprehensive study of the Sturbridge Landfill/Recycling Center be undertaken to evaluate/identify the costs vs. the benefits associated with the current financial management of that center. Additionally, as requested by the Finance Committee for the past two years, the study will include the following:
1. Cost of on going operations and budget
2. Land Fill Cap Fund
3. Fee generation
4. Cost Reductions
5. Town trash /recycling initiatives
6. Hauler recycling alternatives
7. Landfill closure
8. Future “Brownfield” options: After capping, some town landfills are recycled into community assets, using them for recreation areas.
The Sturbridge Landfill/Recycling Center has been identified as an asset by our current leadership; few would argue to the contrary. However, the financial management of that asset is somewhat questionable in light of the projections by our Town Administrator that we currently have a $200,000 shortfall in the landfill cap (closure) account for 2009 and that such will need to be appropriated this year.
Additionally, the fiscal 2009 budget for the landfill/recycling center was $280,000. Considering that 2500 stickers (not individual households, as many households have multiple stickers) were issued last year (approximately ¼ of our population), it is hard to rationalize that such a study is not warranted. Yet, current town leadership has resisted such a study for years. Taxpayers deserve the right to know if our return on investment is consistent with our expectations. I am committed to ensuring this study is initiated within the first 8 weeks of my election.
Green Initiatives: There is no doubt that energy conservation is a key component of overall cost management and environmental protection. Implementing a strong locally focused “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover” program can have a significant impact in creating a greener and more sustainable environment while simultaneously producing financial benefits to the community if undertaken as a comprehensive approach.
A community wide approach to “Green Initiative” implementation can produce significant savings in energy costs - both residential and municipal - while providing significant benefit to our local environment. For example, it is estimated that recycling one aluminum can saves the energy that it takes to power a television for three hours. Certainly, this has little to no immediate impact upon an individual’s energy costs, but in terms of the bigger picture, it translates to resource sustainability in a more global view.
Sturbridge was once a leading statewide innovator in its approach to recycling when it first developed and implemented the current recycling center. Sadly, with the passage of time, we have become a spectator, watching numerous communities statewide take the lead on green initiatives.
Over the past two years we have talked at length about the merits of a more pro-active approach towards eco-tourism and developing it as one component of our overall economic vision. We have done little, however, in terms of increasing our green approach to promoting our community.
The director of the Chamber of Commerce has indicated at several public meetings that a strong component of any eco-tourist program is the implementation of green initiatives within the community as part of an overall marketing approach. There is very little cost associated with implementing such a program and the return on investment in terms of education, energy conservation, and environmental sustainability make it a plus – plus for the community.
Within the first six months of my tenure, I will work with the Board to schedule a work session presentation on green alternatives that can be implemented at the local level. Utilizing local resources - perhaps representatives from local activist groups - we can begin the educational process of dialogue and program availability, as well as researching appropriate initiatives that can be implemented at the local level.
5) Charter Communications
Within the first 3 months, I will initiate a request for a public accounting of all revenues associated with, and services provided by, Charter Communications.
It is no secret that residents have complained for years about the poor video and audio reception that has plagued this community in terms of public broadcast of meetings. On repeated occasions the Town Administrator has provided updates relative to his communications with Charter representatives, yet still issues persist.
The Town Administrator has indicated that Sturbridge receives $50,000 annually from Charter Communications and that a portion of those funds are utilized to pay for the services of students who operate the console during meetings. I will request a public accounting of those funds and an itemized list of all expenditures associated with the Charter account.
Additionally, I will request that a public presentation be provided by a Charter Communications representative in terms of their efforts to address the ongoing issues associated with public broadcast of meetings.
Additionally, I will request a public accounting as to the rationale and limitations that prevent us from providing continuous loop broadcast of all televised meetings on public access television. In today’s technological age, I am unconvinced that this issue cannot be rectified in a more expeditious manner.
6) Public access to information
In the 2006 Finance Committee Annual Report, the FinCom identified the need to ensure that residents had access to “…accurate [and] relevant information on numerous and often new subjects”. They went on to write that without such “…there is little chance for sound decision-making”.
Yet, 3 years later, in an age of information technology, we find ourselves still lacking in providing online publication of simple meeting minutes for a number of town entities. In this day and age one can certainly argue that this is inexcusable and contrary to the principles of open and accessible government.
To that end, I commit to pursuing the online publication of all appropriate meeting minutes and to have such initiated and available for public review within the first 6 months of the election.
7) Sewer Service Area Review
As most of us know, the sewer service areas addressed last year by the Board of Selectmen were done with a significant level of engineering, as well as a level of political positioning. This is understandable, but not completely in the best interests of the intent of water and sewer distribution.
Noticeably absent from a position of prominence in the discussions pertaining to sewer service designations was the Board of Health. In part, this was due to a level of reluctance on the part of the BOH to engage this issue as they were leery of being caught up in political debate. In part, it was due as well to a failure by some to completely engineer all aspects of the sewer service area with science void of politics.
When one considers the importance of our water resources (i.e. lakes, ponds, wetlands) and the number of septic systems that threaten those resources through certain and ultimate failure, it is inconceivable that more direct and frank participation from the Board of Health was not undertaken.
Within the first few months of my tenure I will call for a complete review of our sewer service area and request direct and proportionate input from the Board of Health and our DPW Director. As well, if and where warranted, I will request the Board’s support in soliciting input from representatives from the engineering firm that provided consultant services during the initial sewer watershed discussions - Tighe and Bond.
Additionally, on future sewer service extension or service requests, I will seek appropriate input from the Board of Health to ensure that appropriate concerns and issues are considered in the equation.
In closing, it may appear to some that this approach may seem ambitious, while others may view it otherwise. In considering the challenges facing this nation and this community over the next three years, I believe it necessary for us to develop a sense of urgency as it relates to the business of governance.
The economic numbers I’ve previously stated - 7.6% unemployment with predictions of 9-10% by year’s end, along with the staggering increase in foreclosures - 86% increase over this same period last year - coupled with the lowest consumer spending percentage in over 40 years, leave little doubt that vigorous attention to detail is critical if we are to minimize the detrimental impact to our community.
The level of engagement on the issues itemized in this plan will better enable us to manage our affairs while simultaneously positioning us to take advantage of those opportunities that will surely manifest.
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