League of Women Voters 2007 Town Election Guide
Each year, the League of Women Voters of Sudbury compiles this voter’s guide to the local elections, in conjunction with the Sudbury Town Crier, as an informational service to voters.
In gathering the information for this year’s Voter’s Guide, the League sent questionnaires to all local candidates whose names were provided by the Town Clerk.
The League asked candidates to answer this question: What are the two most serious issues facing the office you are seeking, and how would you address them?
The candidates were asked to limit their responses to 100 words. You can also see the candidates’ presentations at Candidates’ Night rebroadcast frequently until the election on local access cable channel 8.
The town election is Monday, March 26, and polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Three-year term, vote for one
William J. Keller
Address: Churchill Street
Occupation: Attorney
Sudbury faces financial adversity. The challenge is maintaining services. Selectmen’s responsibility is twofold, getting it done and communicating its results. Town government has continually re-evaluated programs and expenditures for necessity and runs operations as lean as possible. We seek funding alternatives, increased state aid, and expansion of our tax base. See Town website. We should continue and strive to do more. We must overcome the perceptions that the rising costs of government means the Town is mismanaged and the panacea is to just say no. The result would be deterioration of services, assets, and infrastructure and ultimately worse economic conditions.
Robert G. Stein
Address: Thompson Drive
Occupation: Senior Vice President, National Investment Firm
Our two most serious issues are providing an exceptional level of town services without forcing our senior and other lower consuming citizens to leave town and controlling and managing the development of the town. As to the first, I would identify the services that are most important to us, work to provide those services in as effective and efficient manner as possible, and provide incentives to our seniors to stay. As to the second, I would work to preserve the semi-rural character of the town that so many of us found so attractive in deciding to move here. It’s time.
BOARD OF ASSESSORS
Three-year term, vote for one
Trevor A. Haydon
Address: Goodman’s Hill Road
Occupation: Attorney
First, our property assessments need to be fair and equitable. We have seen years of steadily increasing residential values. We need now to monitor closely residential sales to insure our property assessments continue to follow accurately the current valuation trend.
Second, we need to be mindful of the burden of increasing real estate taxes to those on fixed incomes. As a member of the Board I will work to expand, where possible, eligibility requirements and work with staff and other town officials in making available timely and accurate information about available tax exemptions, deferrals and similar tax relief programs.
GOODNOW LIBRARY TRUSTEE
Three-year term, vote for two
Carol Hull
Address: Maple Avenue
Occupation: Software Engineer
Budgetary issues are always a concern for the Goodnow library trustees. We are close to publishing our strategic plan for the next several years; in recognition of the continued high demand for library materials in Sudbury we will be looking at various technology enhancements such as self check-in and web upgrades but also at a small amount of additional staffing which will allow us to add evening hours on Thursdays and more Sundays to bring our open days more closely into line with the school year. The Thursday evening opening was the most highly requested item in last year’s user survey.
Phyllis A. Cullinane
Address: Grindstone Lane
Occupation: Librarian
Two issues facing the Goodnow are providing more hours and materials.
Taxes provide funds to staff and operate the building. It is a small investment for being able to come to a building: to complete homework, to hear a story, to search for information, or to borrow the latest best seller.
Providing access to the technology and the materials patrons use is critical.
Internet access and databases are basic user needs. Audio-visual borrowing in the form of CDs and books on tape is as popular as print.
All the necessities are available at our public library. Let's support it
BOARD OF HEALTH
Three-year term, vote for one
Donald C. Kern
Address: Hammond Circle
Occupation: Physician
I am a public health physician seeking re-election for an eighth consecutive term.
Sudbury needs enhanced preparation for public health emergencies. The Board of Health (BOH) strongly supports the establishment of a Town Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). For example, in the event of an influenza epidemic, the BOH and the MRC will work together to protect residents’ health.
Years ago, I helped establish the office of Town Social Worker. The recent tragedy at the high school underscores the importance of the BOH having resources to provide crisis intervention services. I will advocate for increased funding for our mental health programs.
Robert A McDonald
Address: Aaron Road
Occupation: Sales manager
An important issue is the Medical Reserve Corps. This program organizes a team of individuals that go into action in the event of a disaster. My successful business background is well suited for organizing, managing and expanding this program. I look forward to complimenting the work that has already been started.
Outdoor wood boilers represent an immediate problem adversely impacting our future health, especially for our children. Boilers create smoke 12 times more dangerous than cigarette smoke. Many Massachusetts towns have already banned the boilers eliminating a serious threat to human health. I would ban them to protect public safety.
SUDBURY HOUSING AUTHORITY
Five-year term, vote for one
Steven J. Swanger
Address: Bent Brook Rd
Occupation: Public Administrator
Our Master Plan addresses the need for additional affordable housing. As an SHA Commissioner, I will work to address that need. I believe the social capital of a town is strongest when those who work in its businesses, who teach its children, who work in its government are among its citizens, when it provides a place for first-time homebuyers to realize their dreams, for divorcees and empty-nesters to downsize, for newcomers and for our children to get a start. The SHA plays a key role building this social capital. I would be honored to serve another term on its board.
SUDBURY HOUSING AUTHORITY
Two-year term, vote for one
Sherrill P. Cline
Address: Concord Road
Occupation: Attorney
The greatest challenges facing the SHA are locating properties that are suitable for affordable housing and coordinating the financing for the purchasing or building of the dwelling. The creation of the new town position of Community Housing Specialist and Town Meeting’s approval of the Sudbury Affordable Housing Trust are evidence of Sudbury’s renewed interest in meeting its commitment to provide affordable housing.
I have served as a Commissioner for the SHA since July, 2006. I am the designated representative to the Community Preservation Committee. As such, I will continue to advocate for the use of CPA funds for affordable housing.
SUDBURY HOUSING AUTHORITY
One-year term, vote for one
Lydia M. Pastusezek
Address: Griffin Lane
Occupation: Senior Advisor to the President, Clark University
The Sudbury Housing Authority is a well-run organization providing excellent housing choices for its clients, however, there are not enough units to serve the demand. The two most serious issues facing the Housing Authority are maintaining the current units in an excellent condition, and working with other committees and organizations in town and in the state to create more affordable units. The Authority has a comprehensive approach to maintenance that must be followed and funded in a disciplined manner. There are possibilities for creating more units through the 40B process, funds made available through the Community Preservation Act, and state funds.
MODERATOR
One-year term, vote for one
Myron J. Fox
Address: Nobscot Road
Occupation: Attorney
The two most serious issues facing the moderator both involve attendance at Town Meeting. They are apathy and apathy. Most Sudbury residents do not attend Town Meeting. We probably average fewer than 300 residents out of over 10,000 registered voters. Fewer than 3% of the voters are deciding budget, zoning, conservation, health, recreation, planning, education, building, public safety, highway, affordable housing and tax issues for the entire town.
Please attend our open Town Meeting. It is the purest form of democracy on earth, and it is your opportunity to decide these important issues.
PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION
Three-year term, vote for two
Paul Griffin
Address: Allene Avenue
No reply received.
James J. Marotta
Address: Goodman’s Hill Road
Occupation: Commercial Real Estate Appraiser
The two issues facing the Park & Recreation Commission are: 1) implementation of policies that will enable the Park & Recreation Department to continue to offer high quality year round indoor and outdoor recreation activities for children and adults; and, 2) implement policies, programs, and capital planning that enable the Park & Recreation Department to continue to operate on a fiscally sound basis. Over the past 14 years since we have lived in Sudbury, my family has enjoyed numerous programs and activities offered by the Park & Recreation Department and I would like to help continue that past success.
PLANNING BOARD
Three-year term, vote for two
Elizabeth D. Eggleston
Address: Old Coach Road
Occupation: Environmental Engineer
Managing Sudbury’s residential growth continues to be a priority of the Planning Board. While the rate of development has slowed somewhat in recent years, there is still an ongoing demand for new housing. Alternatives to conventional single-family homes, such as Senior Residential Communities and other multi-unit developments, can mitigate the impact of development on Town resources and help fulfill alternative housing needs. We also continue to pursue opportunities for the development of affordable housing and other goals of the Master Plan, including economic sustainability, a sewer system for the Route 20 business district, and pedestrian walkways.
Michael C. Fee
Address: Henry’s Mill Lane
Occupation: Lawyer
Planning in Sudbury is at a critical juncture. Skyrocketing land values and a scarcity of developable parcels has created intense pressure on builders, businesses and home buyers. It is the role of the Planning Board to balance these competing interests, protect natural resources, and preserve the Town’s unique character. The Planning Board must lead efforts to revitalize the business district, site a wastewater treatment facility, proliferate walkways, and gain consensus among various Town constituencies on affordable housing issues. These will continue to be my main priorities as a member of the Planning Board.
SUDBURY SCHOOL COMMITTEE (K-8)
Three-year term, vote for one
Jane S. Santinelli
Address: Dakin Road
Occupation: 11 years in marketing and management in high tech, Masters in Education, currently at home, caring for my family
It is an honor to have served on the Sudbury School Committee for the past six years and I look forward to representing our community once again. The challenges we face continue to be to provide excellent educational services within the constraints of the structural deficit facing Sudbury and many communities across Massachusetts. The costs for continuing existing services are increasing faster than revenues. Efforts to economize are ongoing and successful, but are not enough. Nevertheless, achievement in our district remains among the highest in Massachusetts. As we look forward, providing high quality education for students remains our highest priority.
LINCOLN-SUDBURY REGIONAL DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Three-year term, vote for two
John J. Ryan, Jr.
Address: Ford Road
Occupation: Attorney
A critical problem facing Lincoln-Sudbury is its ability to maintain quality education in a time of fiscal constraint. State aid is not keeping pace with growing student population and increasing state mandates. The school committee must sit down with representatives of the Lincoln-Sudbury administration and faculty to study and develop creative solutions which maintain quality in the face of limited funds. We must also work with state officials on the issue of adequate state funding.
I also support the panel established to review, report and make recommendations regarding safety at Lincoln-Sudbury.
Radha R. Gargeya
Address: Powdermill Road
Occupation: Software Engineer
After the devastating and heartbreaking tragedy at LS, it is a time for the community to come together, appreciate the able and sensitive LS leadership in the aftermath, understand all the facts, and devise effective ways to move forward giving primacy to safety at LS as we try to preserve its ethos.
LS, with its unique spirit and its success in educating the whole child, is a community treasure that benefits not just the students. I hope to maintain what works at LS and improve it where we must, while finding a balance between its needs and the available resources.
Kevin J. Matthews
Address: Haynes Road
Occupation: Educational Consultant
Safety is the paramount responsibility any school owes to its students and their parents. Strict enforcement of the school’s policies, true accountability of L-S faculty and staff and additional security measures are immediately needed.
Academic Excellence, any school’s overarching mission, is the other most serious issue facing L-S. Academics, at L-S, should come first. Yet, class sizes are rising, English scores are falling and students are studying nights for SAT II courses. Cuts in non-academic programs, such as Wellness, could provide more teachers. And if teachers taught five, not four classes a day, class sizes would drop tremendously.
Douglas A. Zingale
Address: Plympton Road
Occupation: Lawyer
The two biggest challenges facing the School Committee are how to evaluate the applications of special needs students and how to reconcile the needs of such students with the need to support the entire student body and the pursuit of excellence. My approach would be to take a fresh look at all of the programs in place and how they are managed. I would look at best practices in other school systems. I would compare the total special needs burden of Sudbury schools compared with neighboring towns. I would not shy away from tough decisions.
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND RIVER STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL
2007 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
SUDBURY, ASSABET AND CONCORD RIVER STEWARDSHIP AWARDS
PURPOSE OF THE AWARDS
The 5th Annual River Stewardship Awards program of the League of Women Voters and the Wild and Scenic River Stewardship Council call for nominations to honor individuals, organizations, business or government officials who have done exemplary work in conservation efforts to preserve, improve awareness of and protect the rivers’ 29 miles of outstandingly remarkable resources.
NOMINATION APPLICATIONS
Applications may be submitted either by the nominee or by a colleague. Applications are available in the Goodnow Public Library, or http://www.sudburyleague.com. Applications are due to local LWV’s by mail (2 copies) and email no later than April 27, 2007. Finalists are expected to be present on June 15, 2007 to receive the award. Nominators and nominees are also invited to the reception and awards ceremony.
SELECTION PROCESS.
The Selection Committee is comprised of River Stewardship Council members, Massachusetts League of Women Voters Program Chairs, and a member-at-large of a regional environmental organization. The Committee relies on the nomination package to understand what was done, by whom and with what results. The more detailed the application, the better. If you have questions, or need assistance, please call your local LWV or Janet Lauer at 978-443-5409.
ELIGIBILITY
We are especially interested in evidence of innovative thinking, creative solutions, extra effort, or brave positions that led to environmental health and preservation of the river basin. Eligible individuals and institutions include government, community based non-profits, business, school, youth and volunteer groups, and adults or youth that have demonstrated concern for the health, beauty and viability of the river basin. Communities that are eligible to receive an award include, but are not restricted to, the shoreline towns of Framingham, Wayland, Sudbury, Lincoln, Concord, Bedford, Carlisle and Billerica. We will always consider the unusual, the exceptional, and unsung heroes who do not fit into any of the above categories.
CRITERIA
Stewardship projects must fit at least one of the following Wild and Scenic River criteria: Historical, Literary, Recreational, Scenic, or Ecological resources. Examples include educational efforts such as water quality, recycling or clean up programs, innovative technologies, advocacy in opposing wasteful and polluting horticultural practices or damaging development practices.
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SUDBURY, ASSABET AND CONCORD RIVER STEWARD AWARDS
2006 NOMINATION APPLICATION
Nominate yourself, your organization or a colleague! You may make additional forms as needed. The nomination application and accompanying materials must be sent to your local League of Women Voters on or before March 31, 2006. Electronic submission must include a print copy as well. Finalists will be selected by mid-April. All applicants will be notified as soon as finalists are selected.
APPLICANT INFORMATION
Name(s): ______________________________________________________________
Project Title: _______________________________ Dates of operation: ___________
Organization: __________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________
Email: __________________ Work Phone: _____________ Cell Phone: ___________
Do you want application materials returned to you? __Yes __no
NOMINATION SUBMITTED BY (IF OTHER THAN NOMINEE):
Name: _________________________________________ Email: ____________________
Organization: ___________________________ ______________________________________
Address: __________________________________________ Phone: ____________________
Has the nominee been notified of the award nomination? ___YES ___NO
WHICH ‘WILD AND SCENIC’ RESOURCE VALUES DOES THIS PROJECT SERVE?
(Check all that apply)
o Historic resources _____
o Literary resources _____
o Recreational resources_____
o Scenic resources, including open space protection_____
o Ecological resources______
PLEASE CHECK THE APPROPRIATE CATEGORIES:
o Individual ____
o Youth ____
o Group/Community based program ____
o Non-profit organization ____
o Business ____
o Government leadership ____
RESPONSIBILITIES OF NOMINEES
Nominee agrees to:
o Participate in the June 15, 2007 awards ceremony and accept the award in person.
o Provide information about this project for the ceremony and for media coverage.
o Permit use of photographs taken at the ceremony for publicity.
SIGNATURE: ____________________________________ DATE: ___________
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River Stewardship Award Nomination Application
NARRATIVE
Answers should be brief, but with enough details to fully describe the project and its impact. The more concrete you can be, the stronger the nomination. Materials such as flyers, handouts, copies of student work, news clippings and photos do help convey the impact and benefits of the nominee’s efforts. We are looking for evidence of innovative thinking, creative solutions, extra effort, or brave positions that led to environmental health and public awareness of the rivers.
The description of accomplishments should address the following: (2 pages)
1. HOW DOES THIS PERSON OR GROUP PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE RIVERS?
What was/is the project or activity?
What are the start and end dates of the project?
How was the program financed?
How many people were involved?
2. WHY SHOULD THIS PERSON/GROUP GET A STEWARDSHIP AWARD?
What historic, literary, scenic, recreational or ecological benefits are derived from the nominee’s accomplishments?
How long has the nominee been active in this effort?
How does the nominee demonstrate a commitment to the environment above and beyond the ordinary?
Other pertinent information
3. DESCRIBE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NOMINEE’S EFFORTS ON THE RIVERS:
What are some tangible outcomes of the nominee’s efforts?
What evidence demonstrates the positive impact or improvement of this effort?
Does the project address local, regional, and/or state problems?
4. WHAT IS THE INFLUENCE OF THE NOMINEE’S EFFORTS ON OTHERS?
Base your answer on benefits related to community awareness, environmental quality, public policy, technical contributions etc. and collaborative partnerships.
How do the nominee’s efforts influence the actions and habits of others in the community or general public? (For example: How does it meet public access and recreational needs?)
5. HOW SUSTAINABLE OR ADAPTATABLE IS THE PROJECT?
List or describe ways the nominee’s actions have been adopted by others. For example, does the project recognize community traditions or customs?
How can the environmental, social and/or financial benefits be sustained over time?
6. DESCRIBE THE NOMINEE’S INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY:
What made this an original or pioneering effort; ie, in the application of existing resources, new partnerships, or developing new tools/technologies/strategies to address the problem?
What special challenges were overcome or outstanding creativity involved?
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THANK YOU! For taking the time to nominate someone who inspires you with the actions they take every day! All nominees will receive a letter thanking them for their efforts for the rivers, and letting them know their good works have been recognized by a friend, co-worker, relative or neighbor. Finalists will be selected by mid-May. You and your nominee will be invited to the VIP reception and awards ceremony
on June 15, 2007.
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HOW TO APPLY
Applications are due to local Leagues starting April 1, and no later than April 27, 2007. Mail/email to LWV contact: Janet Lauer, 25 Willow Road, Sudbury, MA 01776; janet@lauer-family.org
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State League Studies Affordable Housing, Prop 2 1/2
The Massachusetts League of Women Voters has two state-level studies under way which will ultimately require all state League members to vote to establish a consensus on issues covering affordable housing and state fiscal policy.
The two-year affordable housing study committee has completed its research and will be presenting information to local Leagues in December. Consensus questions will be distributed in January, and the committee plans to hold regional information meetings on these questions between January and April. Local Leagues may also hold consensus meetings on these questions. There'll be much more information by the end of the year.
The three-year fiscal policy study is studying the state's fiscal policy, including Proposition 2 1/2, and its impact on cities and towns.
To make sure local Leagues are informed of the issues involved, the study committee plans to hold two half-day information sessions, one in the Boston area and one in western Massachusetts, with speakers covering how municipalities spend their resources, how money can be raised, how the money gets from the state to the municipalities and the assessments towns send to the state. All League members will be welcome to attend these sessions, and videotapes of them will be available for local Leagues to show for their members.
As the study progresses, local Leagues will be asked to join in and gather specific information on their communities. Please stay tuned as these studies develop. If you are interested in participating, you can find more information and contacts on the state League website, www.lwvma.org.
LWVMA Affordable Housing Study
Where It All Began: Some Historical Perspective
By Jane Nash, LWVM Affordable Housing Study Committee co-chair
The first article in this series focused on the need for affordable housing in Massachusetts. This article will focus on the legislation that controls zoning. The basis for zoning and planning in the United States “was laid by two standard state enabling acts published by the U.S. Department of Commerce in the 1920s.”1
The two enabling acts were called “A Standard State Zoning Enabling Act” (SZEA) and “A Standard City Planning Enabling Act” (SCPEA) These were not federal legislation; rather the Commerce Department, under then Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover, published them as models to be adopted by state legislatures to enable local governments to promote, in the words of the SZEA, “the health, safety, morals, or general welfare of the community.”2 All 50 states eventually adopted the SZEA, and it is still in effect, though modified, in many states.
Zoning in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts zoning enabling act is Chapter 40A,3 commonly called the Zoning Act. It was originally enacted in 1954, replaced in 1975 and amended several times since. It governs zoning throughout the Commonwealth. Chapter 40A:
• provides for unified zoning throughout the State
• enables municipalities to create districts/zones to regulate how land is used;
• gives municipalities the right to enforce their zoning laws;
• requires the maintenance of a zoning map;
• provides procedures for special permits and variances;
• specifies public notification requirements.;
• requires municipalities to establish a zoning board of appeals and sets up an appeals process.
The law also limits the powers of zoning related to a variety of uses, including agriculture, educational and religious institutions and public service corporations, among other uses.
1 www.planning.org/growingsmart/enablingacts.htm?project
2 www.planning.org/growingsmart/pdf/
SZEnablingAct1926.pdf
3 Text of Chapter 40A can be found at:
www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/gl-40a-toc.htm
Critiques of Chapter 40A
Jeffery J. Trapani has written that “a government’s zoning laws reflect its concerns about the effect of development on its citizens, including how land should best be allotted, used, and preserved in the name of health, safety, and morality.” However, many in the state criticize Chapter 40A, calling for changes to a number of its provisions:
• the so-called “grandfather clause,” which permits subdivisions into smaller lots along existing road ways to be subdivided by right without review by local planning boards;
• the requirement of a two-thirds majority vote to adopt or amend local zoning bylaws. Massachusetts is the only state with this requirement;
• lack of consistency between local Master Plans and zoning regulations. Two-thirds of the states require consistency, but Massachusetts does not (this often causes Master Plans to be ignored);
• The lack of effective tools to permit local planning boards to raise affordable housing inventories;
• The fact that impact fees are not allowed. Approximately 60% of all development in the US is subject to impact fees to offset the municipal service costs of growth. It is suggested that impact fees will lessen local resistance to new development projects.
Articles to follow will give specific information on the many Massachusetts laws that seek to encourage the development of affordable housing.
Sources:
Flint, Anthony, “Romney Urged to Overhaul Zoning Law.” Boston Globe, January 5, 2003.
“Legal Basis of Planning and Zoning.” www.hingham-ma.com/document/ Legal_Basis_of_Planning_and_Zoning.pdf
Olanoff, Steve (Member, Westwood Planning Board). Personal interview.
Russell, Esq., Joel S. “Massachusetts Land-Use Laws –Time for a Change.”
www.planning.org/PEL/commentary/masslaws.htm
Trapani, Jeffrey J. “Revising Massachusetts’ Chapter 40A: Guiding The Development of the Commonwealth Under the Principles of Smart Growth.” Environmental Advocacy Solo Project, April 23, 2003. www.nesl.edu/csr/articles/smartgrowth.pdf
Massachusetts Legislation To Develop Affordable Housing – Chapter 40B
By Jane Nash, LWVM Affordable Housing Study Committee co-chair
In 1969 the Massachusetts Legislature enacted and the Governor signed Chapter 774, officially titled “An Act Providing for the Construction of Low or Moderate Income Housing in Cities and Towns in Which Local Restrictions Hamper Such Construction.” Today this law is generally known as Chapter 40B for the sections that created the comprehensive permit.
By streamlining the permitting process for qualified developments, 40B intends to increase the supply and improve the distribution of affordable housing. First, it created the comprehensive permit (CP) process, by which developers can apply to the local Zoning Board of Appeals for a single permit to approve housing developments if at least 20-25% of the units have long-term affordability restrictions. This replaces the usual process of getting separate approvals from a variety of local permitting agencies (for example, the Board of Health and the Conservation Commission).
Under the comprehensive permit the developer can request waivers of zoning and other local requirements if it is proved that such waivers are necessary to ensure the economic feasibility of the project.
The CP process in no way allows the negating of zoning, health or conservation laws that will endanger the community or its citizens. Builders are still required to meet all building codes. Only a public agency, a nonprofit organization, or a limited dividend corporation may apply for a comprehensive permit, and the development must have already been approved under a state or federal housing program such as MassHousing or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A community is exempt from 40B regulations if 10% of its total year-round housing stock is considered affordable.
Second, Chapter 40B establishes an appeals process for developers. If a zoning board in a community that does not meet the 10% affordable-housing requirement denies or makes decisions that would make a project uneconomic, a developer can appeal to the state Housing Appeals Committee. Denials are upheld if the municipality can show that the development presents a serious health and safety issue that cannot be mitigated.
Successes
Chapter 40B has played a critical role in the production of affordable housing in Massachusetts. According to the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association in January 2006:
· 43,000 units in 736 developments have been created under 40B statewide since the early 1970s (an average size of less than 60 apartments or homes per development).
· This includes approximately 23,000 affordable homes reserved for households with incomes below 80% of a region’s median income.
· Of the 43,000 units, approximately 31,000 are apartments and 12,000 are homeownership units. The level of production is higher than any other single housing program available in the state.
Challenges and Local Concerns
Despite these successes, many people have raised concerns about the law.
· I nsufficient affordable housing has been built under 40B. As of January 2006, only 47 of the state’s 351 communities had achieved the 10% goal.
There is a lack of adequate funding. While some funding increases were approved recently, state spending on affordable housing had been cut.
Communities reach their goal of 10% only to lose it again for a variety of reasons.
Local officials would like to have more control over the number of units being built under 40B.
The methodology of counting units to reach the 10% goal has been questioned. .
· The valuation of low or moderate income housing is not considered fair or equitable.
There appears to have been a lack of proper controls and oversight. The Massachusetts Inspector General’s office has said that “some developers are reaping eye-popping profits and taking advantage of a system that provides little scrutiny or oversight.”
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ARE YOU READY?
For this year's opening meeting, we are sponsoring Are You Ready? A Forum on Emergency Planning in Sudbury, in cooperation with town and school officials. The forum will be held Thursday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
We have an impressive lineup of speakers, so please mention this event to your friends as well—it's free and open to the public. Maureen Valente, town manager, and Bill Keller, chairman of the Selectmen, will open with an overview of town planning, followed by Police Chief Peter Fadgen on communications and shelters. Richard Simon, coordinator of the Sudbury Local Emergency Planning Committee (and Anita's husband), will discuss town, regional and state planning efforts and how individuals can get involved. Lynne Geitz, an epidemiologist and member of the Board of Health. will handle bird and other flu planning. Representatives from both the elementary and high schools will outline their emergency plans, and Kris Kiesel, director of the Council on Aging, will cover planning for seniors. Finally, Ken MacLean, fire chief, will explain how families should prepare both for an emergency that requires evacuation and for an emergency, such as a blizzard, in which they may have to get by for up to three days until help can arrive.
There will be a question period at the end, and the whole thing will be carried live on Cable Channel 8 and rebroadcast several times.
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EMERGENCY PLANNING
GENERAL INFORMATION:
www.fema.gov U.S. government information site, includes a kids' page
www.fema.gov/areyouready Planning information for individuals and families
www.redcross.org Red Cross information site
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsagencylanding&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Public+Safety+Agencies&L2=Massachusetts+Emergency+Management+Agency&sid=Eeops
Web site for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). You
can also access it at www.mass.gov then entering MEMA in the search box.
FOR SENIOR CITIZENS:
www.aginginstride.org/emergencyprep/default.htm for Emergency Readiness Kit info
FOR SCHOOL EMERGENCY INFORMATION:
www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/safe/ A Massachusetts Department of Education website on
general school safety. It contains links to other similar sites
www.doe.mass.edu/pandemic/ Massachusetts Department of Education website with information and tools on pandemic influenza and all hazards planning
www.sudbury.k12.ma.us The Sudbury Public Schools website. The schools use this to share information and communicate with parents and community.
FOR INFLUENZA INFORMATION:
www.mass.gov/dph/flu Massachusetts Department of Public Health website on influenza
http://pandemicflu.gov Federal government website for information on pandemic and avian flu
www.cdc.gov/flu/avian and www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic Centers for Disease Control (CDC) websites on pandemic and avian flu
www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/index.html World Health Organization website on avian flu
www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/individual/familyhealthinfo.html and www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/individual/checklist.html United States Government Pandemic Flu Planning for Families
www.sudbury.ma.us/news.asp?id=943 Sudbury Board of Health Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccines
www.medicalreservecorps.gov/HomePage Medical Reserves Corps information
From the League of Women Voters of Sudbury Emergency Planning Forum 10/26/06
www.SudburyLeague.com
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Lunch with the League
A cookbook celebrating the 50th Anniversary of
The League of Women Voters of Sudbury
is now available for purchase at
Duck Soup in Sudbury’s Mill Village
$10.00
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