Watch now via www.sudburytv.org:
SPS (K-8) School Committee:
Goodnow Library Trustees:
Uncontested Races:
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What are the plans for Covid-19 vaccinations in Sudbury? Can the schools safely reopen? What happened between the Goodnow Library and the Friends of the Goodnow Library? What does the new Sudbury Master Plan propose? How will the schools put their equity statement to provide “an anti-bias and anti-racist education” into practice? What help can Sudbury provide to small businesses? When and how will the library reopen?
Those questions and many more are addressed in three hour-long Candidates’ Forums for the contested races for Select Board, Sudbury Public Schools (PreK-8) school committee and Goodnow Library Trustees hosted by the League of Women Voters of Sudbury. The election is Monday, March 29.
A fourth program features the candidates in uncontested races introducing themselves and describing the work of the office they are seeking.
All four programs are scheduled to air on SudburyTV channels 8 (Comcast) and 31 (Verizon) starting the week of March 8 and will be shown throughout the month. The program schedule will be posted on the station’s website, www.sudburytv.org.
All residents, whether they subscribe to cable or not, can watch the programs online at www.sudburytv.org via the station’s video-on-demand feature.
Dan Carty, Janie Dretler and Lisa Kouchakdjian are running for the two available seats on the Select Board. They responded to pandemic-related questions on vaccination in Sudbury and recovery assistance for local businesses. They also addressed the new Sudbury Master Plan and the just-released Americans with Disabilities Act self-evaluation for the town. Other topics included vocational education and trash collection.
The candidates for the two seats on the Sudbury Public Schools (PreK-8) school committee are Silvia Nerssessian, Mandy Sim and Tyler Steffey. They answered pandemic-related questions on the reopening of schools, changes made for student and staff safety, and student mental health. They were also asked about the equity statement the school committee has adopted and school resource officers. Other questions included whether pre-school should be free and whether snow days are dead.
The three candidates for two Goodnow Library Trustee seats are Lily Gordon, Marie Royea and Natalie Schlegel. They gave their opinions on the split between the Goodnow Library and the Friends of the Goodnow Library and the path forward. They also discussed the library’s reopening and its programs and services.
Jo-Ann Berry of the Acton Area League of Women Voters moderated the Select Board and school committee panels, and Sue Flicop of the Wayland League moderated the library panel.
The Sudbury League received dozens of questions for the candidates from the community for this 65th annual Candidates’ Forum. While time did not allow every question to be asked, those questions indicated which issues the community feels are most important and were combined into one or two questions on a topic.
The candidates in uncontested races who participated in that program are Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School committee, Mary Warzynski (Sudbury) and Heather Cowap Salemme (Lincoln); Park and Recreation Commission, Laurie Eliason; Board of Health, Linda Huet-Clayton; Moderator, Catharine V. Blake, and Sudbury Housing Authority, Janet Cowan. Three candidates did not participate in the program: Robert Beagan, Park and Recreation Commission; Joshua Fox, Board of Assessors; and Stephen Garvin, Planning Board.
Since there are two vacant seats on the Planning Board but only one candidate completed the filing process, League policy allows write-in candidates who notify the Town Clerk and League by a specific deadline to participate in the forum. John Sugrue submitted his intention to run for the Planning Board as a write-in candidate and is part of the uncontested candidates program.
The League’s Voters’ Guide with responses from all candidates will be posted on the Sudbury League website, www.lwvsudbury.org, as responses are received.
The Sudbury town election is Monday, March 29, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The last day to register to vote is Tuesday, March 9.
There is no in-person early voting for this election. Voters are encouraged to vote by mail to reduce the number of people at the polls during the pandemic. You can download an application for a mail ballot on the Town website, www.sudbury.ma.us. The Town Clerk will begin to mail ballots to those who request one in early March. Ballots can be returned by mail or put in the ballot dropbox at the rear of Town Hall.
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3/3/2021