Informed and Engaged Voters

I am running for Selectman because I think informed and engaged voters, a long-term capital plan with sustainable operating budgets, and a thoughtful approach to community preservation and development are critical to the future of Sudbury. This week I am writing about voter education and engagement.

Transparency in government is easy for me because I firmly believe that informed voters make better decisions about their government.  In my many years of volunteer work for Sudbury I have always found in discussions with residents that once they have an understanding of an issue they provide different insights and alternative solutions worth debating. No one has all the answers and the more informed views you are able to elicit the higher the probability of coming up with a widely accepted and better understood solution to the issue.  Informed voters are also more likely to put pressure on their State legislators with regard to state laws and regulations that may have a negative impact on the Town’s budget.

As FinCom Chairman, I asked the Town’s cost centers for the first time to submit budgets in electronic form on Excel spreadsheets, in addition to the written documents historically provided, with both current and historical data presented in a “common format” to improve analysis and follow-up questioning (now known as the “FinCom spreadsheets”).  I also spearheaded significant changes to the FinCom section of the Town Warrant, presenting information in a more transparent, understandable format for evaluation.  I regularly wrote columns for the Crier discussing Town financial issues, most recently regarding Sudbury’s $80 million in OPEB liabilities.  After the delivery of the first-ever reports on that OPEB liability, I convened public hearings to review and discuss its meaning and potential impact.   I also asked the school committees to provide public presentations to the FinCom about their collective bargaining agreements.

What would I do if elected to the Board of Selectmen?  I would ensure the use of conventional and social media to improve transparency by explaining the major issues and questions before the Selectmen, what they are doing about them, and why.  Each BOS meeting would have as an agenda item time for feedback and questions from residents.  I would push the BOS to use the newly-mandated annual Forum as an opportunity to focus the community on the major issues we face and to encourage questions and discussion.    

Chuck Woodard

32 Old Framingham Road

ChuckWoodardforSudbury.org