Haarde Updates Sudbury Chamber on Sewer Project

After a summer hiatus, members of Sudbury’s Chamber of Commerce resumed their regular schedule of monthly networking events with a meet-and-greet at on Tuesday.

Featured guest speaker of the evening, Sudbury Selectman Bob Haarde, offered an update on issues currently before the town that are also of interest to the business community.

At the top of the list was the proposed sewer project that would service much of the business district along Boston Post Road. Although an override intended to fund the initial design and engineering phase of the project was voted down by Sudbury residents in June, the town is assembling a committee to advise on next steps.

“If any of you would be interested in serving on that, we’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Haarde. “My vision is that we work with the community and every business owner that would be impacted.”  

Another topic of interest for Chamber members was the status of various 40B affordable housing projects that are in the works around Sudbury. For example, two sizable projects are planned near the intersection of Landham and Boston Post roads.

Concerns raised by members of the audience included increased traffic congestion in the area and the limited control the town might have over the affordable housing developments, which are often not subject to local zoning bylaws. Haarde assured listeners that the Zoning Board of Appeals was in tune with all such issues.

“Because it’s all the same board they know what’s going on, and they know that area of town can only take so much,” he said. “But review the plans on the town Web site and let us know what you think; let us know what ideas you have.”

Other issues raised for Haarde by members of the Chamber included the disparity between business and residential tax rates in town, traffic back-ups caused by 40B project construction in neighboring towns, and the future of the largely unoccupied Village Green complex on Hudson Road. An overarching suggestion was that the Selectmen hold an annual state-of-the-town meeting to provide a status update on all major goings-on in Sudbury.

Haarde indicated that the Board of Selectmen welcomed such queries and suggestions, and he invited members of the public to submit agenda items to be heard at future board meetings. One Chamber member thanked Haarde for attending Tuesday’s event and commented that his visit had been very useful. Other chamber members concurred with a round of applause.

At the start of the meeting, Chamber President Louis Stephan welcomed members back and reminded those in attendance about the Chamber’s next fundraising event, which will be a golf tournament on Oct. 3 at Marlborough Country Club. Proceeds will benefit the Chamber’s signature cause – Sudbury’s annual Fourth of July parade.

Stephan also encouraged members to visit the Chamber’s newly redesigned Web site to fill out a profile to help promote their businesses.  

“This is a wonderful way to get info out if you’re running sales or specials,” said Stephan. “It’s a great tool.”

The stage was then briefly taken by Bob Fushi, a representative from SMILE Mass. SMILE Mass, the organization behind the new handicapped-accessible playground at Haskell Field, also helps provide vacation rentals for families who have children with multiple disabilities. Fushi invited members of the business community to participate in, or act as, sponsors for an upcoming Amazing Race-style fundraiser for SMILE Mass, in which teams will race to complete tasks at different locations. The fundraiser is scheduled to take place on Oct. 1.

The next regular meeting of the Chamber of Commerce will be held on Oct. 11 at the Sudbury branch of Middlesex Savings Bank.