Sudbury Has $6 Million, And Residents Can Advise How To Spend It

SUDBURY, MA — Sudbury has close to $6 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) stimulus, and the town is inviting residents to comment on how to spend it.

Last week, the town opened a survey to residents and business owners. The survey will collect responses through Nov. 30.

ARPA money does have some restrictions. Broadly, municipalities like Sudbury can spend the cash on public health, replacing revenue lost during the pandemic, revitalizing infrastructure and providing bonus pay to essential employees.

Some town departments have already weighed in on the money, making close to $15 million in suggested requests. For example, the fire department wants $20,000 to replace aging two-way radios; the senior center wants $15,000 to buy outdoor fitness equipment; and the Sudbury Water Distrcit wants $3.3 million for to mitigate potential PFAS contamination.

In October, Sudbury polled residents about how to spend the money. Just under 700 residents responded by picking three categories they would like to see the money spent on. Here's what residents picked:

• Address COVID-19 economic impacts — 56.1%
• Support public health — 53.6%
• Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure for underserved — 43.8%
• Provide premium pay for essential workers — 36.0%
• Replace lost government revenue — 35.2%
• Not sure/none of these — 12%