Sudbury's Selectman Schineller Addresses Sewataro Questions

The following was submitted as a letter to the editor. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, email samantha.mercado@patch.com.

Dear Sudbury: Please take the opportunity to get informed and vote YES on June 4 to acquire Sewataro. Only a Yes vote will let Sudbury gain control of this unparalleled property, and open it up as a valuable community asset for all residents to enjoy in perpetuity.

In one bold stroke, we can buy a ready-made town beach and community park, much like neighboring towns Acton and Wayland offer their residents but Sudbury lacks. We have athletic fields and trails within town, but we have no place like Sewataro to gather as a community for outdoor recreation and leisure, to have a picnic in sun or shade and cool off in clean water safe for swimming. Local private swim and tennis clubs have years-long waiting lists, some leave town to Cape houses or lake houses, or drive long distances to the beach. Sewataro offers an amazing local alternative for all of us.

Responding to some questions:
Are we overpaying? No, $11.3M is the property's value. Camp assets are also being donated to town.

Is there a plan? Yes, purchase and lease short-term to experienced camp operator. Negotiate full year-round community access. Multiple operators have expressed interest to Town Manager since Town Meeting.

How will we pay for Sewataro? Lessee responsible for year-round maintenance, town receives rent in excess of current $200K property tax revenue.

Will the property be developed otherwise? Yes, stated unequivocally by seller who is retiring. See http://bit.ly/taylor-may8

We are the stewards of Sudbury now. We've paid off debt to acquire Nobscot Hill and save Tippling Rock from being blasted by developers (Weisblatt parcel). We've acquired Johnson Farm and Broadacres at market value, without any plan to enjoy them while taxpayers foot the bill.

When real estate comes on the market, you act or it goes to someone else. Nothing nefarious is happening here, we have an opportunity. Voters, the choice is yours, to take on temporary debt for a valuable community asset we can all enjoy in perpetuity, and accept donation of camp assets that can provide us revenue to pay us back. Or let the property get bulldozed by a developer.

Opinions on these pages are just that. Learn for yourself what we would be getting with Sewataro.

Public forum: May 28, Town Hall (stream on-demand at sudburytv.org)

Community Picnic in the Park: May 31 4-7pm at Sewataro with food trucks and music.

Unbiased info on town website at sudbury.ma.us/sewataro

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Bill Schineller, Jarman Road.
I am a Selectman but these views are my own.