01 sturbridge selectmen's candidate questionnaire

8/14/2019 01 Sturbridge Selectmen's Candidate Questionnaire

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Sturbridge Selectmens Candidate Questionnaire

1. What do you feel is the most pressing concern facing Sturbridge

today?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: The most pressing concern is to grow the taxbase to provide the services needed for the Town while ensuringthat our plans ensure good neighbors.

b. Mary Blanchard: We have a BOS that concentrates its efforts andmost of its time acquiring open space and controlling growth whilepaying little attention to other pressing issues.

c. Jeff A. Bonja: The most pressing concern facing Sturbridge today

is generating revenue to support the variety of elective andmandatory services the residents desire.

d. William A. Emrich: No Response

e. Scott Garieri: Lack of economic growth and long-range fiscalplanning.

f. Priscilla C. Gimas: Declined

g. Kevin J. Smith:Our most pressing concern is the fact that we donthave enough tax revenue for needed town services and, at thesame time, were losing businesses left and right which is onlymaking the problem worse.

We have a variety of departments, from the Town Clerk to the DPWand police, all looking for additional staff. For the most part, theyhave very good arguments for needing help; the Town just doesnthave the tax base to pay for these new employees. Rather thanseeing town services suffer, we need to find ways to increase taxrevenue so we can pay for needed employees and other townexpenses. Since we are limited in the amount of property taxesthat can be raised (and who really wants us to do that anyway), weneed to attract more businesses to expand the tax base.


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2. In relation to question 1, what do you propose to address andresolve that concern?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: Actively search for good corporate neighborsthat would contribute to the tax base and enhance the Sturbridge

atmosphere

b. Mary Blanchard: As a member of the BOS I would bring up otheritems of importance and be more attentive to issues broughtforward by the Town Administrator and Department Heads.

c. Jeff A. Bonja: Generating revenue for town services requiresworking with the Economic Development Committee and othercommunity based resources to identify potential andunderdeveloped current sources of income, as well as potentialsources of income that may require private or public development.

As a Selectman, I would make this a priority and be sure that this isprogressing in an urgent manner.


e. Priscilla C. Gimas: Declined

f. Scott Garieri: Work with the Planning Board, the EconomicDevelopment Committee, the Finance Committee, and theChamber to develop strategies to encourage sound commercialand Industrial growth in order to effectively increase our tax base.

g. Kevin J. Smith: Here are my ideas regarding the growth we needin Sturbridge:

Try to bring together, with a middle of the road approach,those that seem to want no growth for Sturbridge and those whowant aggressive growth. No growth is obviously not working.The Town doesnt have enough tax revenue to fund its needs.However, we could be very particular about the type of growthwe pursue. For example, maybe we can agree that lightindustrial or office space would be a good compromise to helpwith tax revenue and provide quality jobs, yet wouldnt createtraffic problems or put excess stress on police/emergency likeretail. We could put to work the new Economic DevelopmentCommittee so they are an active committee (not a passive, lets

just discuss what wed like kind of committee) and get them topursue companies that meet certain criteria. They could searchthe real estate notices for companies looking to buy land or rentin central Massachusetts. Then, market ourselves to these


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companies. Vanguard Solar is a perfect example for the Galileoproperty. I found them by reading an article in the WorcesterBusiness Journal which stated they were looking to relocate inCentral Massachusetts (Ive passed this on to the TownAdministrator so it can be passed on to the property owners).

Im all for actively marketing ourselves to these companies sowe bring in the kind of growth everyone can agree on ratherthan sitting back hoping the right kind of companies come to us.Considering how long some spaces have been vacant (Ames,for example) and how many more empty buildings Sturbridgenow has and more to come (like Roms), we have to stop talkingand start acting.

Utilize the new Economic Development Committee to come upwith a Welcome to Sturbridge type of packet for newbusinesses so they know exactly what they need to do to get

their business started. Ive heard various businesses in townclaim that there is no one source to go to which tells them whatpermits or forms they need often leading to frustrating delaysand the perception that Sturbridge is not business friendly.

Support existing Sturbridge businesses so we dont lose anymore of them. Weve lost a lot of businesses in the last fewyears. I keep thinking that it would certainly behoove the Townto do whatever we can to help keep our local businessesprofitable. For example, I have ideas as to how the Town could

help some of our local businesses, like construction,restaurants, etc. For example:

1. If a new business comes into town and wants to build asmall office building or renovate the property theyrebuying, couldnt we consider a TIF (tax break) only if theyagree to bid the work strictly to local constructioncompanies? Couldnt we also tie a TIF to an agreementto hire locals as employees first before lookingelsewhere? What about a town policy to only bid locally

(when possible, if we dont offer a service in townobviously its not possible) for work done on townbuildings? For example, if we decide the police stationneeds a new coat of paint inside, only take local bids, etc.


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2. The Town should work more with Old Sturbridge Villageto bring back our tourist industry. We continue to seetourism declining in Sturbridge which certainly isnthelping many of our businesses. Old Sturbridge Villagehas commercial land on Route 20, the development of

which could be critical to tourism. The right businesseson that land could improve tourism; the wrong buyerscould make the situation worse. I have concrete ideas tohelp tourism as well which youll see later on in question# 4.

3. Work with local business owners to discuss services thatwould increase local patronage such as a discountprograms for locals. Ive heard a lot of local businessescomment that they wish more locals patronized theirbusinesses rather than going out of town for the sameservices. Many towns, including several in the

Berkshires, have increased local patronage by givinglocals a small discount (say 10%). Like Old SturbridgeVillage, these businesses could simply ask to see adrivers license for proof ofSturbridge residency. If thisgave locals an incentive to dine and shop locally, ourbusinesses should see a nice addition to the bottom line.

4. Use our buying power as a Town to help businesses savemoney. For example, in the 2/4/08 Worcester Telegram, inthe local section under Charlton Notebook, theres anarticle that discusses a new contract that Charlton justsigned with Casella providing them with free pickup at allmunicipal buildings, a 25% discount for all residents who optfor trash and recycling pickup and four free hazardous wastedays. If the Town of Sturbridge negotiated a similaragreement but included businesses, we would not only behelping our local businesses save money but wed also savethe Town over $6,000 (were paying $6,605 for pickup for allmunicipal buildings) and save money for residents whoeither dont find the recycling center convenient or who cantmanage the trip (those with disabilities or seniors may findour recycling center challenging). This may even makeSturbridge a greener town as residents will quickly becomeaware of how easy it has become to recycle with curbsidepickup. Most carriers offer the service at no additionalcharge if you hire them for trash pickup and there is nolonger any sorting necessary. If we could make Sturbridge agreener town, save the Town money, and provide savingsfor those residents and businesses that currently pay the


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going-rate for their trash/recycling pickup, it would be a win-win situation for everyone.

3. What do you feel is the second most pressing concern facing

Sturbridge?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: The second most pressing concern is intimatelylinked with the first. We need to develop a plan to expandSturbridge's revenue stream that all Sturbridge residents can getbehind.

b. Mary Blanchard: We have been in the unique position of havingover 25% of our taxes paid by industrial and commercialbusinesses that have a limited demand on our Town services. Weare losing this base at a time when there is a higher reliance on

local property taxes to pay for the costs of both GeneralGovernment and Education.

c. Jeff Bonja: The second most pressing concern facing Sturbridge isthe lack of vision that has allowed the town to become imbalancedwith respect to services required/desired and revenues available.


e. Scott Garieri: Ensuring that we have an appropriate sized WWTFto provide for the challenges and opportunities over the next 20years. Additionally we need to establish a true vision for our futureand develop plans designed to ensure the economic vitality ofSturbridge.


g. Kevin J. Smith: Our second most pressing concern is the continualdecline in tourism. Sturbridge needs to act on its desire to remain atourist town. According to our master plan, most residents wouldlike Sturbridge to remain primarily a tourist town but weve donevery little to address the fall off in tourism. This decline, year afteryear, is hurting local businesses and putting a dent in the tax baseand the revenue we get from the hotel/motel taxes. Basically,fewer tourists lead to less tax revenue and less money to spend ontown services. Improving tourism would not only get Sturbridge itsidentity back but bolster the business community and increase taxrevenues providing the Town with the cash flow necessary toimprove services.


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4. In relation to question 3, what do you propose to address and

resolve that concern?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: Work with all of the Town boards and get as

much consensus opinion from residents as possible whiledeveloping and executing a strategic vision to grow our revenuestream.

b. Mary Blanchard: The BOS needs to reach out to the people whorun businesses in Town to see what the Town Government is doingthat helps them and what we can do to help them stay and prosperin Sturbridge.

c. Jeff Bonja: To address the current lack of vision and imbalance,my first priority would be to complete the process of instituting

zoning changes that could impact the current business andresidential concerns of our town. As Selectmen, my role wouldfocus on management and oversight; assuring that committees andboards appointed by the Board of Selectmen are working efficientlyand with urgent priority to bring proposed zoning changes to TownMeeting. Specifically, I would be looking for the Zoning StudyCommittee to produce tangible results and to articulate how theirproposed actions will affect the town not only in the short-term, butalso in the 5, 10, and 20 year time horizons. The Zoning StudyCommittee should reconcile their recommendations with those ofthe Economic Development Committee to ensure that anyadditional growth and demand for services is supported by therequisite revenue generating activities. The Planning Board mustthen act upon the specific recommendations for zoning changes sothey can be voted on by residents at Town Meeting in the nearterm. Once the town has voted upon proposed zoning changes,the Board of Selectmen would need to evaluate how the approvedzoning changes may affect the current imbalance and thenevaluate what further action then needs to be taken.


e. Scott Garieri: In order to properly plan for the future and addresspotential challenges and opportunities, we will need to tools to allowfor effective expansion of our commercial and industrial base. Assuch expanding the WWTF to 1.4 - 1.5 million gallons per daywould be both fiscally appropriate and responsible. In the end it willalways cost more not to have enough.



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g. Kevin J. Smith I think we should be questioning the status quo.

For example, were the only community that gives a portion of ourhotel/motel taxes to SATA (Sturbridge Area Tourist Association).We have to ask ourselves if were getting the results we were

hoping for. Again, I know this is a controversial subject since Imtalking about change. Sturbridge really needs to recognize whensomething isnt working up to par and take action to improve results

instead, we always seem to stay with the status quo, hoping forthe best. In the case of SATA, we keep giving nearly $90,000/yearhoping to see tourism increase. Instead, were being told by SATAthat tourism is decreasing year after year. SATA has told us thattourism is down ever since 9/11. While 9/11 did hurt the touristindustry, other tourist communities are setting records in touristrevenue due to the weak dollar and are already back to pre-2001levels. Heres an article from last month discussing the record

setting year in NYC:

http://wcbstv.com/local/new.york.city.2.628806.html

Search the internet and youll find communities all over thecountry setting similar records. So, if New England has theclosest airport for overseas visitors, why isnt Sturbridgegetting its share of tourists? Something must be wrong withour marketing approach. So, do we stay with the status quoor try to do better? Here are some suggestions:

Rather than giving nearly $90,000 to SATA every year, maybewe should investigate the cost of getting professional help.While its likely the folks at SATA are trying their best, we may be atthe point where professional help is necessary.There are companies, such as Destination Developmentwww.dditeam.com that have worked with various tourist townsacross the country to create a brand for them, tell them the stepsthey need to take to increase tourist traffic, etc. I looked at asample of one of their tourist assessments for a Washington statetown and saw a lot that we seem to be doing wrong:

1) First, they say too many communities are now trying topromote outdoor recreation only to find a lot of tourists cancanoe, hunt, ski, bike ride and walk in their own home towns

no need to make the drive to your town. They say wemust differentiate ourselves somehow to make Sturbridgeworth the drive. One tourist attraction that does make usunique is Old Sturbridge Village, something Im guessingwere not capitalizing on.


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2) They suggest pedestrian-oriented shopping areas; wevedone just the opposite. Crossing route 20 downtown is farfrom pedestrian-friendly, its downright scary!

3) They suggest narrowing the streets to create an intimatesetting, we widened route 20 to a four lane road!

Just reading those three suggestions made me think that maybewere not getting the best advice? Could we improve tourismconsiderably if we got professional help from a company that hasexperience helping other tourist towns? I have no idea what itwould cost but lets say it costs $50,000 in the first year to get anassessment and recommendations. Wed still be ahead about$40,000 and could use that to help alleviate the Towns budgetcrisis. Lets say their suggestions sound great but will cost us$150,000 to implement. Thats less than two years worth of whatwe normally give to SATA. After two years, we could have a plan in

place, changes made, tourism booming and wed now still beahead $90,000 per year that were not paying to SATA anymore.That money could fund salaries for needed town employees.

5. What is your position on growth and what do you believe needs to bedone in order to increase our tax base?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: It's the most important thing and is incorporatedin my answers to the above.

b. Mary Blanchard: A community that does not have healthy growthbecomes stagnant, real estate values decline and it becomes a lessdesirable place to live. I support growth that maintains the characterof Sturbridge and meets the requirements of our zoning bylaws.

c. Jeff Bonja: I am neutral on growth in general. People who ownland should have the right to do with it as the please as long as itfits within the laws of the town. With that said, if the overall plan forthe town indicates that too much growth of a certain type and/or ina certain area would result in an imbalance in the future, I am infavor of restricting that zoning when done in an open public forum(i.e. it would have to be the will of the people of the town, asreflected in a democratic vote on the issue). With the assumptionthat residential growth has an overall negative revenue effect, butalso with the understanding that people have the right to developtheir properties within our current zoning laws and that thecommunity may see an overall positive social impact of certaindevelopment, I see no other option than to look for revenues fromother sources including retail, commercial, and industrial. It is also


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important to point out that some of this other development mayprovide intangible community benefits that cannot be easilyreflected on a balance sheet. Obviously social gathering placessuch as recreation parks, movie theaters, and even goodrestaurants provide not only a revenue source but also a location

for the community to gather and interact.


e. Scott Garieri: We need to better understand the financialchallenges that we face as a town and to then work with thePlanning Board, EDC, FinCom and others to help identifymeaningful solutions. We need to develop a more positiveapproach to business proposals whether we think them appropriateor not so that proponents in general will identify Sturbridge as atown willing to at least engage in meaningful dialogue. We must

take the necessary steps to attract business proposals that canthen be reviewed by the various boards and committees for thebenefits or lack thereof associated with each. We must truly realizeSturbridge for what it is, what it is not, and what it will never be.


g. Kevin J. Smith: See question 2

6. What is your plan for increasing the tax base in Sturbridge?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: In addition to the above, doing the research andlooking for models of successful communities as defined by overallatmosphere and ability to provide needed services.

b. Mary Blanchard: I would support the efforts of the newly-formedEconomic Development Committee, open dialog with businessgroups and tourists associations. I also think the Town should lookinto the feasibility of funding the position of an EconomicDevelopment Coordinator.

c. Jeff Bonja: Obviously the Economic Development Committee(ECD) will be the engine with respect to this process and I will lookto that team to see how they are progressing. On my own this ishow I would progress:

i. Brainstorm to identify all of the sources of potential incomethat we as a town can utilize. While there are many obvioussources (residential taxes, commercial taxes, etc.) I want tomake sure we identify as many sources as possible.


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ii. Perform a gap analysis to identify how hard each revenuegoal is to attain as well as the overall magnitude of benefit itwill provide.

iii. Working from this list, prioritize activities based on resourcesrequired and overall net benefit.

iv.Engage with the ECD as well as the Town Administrator andother private sector resources to work on each of theseprioritized revenue sources. Set dates for periodic statusreview to allow for priority and activity adjustments due toprogress to date and shifting economic variables.


e. Scott Garieri: Again, working with the Planning Board, the EDC,

the FinCom, and the Chamber to create opportunities andincentives that will attract industry and commercial enterprises totown. An important first step is to expand our infrastructure (i.e.WWTF and water) in order to have the leverage and necessaryinfrastructure incentives to attract desired growth.


g. Kevin J. Smith: See Question 2&4

7. What do you see as your primary responsibility as a selectman?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: Representing the people of Sturbridge.

b. Mary Blanchard: Our Charter establishes the BOS as the policymakers for the Town. To do this, Board members must beaccessible to all members of the community in order to evaluatetheir needs and desires for the Town. Our Charter and M.G.L. alsorequires selectmen to ensure that Town Bylaws are enforced.

c. Jeff Bonja: I see the primary role of the Selectmen to be leaders,visionaries, and communicators for the residents. They must beable to rise above individual biases and singular special interestgroups to provide a balanced government for the people ofSturbridge.



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e. Scott Garieri: Working with the Town Administrator and otherboards to help develop sound fiscal and growth policies whilesimultaneously ensuring consistent deliberation on all issues thatcome before me. It is imperative for public officials to maintainobjective and open minds at all times and to ensure that each and

every decision made is done so with the best interests of allSturbridge residents in mind.


g. Kevin J. Smith To prompt discussion and set deadlines for the en-action of policies that benefit the townspeople and taxpayers of theTown of Sturbridge. Too many times in the past, we have hadstudy committees discuss what should be done with no deadline foran action plan. Weve literally been, all talk and no action. Weneed to discuss the tough subjects openly. Then, once consensus

is reached, steps must be taken to move forward as soon aspossible.

8. What do you view the role of the Finance Committee to be?

a. Prescott S. Arndt:Representing the financial interests of thepeople of Sturbridge.

b. Mary Blanchard: The Fin Com, according to the Town's Bylaws,gives recommendations that are in the Town's best interest on alldepartment budgets, transfer requests, warrant articles, zoningarticles and general bylaw articles. The Fin Com should give theresidents unbiased recommendations on matters presented tovoters at the Annual and Special Town Meetings.

c. Jeff Bonja: The Finance Committee is responsible for fiscaloversight, with some level of legislative review with respect to townmeeting issues.


e. Scott Garieri: They provide the mechanism to review our entirefiscal package and develop a perspective that provides a clearpicture of our financial weaknesses and strengths. Through moreeffective use of the the FinComs guidance and input, the townwould be better able to make fiscally responsible decisions andembark upon more long range financial planning for the future.



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g. Kevin J. Smith: Since they are appointed by the Town Moderator,the Finance Committee is designed to provide a check and balanceto the Towns elected boards as well as those committeesappointed by the Board of Selectmen. Since they are not elected,they have no incentive to vote for something because of its political

popularity. Instead, they provide objective recommendations to thetownspeople on all topics to be acted upon at Town Meetings.

9. What do you view the role of the Planning Board to be?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: Representing the people of Sturbridge toencourage and ensure sound growth and planning strategies.

b. Mary Blanchard: The Planning Board is responsible for long term

planning including the adoption and implementation of a MasterPlan, site plan review and approval and to make sure our ZoningBylaws meet the needs of the community. As an appointed boardhopefully these plans would be consistent with the policies of theBOS.

c. Jeff Bonja: The Planning Boards role is execution of the goals setforth in the towns master plan, and the maintenance anddevelopment of that same plan for the future.


e. Scott Garieri: To ensure the application of Mass General Law andthe town bylaws to any and all planned developments under their

jurisdiction, and to assist with the development of long termplanning strategies to effectively manage growth via a master planand zoning bylaws.


g. Kevin J. Smith:The Planning Board should be consulted and/orinvolved in the development of all policies relating to growth andinfrastructure since decisions or policies made in those venuesdirectly affect their work.


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10.Based upon your position relative to growth and our tax base, whatdo you believe to be the most appropriate sized WastewaterTreatment Facility to plan for the future of Sturbridge?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: 1.5 MGD

b. Mary Blanchard: As the Towns Consultant, Tighe and Bond, hassaid, the cost of a wastewater treatment plant will never be lowerthan it is today, and the regulatory requirements will never be lessstringent. This plant upgrade has to meet the wastewater treatmentneeds of Sturbridge for the next 20 to 30 years. At the present timewe, as a town, are fortunate to have approximately 25% of ourtaxes coming from our industrial and commercial tax base. Lookingforward no one can predict what new industrial or commercialneeds may arise. We must have the ability in our WWTF toaccommodate future potential needs. Plant capacity should not be

used for limiting growth or for other political reasons. The plantshould be designed for the largest capacity that is found to betechnically and economically feasible, which according to Tighe &Bond presently seems to be no less than 1.3 MGD. Thus, basedupon the recommendations of paid professionals and consideringthe unknowns over the next 20-30 years, I would support a WWTFof 1.3 up to a 1.4 MGD.

c. Jeff Bonja: I do not believe that our physical infrastructure shouldbe used as a tool to force planning. Physical infrastructures thathave 20 to 30 year lifetimes should be sized so as to handle theworst case projected requirements placed on it plus a margin, evenif those requirements are not intended to be met. Case in point isour current unacceptable situation with Burgess and the Town Hall.As a community, our continuing patches and lack of foresight withrespect to maintenance put us in positions where we have tomake a decision versus planning to. I do not disagree that wehave allowed residential growth to get ahead of our planning forrevenues and services and the appropriate way to address this isthrough proper revision of our zoning bylaws.


e. Scott Garieri: I do not favor using the WWTF as a means ofcontrolling or limiting growth. Those determinations are bestaddressed through thoughtful and well planned zoning, a soundand pragmatic sewer service by-law, and long term planningspearheaded by the Planning Board, as part of its role under MGL.I do believe however that we need to recognize, that there will bemany challenges and opportunities presented over the next 20


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years, and it is my view that a minimum plant size of 1.4 - 1.5 MGDis necessary, practical, and economically prudent in order toaddress the many unknowns we will face over that 20 year period.


g. Kevin J. Smith: The Finance Committee will be considering thevarious Warrant articles relating to the Waste Water TreatmentFacility at our March 4, 2008 meeting. Until I have considered all ofthe facts, I cannot express an opinion over what size plant willadequately serve the Town for the next 20 years. However, I wouldnot consider constructing too small of a plant in order to controlgrowth. Growth should be controlled by zoning, not infrastructure.

11.Do you believe it appropriate for elected or appointed officials to be

in conflict with the Sturbridge By-laws?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: Of course not.

b. Mary Blanchard: It is never appropriate for anyone to be in conflictwith our bylaws. It is particularly inappropriate for Town officials.

c. Jeff Bonja: Obviously having been the former Zoning Officer forSturbridge I believe that if a law is on the books it should beobserved equally by everyone. With that said I also have first handknowledge that some of our laws are outdated and ambiguous withrespect to current times. When residents unintentionally run afoulof these laws, I do not think it is right to use this for political gains.Generally, I worked with people who ran into these situations andtried to help guide them so as to be in compliance. I have neversupported using our zoning laws as weapons for one neighbor toantagonize another.

Again as a former zoning officer I find it difficult to drive aroundtown and not see tons of violations, intentional or not. If we as atown do not feel it important enough to enforce all of our lawsequally, then we should be very careful as to what laws we put onour books.

d. William A. Emrich:No Response

e. Scott Garieri: Absolutely not. Elected and appointed officials havean obligation to exemplify the importance conforming to, andcomplying with all bylaws, laws, regulations, and rules within acommunity. Undoubtedly, situations might arise when officials may


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be truly unaware of any conflicts they may be guilty of and this(though unfortunate) is understandable. However, once an officialhas been made aware of a situation in which they are in conflict it isimperative that any such situation be rectified immediately, so as toensure no loss of public trust or confidence.


g. Kevin J.Smith:No. Just because you choose to serve thecommunity does not excuse you from following all of its rules andpolicies. If, in some manner, you are not meeting a regulation orbylaw, you should attempt to bring yourself into compliance as soonas possible.

12.What do you believe your role is relative to committee appointments

made by the Town Administrator?

a. Prescott S. Arndt:The role of a selectman with regard tocommittee appointments is to work with the Town Administrator tohelp recruit and support the best people for committee participation.

b. Mary Blanchard:The BOS should review all recommendations andvote on each with an open mind, taking into account the time andeffort our paid professional - the Town Administrator - has put intomaking such recommendations. A negative vote should be basedon valid reasons and not on a selectman's personal preference.

c. Jeff Bonja:As outlined in the Town Charter the Town Administratorshall appoint, subject to the confirmation by a majority of the BOS,a defined list ( 6-1) of boards, offices, and commissions. Itinterestingly also states ( 6-2) that the Town Administrator shallappoint all other committees, positions etc as required by thecharter, bylaws or general laws but excludes the confirmationcomponent. I doubt that the intent was to say that the defined listof appointments was important enough to warrant confirmation andthat these other positions were below some threshold for reviewby the BOS. Therefore the best practice would be for all appointeesto be confirmed by the BOS thus ensuring that the merit principle( 6-4) is applied in all cases.

In reality no action of the Town Administrator can or should escapethe review of the BOS. The charter vests, through their election totheir position, the sole executive authority of the town in them andthe Town Administrator is strictly an agent appointed by them tohelp them with their duties. While this puts the burden of oversight


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on the BOS it should not warrant micromanagement as this justnegates the purpose of having a Town Administrator in the firstplace.


e. Scott Garieri: I believe the selectmens role is to provide oversightto ensure that those appointed to committees or boards areobjective and balanced individuals who are able to deliberate onissues without being prejudicial one way or the other. Having saidthat, I believe that the individual hired to mange the Town, (theTown Administrator) must be given the latitude to makeappointments without over zealous involvement from the selectmenwho may knowingly or unknowingly tend to make the appointmentsmore political than appropriate. A selectmans role is more policyoriented with implementation of that policy the responsibility of our

Town Administrator. Therefore, I believe that we need to providehim or her with the authority and support to make appointments inthe most objective and politically free manner possible.

f. Priscilla C. Gimas: Declined:

g. Kevin J. Smith: The Town Administrator should have the latitudeto appoint the people he/she feels will best serve the purpose ofthat appointment. With that said, the Selectmen should challengethe rationale of an appointment if there appears to be a conflict ofinterest. If the Town Administrators reasoning does not appearsound, the appointment should be rejected but an explanationshould be offered as to the rationale of the rejection.

13.Do you believe it appropriate for a quorum of board or committeemembers to serve on a sub-committee providing input to the fullboard?

a. Prescott S. Arndt:The membership of each sub committee shouldbe evaluated on a case by case basis to ensure the most benefit forthe Town.

b. Mary Blanchard: I do not believe a quorum of a board orcommittee should serve on a sub-committee. In fact, I was the onewho originally raised this concern in a letter I wrote to the BOS.

c. Jeff Bonja: I am personally very concerned in general about themagnitude of recycling we see with respect people sitting oncommittees and sub committees. One of the purposes of a


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committee or sub-committee is for it to delve deeper into issues thatthe main body does not have the experience or bandwidth tohandle. I personally would like to see no more than one delegatefrom a main body assigned to a sub committee. The remainingseats should be first filled by residents not sitting on a committee

and then by residents sitting on unrelated committees.


e. Scott Garieri: Despite the fact that at times it may be simpler toover-utilize volunteer officials due to a lack of available volunteers,it may ultimately be one of the factors that keep others fromstepping up to serve as their may be (whether real or not) theperception of a close network, so to speak. Secondly and moreimportantly, there is (if even only minimally) the potential forindividuals unwittingly to pre-determine a judgment prior to review

by the full body. This serves as an injustice to the process and maylead to voter apathy or disenfranchisement which ultimatelydamages the deliberatory process.


g. Kevin J. Smith: Just in case voters are reading this who do notknow what a quorum is, a quorum is the minimum number ofcommittee members needed to have an official meeting. Forexample, on the Finance Committee, we need five members toattend a meeting in order to have a quorum. Without fivemembers, we cant hold a meeting. With five members, even if thefive are attending another committees meeting, a quorum has beenreached and that meeting should have been posted as an officialFinance Committee meeting so the public and the rest of theFinance committee could attend. Having this policy, we as a Townensure that committee members cant have substantive discussionswithout the rest of their committee and the public being there.Allowing a quorum of Committee A to serve on Committee B couldallow those members to discuss official business of Committee Awithout all of their other members present.

With the exception of the Finance Committee*, I have no problemwith some members of one committee serving on anothercommittee or even a sub-committee of their respective board orcommittee. Its hard enough to get qualified volunteers for variouscommittees; we shouldnt discourage a qualified person from beingon more than one committee. However, once an entire quorum

joins a second committee, it would seem wed have new concerns.If we dont have a bylaw preventing this, we probably should.


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* The Finance Committee is considering adopting a policy toprevent its members from joining other committees so that we canremain completely objective.

14.What is your position on allowing limited retail as an allowed use viaspecial permit in the PUBD?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: I think that retail is an important individualcomponent of an overall strategy in the PUBD to make sure that thedesired growth in that district happens.

b. Mary Blanchard:I support allowing limited retail as an allowed usein the PUBD. I believe this is consistent with the original intent ofthe Route 15 Study.

c. Jeff Bonja:

Its an appropriate use for that area as what wasoriginally planned has obviously not worked out.


e. Scott Garieri: We need to encourage and stimulate moreproductive growth and projects by creating opportunities andincentives for business to consider locating in Sturbridge. ThePUBD as it is currently zoned has attracted little interest in the 10year period since its creation. In business terms, 10 years can be alifetime, and for such a strategically located area to have garneredsuch little interest speaks to the challenges of the current zoning.The entire PUBD should be re-evaluated to determine if in fact sucha project is probable in the present zone, particularly consideringthe lack of infrastructure available. Allowing limited retail in thePUBD which compliments any proposed project may provide theadded incentive which might help to spark more interest thereby thetown with some alternative proposals to review. By no means wouldI suggest that limited retail will be the golden solution to the lack ofinterest in the PUBD, but I do believe based upon careful study ofthe area and the region, that it will at least be a piece and perhapsa significant one in helping to stimulate a worthwhile project forconsideration.

f. Priscilla C. Gimas:Declined

g. Kevin J.Smith: The Finance Committee will be reviewing this topicwhen we discuss the Warrant Articles. Until I have considered allof the facts and arguments related to this issue, I cannot expressan opinion on its merit.


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15.What is your position on the selectmens decision to alter apreviously approved public safety improvement plan, in order tosave a tree declared by the Tree Warden and the D.P.W. Director as aHazard (in conjunction with MGL, Chapter 87)?

a. Prescott S. Arndt:The Selectmen in general need to carefullybalance the overall wants and needs of the people of Sturbridge asa whole, with the wants and needs of individual residents who areaffected most by any particular policy position, and by looking atobjective outside analysis (from experts where possible) and cometo the right decision with as much transparency as possible .

b. Mary Blanchard:I believe the BOS decision to have been wrong inits position by not giving proper weight to the Tree Warden'sdecision and the recommendation of the DPW Director.

c. Jeff Bonja:

I am against it. If I lived there and felt obligated to savethe tree, I would seek funds from the people who live around meand not from the town. That $1600 is needed elsewhere.


e. Scott Garieri: I believe it to be an unwise course of action fordecisions in this arena to be based upon political considerations asopposed to engineering concerns or public safety standards. Weemploy paid professionals with the required knowledge andexpertise to make such decisions and who are certainly betterqualified to do so than elected officials.

I believe those professionals should be given the support and theauthority to render such decisions free from political interruptions.To embark upon a process of second guessing public safetydecisions made by professionals with the requisite skills to makesuch determinations, is a slippery and dangerous slope.


g. Kevin J. Smith: Based on the facts presented to the FinanceCommittee, I believe the Selectmen made a mistake. The tree wasnot a unique species nor in a highly visible location. The costsassociated with saving the tree were not confined to the tree itself.Their decision resulted in additional costs to the paving projecttaking place on McGilpin Road. The decision also exposed theTown to an unacceptable amount of potential liability. As a result ofthe voting at the Special Town Meeting (taxpayers overwhelming


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voted not to save the tree), the Board should reconsider theirdecision and act accordingly.

Im sure its tempting for Selectmen to try to help a few of theirconstituents, but the goal of any Selectman should be to think of

whats best for the Town as a whole.

16.Do you believe that Sturbridge residents have an inherent right tocomplete access to the dealings of local government?

a. Prescott S. Arndt:The people do have an inherent right to accessto the dealings of local government. Government should be asopen as possible while understanding that some sensitive issues,like litigation strategy, should be dealt with privately to protect thebest interests of the people.

b. Mary Blanchard:Yes, the residents, by law, have a right tounhindered access of local government through open publicmeetings.

c. Jeff Bonja:Sturbridge residents absolutely have an inherent rightto complete access to the dealings of local government, as long assuch access is consistent with the Open Meeting Laws (OML).When I was the Building Inspector I wrote software that generateda database of all of the activities in the Building Office. This hadthe benefit of not only saving the town money due to the significantamount of public record requests that I would get, but also

benefited the town and many boards as I generated real time dataregarding building and zoning activities. All town activities, with theexception of those covered by the OML, should be fully transparent.


e. Scott Garieri: Absolutely. The only productive government istransparent government. Governmental bodies, (whether elected orappointed) have an obligation to ensure that citizens are fullyapprised of the dealings and deliberations they engage in. Thatresponsibility includes an absolute requirement to provide factual,objective, and honest responses to citizen requests. It is neverappropriate for officials to refuse to answer questions or to provideadequate objective information with which residents can makeinformed decisions. For their part, residents have a right and anobligation to question and challenge government in order to ensureappropriate oversight.

f. Priscilla C.Gimas: Declined


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g. Kevin J. Smith: During my time as Chair of the Finance

Committee, we advocated for televised public meetings so thattownspeople are informed of what topics are being addressed byvarious town boards and committees. I absolutely feel the

townspeople have a right to access their representatives through asmany venues as possible.

17.Do you believe that it was appropriate to challenge the B.O.S. andthe Conservation Commission in order to ensure their meetings weretelevised?

a. Prescott S. Arndt: I believe it is appropriate for any citizen toexpress legitimate concerns that they have with their elected andappointed officials.

b. Mary Blanchard:I believe the citizens acted appropriately inpetitioning for televised meetings of the Conservation Commission.All other meetings held in Veterans' Hall have been televised.

c. Jeff Bonja:Yes.


e. Scott Garieri: Absolutely. The fact is that this should not haverequired a challenge in the first place. The Finance Committeerecommended several years ago in their annual report, that aneffort should be made to televise as many meetings as possible inorder to ensure that residents had access to information whenconsidering town-wide issues. Televised meetings of such animportant body should have been initiated as soon as thescheduling and technology was available, which in the case of theConCom was several years ago once they began meeting in theTown Hall meeting room.

For any group of elected or appointed officials to stand by and forcesuch a logical request to be moved to the point of a signature driveand legal challenges is an ominous statement about the belief orlack thereof in open transparent government. It was anembarrassing and needless situation.


g. Kevin J. Smith:Any town resident should have the right to ask fortelevised access to their representatives. They should also have


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the expectation that such assess will be granted as long as it istechnically possible to do so.

18.Can you explain exactly who it is you believe you represent as a

selectman?

a. Prescott S. Arndt:The people of Sturbridge.

b. Mary Blanchard:A selectman represents ALL the residents andtaxpayers of our community.

c. Jeff Bonja:Selectmen should represent all of the people ofSturbridge.


e. Scott Garieri: There are nearly 10,000 residents living inSturbridge and I have a responsibility to represent EACH andEVERY STURBRIDGE RESIDENT and BUSINESS. Obviouslydecisions made will not always be popular with all residents, asinterests and viewpoints are varied, but a selectmens primaryresponsibility regarding representation is to ensure his or herdecisions are in the best interests of the majority of residents at alltimes.

We do not have district representation here is Sturbridge, so aselectmen must realize at all times that his constituents comprise ofevery resident in town. Additionally we must consider the businessresidents in town and their concerns as they are tax payingresidents (if only by location) and thus have a vested interest in thesuccess of our town. We are a community, and that community isvaried and is an important concept to remember at all times.


g. Kevin J. Smith:The same people I represent on the FinanceCommittee: the taxpayers and townspeople of Sturbridge.


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19.What do you feel is the single most important attribute a selectmanshould posses?

a. Prescott S. Arndt:There is no single most important attribute. Asuccessful selectman will possess many attributes. They will need

to be open minded, have a sense of fairness, use common sense,be able to think critically, and always be open and accessible.

b. Mary Blanchard:A selectman should have the willingness to lookinto all issues that come before the BOS, listen to everyone whowishes to be heard and make an honest, unbiased decision basedon what he or she feels is best for the Community as a whole.

c. Jeff Bonja: Integrity


e. Scott Garieri: Integrity


g. Kevin J. Smith: Selectmen should always act in the best interest ofthe Town as a whole. They should never put their personalpreferences or the preferences of one or two voters ahead of thegood of the Town as a whole.

20.Why should I or any resident vote for you?

a. Prescott S. Arndt:The people of Sturbridge should vote for mebecause I will bring a new perspective to Town government, andthe ability to understand the issues, listen to all viewpointspresented, critically analyze the situation, and openly andreasonably present what I feel is the best solution for everyone. Assomeone employed in Sturbridge with a family of 5 and assomeone involved in many Sturbridge activities, I have a uniqueand healthy perspective on our Town.

b. Mary Blanchard: I have been active in Town Government for over25 years. I know the Community, the current issues and how TownGovernment functions. I am open-minded and have the willingnessto devote the time and energy to research and study all aspects ofissues brought before the BOS.

c. Jeff Bonja: Residents of Sturbridge should vote for me because Iam honest and do not have a scripted agenda. Above everything


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else I have to have a clear conscience and ask myself Is thissomething my kids would be proud of?

I have a professional background and experience working on andfor executive boards. My experience and business education,

including a MBA, allows me to work effectively in the disciplines offinance, operations, human resources, and sales/marketing. Thisprofessional experience also allows me to see through manyspecial interest agendas and work on the issues that are importantto the whole organization that I will serve.

I also have significant training and experience with developing andexecuting business strategy, which I can use to benefit thecommunity. We need to stop looking at just the present and startdoing some integrated forecasting and planning. How manyresidents do we think we will have in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?

What is the range of that forecast? What services will thoseresidents require? Will there be capital expansion requirements?What about existing infrastructure? What is the trend forcommercial and industrial revenue? What needs to be done tosupport that revenue? Etc.

I am in the unique position of having first hand experience of howour government works from inside as I was the Building Inspectorand Zoning Enforcement Officer for the Town of Sturbridge. This isa unique perspective that I believe none of the other currentSelectmen or candidates share. It allows me to have a muchbroader understanding of issues within our town government and tonot be swayed by internal politics. It also frames my position onabsolute transparency in government operations. I saw how easy itwas for even the elected officials to lose touch with the reality ofwhat was going on. I want to make sure that we have Selectmenthat are not afraid to ask the tough questions. I am also one of thefirst graduates of Sturbridges Citizen Leadership Academy.

I have lived in Sturbridge for 7 years and plan to raise my familyin this town. While I am by no means new to town, I did not growup here and have lived and traveled in many diverse areas withinthe US and abroad. While it is important to maintain a certainlegacy so we are not doomed to repeat our past hard learnedlessons, it is also paramount that we blend in new ideas andconcepts so we can break out of stagnant cycles that have resultedin overall decay in our town.



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e. Scott Garieri: Sturbridge is a beautiful town with unlimited potentialand opportunities that are being squandered due to short-sightedness and lack of vision.

I believe that we has the ability to attract new commercial and

industrial growth that can provide a much needed boost to our taxbase while providing the desired balance to maintain a wonderfulcommunity.

If we are to remain a viable town with good schools, appropriatepublic safety resources (police, fire, D.P.W., etc.), adequatebenefits and pay packages for town employees, as well as thefinancial resources to provide assistance to our seniors, then weneed to undertake all necessary steps to increase our tax base withappropriate and desired projects.

I will bring a business type approach to representing residents thatis grounded in objective deliberation and practical decision making,and I will ensure that the Economic Development Committee, thePlanning Board, and the Finance Committee are involved in thedecision making process to make certain our economic decisionsand long range planning are appropriate.


g. Kevin J. Smith:This is my 12th year as a member of the FinanceCommittee and my 10th as Chair. I believe my experience will beinvaluable. Taxpayers/voters wont have to wait for me to catchup; they can count on me to hit the ground running since I alreadyknow what needs to be addressed. Ive been very happy on theFinance Committee and think weve come a long way, I justcontinue to feel that our suggestions are not being acted upon.Weve consistently brought up issues that we feel need to beaddressed in our annual report such as growth, cost-cuttingmeasures, etc. but never see them acted upon.

I feel Ill have more of an opportunity to set the agenda as aSelectman and hope to make positive changes that will affect us foryears to come.

01 sturbridge selectmen's candidate questionnaire

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