Sudbury 2024 Election Profile: Janie Dretler, Select Board

SUDBURY, MA — Sudbury's 2024 election is underway now with mail-in voting happening ahead of Election Day on March 25.

To help voters make choices this year, we've asked candidates running in the two contested races — school committee and select board — to respond to candidate questionnaires.

Select Board member Janie Dretler is seeking a third term in 2024, and is running alongside fellow incumbent Dan Carty and challenger Eric Poch. Here are the responses Dretler submitted:

Can you tell us about yourself?

I am thrilled to announce my candidacy for re-election to the Sudbury Select Board. As a member of the Select Board for the last six years, and once again as Board Chair, I have a passion for helping to improve the quality of life for all residents. For the past six years, I have contributed inclusive, effective, and strategic leadership to the Select Board.

Serving on the Select Board is both a humbling and inspiring experience. The experiences that stand out the most are the ones when hard work, collaboration, and a devotion to serving all of Sudbury created consensus and delivered results.

My approach has been honed based on those experiences. I consider issues from multiple perspectives to make sure the consequences of our decisions are fully understood and vetted. I do my homework because it is my priority to make sure there is equity for all residents. I focus on a safe environment and improved quality of life for all, while moving projects and policies forward in a fiscally responsible way.

I am proud to have been directly involved in the town’s recent accomplishments, including:

• Paving the way for the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.
• Building the new Fairbank Community Center and the Route 20 Fire Station.
• Formalizing financial policies.
• Hiring a new Town Manager who brings decades of municipal experience to Sudbury.

The Select Board’s high priority goals, working in collaboration with the Town Manager and other boards/staff, include developing a long-term comprehensive plan to fund and manage the operating and capital budgets, addressing staffing needs and succession planning, investigation of vocational education access options, MBTA Communities Zoning, economic development, and advancing the design and construction of Phase 3A-CSX/Rt 20 of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.

With a clear vision for the future and effective leadership, Sudbury is positioned to thrive in the years ahead. Most importantly: the work we have underway will positively impact every resident and shape our community for decades to come.

I’m excited about our future and our potential because of the remarkable community-driven contributions that distinguish our town. I’m confident about our direction because of the momentum we have built in recent years. And I’m ready to keep up the hard work.

Public Service is Part of My DNA

The importance of public service was instilled in me at a young age. I was raised in a military family with my father serving in the U.S. Air Force for twenty years and my grandfather also serving in the U.S. Navy for twenty years. Hard work, responsibility and commitment are part of my nature.

Experienced Member of the Sudbury Select Board

• Current Select Board Chair, 2023-2024, Board Chair 2020-2021
• Current member of the Select Board, 2018-Present

My involvement in town matters has been an enormously rewarding and important part of my life. With the benefit of having driven multiple initiatives from concept to completion, I have further developed as a current Select Board member and Chair. I have taken a prominent and active role in the major issues facing our town and hope to continue leading as an experienced member of the Select Board. That experience has taught me that good ideas can come from anywhere in our community. As a member of the Select Board, hard work, an open mind, and a public service mentality have been the key to translating my experience into results.

My Family

My husband, Jeff, and I have lived in Sudbury for 20 years. We chose Sudbury as the place to start a family and raise our two boys (12 and 16) because of its rural feel, historic preservation, excellent school system, open spaces and family-oriented community. We also chose Sudbury to be close to our extended family, many of whom live in the MetroWest area.

My Professional Experience

In my role as a Project Coordinator with the Division of Local Services at the Department of Revenue, I interact daily with the public and local officials across the state. I worked in technology and finance for many years. I was a Principal for Sales & Marketing with State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) in Boston, in the Charitable Asset Management division. Prior to SSGA, I worked in the Master Trust division at State Street Corporation. When we moved to Sudbury, I was the Operations Manager at a human resources services firm in Framingham. I have been a small business owner working as a freelance photographer for events and weddings, real estate and architecture, and food photography for a lifestyle magazine.

My diverse and multifaceted career is a great match for the Select Board. I am adept at managing competing priorities and challenging issues. In everything I do, I always seek to improve and learn - this is at the core of who I am professionally and personally.

Giving Back to the Community

I have given my all to Sudbury and the broader community for many years. My volunteer service includes:

• Select Board Chair - Town of Sudbury - 2020-2021, 2023-Present
• Select Board Member - Town of Sudbury - 2018-Present
• Oppose Sudbury Station - Community advocate
• Protect Sudbury - Community advocate
• Sudbury Neighbor Brigade - Volunteer
• Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT) - Stewardship volunteer
• Sudbury School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) - Parent volunteer
• Sudbury Cub Scouts/Boy Scouts - Parent volunteer
• Sudbury Family Network - Membership Chair of the Sudbury Family Network
• REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, Waltham - Board of Directors
• Dignity Matters - Volunteer
• Crispus Attucks Children's Center, Dorchester - Marketing/Outreach volunteer

Please reach out to me directly at janieforsudbury@gmail.com / www.janieforsudbury.com I respectfully ask for your support and vote on Monday, March 25 for re-election to the Select Board. Thank you!

What’s one thing you would want to accomplish in the coming Sudbury Select Board term?

I will continue to take concrete steps to ensure Sudbury is on a sustainable financial path to meet our ongoing and future needs. These steps include working in collaboration with the Town Manager and other boards/staff, to develop a long-term comprehensive plan to fund and manage the operating and capital budgets.

When asking people why they move to and stay in Sudbury, they cite the setting, the schools and the community. But I also hear that residents, from young families to grandparents, are making sacrifices to stay here. We must be able to move forward without squeezing our schools and our seniors. We need to think creatively about cost savings, investing, and finding new revenue sources.

I believe Sudbury is and can continue to be a community where people come to stay, and thrive, in all phases of life. We’re all in this together. With smart planning and sound strategy, we can ensure that Sudbury meets the needs of all residents without putting unreasonable pressure on our residents.

We all have a role to play in making Sudbury stronger. We may not always agree, but we can disagree without being disagreeable. What’s most important is that the voices of residents are heard and respected. When the community is engaged, the outcomes are always better for everyone. If you share my love for Sudbury, I ask for your vote on Monday, March 25, but more importantly I ask that you become engaged and involved. Together we will do better and be better. By taking a position of responsibility, you will gain a better appreciation of what Sudbury has to offer and participate as a positive contributor to life in Sudbury. I promise you will get back more than you put in!

What’s one thing town government is doing well right now and one thing it’s not doing well? How would you fix what’s not being done well?

Trust in institutions is at an all-time low. This is why I have consistently called for community outreach efforts and strict adherence to Select Board policies, particularly while serving as Chair for the last year. When local government is something we all participate in, we can build bonds, trust and community. The Town is making good progress engaging the community. That was demonstrated recently with a slate of eager volunteers for the newly-created Sudbury 250 Committee, but you can also see the progress in the range of Town events, including last year’s Holiday Village, Family PRIDE Day, and the Annual Town Forum on volunteerism. I will continue to seek opportunities to engage every resident in the rewarding process of self-determining the future of this community.

Here’s the reality: Sudbury has an enormous amount of deferred maintenance and infrastructure needs. We can’t get to all of it at once, so we need a long-term plan. In recent years we addressed the most egregious areas of deferred maintenance, including the Fairbank Community Center, which I’m proud to have supported. With the toughest capital challenges behind us, we now need to focus on developing a responsible plan that uses taxpayer money efficiently and strategically. We can’t do everything at once, but we can’t delay everything forever either. Neither extreme is good for taxpayers or the community.

If you could wave a magic wand and do one thing in Sudbury, what would it be? This could be a new law, infrastructure, etc.

Rail Trail Completion

It comes as no surprise to Sudbury residents that I have been a passionate advocate for the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Sudbury for many years. I will continue to provide ongoing, enthusiastic advocacy to advance the design and construction of Phase 3A of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail to make the connection to Framingham. This is our opportunity to champion smart, environmentally responsible economic development, and widespread community connections thanks to the rail trails.

I would be honored by the opportunity to continue this work. I respectfully ask for your vote for re-election to the Select Board on Monday, March 25!

Janie Dretler, Candidate for Re-Election to the Sudbury Select Board
Goodman’s Hill Road, Sudbury
Website: www.janieforsudbury.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanieForSudbury/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janieforsudbury/
X: https://twitter.com/JanieDretler/