Sudbury's Upcoming Town Forum Is A Must For All Residents: Kouchakdjian

SUDBURY, MA — Keep your calendar clear for next Thursday evening for Sudbury's annual Town Forum, which Select Board Vice Chair Lisa Kouchakdjian says it's a must-attend for all residents.

Sudbury has been holding the annual forum since 2013 when it was enshrined in town law. Each year, town leaders pick a topic with the goal of improving civic life. This year's forum will cover voting and volunteering with a focus on Town Meeting participation.

The Town Meeting form of government — where residents gather once or twice a year to approve things like budgets and law changes — dates back to the founding of Massachusetts as a colony. Sudbury has an "open" form of town meeting, which means any registered voter can attend and vote. Some towns, like Natick and Milford, have elected town meeting members who are the only ones allowed to attend and vote.

In a Q&A, Kouchakdjian underscores why it's vital for town residents to get involved in not only the annual forum, but by volunteering to help run town government — even if that means casting a vote in Town Meeting.

For those who don't know, what is the annual town forum and how long has it been held?

Pursuant to Article 41 of the Annual Town Meeting on May 8, 2013, our town By-Laws were amended to require the Select Board to conduct at least one annual Town Forum. Nothing precludes the Board from conducting more than one forum. Section 11 states in part:

“The Forum will be an open, public meeting for Town residents. The Town Forum will provide a planned, scheduled opportunity for constructive engagement between the Town and residents.”

This year’s Town Forum will be a hybrid event. People will be able to attend in person at Town Hall, participate virtually via Zoom, stream the event, or watch live on public access TV. The event will also be recorded by Sudbury TV and available on-demand at a later time. The hybrid format is the most inclusive way to maximize our residents’ ability to participate.

The Town Forum this year will help to educate the community about our town governance and to hopefully inspire people to public service. Regardless of whether someone has recently moved to Sudbury, or whether someone has lived here their entire life, they will learn about how they can contribute to making Sudbury a better place to live for everyone!

This year's topic is voting and volunteerism. How did the town pick this topic, and why is it important?

Select Board members collaborated to determine the topic. Sudbury has an open Town Meeting form of government. This type of government is the purest form of democracy where registered voters make decisions on issues before Town Meeting. Voters vote on articles in the Town Meeting warrant.

For this reason, the Town Forum will highlight the essential role community members play in making decisions by attending Town Meeting and voting. The Town Forum will also help community members understand how they can volunteer and contribute to making Sudbury a better place to live.

These topics are critical right now in Sudbury. We have a lot of exciting things happening. Our community has very important decisions to make, now and in the very near future. Our residents must be actively engaged in understanding how they can make a difference in Sudbury’s future by voting and volunteering. Attendees to the Forum will learn how they can contribute their time and talents in determining Sudbury’s future.

Town elections often draw far fewer people than state or federal races — 67 percent in the 2022 state election vs. 26 percent in the 2023 spring election. Will the forum address voter turnout, and if so, what will be discussed?

Yes! We must promote and stress the importance of our community members voting both at Town Meeting and at our elections in March. By voting in our local elections, residents can impact and influence their daily lives. In our local elections we elect leaders and make decisions on a variety of topics that impact the way we live, how our young people are educated, and the services that are provided for our community. These are just a few examples of the types and kinds of decisions our community makes. Voting in our local elections directly impacts how we live as a community. It is extremely important for community members to be engaged and educated regarding issues the town is considering. The Forum will address this issue.

Voter turnout is also very significant as it pertains to Town Meeting. Quorum for Town Meeting is 100 people. The Town Forum will also stress the importance of attendance at Town Meeting.

Sudbury relies heavily on volunteers to staff town boards, but I imagine it can be hard to find volunteers. What should residents know (good and bad) about making the commitment to serve on a board?

Serving as an elected or appointed official on a town board or committee is extremely rewarding and valuable. There is a vast array of different committees in town focused on many issues. Volunteers who join committees can advocate for causes they believe in and support awareness of different issues.

Committees in town are doing valuable work, and while that does take time, the time commitments are not unreasonable. While some committee meetings can last two or three hours, there is also a trend in town for committees to be more efficient and have shorter meetings. This effort by some committees will make it even more favorable for people to volunteer.

When joining a committee, you agree to attend meetings and comply with the requirements of the law, including state ethics rules and the Open Meeting Law. At points, you are also required to do certain types of training. This work, however, makes one a better and stronger public servant.

What advice would you give someone who wants to run for office for the first time in Sudbury, and will this be up for discussion at the forum?

Anyone can run for elected office if they are registered to vote. The ability to run for office is one of the greatest aspects of our democracy. Our elected committees in Sudbury are the following: Sudbury School Committee, Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee, Park and Recreation Commission, Planning Board, Board of Health, Goodnow Library Trustees, Select Board, and the Town Moderator.

Community members interested in joining a committee should first consider where their interests lie and where they believe they can be most impactful. Once that determination is made, they may contact current or former members of the committee and speak with them about the role of the committee and ask questions. Watching the meetings and getting an understanding of issues the committee(s) are addressing is also helpful. All meetings are recorded by Sudbury TV and available for viewing on www.SudburyTV.org

Sudbury, like almost every town in Massachusetts, uses town meetings to make major decisions but they sometimes suffer from attendance issues. Is there anything the town can do to update town meetings to boost attendance?

Quorum for Town Meeting in Sudbury is 100 registered voters. Annual Town Meeting always begins pursuant to the town’s by-laws on the first Monday of May. Sometimes, like this year, there is a special fall Town Meeting. Special fall Town Meeting this year is on Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School auditorium. Improving attendance at Town Meeting is very important because if the Moderator does not have a quorum, Town Meeting cannot proceed and the town cannot conduct its business. Making Town Meeting as accessible and inclusive to as many voters as possible is vitally important and always a priority for the Town. Educating the community regarding why it is important to attend will hopefully foster a desire to attend Town Meeting.

What's the No. 1 reason Sudbury residents should attend this year's town forum?

The number one reason residents should attend the Town Forum is to learn how they can help to make Sudbury a better place to live.

Residents may submit questions in advance of the Town Forum by sending questions via email to townforum@sudbury.ma.us. Residents should include their name and address for the record. For more information regarding the Town Forum visit the town website. Watch a promotional video for the forum here.