SuttonHighNews conducted an interview with each candidate running for an office. Our goal is to provide a more comprehensive look at each candidate so voters can make an informed decision.
SuttonHighNews is not endorsing any candidate. The interviews are being released in a random order with no intent to give anyone more or less time.
All candidates were given the questions in advance. We asked the same questions, in the same order, to each candidate for a particular position.
Q: The Budget: how do we maintain a healthy budget and not run up a deficit or place too heavy a burden on the townspeople?
A: Similar to budgeting for a household, the most effective budgeting method for towns is to first determine anticipated revenue. For Sutton, the primary revenue source is property tax income. This category consists of property tax income from residential, commercial, and industrial properties, with the remainder generated from personal property. Other sources of revenue are local receipts, including vehicle excise taxes, meals taxes, various fees for services provided by the town, etc. Federal grants and state grants also provide funding sources and many must be applied for by the community. In addition to State unrestricted government aid, the state allocates limited funds to offset student costs and roadway improvements commonly referred to as Chapter 70 and Chapter 90 funds in the State’s annual budget which passes to communities in a document known as the Cherry Sheet. It is referred to as the Cherry Sheet as many years ago, before computers, the document was presented on pink/cherry colored paper. The Recapitulation Sheet, prepared by our Town Assessing Department, is a great reference for the public to review to understand the revenue sources and how the tax rate is determined for each fiscal year. Passed in the early 1980s, Proposition 2 ½ limited the annual increase in the tax levy to 2.5% of the prior year’s levy plus any new growth, namely, new real estate construction including sheds, pools, etc. For 2026, the town budget was $47,246,256 with $30,632,470, or approximately 65%, generated from the property tax levy.
The challenge faced by all 351 communities in Massachusetts is on the expense side of the budget. The largest expense for communities is personnel costs for municipal employees, school teachers, police, fire, highway, etc. The town not only covers salaries, including annual cost of living increases, but also fringe benefits—namely, health insurance, retirement benefits, etc. Health insurance premiums have been increasing by double digits for several years, with no relief in sight. Contractual salary increases are above the 2.5% allowed increase in the tax levy. On the school side, the uncertainty of some special education services can significantly impact a town’s budget. To make up the shortfall, communities can increase new growth by adding residential, commercial, industrial and personal property to the tax rolls, increase user fees for various services, such as sewer, transfer station, athletic programs, bus and parking fees, etc., or reduce expenses in other budget line items which are not contractually mandated, such as supplies, utilities, etc. The State can also legislate for relief. The current State Ways & Means hearings for the 2027 budget included comments about inflation adjusting Proposition 2 ½, creating a State Special Ed trust to assist towns with these increasing costs, and increasing Unrestricted Government Aid to communities, which when adjusted for inflation, is well below what communities received prior to the 2008 recession. Any of the aforementioned relief would need to be legislated at the State level which can take years to accomplish. Sutton is lucky to have two residents representing us at the state level –State Senator Ryan Fattman and State Representative Joe McKenna. Senator Fattman and Representative Joe McKenna recently presented an update to the Select Board about what the State legislature is working on to assist the towns of Massachusetts.
Just like families must decide priorities in a household budget, such as taking a local vacation or traveling by plane to an exotic destination, or eating in or dining out, Sutton has been controlling expenses for many years, has limited increases in debt, has maintained a high bond rating, and has maintained/created stabilization accounts which help with unexpected or non-recurring expense items, such as Special Ed stabilization, health care stabilization, and capital stabilization. These stabilization accounts are similar to family savings accounts which are “dipped into” for unexpected expenses or one-time expenses like a new vehicle or building construction.
The Town Manager, Superintendent, Select Board, and Finance Committee working together can recommend an increase in debt, recommend an override vote, recommend a reduction in services, but the final decision on the budget belongs to the voters at the annual town meetings. Engaged, informed voters will ensure Sutton maintains a healthy budget and does not deficit spend or significantly overburden residents with large tax bills.
Q: Problem Solving: What do you think is the biggest problem facing our town right now, and what is your plan to fix it?
A: We are at a point in history with access to instant information from many different sources, including artificial intelligence. Navigating the information overload to access relevant information on issues individuals want to research can be overwhelming. How does our town’s legislative body, the voters, stay engaged, current and informed about what is happening in our Town?
The registered voters are the legislative body of our community with the Select Board acting as the executive body having oversight of the Town Manager and responsibility for implementing policy. The 2025 Town Annual Report, the most recently available, includes demographic information for Sutton. The town had 9,635 residents with 7,497 registered voters in 2025. Sutton has an open meeting form of government which allows every voter to have a voice, versus a representative government which elects district delegates to represent them in local issues. Informed voters who show up at the Spring and Fall town meetings, and the annual elections decide the direction of the town through approval of budgets, bylaws, green space preservation, etc.
Only 273 (3.6%), voters attended the October 2024 town meeting, 156 (2%) voters attended the May 2025 town meeting, and 1,118 (14.9%) voters showed up to elect local officials on May 27, 2025. Many times, board positions are uncontested, meaning a candidate runs unopposed.
To be informed at town meeting, voters must “do their homework.” The items voted on at Town Meeting are presented at several public hearings held by different boards leading up to the meeting. At these meetings, voters can raise concerns and have a say in the final version presented to voters at Town Meeting. The Planning Board prepares bylaw change warrant articles, the town manager with the assistance of department heads and the school department prepares the budget which is presented to the Select Board, our Finance Committee reviews the budget with presentations by all departments at which the public is allowed to comment, and citizens can place items on the Annual Town Meeting warrant with only 10 voter signatures supporting the petition. The Select Board approves the final warrant prior to the town meeting.
Our Cable Department is the connection between the town government and the residents. The Cable Department maintains the website, (suttonma.org), the Facebook page, (Town of Sutton, MA) broadcasts and records meetings (cable access channels, YouTube, and ZOOM), mails the Town Meeting postcards, places the Town Meeting signs around town, and updates the public information board located at the Town Hall. Voters can start by accessing suttonma.org weekly to learn of the upcoming meetings on the Calendar located on the website homepage. Agendas and meeting materials are available to the public prior to the meeting. Residents can sign up on the homepage for email alerts about board meetings, news, and urgent alerts. Meetings can be attended in person or via ZOOM and are available live on town cable access channels and the town’s YOUTUBE channel, with recorded versions available for viewing or listening to while driving the car or doing household chores at the voter’s convenience. All meetings include a public comment period at the beginning of the meeting allowing voters to voice concerns to their elected board members.
Presently, our Planning Board is working on a bylaw change which would allow apartment style housing with commercial businesses on the first floor at Galaxy Pass. This is a new type of housing in Sutton, and the process includes determining dimensions of the structures, such as height maximums, number of floors, and design standards, such as roof style, allowed façade styles, required vegetation, etc., as well as an open space requirement. The more the public is engaged in these meetings and any public information sessions, the more likely the final bylaw will be a good fit for Sutton, and residents will not be surprised when construction commences. The school superintendent, in collaboration with a group of citizens, are working together to determine the causes and impact of the declining school enrollment. The group is currently conducting a community-wide survey with each household receiving a postcard asking for completion of the survey. A recent Fire Department survey was also conducted as part of an in-process feasibility study of the department. The more voices heard in the process, the better.
Q: How will you make sure our town stays a nice place to live while also allowing new businesses or houses to be built?
A: Staying current on issues before the town by attending or listening to as many different board meetings as available, keeps me informed and prepared. An easy way to stay current is to listen to meetings as if they are a podcast while walking the dog, driving in the car, or doing household chores. To learn of potential new building developments or bylaw changes, I follow the Planning Board, Conservation Commission and Zoning Board meetings. To understand issues facing the school, I stay current on School Committee meetings. During the lead up to Town Meeting, I follow the Finance Committee meetings. I have shared my comments and views at many of these meetings. I served as clerk on the Housing Production Plan Working group which drafted the recent MBTA Communities bylaw passed at the October 2025 Town Meeting, and submitted the Town’s Housing Production Plan to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. I am knowledgeable of the State’s 40B affordable housing law, potential impacts of 40B developments in Town, and how the town can mindfully work with developers for positive outcomes. I stay current on the issues facing the Wilkinsonville Water District and Manchaug Water District, which are separate municipal organizations not part of the town’s municipal government. Since I was a member of the School Building Committee in 2006, I have knowledge of enrollment projection methodology and volunteered to share this with the current Enrollment Working Group at the school. I am also a volunteer with the Sutton Historical Society which collaborates with the Sutton Fourth, Sutton PTO, Chain of Lights Committee, and Senior Center which host community events such as the Fourth of July Parade, Oh My Gourd, and Christmas in Sutton. Additionally, this involvement allows me to have input on town issues from a varying group of citizens which I can consider when making decisions affecting the long-term interests of the Town. Sutton is a nice place to live. The Town “team”, which includes municipal and school employees, volunteer board members, and, most importantly, the residents, is tasked with keeping the quality of life and livability of our town on track as we grow into the future.
Q: Listening to People: If a lot of neighbors are angry about a new rule the board wants to pass, how will you make sure their voices are heard before you make a decision?
A: Sutton Town Boards have a public forum item on their agendas which allow for public comment. Boards cannot comment on the items presented as the item is not on the posted agenda. Boards can take the comments under advisement and add them to a future meeting agenda. Written public comments can also be submitted to all boards which become part of the public record.
The Select Board is an executive trustee for the Town, and not a legislative body of delegates. Individual Select Board members are not the voice of a defined set of constituents, but are part of a collective board. This is important to understand as the voters, the legislative body, elect the Select Board members to use their best judgement in creating the policies town management will follow based on the Town Charter, General Bylaws, and other legislation approved by town voters. Select Board members consider public input, but exercise independent judgement in the long-term interests of the entire town. Approved policies by the Board, whether unanimous or majority vote, become the position of the collective body.
I welcome input from citizens. The Select Board members all have individual emails allowing citizens to reach out directly. Individual Select Board emails can be found at suttonma.org/select[1]board. Emails to the entire board ([email protected]) are directed to the Town Manager to avoid Open Meeting Law violations.
Open dialogue and debate on important issues between citizens and their elected board members should include sharing of reference materials, history and process followed. Transparency is paramount for successful leadership.
Q: Setting Priorities: Would you rather spend money on maintaining/fixing all the roads or maintaining the quality of our schools? Why?
A: Fiscal budgeting is a collaborative process between various Town staff and multiple Boards over several months with an attempt to stay within the confines of Proposition 2 1/2. This teamwork results in compromises to ensure we balance our budget and maintain the trust of residents. We must educate our students, and they should arrive at school on safe roads. First responders must respond to emergencies, and should have adequate facilities and equipment to ensure proper response. Students should learn in a secure, safe building, and our residents should have a functioning sewer infrastructure. The voters, as the Town’s legislative body, accept or reject the budget prepared by town staff and the various boards. The budget belongs to the citizens.
Proposition 2 ½, which passed in 1980, was a direct response to citizen frustration over rapidly rising property tax bills and the lack of control over how local governments could raise property taxes. The law only allows a 2.5% increase in the property tax levy over the prior year plus any new growth for the year. This provided citizens with a level of control over their property tax bills. The law provides relief to this limit allowing a referendum vote at the ballot box for a permanent increase in the levy which passes with approval by a majority of voters.
Sutton has passed two operating overrides, although more were attempted. Operating overrides are a permanent addition to the levy versus a debt override which is a levy increase for the duration of borrowing for a project, such as a school building. Both successful operating overrides provided relief to shortfalls on both the municipal and school portions of the budget. The most recent override in 2007, provided $500,000 to be shared between the school and the town. This permanent addition to the levy increases by 2.5% each year. In other words, the voters of Sutton wanted good roads and a quality school.
In 2025, the average single-family home in Sutton was assessed at $597,522, the tax rate was $12.02, and the average tax bill was $7,182. In Massachusetts, the highest allowed property tax rate is $25 per $1,000 assessed value. This is the levy ceiling. For 2025, at the maximum allowed rate of $25 per $1,000 of assessed value, the average single-family tax bill would have been $14,938. Voters get to decide how much they want to pay for the services they need or want, or if they want to approve bylaw changes to entice commercial businesses or other types of development to come into town to help add to the tax rolls. Many informed voices, versus only a few, often produce a better outcome as they “buy-in” to the direction of the town.
A beneficial strategy for communities is to not only have a budget for the current year, but a projection for 3, 5 or even 10 years into the future for revenues, operating expenses, such as salaries and utilities, and planned capital expenses, such as new vehicles and buildings. This planning process should allow for public input since the voters are the legislative body of the town.
Q: Public Safety: What can the Select Board do to make sure our police, firefighters, and snowplow drivers have exactly what they need to keep us safe?
A: Public Safety is a priority of the Town, and is what makes Sutton a great place to live and work. Annually, the Police Chief, Fire Chief, and Highway Superintendent present their budget requests, to the Select Board and Finance Committee, which include staffing needs, professional training, equipment needs, capital items, etc. Collaboration between these groups and creation of a multi[1]year forecast, allows for a mindful use of funds to ensure current needs are met and a path is in place to ensure needs will be addressed in the coming years.
This Spring, a fire department feasibility study was completed with the results to be shared at an upcoming Select Board meeting. The study, completed by independent consultants, will identify staffing needs, equipment needs, and space requirements for the department and what the options are to meet those needs. Additionally, the town recently entered into an agreement to consolidate dispatch services for Fire and Police with a Regional Dispatch consortium. This new agreement will allow improvements to the system through shared resources and updated technology which would have been price-prohibitive to the town as a stand-alone dispatch facility. The town manager, chiefs, superintendent, and Select Board are always receptive to creative ways to improve services to keep the public safe while controlling costs and ensuring officers and highway staff are safe and properly equipped.
Q: Teamwork: Sometimes the Select Board members disagree on an issue. How will you work together to come to a compromise about a problem where everyone doesn’t agree?
A: The Select Board follows a structured decision-making process with majority rules. For a decision to be binding, 3 of the 5 members must vote in favor. During deliberation, members can present their individual opinions, any facts or resources used to support their position, and express respectful dissent on the record before the vote. Once a majority vote is taken, all members respect the decision of the Board. Sometimes board members simply “agree to disagree” and then move forward as a collective voice for the binding decision. It is important for any deliberation to be respectful, courteous, and not emotional.
During my tenure on the Board, I have taken a minority position regarding issuance of a license and support of the Board foregoing their annual stipend. I felt the deliberation and debate we had as a Board was beneficial. I chose not to vote with the majority, but do respect the process and the decision of the Board.
Q: Why do you want this position? What is your message to voters?
A: I believe I possess the time and talent to decipher information and research issues before the Board to make informed decisions on behalf of the citizens which will keep Sutton growing in a direction preserving the quality of life residents have grown to expect and enjoy. As a lifelong resident growing up in Manchaug Village and living in the Wilkinsonville section of town, a Sutton High alum, former Suzie, Sutton Historical Society Board member, and current Select Board member finishing a 1-year term, I am vested in the community with no plans to relocate out of town. I am fortunate to have the time to dedicate to this Board, as well as keep up[1]to-date with happenings on other Boards, the Central Mass region through emails from Central Mass Regional Planning, and at the State with updates from the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) which reviews many of the development projects in the state, as well as the Beacon, the Massachusetts Municipal Association newsletter.
I believe in the upcoming few years, the Town will address several fiscal choices. I support collaboration between the Select Board, Finance Committee, and School Committee to determine both short-term and long-term planning goals and fiscal needs to ensure the Town is mindful of the varying needs within the Town and applies its fiscal resources responsibly. My background as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) affords me the ability to sift through numbers and data presenting this information to voters in relatable language. I support mindful growth, suitable to the style of Sutton, in areas with supporting infrastructure which maintains services, quality of life, and affordability to those who already reside here. These decisions must be made by the voters, our legislative body, with guidance from not only the Select Board, but also the several Boards responsible for drafting bylaws and approving projects.
