Letters to the Exchange

Acton Town Meeting will begin on Monday, May 5 at 7:00 PM at Acton Boxborough Regional High School’s auditorium and Field House (Upper Gym) as needed.  The articles to be discussed and voted on the first night include the consent agenda Articles 2 and 14 - 29, and Articles 1 and 3 - 10 (town and school budgets and Community Preservation Act funding).  The meeting will continue on Tuesday, May 6 at 7:00 PM with consent Articles 34 - 36 and then Article 11, and continue until all articles have been acted upon. Please review the warrant on the town website or the hard copy delivered by US Mail or available in locations around town.

• To request reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please email manager@actonma.gov or call 978-929-6611 by Friday, May 2nd at 12:00 PM. 

• To reserve a free door-to-door van ride to Town Meeting, call CrossTown Connect until 12:00 PM on Friday, May 2nd at (978) 844-6809. The driver will be available from 5:30 - 10:30 PM.

• Parking is available at the High School and surrounding school buildings. Individuals with limited mobility should use the designated entrance closest to the auditorium on the Hayward Road entrance to the school.  A person is designated to check you in at that entrance. 

• Kid-friendly movie night will be held on Monday from 6:30 - 9:30 in the AB chorus room. RSVP to Shelagh Conway (shelaghconway@gmail.com) by Friday, May 2.

As we prepare to convene and take care of our town business and finances, perhaps think of the people who have come before us, including those who stood against the tyranny of a king and parliament. Our neighbors in Lincoln reenacted what that looked like in a Town Meeting of 1775.  The 20-minute discussion of whether to equip the Minutemen shows their courage and that there is nothing new under the sun. Click here: 1775 Town Meeting Reenactment.

Sincerely,

Jo-Ann Berry

Town Moderator

Over the last year-plus, the Select Board has heard arguments for a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, the four main reasons being noise, leaf-blower users health, emissions, and economics.

I argue against the ban, for freedom of choice in lawn care equipment.

The noise issue is easy - regulate the effect, not the cause. Whether it’s trucks, music, construction or landscapers, it’s more efficient to explain and defend general noise levels and schedules.

For all the talk about landscaper health, no one has presented any evidence of health effects of gas-powered leaf-blowers on landscapers. This is unsurprising - operating a leaf-blower creates airflow that immediately dilutes the engine exhaust.

The emissions of concern include carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds. Arguments for the ban presented big scary numbers in isolation and without citations.

Given national and international CO₂ emissions, Acton’s emissions are trivial. While there is a real cost to Acton’s CO₂ reductions, with China’s and India’s CO₂ emissions trajectory there is no significant benefit to any reductions Acton makes.

Naturally produced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) “far exceed”; human emissions and, like the VOCs that are emitted by human activity - automobiles, aircraft, or burning yard waste - are naturally degraded in the atmosphere.

The economic argument: At the September 23, 2024, Select Board meeting Mr. Snyder-Grant relayed his discussion with a landscaper who said, “with their current battery equipment, the Fall cleanup takes about 50% more time”.

A landscaper typically charges by the job, not by time; and they will invest in anything that gets the job done quickly, like those stand-up go-cart lawn mowers. But they pay their crew by the hour. So, if it takes 50% more time, they can do fewer jobs per day. If they want the same income, they will have to charge more - a micro-economic example of productivity loss, of regulation that increases inflation, outweighing putative equipment cost advantages.

Banning gas-powered leaf blowers is an overreach that restricts freedom of choice, lacks evidence of health risks, overstates trivial emissions, and imposes economic burdens through reduced productivity.

Tom Beals

Under Article 11, Town Meeting is being asked to file for a Home Rule Petition with our legislators to enlarge to the board of trustees of the Acton Memorial Library (AML) from nine to 12 members. The additional three members will come from the Citizens Library (CL).

The two boards have been meeting together for the past nine months, and the cooperative efforts have worked well.

The combination of the boards will continue to recognize the differences between the trustees. The CL trustees will still be elected at the Town Meeting, while the AML trustees will be elected at the yearly Town election. The CL trustees will retain control over their gift fund and the three will vote on how to spend those funds. The AML trustees will retain control over the funds raised by the Acton Memorial Library Foundation (AMLF), the AMLF endowment and several trust funds.

All policies developed for the libraries will have members from both boards and equal weight in the voting process as has been the case for many months now.

Even though we recognize that it may take months to get this home rule petition through the legislative process, the two boards will continue to meet together to give the best possible library services to the community.

Ann Chang,
President AML trustees

The climate emergency continues and by all indications it will get worse.

In the 1960’s cities were polluted and following the rise of disposable packaging litter was ubiquitous. Then extreme pollution events began; oil spills, chemically polluted rivers burst into flames, plus we ventured into space to look back upon Earth to understand that our resources were indeed finite.

In 1970 President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA made strides with regulations and innovations, along with our will to stop the desecration of our ‘home’.

The current EPA’s mission states: to provide “Clean Air, Land, and Water for Every American” yet they also declare a push to “Restore American Energy Dominance”. These two missions are at odds with what ultimately may be a rollback to the 1960’s. The desire for clean water and air must include the impact of mining, burning fossil fuels and their contribution to greenhouse gases.  What were warnings over air and water pollution have become an existential threat.

Our ability to take action can counter helplessness; and local voting should never be underestimated. 

On May 5 Acton Annual Town meeting you have an opportunity to vote and affect Acton’s future. Warrant article #32 addresses the climate emergency, with an impact greater than you may realize, reducing pollution from Gas Powered Leaf Blowers. To quote from the Quieter Cleaner Acton “The noise, toxic fumes, particulate pollution, and greenhouse gases emitted by gas leaf blowers pose risks to the health of Acton residents, lawn care workers, and the environment”.  “The greenhouse gas impact of these leaf blowers … which produce hundreds of times more hazardous pollutants and fine particulates than automobiles. In California, small engines such as those in leaf blowers overtook automobiles in 2020 to become the number one source of air pollution.”

I look forward to Town Meeting. Some may think Town Meeting is an outdated, perhaps cumbersome relic of an earlier democratic process. Alas, that is the challenge of democracy. Support democracy. Have a voice. Vote YES to end Gas Powered Leaf Blowers. 

Judith Aronstein

On May 6, Town Meeting voters will have the chance to approve Article #32, a proposed bylaw — Leaf Blower Control — whose approval would make our community quieter, cleaner, and healthier.

Ubiquitous gas-powered leaf blowers are not just noisy nuisances; they also perpetrate a host of harm to our health, safety, well-being, and environment:

• high levels of toxic emissions — particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that affect everyone, but especially landscape workers, and vulnerable residents (including children and the elderly)
• loud, penetrating noise that disrupts outdoor enjoyment, annoys neighbors, interrupts indoor work, and harms quality of life
• significant air and climate pollutants: CO₂ and nitrous oxide (NOx), which heat the planet and worsen climate impacts

The proposed bylaw includes these features:
• In 2027, gas blowers could be used only during spring and fall cleanup periods — March 15–May 31 and Sept 15–Dec 31.
• Phase-out of most gas blowers as of January 1, 2028 — a date that gives residents, property owners, and landscape services more than 2½ years to shift to alternatives.
• Practical exceptions: walk-behind, four-stroke gas leaf blowers and blowers attached to tractors or mowers would remain permitted, ensuring practicality and flexibility for large landscaping tasks.

In many nearby towns that have banned or limited use of gas blowers, landscape companies continue to compete for business successfully. Smart, less harmful alternatives exist:
• Battery-Powered Leaf Blowers: powerful, quieter and cheaper to operate, they require little maintenance (no oil changes, tune-ups, or fuel mixing). Fast charging and easy battery swapping make them ideal for homeowners and landscapers.
• Mowing-Mulching: mulching mowers turn leaves into lawn food, boosting soil health, and reducing needs for fertilizer and mulch​​.
• Leaf Plows: these easily attach to commercial mowers, move loads of leaves with far less effort, and pay for themselves quickly.
• Just Leave the Leaves (where it makes sense): leaves nourish your turf and garden, and preserve habitat for biodiverse organisms. 

Please vote for a quieter, cleaner, healthier community — vote YES on Article 32!

Carolyn Davis, for Green Acton

I would like to express my strong support for Barry Rosen for Acton Water District (AWD) Commissioner in the upcoming town election. Barry and I have worked closely over the past year as volunteer members of the Acton Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC) – my first year and his 9th. Barry is very knowledgeable about water-related issues from his tenure as a 2-term AWD Commissioner for the past 6 years, as well as from his direct and substantive efforts in writing Chapters U and X of the Town Bylaws, which address Discharges into the Storm Drains and Stormwater Management, respectively. He also served 14 years on the Water District Land Management Committee. Barry has repeatedly benefited the WRAC with his deep knowledge of the NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) and MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) regulatory requirements as well as requirements for municipal funding in Massachusetts. Please vote for Barry in the upcoming election on April 29.

Sincerely yours,
A. David Boccuti, P.E.

I am not well enough informed as to the needs of the Department of Public Works (DPW) to debate the virtues of a new $40 million building. But I do have trust in the people who have worked hard to develop their plan for a new facility. I could quibble about some of the details. But that's not why I write today. A year ago, I might have voted yes. But "the times they are a changin". Fast.

Our nation is in a financial free fall. Every category of our lives is under attack. Funding for elders and our kids is threatened daily. The markets are reeling with uncertainty as our self-appointed "king" changes his mind for fun - often within the same day. Retirement accounts, college accounts - you name it - are all floundering. Fear of a recession is expressed by the nation's top bankers and money movers. I look carefully at our bank account to see that our Social Security checks are deposited - Phew! This is all more than just unnecessary uncertainty. It is a form of emotional terrorism. It is a self-inflicted crisis of historic proportions.

Our town workers are underappreciated and deserve good working conditions. But we are facing unprecedented challenges. And when it comes to $40 million in tax dollars, I think we will be wishing we had that money for the kids in a few weeks or months. Raise your hand if you value special needs teachers. Give a shout if you think elders should be valued. Please tell us you think the poor should have a minimum of food security. All this is being threatened and undermined by insane people shredding our Federal Government programs. States and towns will have to fill the gaps.

Let's revisit this project next year. It may be a reasonable idea, but it is the wrong time to do it.

Bill Alstrom

I’m a member of the Select Board, which unanimously supports the new DPW Facility, but I’m writing on my own behalf.

The DPW touches everyone. They maintain roads, bridges, and parks. They clear roads after storms, allowing access for public safety. DPW mechanics maintain our fire trucks and police cruisers, which saves the town money.

The proposed DPW Building is a good value. It's right sized for office work, workshops, and equipment. Value engineering has reduced the price by $9 million since the original design. Now, it's slightly undersized - reduced by almost 20% from the feasibility study. A number of features were lost in those reductions, including storage space, spare offices, and the wash bay, but the Building Committee worked to save money wherever it could.

Of course, we all wish that the project would cost less. However, none of the remaining suggestions are workable.

• Some say that we should build a smaller building, but the worst possible case is to ask Town Meeting for millions to build an inadequate building.
• Some say to build one part now and another part later but building two structures isn't necessarily cheaper. The extra design money required means it's not likely to save anything. Besides, separating the staff means less efficiency.
• Some say that it's not the time with the economic situation, but there is no risk. In fact, the risk is if we don't approve now, then we can't take advantage of favorable conditions. If the bids aren't favorable, it still can't exceed Town Meeting's appropriation.

It is not unreasonable to spend $38M after 55 years to keep our DPW workers safe and productive. The current building is completely inadequate and totally unsafe. Parts of the walls are literally held together with epoxy. Rodents come in through cracks. Toxic fumes permeate the building. Locker facilities are terrible for men and non-existent for women. The equipment garage is so small that it takes an hour each day to get the equipment in and out.

Please support our DPW staff and your town with a facility that we can be proud of.

David Martin

I was a "Friendly Visitor" in Acton for many years after my husband died in 2001.

I loved it!  I met two amazing people who quickly became friends. Their pictures remain on my refrigerator. I recall walks and Scrabble and crossword puzzles and chocolate chip cookies baked by a 90 year old, and piano playing, Chopin and more, by the same woman, lunches at Friendly’s with the other lovely woman, when I had to order dessert or she would not (and she loved her sweets). The joy I felt when with these lovely women I still remember and cherish. They gave me their joy of life, showing me life was not over just because of a number.

I am now 93 3/4 and sometimes I find it hard to find this joy…days are long and often lonely. I wish I had "me" to visit! I have good friends who come to visit but they have their own busy lives and, in their 60's and 70's, they have some medical issues as well.  When they visit, weekly, it "makes my day"... literally! There is someone present who cares about you. You talk about many varied subjects...not just health issues: local news, other people, their lives and their families and their pets and more, (stay away from news in Washington). Often, flowers and plants are brought and most welcome, and also goodies to eat. Deviled eggs are a favorite treat, cookies, and dinners. Living in a condominium is good as there are many people around. An upstairs neighbor is a special friend as are her girls, and my neighbor brings in my packages for me.

In Acton we need the program to be reinstated. We should not let the older or disabled population suffer from loneliness! My sister chose suicide by starvation due to loneliness, and I know of two other people who are close to that end. If I know of three, there are many more! Please do not let this happen in Acton.

Joan Burrows

I am a 20- year member of the Acton Finance Committee but am writing this on my own behalf. The proposed Fiscal 2026 Budget is balanced within the provisions of Proposition 2.5% thanks in large part to the operating override that passed last year

Looking beyond the current year however, the forecast for Fiscal Year 2027-2030, is that our costs are increasing at an average annual rate that is roughly double the rate of growth of the revenue we can expect under Proposition 2 ½. This forecast is being driven by rapidly escalating compensation costs including salaries, health insurance, and pensions.

There are many uncertainties to forecasting the future and the tool that we have used for many years is the Multi Year Plan or Acton Leadership Group Plan (ALG)

Comparing the 2024 Plan to the 2025 Plan the results are very concerning. The graph below compares the plans. The 2024 ALG Plan did not include FY30

The projected deficit for FY27 increases to $5.5 Million an increase of $1.9 million or 51% and the deficit for FY29 has increases to $8.3 million, an increase of $3.6 million or 77%

In past years the forecast has often shown deficits but for the most part those have been in the $2 million range.  The Town and Schools have always been able to close gaps of that magnitude. Often that involves delaying hires, deferring capital expenditure and use of excess reserves

Given the size of these deficits, such steps will be insufficient. Either increased taxes will be needed in the form of another Operating Override or costs will need to be cut. Given that compensation costs represent approximately 80% of the Town and School District Budgets it is likely that staffing will need to be reduced, which could in turn could lead to less services.

The School District has commenced such an effort to reduce costs and the Finance Committee has been holding listening sessions to identify the services most valued by residents.  But more needs to be done!

Stephen R. Noone

I encourage Acton residents to vote for Barry Rosen for Acton Water District Commissioner.  Barry has been a strong advocate for protecting Acton’s water supply for years.

Barry is a valuable town volunteer, readily sharing his scientific expertise on many town boards.  Barry has been a Commissioner of the Acton Water District for the past six years, a member of Acton’s Water Land Management Advisory Committee for the past fourteen years, and a member of Acton’s Water Resources Advisory Committee for the past nine years.

Barry is a proven collaborator. The Acton Water District is a separate legal entity from the Town of Acton. Barry has worked tirelessly with others to ensure that the Town leaders and the Water District work together to ensure that Town decisions that impact water quality, quantity and delivery are reviewed by the Water District, and vice versa. Barry will be the first to tell you that additional work is needed in this area, and he is committed to continuing to encourage joint initiatives between the Town and the Acton Water District.

Barry is also forward-thinking, and he is concerned about ensuring an adequate water supply 20+ years into the future.  He is presently spearheading an intermunicipal agreement with neighboring towns (including Maynard, Concord, Ayer, Westford, Groton, Bedford, and Lincoln) to jointly plan for water delivery into the future. This will ensure that Acton’s present efforts with regard to water protection will serve us into the future.

Barry and the Water District have been constructing treatment systems for PFAS (a forever chemical) in our water supply, as well as working to secure strategic land purchases to protect Acton’s well water supplies from contamination, while seeking grants and other sources of state and federal funding to ensure sound financial decisions being made by the Water District.

Barry Rosen brings many years of experience to the table, and his reelection will serve Acton citizens well into the future.  Barry will continue to work hard for Acton, and I recommend Barry Rosen for Acton Water Commissioner.

Carolyn M. Kiely

Barry Rosen has earned my strong support for re-election as Commissioner of the Acton Water District—here’s why.

Barry brings a rare and essential combination of scientific expertise, technical knowledge, and long-standing community engagement to this role. As a National Science Foundation (NSF) researcher and developer of biological and environmental computer models, he understands water quality and resource management from a policy standpoint and a rigorous scientific one. His professional background includes leadership roles at major technology firms, where he managed large-scale operations with accountability and foresight.

Barry brings deep, hands-on experience with the complex challenges of Acton’s water system —experience that’s been key in safeguarding and managing our town’s vital water resources. He has served 14 years on the District’s Water Land Management Committee, advising Water Commissioners on matters ranging from land conservation to contamination mitigation. For the past 9 years, he has also served on the Town of Acton’s Water Resources Advisory Committee, working closely and cooperatively with the Select Board on stormwater, wastewater, and groundwater protection.

As a Water Commissioner for the past 6 years, Barry has been a steady, informed voice advocating for transparency, sustainability, and public health. He listens carefully, asks the right questions, and brings data and deep experience to every decision.

In a time when communities across the Commonwealth are grappling with PFAS contamination, infrastructure costs, and long-term water security, Barry’s combination of scientific insight, business acumen, and institutional memory is more important than ever.

We’re fortunate to have someone with Barry’s dedication and qualifications who is willing to serve. I urge my fellow Actonians to re-elect Barry Rosen as Water Commissioner.

Bob Sekuler

Acton wants to borrow $35,220,690 for a new DPW facility, with zero dollars budgeted for sidewalks.  I have attended many Acton meetings regarding the proposed DPW project.

I seek a solution that is good for the DPW workers and for my Forest Road neighbors, namely a reasonable budget for sidewalks for the safety of pedestrians and pets.  It remains inherently dangerous for people and pets to traverse Forest Road – without sidewalks – side-by-side with dump trucks, snowplows, fire engines, and other huge vehicles.

I have been a good neighbor to the DPW.  I stored a snowplow on my property for a Venezuelan friend (who plows for the Town of Acton).  I have given directions to lost drivers and dropped off DPW mail delivered to my house by mistake.

The Acton DPW workers deserve better.  I recall the microburst that struck Acton on September 8, 2023, and how quickly the DPW worked to clear trees and other debris from the road (https://www.giantpeople.com/17538.html).  From all of us who live in Robbins Park, thank you to the DPW workers for all that you do to keep all Actonians safe!

Unfortunately, the Acton Select Board is pushing forward with a lose-lose DPW design, one that includes no sidewalks for DPW neighbors, one that includes no workout room for blue-collar DPW workers, and one that costs way too much for overburdened taxpayers.

The Acton Select Board has ignored the recommendation of its own Finance Committee (which is 100% opposed to this DPW project) and has bought in to the "sunk cost" fallacy, namely that since it has already spent (wasted?) $1.2 million on the design, it should plow forward with the project.  A better redesign could more than pay for itself.

Finally, lots of incomplete and misleading information is being spread about this project and about its organized opponents.  Please check the facts and make your own decision.  And please vote on April 29 (https://actonma.gov/598/Elections-Voting).

Best,

Erik Heels

I’m a member of the Acton Finance Committee, which voted to send this letter to the editor representing the committee’s point of view.

The Finance Committee strongly advises voting NO on Question #1, which would  allow the Town of Acton “to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to pay for the designing, constructing, equipping and furnishing a new public works facility to be located at 14 Forest Road, including all other costs incidental and related thereto.”

We have significant concerns about this debt exclusion request for $35,220,690 to complete this project.

The current Public Works Facility Project would add an estimated $274.55 to the annual tax bill of the average single-family homeowner and $160.41 to the average condominium owner over the next 30 years, assuming a 4.25% bond interest rate. We believe this dedicated long-term debt warrants extreme caution.

We’re also concerned that the current plan proposes utilizing $1,550,000 of the Town’s Capital Stabilization fund, leaving no reserves for addressing other crucial future infrastructure needs within Acton. This puts the town's long-term financial planning at a strategic disadvantage.

We have serious reservations regarding the current allocation of $1,989,591 for construction and soft cost contingencies, which is 5.2% of the total project budget of $37,995,690. This appears inadequate given the current uncertainties over the imposition of sweeping new tariffs, which threaten to inflate the cost of essential building materials by 25%.

Finally, we believe basing decisions on past investments of $1,225,000 for the design of the new facility is succumbing to the sunk-cost fallacy, which could lead to wasted resources and suboptimal outcomes for Acton's residents.

In conclusion, the Acton Finance Committee does not recommend Question #1, which would use debt exclusion for the construction of a new public works facility at the currently proposed cost, time, and scope.

Before making recommendations for any debt exclusion for a scaled-down Public Works Facility Project in the future, we will continue reviewing the fiscal impact of all forms of dedicated borrowing.

Greg Jarboe

On behalf of the Finance Committee

My service as a Select Board member informs my views, but I am writing on my own behalf to urge you to vote yes on Question 1 in the upcoming election and yes on Article 7 at the Annual Town Meeting.

The current DPW facility is 55 years old, and houses Acton’s Highway, Engineering, and Trees & Grounds departments. It is inadequate for a town that has grown from 14K to 24K residents since it was built, and does not meet current codes: building, fire, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), energy, and health. The garage is too small to house the fleet. There are no locker rooms for women, limiting hiring, and no collaborative space for meetings or training. 

The services many of us take for granted are provided by DPW employees: maintaining all town-owned vehicles, 116 miles of roads, municipal parking lots, parks, playgrounds, cemeteries and other properties like the libraries, plowing and deicing in winter, sidewalk construction and maintenance (54 miles), management of the Transfer Station, stormwater infrastructure, sewer connections, street trees, and storm clean up. A right-sized facility will enable increased productivity. Staff can get more work done, and get it done faster!

The original cost, estimated at $47M, was reduced through value engineering and other changes to the current estimated cost of $38M. This cost is proposed to be funded by design monies already spent and $1.55M from Capital Stabilization Funds, leaving about $35M to be borrowed. Since changes always emerge over the course of bidding and constructing large capital projects and recognizing there is particular uncertainty in the current economic climate, the borrowing amount includes a $2M contingency.

Starting the year after next, in FY27, this project will add an estimated tax increase of $275/year to the average single-family home for the life of the bond, and an estimated $160/year tax increase for the average condo. It is critical to act now and get started building as the cost of the project would otherwise increase roughly 5% each year it is delayed due to anticipated inflation.

A new DPW facility will serve Acton for the next 50+ years!

Alissa Nicol

We are writing to express our enthusiastic support for John Petersen as an Acton Water Commissioner.

We have known John for over 15 years. He has been a dedicated member of the AB School Committee, working tirelessly to support the schools, teachers, staff, students, and their families. His commitment to education and community engagement is well known and deeply respected.

In addition to his school committee work, John served for eight years as co-chair of Acton-Boxborough (AB) STEM, now AB STEAM   – (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math), an all-volunteer organization devoted to promoting STEAM education in our community.

John is uniquely qualified for the role of Water Commissioner. With a PhD in Chemistry and a strong background in science and business, John has led and worked with biotech companies throughout the Boston area. John’s expertise makes him exceptionally well-suited to help ensure that our town’s water system delivers safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water.

As Water Commissioner, John will also be committed to preserving and protecting our groundwater aquifers and water quality, helping to oversee the operations, maintenance, and ensuring compliance with all regulations.

Beyond the technical and managerial responsibilities, John also has a passion for community outreach and education—he will help raise awareness and foster appreciation for this essential resource that many of us take for granted every time we simply turn on the tap for good, fresh water.

John has been a deeply engaged member of our community for many years. We believe he would make an outstanding Water Commissioner, and we wholeheartedly endorse his candidacy.

Thank you for supporting John Petersen for Acton Water Commissioner on April 29th at the town elections.

Sincerely,

Gary Kappel

Karen (KJ) Herther

Attracting, hiring, training, and retaining quality employees requires significant time and effort; and it has a monetary value in other staff time. For organizations to see a return on their investment in human resources, it’s essential to create a workplace that values its staff and fosters a positive environment.

Working in outdated, poorly maintained facilities undermines both morale and retention. Employees can easily sense when they’re not truly valued, and it’s hard to stay motivated in a dismal, 1960s-era building--or much older in the case of other town buildings--with antiquated amenities.

I’ve worked for the Town of Acton in various roles, from lunch/recess aide and classroom assistant at McCarthy-Towne Elementary School, to positions in Town Hall. In both cases, the  original buildings were inefficient and uncomfortable. Ten years ago in Town Hall, office spaces were cramped, and accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act was subpar. The lack of modern facilities hindered efficiency. The remodeling of Town Hall’s north wing in 2016 gave us more space. Digitization of files vastly improved workflow, customer service, and our ability to serve the public. Additional updates have greatly benefitted citizens’ experiences as well. While municipal jobs frequently offer lower pay than in the private sector, the benefits of stability, being part of the community, and public service motivate many of us. But, like everyone, town staff deserve a work environment that reflects the value we bring to our community.

I’ve seen the impact of poor facilities firsthand in the Cemetery Department’s once small, outdated office at Woodlawn Cemetery’s Kennedy Building. When it was finally renovated, it made a noticeable difference in staff mood and public interface. The DPW building still lags behind. Modernizing this facility is not just about improving the workspace — it’s about enhancing work efficiency, ensuring staff can properly maintain town equipment, and protecting investments made in both machinery and human resources. A modern DPW building will better serve the needs of both staff and the citizens who rely on their services.

Sincerely,

Bettina Abe

Although I’m a member of the Acton Finance Committee (FinCom) and the Town’s Department of Public Works Building Committee (DPWBC), I’m writing on my own behalf.

On Feb. 10, 2025, President Donald Trump enacted a 25% tariff on imported steel and aluminum, effective March 12. On April 2, President Trump announced "Liberation Day," implementing retaliatory tariffs on imported goods like building materials and automobiles.

According to an article entitled, “The construction materials most at risk for tariffs,” which was published in Construction Dive on March 25, steel prices have already increased 15% to 25% since the beginning of January in anticipation of Trump's tariffs.

At the FinCom meeting on March 11, members expressed concern about making substantial financial evaluations about a new Public Works Facility in such a volatile environment, with one member stating it’s a "really bad time to make huge decisions."

If the 25% broad tariffs on all goods from Mexico and Canada are stacked on top of the all-country steel and aluminum tariffs of 25%, this could result in a 50% levy. That would intensify concerns about the DPW (Department of Public Works) project’s scope, cost, and timing.

This reminds me of the observation attributed to Sun Tzu's The Art of War, “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”

Instead of arguing whether the DPWBC should cut the current scope of the 43,056 square foot facility by 15%-25%, or increase the total cost of the $40 million project by 15%-25%, this is an opportunity for the Acton Leadership Group, Select Board, DPWBC, and FinCom to agree to postpone a debt exclusion override at the upcoming town election on April 29, and Article 7, which requires a two-thirds vote to borrow for the construction of a new Public Works Facility, at the Annual Town Meeting on May 5-6.

Instead of a contentious debate over the proposed Public Works Facility Project’s scope and cost over the next month, the current chaos offers the perfect opportunity to work together on a revised DPW facility and present a scaled-back project to voters at the right scope, the right cost, and the right time.

Greg Jarboe

The Acton Select Board has given Actonians few compelling reasons to support the DPW [Department of Public Works] project and MANY to oppose it:

10. FINCOM SAYS NO. Acton's Finance Committee is unanimously opposed to the PROPOSED DPW building project and has been from the very beginning. If the Select Board has been unable to convince even the Finance Committee, then why should Acton voters be convinced?

9. BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. The PROPOSED DPW project excludes a wash bay (a car wash for large vehicles), which was supposed to protect the environment from salt and chemical runoff.

8. NO GYM FOR BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS. The PROPOSED DPW project building is too small for current/future personnel and does not include a gym.

7. TOO SMALL ON DAY ONE. The PROPOSED DPW project building is too small for current/future equipment, which is the exact same mistake that was made in 1969.

6. NO NEW TAXES. The PROPOSED DPW project would require yet another override, the year after an override that only passed by about 44 votes.

5. WAY TOO EXPENSIVE. The PROPOSED DPW project building is 20 to 25% more expensive, compared to similar DPW projects in Massachusetts, on a cost per square foot basis.

4. NOT IMMEDIATELY NECESSARY. The existing DPW facility is not falling down.

3. 100s OF VOTERS IGNORED. Acton's Select Board has completely ignored over 500 supporters of a petition, asking for a reasonable budget for sidewalks in conjunction with the PROPOSED DPW project.

2. 100% OF DPW NEIGHBORHOOD IGNORED. The Select Board has completely ignored the concerns of the Robbins Park neighborhood and the DPW neighbors regarding pedestrian SAFETY.

1. FINCOM STILL SAYS NO. Acton's Finance Committee is unanimously opposed to the PROPOSED DPW building project and has been from the very beginning. If the Select Board has been unable to convince even the Finance Committee, then why should Acton voters be convinced? Acton voters should NOT be convinced.

Vote "NO" on Acton's DPW debacle.

Sincerely,
Erik J. Heels

Actonian since 1994

The Books in Bloom photos shown in your last issue are breathtaking.  What talented women in the Garden Club.  I missed last December's Library exhibit of these creative and imaginative arrangements to my chagrin, but I'll make sure not to miss the next one in the fall of this year.

I followed the link provided to all the arrangements in the exhibit and was not disappointed.  The beauty fed my soul.

With appreciation for this article,

Marion Maxwell