Letters to the Exchange

I’m Sarah Willard, currently a senior at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School and I am taking a class that requires a yearlong senior project. My project is organizing and hosting a Senior Citizen Prom for the Seniors of Acton at the Acton Council on Aging. 

Swing into Spring at the Senior Prom on April 8th, 5-7pm! This event is open to Acton Seniors ages 60 years old and up. There will be dancing to 50’s, 60’s, and 70's songs, a short performance courtesy of the Acton Boxborough high school jazz quartet, and light refreshments! Each guest will receive a boutonniere or corsage crafted by d’Vine Floral Design. Special thanks to Danny's Place who is providing a grant to make this event possible. And thank you to Roche Brothers and Stop & Shop for their generous donations! Advanced sign-ups are required through the Acton Council on Aging, call 978-929-6652 or sign up in person at the front desk. Space is limited but we hope to see you there!

Sarah Willard

My name is Lisa Adil and I am running to be a member of the Acton Boxborough Regional School Committee. My greatest hope is to provide enough information about my background, values, and what I hope to accomplish- so that you, the voter, will feel compelled to vote for me.

Nearly four years ago, my husband Farhan, myself, and our two children, moved to Acton- from Belmont. My values align with our community and are the result of my formal education; experiences as a former high school science teacher; and my upbringing in the culturally rich and inclusive environment that is Atlanta, Georgia- where I am from.

My formal education includes a bachelor’s in biology and a master’s in teaching with dual licensure in secondary and special education. After Simmons University, I went on to teach high school biology, physics, and chemistry. I had the unique benefit of observing the efficiency and functionality of multiple school systems such as my pre-practicum (Billerica), practicum (Newton North), daily subbing (Belmont), long-term subbing (Newton North), and working as a full-time teacher with my own classroom (Curtis Tufts Alternative High School and Chelmsford). The variety of school districts afforded me the ability to directly observe how differences in English language learner and special education program implementation- as well as a variety of teaching methods- impacted learning. This enabled me to think more critically about how my own children are taught and what a quality education looks like.  

After moving to Acton, I decided to switch gears- focusing on planting roots and becoming more involved in this wonderful community. Since then, I have served as a board member for the Acton-Boxborough Family Network and joined the Conant PTO- in which I now serve as vice president. 

Running for this position was motivated by my fierce belief in the value of an accessible high quality public education. My goal is to improve efficiency while preserving excellence. To achieve this, I plan to learn from and lean on the great wisdom in this community- serving as a conduit for the ideas and voices of others.

Lisa Adil

I am writing on behalf of the Acton Commission on Disabilities. The lack of access to Employment, Housing, and Transportation has confined people with disabilities to living in institutions instead of in their communities. Transportation is the lynchpin to maintaining independence. It is simply not practical to have to beg for a ride each time you have a medical appointment or have to run errand.

The pandemic has shown us that all people need to get out and socialize for their mental health. People with disabilities often have a greater need and harder time doing this than others. Acton’s government and services directly benefit from the work of many volunteers some of whom could not contribute if they could not get where they need to. Transportation is key to building a more solid community.

We are asking Actonians to recognize the importance of this vital piece of infrastructure by making it a priority to continue to support and expand transportation in the annual budget. People’s lives are at stake.

Lisa Franklin

The Acton Commission on Disabilities, Chair

We attended the rally held on Sunday afternoon at the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School gym, sponsored by Acton Democratic Town Committee.  We heard great music, heard our state legislators and a few others speak. It was a great start to what we anticipate will be four years when we will need to make our voices heard, and gather with our fellow townspeople to protest the illegal activities of the Trump administration.

There was a good-sized crowd, lots of protest signs, all PG rated. We did notice the residents with a few extra years being over-represented, so we hope future rallies might attract more younger people. They have less time in their day but more at stake over the long term. The speakers reminded us that Acton played a big role in the revolt against an autocratic king who did not care about his people back in 1775, and we are being called upon once again to defend our freedom and protect our neighbors. We cannot trust that billionaires will come up with a government that serves the needs of the marginalized and the middle class.

The best reason to go to a rally is that it feels good to get away from a screen filled with bad news and gather together with people who care about our country. We are grateful to our neighbors who have formed the Acton Democratic Town Committee, and we can’t wait for the next rally.

Tom and Sarah Lemaire

This past weekend, I attended a rally organized by members of the Acton Democratic Town Committee, led by Sahana Purohit and State Senator Jamie Eldridge.  I didn’t realize that this is just the thing we needed to feel inspired and connected.  Speakers like State Representative Simon Cataldo reminded us that our government does work for us, and State Rep Dan Sena reminded us that our government protects us and our immigrant neighbors. I want to thank the organizers for this rally and thank our elected representatives for their leadership.

The other speakers were inspiring as well, including a recent Acton-Boxborough grad heading for med school, and Matt Leibman, a recent Environmental Protection Agency retiree who spoke about his dedicated colleagues who work tirelessly to keep our health and environment safe, and who are being affected by the current thoughtless and illegitimate dismantling of our government.

It was great to see so many neighbors and friends on Sunday who care about our country and our democracy.  There are many ways to support the Acton Boxborough effort to protect our democracy. Contact your local representatives, take a friend to an Acton Democratic Town Committee meeting, and help improve the results of the next election cycle.

Coleen Phillimore

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

This week’s Finance Committee meeting focused on key questions regarding the proposed Public Works Facility Project’s scope, cost, and necessity. However, few members of the public attended the meeting or watched it on Acton TV. So, I hope this summary helps voters to make an informed decision about this proposal at the upcoming Town election and the Annual Town Meeting.

In November 2024, the Town's design engineering firm, Weston-Sampson. estimated that a 46,884-square-foot facility would cost $46.96 million. However, the DPWBC determined this was too expensive and reduced the project’s size last week to 43,056 square feet by removing a wash bay from the base bid; reducing the square footage of the vehicle garage, office space, and storage area; as well as cutting the number of geothermal wells.

Despite these reductions, the facility remains larger than comparable projects in similar towns, raising concerns about whether the benefits – such as improved service response time, workforce productivity, and staff recruitment – justify the cost. Additionally, the timing of construction is debated, with the Finance Committee recommending no debt exclusions before FY2029 due to financial constraints.

Recent federal policies further complicate cost estimates. On Feb. 10, 2025, President Donald Trump enacted a 25% tariff on imported steel and aluminum, effective March 12. Experts predict these tariffs will raise material costs, potentially increasing the project’s total price. Similar tariffs in 2018 led to a 14% spike in steel prices, raising concerns about affordability.

To address budget challenges, Select Board member David Martin proposed delaying office space construction and using an unheated garage with a canopy for offseason equipment storage. The town must now decide if additional cuts are feasible.

In the next few weeks, the Acton Leadership Group, DPWBC, Finance Committee, and Select Board will make their recommendations. However, voters will have the final say during the town election on April 29, 2025, and Town Meeting May 5-6, 2025.

Greg Jarboe

Right now, residents of Acton can choose which elementary school to send their children to. While this choice seems reasonable, it has its downfalls. When children that live near each other attend different schools, it can diminish the sense of community within a neighborhood. Kids might not even know other kids within their neighborhood. 

Allowing parents to select their children's school also causes self-segregation as parents of certain ethnic groups feel the need to send their kids with kids of the same ethnic group. The choice to choose your school also helps enforce a stigma within kids and their parents of a hierarchy of schools. This hierarchy sticks with the kids through high school and can be the point of ridicule or praise. This hierarchy can make kids ashamed of their elementary school. This hierarchy creates stereotypes of how smart and motivated one is due to the elementary school they go to. 

Geographically, zoning schools is the best solution to all these problems. Under this plan kids from the same neighborhood will be going to the same school creating a sense of community. It helps remove self-segregation because parents no longer get to choose which school their child goes to. This also helps remove the stigma behind schools because people will no longer get to choose their schools and thus removes the stigma behind schools because everyone will understand that one’s school is not based on choice. 

Zoning the schools will also reduce the burden on the budget because people will live closer to schools and bus routes will be shorter. This will greatly reduce the amount of gas and therefore money that will be used. This can also reduce the number of buses and drivers needed by the school district, leading to cost savings. 

Overall, the geographic zoning of schools can be a solution to the town budget problems and a solution to neighborhood identity and the stigma that is inherent when people are given the choice to choose their school.

Thomas Knight

An interesting article on Wright’s success with a McDonald’s franchise, but what was lacking in the extensive piece was what is the future of the McDonald’s building at the corner of the Stop & Shop parking lot in Acton which has stood empty for years. 

Trudi Bruschi

Although my service on the Select Board informs my perspective, the views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire board.

A few residents have recently shared some concerns regarding the pilot program that began last week to assess potential improvements to the town’s fire department by operating out of two stations rather than four. While these residents agree that the pilot program is advisable, some seem to think the town’s credibility has been compromised since the proposal to add a station in North Acton did not, at that time, include the closure of any existing station.

According to the summary in the December 10, 2019, Special Town Meeting Warrant, “the need for a North Acton station has been the topic of recurring discussions since the 1970s and several studies." The population in North Acton had grown significantly since the construction of the 3 stations dating from 1951 - 1961. A fire station located in North Acton was, and is, a necessity. In the year before the construction of Station 4 on Harris Street was approved by voters, 24% of the service calls were from North Acton. Roughly two-thirds of service calls are medical emergencies. At that time, the station in the center of town served North Acton. Response times, which should be no greater than 6 minutes according to recommended standards, sometimes exceeded 11 minutes to this service area.

The operation in place since Station 4 opened in 2022 has been to spread out the existing firefighters and paramedics to staff all four stations. After a few years, it has become clear that several issues with this arrangement could potentially be resolved by closing 1-2 of the stations. If the pilot program is successful, the department will see improvements in efficiency, safety for both staff and residents, recruitment and retention, and morale.

If anyone had been able to gaze into a crystal ball back in 2019 to see that the town might be better served by closing 1-2 stations once the North Acton station opened, I’m sure this would have been the plan presented to voters.

Alissa Nicol

It was disappointing to watch the joint meeting of the Select Board and Finance Committee (FinCom) on Friday evening, January 31. However, I picked up on a comment late in the meeting by FinCom member Greg Jarboe. Greg reported his analysis showed that a new Public Works Building, for a town Acton’s size, should cost 20% less than what is being proposed.

At a proposed cost of $43M for the new facility, the property tax increase for the average single family is said to be $335 annually. 20% of the $335 property tax increase is $67 per year. In dollars to the average taxpayer, that would be $1,340 over a 20-year repayment term for a building that will have a 50-year life!

In approaching capital projects over the years, we have had instances where we have been penny-wise and pound foolish. Here are several instances.

The current public works building, built in the late 1960s, was supposed to be 44,000 square feet. It was scaled back to 19,000 square feet to save money. The building was obsolete before it was completed.

The Douglas School was the third of the three elementary schools built in the late 1960s/early 1970s. To save money Douglas was built as a two as opposed to a three-section school. For decades modular classrooms were necessary.

The high school was originally the junior high school. When the building was converted in the 1970s, at the last minute, to save some money, it was decided to make the foundation smaller, which made the addition smaller. Loss of the necessary space was consequential over the succeeding decades.

With the proposed Public Works Building, a 20% cost cut of approximately $8.6M would have long term consequences. It is not a glamorous facility, yet its work is vital to all of our community and taken for granted by many.

We appear to be arguing about an additional $1,340 to the average single-family homeowner spread over 20 years for a facility with a 50-year life expectancy. Let’s take the long view and not be penny wise and pound foolish.

Jon Benson

The Nashobah Praying Indians are the historical first people of Acton, Boxborough, Concord and Littleton. Littleton, and part of Acton and Boxborough, was originally the Praying Indian Village of Nashobah. Littleton currently has a rare opportunity to take an historic step toward Indigenous land restoration by returning Nagog Orchard to the Nashobah Praying Indians, the original stewards of the land. However, legal complexities and a town preference to lease the land to a business have stalled progress, raising questions about the future of this culturally and historically significant property.

For the Nashobah, this is not just about ownership—it is about returning home and ensuring the land is cared for in perpetuity. Unlike a commercial lease, which could expire or fail if a business does not succeed, Nashobah stewardship guarantees the land will be preserved for generations to come. Supporters of the transfer believe this approach honors the deep historical and cultural connection between the Nashobah and the land while ensuring its long-term sustainability. Many people and groups in Acton and Littleton are friends of the Nashobah and want to see the land returned. They emphasize that this is a rare opportunity to acknowledge the town’s history and make a meaningful commitment to Indigenous land restoration. 

Sharon Martens

I was on the Department of Public Works (DPW) committee, but I was thrown off the committee because I did not believe in the excessive spending.   The basic issue was that the DPW needed more space and a more efficient way of doing business.  Example: The outside consultant that was hired by the town manager (over $300K) wanted to move all the compactors and move the office to a new location.   I suggested that we install cameras (cost $15K) that would look inside the compactors and the employee in the office could remotely perform the compacting from the office.   This would save over $1 million by moving the compactors and would not require changing the traffic flow.  It would also reduce the need of one employee.   I also thought we did not need to tear down the DPW building.  We just needed to add a metal building to store the overflow of equipment. This alone would save several million dollars, The committee chairperson decided to change the name of the DPW committee and not invite me back on the new committee.   End of another viewpoint. Town Manager wins, taxpayers lose.

Ken Henderson

It has been nearly two years since a home rule petition passed at the May 2023 Annual Town Meeting that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in municipal elections. After failing to be enacted by the state legislature last year, it has been resubmitted as House Docket 106 by Representatives Simon Cataldo and Danillo Sena. 

At the May 2024 annual town election, an historically large override passed by the slimmest of margins -- about 45 votes, or 0.8%. I know for a fact that some teachers were violating ethics rules, lobbying their voting-aged students during the school day. The Acton Boxborough Education Association abused their unfettered access to this block of non-taxpaying voters. Given the tiny margin by which this article passed at the ballot box, it stands to reason that voting-aged high school students may have impacted the outcome. 

Now imagine the ABEA has access to over 1,000 uninformed voters, none of whom pay property taxes. They could push for an override every year and they'd likely win. They could pack Town Meetings to push through their preferred warrants without any consideration for the impact on residents. 

The Acton Finance Committee has been holding "listening sessions". Not speaking for any other members, what I have heard is that seniors are heavily burdened by rapidly rising property taxes that they are unable to absorb on a fixed income. Many worry if they'll be able to remain in Acton.  

After every controversial Town Meeting, we hear from seniors and others who are either physically not able to attend or who can come but can't sit for hours late into the night. It is unconscionable that we'd prioritize enabling teenagers to vote ahead of creating systems and/or processes that would allow actual taxpayers, many of whom have contributed to our community for decades, to have a say in how their property taxes are spent.  

Please write to the Select Board at sb@actonma.gov and ask that they request House Docket 106 be withdrawn. If Acton residents really want this, they can vote for it again at the next Annual Town Meeting. 

Corinne Hogseth
(member of Acton Finance Committee, writing on my own behalf)

Our Representatives Mr. Cataldo and Mr. Sena have sponsored House Bill HD105. It seeks to bring Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) to Acton. Almost two years ago, a home rule petition passed at the May 2023 Annual Town Meeting that would introduce RCV to local elections. The state legislature failed to enact it into law, and so it has been resubmitted for consideration. 

I strongly believe that we should start from scratch and find out if Acton voters truly want to enact RCV at an upcoming Town Meeting. Many would probably reconsider given the events of the past two years.  

Ranked choice voting would even further suppress minority voices in Acton, where there are already a large number of progressive voters. This home rule petition passed at the Town Meeting, supported by that very bloc of voters. They dominate our local boards as it is, so what is broken that they need to fix? Answer: they want to ensure the rest of us are never heard and never have any representation at any level of government.  

Ranked choice voting is confusing and lacks transparency. It can take weeks to determine the outcome of an election. Candidates who would never survive a primary wind up on top without ever having a majority of voter support. That leaves voters angry and suspicious of the system.  

There are alternatives to fully enacting RCV. Run it in parallel with the normal process and compare outcomes. Or allow the political parties to use it in their primaries. Give voters an opportunity to see how it works and if they like it before fully committing.  

In a time when there is already little faith in the security of our elections, this is the wrong time to enact a system of voting that would only exacerbate those concerns. 

Please email the Select Board at mailto:sb@actonma.govand request that they ask Mr. Cataldo and Mr. Sena to withdraw HD105. This would allow Acton voters to reconsider this radical change to our voting process.

Nijan Datar

The Finance Committee had a second listening event at the Senior Center on Jan 28 from 6:00 to 7:45. The attendees voiced concerns about the Town's high taxes and commended the Finance Committee for hosting the session. One specific comment that seemed very appropriate was the concept of benchmarking Acton against similar nearby towns. A related comment was on the lack of quantitative explanation for various projects. Both items are very appropriate. It was also nice to see two of the Select Board members in the audience, one can only hope they heard the citizens' concerns. The audience applauded the committee, most appropriately, at the end of the meeting.

David Manalan

Recent letter writers to The Acton Exchange have expressed frustration with town government.  Many residents have similar feelings about various aspects of our system, especially with town meeting.  Annual town meeting is our legislative session where the executive branch, the select board, presents their budget, policy, and other proposals. These items represent many hours of public meetings where input from residents is taken and used to adjust proposals.   The DPW (Department of Public Works) facility proposal and the town and school budgets have been in the planning stages and are open to residents' input.  Meetings are televised and recorded through ActonTV, and they can usually take public comments through Zoom or phone.  Board members have public email addresses for easy contact. Democracy is not a spectator sport and is “played” year-round, not just at town meeting.   

In addition, the Finance Committee (FinCom) reviews and discusses the town and school finances at in-person meetings where resident concerns are heard.  The committee’s charge is to look at the long-range, big picture with taxpayers in mind and make recommendations on town meeting articles.   The Exchange does not currently cover FinCom meetings, but they are televised and available for later review.  

Town meeting itself is not universally accessible.  Over the years, surveys have asked what days and times would work best and there is no best time for everyone.  Every option presents difficulties for a significant group of voters.  Annual town meeting lasts 1 or 2 nights for a total of 6-8 hours per year. Special town meetings may be called by the select board or by citizen petition and normally take one night. It is an opportunity for us to engage with our neighbors in the best interests of our town.  The deliberative process during the lead up to and during town meeting helps the town move forward with its goals. 

I encourage anyone concerned about town finances and projects to be informed and participate now.  All board meetings are open to the public.  You can get notifications of meeting dates and agendas by clicking here.  I look forward to hearing suggestions for improving the accessibility of town meeting.

Jo-Ann Berry
Town Moderator

Although we are members of the Acton Finance Committee, we are writing on behalf of ourselves. And while we may disagree on some issues, we both support a bill that seeks to protect students from tech distractions.

 The Massachusetts Attorney General, Andrea Joy Campbell, has introduced the STUDY (Safe Technology Use and Distraction-free education for Youth) Act, legislation aimed at improving the learning environment and student well-being by restricting access to personal electronic devices during school hours. This "bell-to-bell" policy aims to minimize distractions and promote a more focused learning experience. The bill also includes provisions to regulate social media companies, encouraging them to prioritize user safety and implement features that limit harmful content and protect user privacy.

 The STUDY Act acknowledges the negative impact of social media on adolescent mental health, including increased anxiety, depression, and self-harm. It requires schools to educate students about these risks and empowers them to make informed choices about their online behavior. The bill also seeks to hold social media companies accountable for the well-being of their young users by requiring them to implement age verification systems, limit features that encourage prolonged engagement, and provide users with tools to control their online experience.

 The STUDY Act has garnered support from various stakeholders, including the Massachusetts Secretary of Education, legislators, and the Massachusetts Teachers Association. These supporters emphasize the detrimental effects of cell phone use on student learning and mental health and believe that the bill will create a more conducive learning environment for all students.

If passed, this legislation would bring Massachusetts into line with several other states, including California and Florida. Other governors have recently called for bans, including Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Kathy Hochul of New York. This is truly a nonpartisan issue.

 Please contact your State representative and senator and ask that they support AG Campbell’s legislation.

Senator Jamie Eldridge                      james.eldridge@masenate.gov
Representative Danillo Sena              danillo.Sena@mahouse.gov
Representative Simon Cataldo          simon.cataldo@mahouse.gov

Greg Jarboe
Corinne Hogseth

I've received plenty of feedback after my letter last week (Taxation Without Representation) - mostly supportive.  However, a lot of people think I made up the numbers.  So here are the exact figures.

2024 Real Estate tax: 12,117.42
2025 Real Estate tax: 15,534.47
Increase = 28.1%

2022 Real Estate Assessment = $617,700
2025 Real Estate Assessment = $905,800

Brad Milnes

David Manalan’s January 13 letter to The Exchange proposed that Acton follow Concord’s example in petitioning the state to allow remote participation in Town Meetings. I strongly support this idea as a way to make our open Town Meeting truly inclusive, enabling residents who are physically unable to attend in person to participate fully.

This step aligns with the long evolution of Massachusetts town meetings, which have progressively expanded access since their origins, when only male property-owning church members could participate. By addressing the obstacle of in-person attendance, we can ensure that our Town Meeting remains a proud example of direct democracy.

Bob Sekuler

Just read the new issue and wanted to make a comment on an article (Acton celebrates its new EV fast chargers). 

It may be worthwhile to your readers who are electric vehicle (EV) owners that, while the L3 chargers discussed are fast, it may be degrading to the life of the battery depending on which model of EV you have. I own a Nissan Leaf EV and the owner’s manual and online resources all say that battery life is degraded each time the fast charger is used.

There are good reasons to use fast chargers. The most common being a long trip (multi-state) where you have to charge to get where you are going, like on the highway. It's quite convenient to charge for 15-30 minutes while you are getting a coffee and a snack. But if there's no pressing reason to fast-charge, it's better to use an L2 or an L1.

Kind regards,
A. David Boccuti, PE