Sudbury formalizes Transportation Committee charter, names liaisons and review timeline

The Sudbury Transportation Committee adopted a charter establishing a mission to expand transportation options and address the town’s car-dependence, the document shows. The charter, established April 10, 2018 and updated periodically through May 31, 2022, describes the committee’s duties, membership structure and required compliance with state and town rules.

The charter defines a livable community as “one that is safe and secure, has affordable and appropriate housing and transportation options, and offers supportive community features and services,” and says Sudbury is currently car-dependent except for specialized transportation provided by the Council on Aging. It directs the committee to undertake targeted assessments and pilot evaluations, consider public and specialized transit as well as pedestrian infrastructure, and advise the Select Board, Town Manager and relevant departments on transportation implications of development.

The committee is structured with a Core group of voting members and a larger Advisory roster. Core members are expected to attend the majority of scheduled meetings; the Core will elect a Chair to run meetings and a Clerk to keep full minutes and attendance. The Clerk must submit minutes to the Core for approval, file them with the Town Clerk, post them on the Town website and disseminate them to Advisory members within 15 days of each meeting.

The charter lists recommended Core representatives and liaisons by function and name. Recommendations include Dan Carty as Select Board liaison; Robert Lieberman to represent the Council on Aging; Adam Duchesneau as Town Planner to link regional land-use and transportation planning; and Kay Bell for the Commission on Disability. The document also names Debra Galloway, director of the Sudbury Senior Center and co‑liaison to MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) and CrossTown Connect, and Alice Sapienza in connection with Sudbury AARP Age‑Friendly/Livable Communities work.

Advisory participants suggested in the charter include Police (Chief Nix), Department of Public Works (Dan Nason), Chamber of Commerce (Martha Welsh), Board of Health (Bethany Hadvab), CrossTown Connect and Planning Department staff (Beth Suedmeyer listed as co‑liaison), and a Sudbury Public Schools liaison to be assigned. The charter specifically names Lincoln‑Sudbury Regional High School and Mary Warzynski as the school liaison and lists State Representative Carmine Gentile as a regional link to the MWRTA and other agencies. It also suggests rotating clergy association representatives and unspecified citizens for community perspective.

The document requires the committee to conduct its activities in compliance with the Open Meeting Law, the Public Records Law and the Conflict of Interest Law, and to follow Town policies including a code of conduct for Select Board appointees and the Town’s email policy. The Select Board was directed to review the committee’s contributions prior to May 31, 2023 and decide whether to continue the committee through spring 2024 or transition responsibilities into town departments. Quorum for the Core is a majority of serving Core members.

No formal motions or votes appear in the charter text provided; the document is a governance and membership framework intended to guide future meetings and actions by the committee and town staff.