Rich For Natick Objectives

Rich Sidney

for Natick Select Board 2023

Trusted - Experienced - Collaborative

Serving Natick for 20 years

Transparency in Government

Transparency in our government is desired by all of us, but more importantly it is a necessary function for good government. The more we know how our government works and what is happening in our government and our community, the more comfortable we feel and trust that government is working for us. Transparency also provides opportunities for potential government leaders of tomorrow to develop knowledge and eagerness to serve.

I have a long history of working to increase transparency in our local government. Here are just three examples:

As a Finance Committee member, I worked with the Administration to
clarify their budget presentations. I convinced the Administration to
track indirect costs – that is, the cost of services delivered between
departments. For example, by tracking and reporting indirect costs
the Town could report the complete costs to run the Golf Course and
make more informed decisions with better data.

As the chair of the Town Meeting Electronic Voting Study Committee,
I focused on the pros and cons of electronic voting at Town Meeting
and led the committee to recommend and facilitate the
implementation of electronic voting. Electronic voting not only
streamlines the voting process; it also provides a documented record
of each Town Meeting member’s votes.

As a Select Board member since September 2022, I have
insisted that we release executive session minutes as soon as
possible. Depending on the topic(s) covered in an executive session,
legal requirements such as privacy laws and litigation sometimes
require that release be delayed, or that certain information contained
in the minutes be redacted before release. I will make sure that we
evaluate each situation and release information as soon as possible.

If re-elected to the Select Board, I will continue my long-held practice of bringing increased awareness, understanding, and accessibility to and about our town government. The following are examples of areas in which I will focus:

Using my strong technical background and knowledge of electronic

communications, I will ensure that the Select Board establishes

realistic and time-bound objectives to make the Natick.gov website

easier to navigate and to enable residents to find the information

they need in an approachable and timely manner.

Increase the transparency, whenever possible, that the Select Board
provides to the community on issues coming before them.

Focus on delivering services in a more user-friendly and efficient
manner – for example, encourage the use of online building permits,
promote use of WaterSmart to track water usage to prevent
unexpected water bill surprises, advocate for businesses and
residents to sign up for the Emergency Alert System (RAVE) for
urgent public safety alerts, and push for new programs such as online
sign-up for bulky waste pickup.

Actively listen to residents' concerns and issues and offer a prompt
response when possible or explain to the resident why a response
may be delayed.

Support and advance the Select Board’s commitment to review Town
governance and determine what changes may be needed. At the
request of the Select Board, the Town Governance Study Committee
(TGSC) is identifying issues with Natick’s current governance model
and considering what modifications might better serve the needs of
the community. Their report is expected later this year. I’ll study that
report, evaluate the options presented, and advocate for changes that
make sense for our Town.

Transparency is key to an informed public and a well-functioning community. I consider transparency critical to the future of Natick and I will do all that I can to foster it.

Collaboration

Collaboration is key to all aspects of life, including Natick Town governance. As one of five current Select Board members, I collaborate with all members to arrive at the best decisions for our community. I also understand and work with other volunteers and staff to facilitate interactions necessary among the members of the Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board, to keep our town running effectively.

During my extensive volunteer work in our town, I have collaborated with a wide variety of groups, committees, and individuals. Here are three examples:

As chair of the Town Meeting Electronic Voting Study Committee, I worked with the Town Administration, Clerk, Moderator, and Counsel to ensure that implementation of voting technology would meet everyone’s needs.

As Vice Chair of the Charter and Bylaw Review Committee, I combined efforts with Town Administration, Town Counsel, and a wide variety of Town committee chairs and elected officials to amend the Town Charter and Bylaws where necessary to meet the needs of the residents and comply with Massachusetts General Laws.

As a member of the Finance Committee, I collaborated with committee members and Town Administrators to provide Town Meeting with the best, timely information so that budget and other warrant questions proceeded successfully through Town Meeting.

If re-elected to the Select Board, I will continue to collaborate with Town Administration, other Board members, and all elected and appointed officials to move our community forward cooperatively. I will listen to the needs and suggestions of all, consider the pros and cons of each option, and coordinate with others to reach decisions that benefit our community.

Fiscal Sustainability

Natick faces an issue with fiscal sustainability, and to address it in an economically responsible manner requires an understanding of the key factors and their impacts on the Town.

The majority of the town’s funds come from property taxes, and Massachusetts Proposition 2½ limits the amount of property tax revenue that a community can raise without asking the voters to pass an operating override. Unfortunately, overall expenses have increased faster than revenues; while this has been true historically, it is particularly so in the last several years due to supply chain issues and the inflationary pressures on everything from healthcare costs to tires for our trash packers. For example, the Department of Public Works (DPW) has recently seen a 10% increase in gas and utility costs, and the Town has experienced several years of double-digit increases in health care costs. And during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, other sources of revenue such as local receipts (e.g., hotel/motel and restaurant taxes, motor vehicle excise taxes) have been lower than normal and are still not totally back to their pre-COVID levels.

Town Administration has done a good job navigating through the past few years using temporary revenue sources [stimulus money, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and others] to plug the Town’s revenue gaps, but these funds did not completely make up for lost revenues and moreover are not sustainable as these Federal and state funds will end. To address this shortfall, the Town has also tapped into free cash (unexpended monies from the prior year); stabilization funds (funds previously put aside for operational and capital expenses) to ensure service continuity, but free cash varies year to year and stabilization funds, once spent, need to be replenished. Use of these funds on a continuing basis is unsustainable in the long term.

The Town Administrator’s recently announced proposed FY24 budget reduces reliance on free cash and starts to replenish the stabilization funds to shore up the Town’s finances. Local receipts are rebounding faster than projected but still are lagging well behind pre-pandemic levels. In addition, inflation continues to be felt across the board. The current situation requires careful and creative budgeting and detailed monitoring of expenditures.

During my tenure on the Select Board, I’ve encouraged the Town Administrator to re-imagine how services to residents can be delivered more efficiently. For example, the Department of Public Works and Facilities Management are being evaluated for consolidation and building permits may now be managed using an online portal. As a Select Board member, I’ll hold the Town Administrator accountable to ensure that money is spent wisely.

At the same time, I will work to encourage smart economic development, as that will contribute to the tax revenues while placing fewer demands on services such as schools. Looking into the future, it’s critical that we continue to manage our finances sustainably to be ready for unexpected challenges. I am always looking for creative ways to improve collaboration around budget planning into future years. And, if the need for an override materializes, I’ll make sure we’ve exhausted all other possible measures prior to voting to put an operating override on the ballot for the voters to decide.

Effective Service Delivery

We all expect services from our Town. Depending on our individual lives, we might be more interested in ambulance services, having the roads plowed, public education, any of the other services provided by our community, and more likely a combination of many services. In delivering services, Natick faces the same challenges that other organizations are confronting, such as increased costs due to inflation, supply chain disruptions that hamper operations, and difficulty attracting and retaining
employees.

These types of factors have led to re-examination of how the Town delivers services to its residents over the past years. For example, the Town has previously evaluated the cost of trash collection to determine if outsourcing that service makes sense. As a member of the Finance Committee, I studied the cost numbers, asked detailed questions, and after careful consideration decided to support the Administration’s decision to continue to provide this service in-house rather than outsourcing. This resulted in significant budgetary savings and enabled the designated staff to support other Town services.

Focusing on the future, as a Select Board member I will continuously evaluate efficiency and productivity, using my institutional knowledge and relationships developed over my 20 years of involvement in Natick. My goal will be to expedite thoughtful, beneficial decisions about service changes. I’ll set goals for and work with the Town Administrator to create achievable operational efficiencies that will help to manage spending growth and reconfigure Town operations to better serve the community’s changing needs.

Transparency and efficient service delivery are also inextricably linked. Residents must be informed about the services offered, how to access them, and how to obtain information when they have questions. For example, some services lend themselves well to online self-service such as paying bills, reporting potholes, and permitting. Others require a back-end infrastructure that facilitates effective delivery of the services.

As a member of the Select Board, I’ll continue to ensure that the Select Board sets reasonable and achievable goals to improve communications and outreach, and that Town staff have the tools and resources to develop infrastructure that is both cost-effective and improves service delivery. To reach as many residents as possible, I will encourage the Town to use both analog (newsletters, flyers) and digital (website, social media) communication. I will also work to ensure that the Select Board regularly monitors the status of these objectives, and holds the Town Administrator accountable for achieving them.

Without excellent staff, the Town cannot deliver services effectively. I’ll make it a priority to challenge the administration to continue taking steps to attract and retain excellent staff, with competitive salaries and benefits and a positive environment that make Natick an attractive place to work.

Effective service delivery will always be at the top of my mind if re-elected the Select Board.

Smart Economic Development

Smart economic development is an important objective for the Town and its residents, and a priority for me.

Done right, it has the potential to ease our structural budget deficit and provide the variety of business establishments that people are looking for. Our future prosperity is based on retaining and attracting good business investment in Natick.

Here’s how it works:

Right now, commercial and industrial properties account for roughly 20% of the Natick’s total property value and thus the town’s property tax revenue. Over the past ten or so years, home property values have increased and that has reduced the percentage of our tax revenues from commercial and industrial businesses, which has put increasing pressure on the residential taxpayers to fund town services.

However, commercial and industrial businesses do not use town services such as trash and recycling pickup, or public education, so a thriving and growing business community will decrease stresses on town services.

In essence, smart economic development is an opportunity to diversify and potentially expand the town’s revenues. With approximately 75% of our commercial tax revenue on the Route 9 corridor and the mall area, we must be strategic in how we develop this area to help support affordable town services. We must also focus on better utilization of underutilized commercial buildings (for example, in Tech Circle, on Strathmore Road, and even in Natick Center). This will increase their value, leading to an increase in their share of property taxes and relieving the pressure on residential taxpayers.

I support smart economic development, and I have consistently supported efforts to bring in the right talent and expertise to build on our successes.

As a member of the Select Board, I am involved in revising various alcohol policies. During my tenure, we have removed the 100-seat minimum for a full liquor license to help current restaurants and eliminated the minimum percentage of alcohol sales vs. food sales. These two changes help existing restaurants to expand their offerings to their customers and help attract other appropriate businesses to Natick.

As a member of the Finance Committee and Town Meeting, I advocated and enthusiastically supported funding key positions in the Community and Economic Development Department because I recognized the importance and the potential impact that these positions could have in facilitating smart economic development.

I have also supported the Comprehensive Master Plan and economic development surveys – these are examples of projects that tell us where we are and where we want to go.

If re-elected to the Select Board, I will also work to strengthen our partnership with the Planning Board and encourage collaboration on strategic objectives related to economic development and the Town’s zoning. I’ll also work with the Economic Development Committee and Natick Center Associates to foster economic development.

It is also important to note the relationship between our economic development goals and the Town’s tax rate. As many of you may know, I support maintaining the Town’s single tax rate.

Here’s why:

Residential tax revenues account for about 80% of the Town’s total tax revenue, with commercial and industrial businesses accounting for the remaining 20%. This is because the total value of properties is approximately 80% in residential properties and 20% in commercial and industrial properties.

So, as I’ve confirmed by talking with Eric Henderson, the Town’s Director of Assessing, based on the proportions of our tax base, to give our residents a 10% decrease in their property taxes we would need to increase taxes on commercial and industrial properties by 40%. A further decrease in residential tax bills (on a percentage basis) would mean an additional 4-fold percentage tax increase for our businesses.

This type of tax increase would be a substantial burden for many of the businesses in Natick, and I believe we are better off not putting additional barriers and hardships on the Town’s commercial and industrial tax base; this is especially important since many of them are still emerging from the financial hardships of the COVID era.

There is a Small Business Commercial Exemption; however, this is only available to businesses that employ fewer than 10 people annually (as certified by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development) and are situated in a building that is valued at less than $1,000,000. Many of our small businesses would not qualify for this exemption. More importantly,
the benefit of this exemption goes to the property owner rather than the business itself; so, if the business leases its space, the only way it would benefit is if the landlord lowers the rent.

The Town’s tax classification is reviewed and voted each year by the Select Board, and notwithstanding my current position on the Town’s tax classification, I will always keep an open mind on this question and will always make decisions based on a careful assessment of the facts and circumstances.

Affordability

Affordability is a serious concern for many Natick residents. It has becomemore and more difficult to find an affordable house, and some seniors and others are having difficulty staying in their homes. I was fortunate to purchase my first home in Natick 35 years ago, but it is much more difficult for young individuals and families to do that today. And several friends are struggling with whether to stay in their homes or move to something smaller, and wondering if they can afford to stay in their hometown of Natick. Given the continuing increase in housing costs in Natick and beyond, we must do more to assist potential and current residents in locating and remaining in our community.

During my years on the Natick Finance Committee:

I consistently supported state tax relief programs to help our elderly,
disabled and veteran citizens afford to stay in their homes. Each year
increases in relief are proposed in these programs and I have always
been happy to vote in favor of these important programs.

I have also enthusiastically supported several other programs
designed to provide relief to those in need, including: the Natick
Elderly and Disabled Taxation Fund, which uses donations to help
those who need property tax assistance; the Property Tax Work-Off
Program, for those seniors and veterans who prefer to work for the
Town in exchange for a break on their property taxes; and the tax
deferral program, under which seniors with limited income and whose
homes have appreciated in value may defer payment of any portion
of the property tax bill at 2.0% interest. These taxes are due to the
Town upon transfer or sale of the property.

Several zoning articles that facilitate creation of affordable housing
came before the Finance Committee and, after asking in-depth
questions, I supported those in my Finance Committee and Town
Meeting votes.

I have also supported the work of the Affordable Housing Trust by
recommending and voting for specific funds and properties to be
transferred from the Town to the Trust, enabling them to build
affordable housing units and for the Affordable Housing Trust to
provide rental and mortgage assistance to those qualifying for that
assistance.

Looking forward, the issue of housing affordability in Natick continues and we must do more. If re-elected to the Select Board:

I will continue to encourage diversity in housing options. Not
everyone wants a single-family home. Some seniors prefer to move
to a condominium or apartment, and some younger people do not
want the maintenance required of a free-standing home. I will do all
that I can to make sure that Natick offers various types of homes for
our diverse community.

I will work closely with other boards that hold most of the authority for
creating and encouraging affordable housing (e.g., Planning Board,
Affordable Housing Trust). The Select Board can and should
collaborate with other boards and provide support on affordable
housing issues, and I will lead the Board in this area.

I will also advocate for smart economic development. New and more successful existing businesses will generate more tax revenue and shift the burden away from residents. I’ll work with the Town Administration to identify and reduce or eliminate impediments to businesses who might locate in Natick. For more information, see my Objective: Smart Economic Development.

Rich Sidney

for Natick Select Board 2023

Trusted - Experienced - Collaborative

Serving Natick for 20 years

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Transparency in Government