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The Sudbury Energy & Sustainability Committee has been cited for an improper use of municipal funds after purchasing lawn signs to advocate for solar canopy articles slated for the upcoming Annual Town Meeting.
According to a memo sent to the Select Board by Town Manager Andy Sheehan, the committee voted during its April 14 meeting to spend money from the Solar Revolving Fund on 50 advocacy signs. The purchase was executed using the a Town purchasing card.
Sheehan stated that neither he nor Finance Director Victor Garofalo were aware of the vote or the transaction when it occurred.
“Had we been, we would have advised that it was not a permissible use of funds,” Sheehan wrote in the memo.
Using public funds to purchase political or advocacy materials is prohibited and is inconsistent with the state’s Conflict of Interest Law according to the memo. Despite the severity of the violation, Sheehan characterized the incident as an error in judgment rather than a malicious act.
“While this action constitutes a violation, we believe it resulted from a misunderstanding rather than an intentional misuse of public resources,” Sheehan noted. “Nonetheless, the matter raises serious concerns and must be addressed.”
Upon discovering the expenditure, Town officials took immediate steps to mitigate the issue:
- Sign Recall: The Sustainability Coordinator was instructed to contact anyone who helped distribute the signs and have them removed from circulation immediately, including pulling them from residential lawns.
- Reimbursement: The town is working with the committee to ensure they understand the violation and is requiring that the $450 cost be fully reimbursed to the Town using non-public funds.
Preventing Future Violations
To prevent similar infractions across town government, the Town Manager’s office is coordinating with Town Counsel to implement new oversight measures.
Mandatory training focusing on the appropriate use of public funds will be rolled out for all town boards, committees, and staff members. These training sessions will be recorded for future reference and will be supplemented with distributed written guidelines to reinforce the rules.
“We take this matter seriously and are committed to full compliance with all applicable laws and to maintaining the public’s trust,” Sheehan concluded.
Sheehan’s provided his memo to Sudbury Weekly. A copy is included below.
“Earlier today we learned that the Energy & Sustainability Committee purchased lawn signs advocating support of the Annual Town Meeting solar canopy articles using their revolving funds.
After becoming aware of the issue, Victor [Garofalo] and I immediately reviewed the circumstances. We confirmed that the Committee voted at its April 14 meeting to purchase 50 signs, totaling about $450, using its revolving account and a Town purchasing card. This represents an improper use of public funds. Neither of us were aware of this vote or the purchase at the time it occurred; had we been, we would have advised that it was not a permissible use of funds.
We have taken immediate steps to address the situation. The Sustainability Coordinator was directed to contact parties known to have helped install signs and have signs removed from circulation. This includes those already placed on lawns. We will also be working with the Committee to ensure they understand that this expenditure was not permissible and that the cost must be reimbursed through non-Town funds.
A purchase of this nature using public funds is not permitted and is inconsistent with the Conflict of Interest Law. While this action constitutes a violation, we believe it resulted from a misunderstanding rather than an intentional misuse of public resources. Nonetheless, the matter raises serious concerns and must be addressed.
This situation highlights the need for clearer guidance and training. We will be working with Town Counsel to implement mandatory training for boards, committees, and staff on the appropriate use of public funds. The training will be recorded for ongoing reference, and written guidance will also be distributed to reinforce these requirements and prevent future occurrences.
We take this matter seriously and are committed to full compliance with all applicable laws and to maintaining the public’s trust.”
-Town Manager Andy Sheehan memo to the Sudbury Select Board