On August 8, Select Board member Radha Gargeya posted on OneSudbury in Facebook, pushing back on what he called false statements about the LLSAC. Below is his post, followed by our (Friends of Sewataro) response authored by Laura Briggs
Radha Gargeya’s OneSudbury post — August 8, 2026
Dear Sudbury:
I want to address a statement, that is unsupported by facts. It says that the Liberty Ledge / Sewataro Advisory Committee (LLSAC) includes a recommendation to sell off parcels of land. That is not true. There is also a claim that I changed my position on the property. That is also not true.
When you run in an election and if you have the privilege of getting elected, you should expect questions, challenges, and differences. One can debate, disagree, and express discontent. That is how democracy works and grows. But when false statements are made, much more important than what happens to the named individual, civic dialogue and self-government lose.
One may say that I am naïve, and this is the way of politics. That could be the way elsewhere, but I believe that it is not the way we conduct civic discourse in Sudbury.
My hope, when the Select Board formed the Liberty Ledge / Sewataro Advisory Committee, was that this Committee will show the town how to engage, collect information, hear diverse points of view, and arrive at a consensus.
Through this specific example, the town informs itself and learns how to address other important issues that may arise in the future. I still cling to that hope.
In my previous version, I accurately paraphrased what I said in 2023 during my Select Board campaign. This is updated to reflect the actual words:
“That requires all of us to work together to pool our ideas for a positive shared vision of the property. I heard from some residents that they are concerned the property might be sold to a developer. When Sewataro becomes such an integral part of the community that we are all enjoying its space, I don’t think anyone would even dream of selling the property. …
We need to pool our resources, build consensus, share our ideas, and put it into practice. As I always said, when you work with collaboration, respect, consultation, and inclusion, the process yields results that achieve a broad consensus and are long-lasting.
This is how I served on the Lincoln Sudbury School Committee when we tackled many difficult issues. I patiently put in the hard work to develop a consensus, and that is how I will serve the Town on the Select Board.”
This is what is being done by the LLSAC Committee.
This Committee is made of volunteers who are among the hardest working folks that I am proud to serve alongside in my nearly three decades of service to the town.
I acknowledge the Survey questions and a Sudbury Housing Trust presentation may have raised questions. The Committee heard from many presenters on different topics. Please read all the questions in the Survey before responding. It allows all points of view to be expressed.
The Committee has had a brainstorming session on 7/30/2026. Discussion tracked what we heard from the public. The Committee and the Select Board continue to hear your heartfelt opinions via email. Thank you.
The Committee will deliver its advisory recommendations to the Select Board by 10/31/2026.
P.S. There may be members of Committees that I serve alongside reading this. So, I will not be commenting lest it be construed as a deliberation outside of a posted meeting per the Open Meeting Law.
— Radha Gargeya
Our response
Radha,
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I appreciate your commitment to respectful civic dialogue. However, I believe you’re focusing on whether a formal recommendation has been made, while many residents are responding to the direction the discussion has taken.
Here’s why so many people are concerned.
On July 16, Sewataro Camp operator Scott Brody presented a vision for a long-term operating agreement that reflected years of resident feedback. His proposal emphasized expanded year-round recreation, increased accessibility, and continued investment in the property. He also expressed concern that the Select Board may not extend the operating agreement beyond 2027.
Immediately afterward, Representative Carmine Gentile, in his role as Chair of the Sudbury Housing Trust, presented the Housing Trust’s interest in three Sewataro parcels for affordable housing, including the Haynes Road house, the adjacent field, and the Greystone Lane wooded lots.
Residents then received a Sewataro survey that incorporated housing-related questions but did not ask whether people wanted to preserve the current model of camp operations and resident recreation. That omission raised legitimate concerns about the direction of the process.
During the July 30 meeting, the Commission on Disability highlighted the Camp’s accessibility improvements, including approximately $143,000 invested by the current operator. The Conservation Commission also emphasized the importance of protecting the property’s cold-water resources and surrounding conservation land. Those presentations reinforced the value of preserving Sewataro as a recreational and environmental asset. Yet the discussion quickly shifted toward an RFP process for the Camp operator, leaving many residents wondering why the conversation had moved away from the strengths that had just been presented.
This is why many residents are uneasy.
The concern is not that the Committee has formally recommended selling land. It hasn’t.
The concern is that a sequence of discussions, presentations, survey questions, and planning exercises has created the appearance that subdividing Sewataro or introducing housing is being seriously explored. Whether intentional or not, those optics have eroded public confidence.
That’s why Friends of Sewataro has organized — not to spread misinformation, but to ensure residents understand what could ultimately come before the Select Board and, potentially, Town Meeting. We believe preserving Sewataro as a unified recreational, environmental, and community asset should remain the priority. We are already working with other recreational organizations throughout Sudbury to build broad community support for that vision while also recognizing the importance of child care and recreation for working families.
You have often spoken about building consensus. We share that goal.
Consensus begins with transparency, clear communication, and listening to what residents are saying today. Many residents are asking for one simple commitment: preserve Sewataro intact as a recreational and community resource for future generations.
We hope you will join us in that effort. It is not too late to stand with the many residents who believe Sewataro should remain whole, protected, and dedicated to recreation, accessibility, conservation, and children.
Would you like to host a Sewataro yard sign on your property? Happy to drop one off! 😉
Email your support to llsac@sudbury.ma.us and selectboard@sudbury.ma.us. Take the town survey before it closes September 7.
