The Unselects

We welcome Mike Pacy who is running for school committee in the May 5 Shrewsbury Town election.  Mike discusses his experience with Shrewsbury Public Schools and the DESE violations that were never disclosed to the public.  Mike also outlines what he will do differently if he is fortunate to be elected to the school committee.

In this episode of The Unselects, producers Gregg Richards and Brian Costello sit down with Michael Walsh, candidate for Massachusetts Attorney General, to talk about some of the biggest legal and political issues facing the Commonwealth. They break down the fight over the Massachusetts legislative audit, the controversy around the 72% voter-approved audit question, and whether Attorney General An...

In this episode we review and discuss the history of the mixed use development at 335 Maple Ave.  Starting in 2014 this development has followed the path of many others before it.  Lobby the town to make changes that ultimately only benefit the developer.  Tune in to learn more.

In this episode we recap the highlights of fall Town Meeting including Article 7, a citizens petition to allow Shrewsbury residents to vote on removing fluoride from our town drinking water.  Since fluoride has been promoted in public water supplies since the 40's we make the case that it may be time to revisit the topic.  We argue the same points that were made in the federal case Food and Water...

After a few months off we are finally back with new episodes.  We are going unscripted highlighting and discussing all things Shrewsbury.  It's a new format in the new SMC Podcast studio.  In the first episode of season 2 we catch everyone up with what has transpired since the May election and Gregg's experience as a Select Board Member.

Our 20th Episode has been released! To 40B or not to 40B that is the question. This episode explores the ramifications of passing MBTA zoning and how it negatively impacted affordable housing in Shrewsbury.

On this episode we review the DPW and Town Hall upgrade project to determine how it became $10M over budget.  We focus on setting proper expectations with the community and how Shrewsbury can do better.  

In this episode we review two topics.   1) The changes to town meeting member representation by precinct. 2) The proposed form of government committee and the four types of government Massachusetts towns can utilize.   Please watch and let us know what you think.

On this episode of The Unselects, we discuss the results of the special referendum election in Shrewsbury and dig into the influence the outside dark money organization One Commonwealth had supporting the YES side.

On this Special Episode of The Unselects we are 48 hours away from the special election on Tuesday February 4. What last minute roadblocks has the town put in the residents way?

In this episode we discuss further implications of the Massachusetts SJC ruling and the ineffective and unenforceable guidelines.  How did we get to this point and why is the state pushing so hard for compliance?

In this episode we discuss the SJC ruling on the MBTA Communities Act in Massachusetts and how it may impact the special election on February 4 in Shrewsbury.  The media along with the governor are claiming a sweeping victory.  However, this is not the case.  The real substance of the law was the guidelines.  Without the guidelines what can towns comply with?

In this episode we dive into the citizens petition process and what the average citizen has to go through to get an article in the town meeting warrant. Is it worth it? Tune in and judge it for yourself.

In this episode of The Unselects, we discuss the historic first ever Town Meeting referendum vote in Shrewsbury.  Article 9, MBTA Communities Act, will be taken to special election after a petition with close to 1,850 signatures was submitted to the town clerk.  What lead to this decision and why are referendums an option for citizens in many towns? Tune in to find out.

This is your article by article guide to the special fall town meeting in Shrewsbury being held on Monday November 18.  We dig into each article and make our recommendations for town meeting members.  In our opinion the key articles are 6, 9 and 10.  

In this episode we discuss trust and communication between town leaders and residents. We also share our thoughts on the latest on the MBTA Zoning Article for the November 18 town meeting. Please tune in and let us know what you think.

On this episode, we go back in time and explore why Columbus Day was created and why it has become such a controversial holiday.  The truth may surprise you.

In this episode we dive deep into Shrewsbury's strategic plan and where it comes from.  Surprisingly it has little to do with Shrewsbury.

In this episode we look at the decision the planning board made regarding the Route 70 warehouse project, why they made the decision and how Shrewsbury can do better in the future.  We also show how another Massachusetts town handled a similar project in their community in a very different way.  Which town would you rather live in?

What does the state have in store for Route 20 in Shrewsbury?  You will be surprised to find out.  The Unselects break down the plan and discuss the potential impact to residents.

In this episode we explore the timeline and sequence of events that led to the rejection of Shrewsbury's MBTA zoning plan by the EOHLC and how the town changed plans without informing residents.

In this episode we dig into a few of the key articles from the May 2024 Shrewsbury Town Meeting.  Most importantly, how much does it cost to educate new students in Shrewsbury and what key development projects are happening that will impact certain residents.

In this episode we dig into the process of Town Meeting with first time town meeting member Caroline Macomber.  We try to answer the questions, What is the role of a town meeting member and how do we get better representation?

Listen to our take on the impact the MBTA Communities Act would have on the town of Shrewsbury.  We provide an overview of what the state is asking towns to adopt and what the plan for Shrewsbury is today.  We also review Article 44 which will be taken up during Town Meeting starting May 20.

In the premiere episode we discuss why we created the show, why we ran a write-in campaign and our general thoughts about Shrewsbury's town government