Adams Picks Select Board Candidates; Cheshire Nixes Appointed Assessor

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — Voters chose incumbent John Duval and newcomer Ann Bartlett for the two open seats on the Selectmen.
 
Bartlett, a co-owner of the former Red Carpet Diner, garnered the most votes at 791, more than 300 above the other three challengers, and Duval was returned for another three-year term with 685.
 
Incumbent Howard Rosenberg's decision sparked a five-way race for the two seats. Coming in third was Jerome Socolof with 465, Mitchell Wisniowski with 446 and former board member Donald Sommer with 367.
 
All results are unofficial.
 
Wisniowski did win a seat on the Parks Commission and Michael Mach outpolled challenger Timothy Kitchell Jr. 887-407 to stay on the Planning Board. 
 
Frederick Lora appears to have bested Jennifer Solak as Adams representative to the Hoosac Valley Regional School District by 10 votes. The unofficial tally is 814-804, with Lora gaining 674 votes to Solak's 620 in Adams; the voted flipped in Cheshire with Solak winning 184-140 but not enough to overcome the gap. Robert Tetlow Jr., running unopposed, was returned as the Cheshire representative. 
 
Write-ins for Board of Health and Redevelopment Authority, which had no candidates, were still being tallied. 
 
Town Clerk Haley Meczywor, running unopposed for another three-year term, earned the highest number of votes at 1,335, just seven more than Eugene Michalenko, who was running with James Loughman for re-election to the library trustees. Also returned to office were Moderator Myra Wilk, Assessor Paula Wheeler, Mary Ciuk and James J. Fassell for Parks Commission; and Bruce Dale Shepley for Cemetery Commission and McCan School Committee. 
 
Turnout was about 22 percent with 1,465 of the town's 6,574 registered voters going to the polls. 
 
In Cheshire, a ballot vote on making the town assessor an appointed rather than elected position was roundly defeated 152-219. The question would also have been on the town warrant.
 
Shawn McGrath and Raymond Killeen were re-elected to three-year terms on the Select Board with 257 and 234 votes, respectively; coming in third was Mark Biagini with 204. 
 
Assessor Kellie Lahey, Board of Health member Brian Trudeau, Cemetery Commissioner Timothy Garner, Water Commissioner Ricky Gurney and Planning Board member Peter Traub were re-elected unopposed. 
 
Whitney Flynn received 55 votes for town clerk on an empty ballot to replace Christine Emerson, who retired.

Tags: election 2024,   town elections,   


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Cheshire Explores Partnership with Lanesborough Police Department

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Select Board has been talking with the Lanesborough Police Department to determine if a partnership would be advantageous. 
 
During initial discussions, it was believed that a 50/50 split of sharing services is not feasible. However, the town officials say the investigation into possible funding options are not over. 
 
The Select Board has scheduled a meeting with interim Chief Timothy Garner, Lanesborough Chief Rob Derksen, and state Sen. Paul Mark to see if there are state monies or grants available for a regionalization-type arrangement, board Chair Shawn McGrath said at Last week's meeting.
 
Cheshire has five police officers and a chief; Lanesborough six full-time officers and multiple part-time officers and a chief. Both departments are seeking to construct new police stations. 
 
Options include merging the department with a 50/50 cost split, which was determined to be expensive for Cheshire, a contractual arrangement in which the fee would cover additional officers to provide coverage, or other shared service arrangements that might bring costs down.
 
"I don't think we should shut the door on that," McGrath said. 
 
Exploring these possibilities will likely take several months and he said Garner does not have any qualms about serving in the interim until decisions about the structure of the department can be made. 
 
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