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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Adams Weighs New Rules for Short-Term Rentals

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass.— Town officials are weighing new regulations for short-term rentals as questions about tax revenue, safety inspections, parking, and enforcement shape a proposed bylaw that is still taking form.
 
At a public hearing on short-term rentals last month, residents and owners discussed proposed limits on rental days, inspection and registration requirements, parking standards, and how—or whether—the town is capturing the tax revenue guests already pay.
 
The confusion about revenue especially stood out during the meeting, stemming from ongoing confusion over whether Adams is already receiving revenue from short-term rentals, since guests are reportedly paying both state and local lodging taxes through Airbnb and Vrbo.
 
Town officials reported that Adams currently only receives lodging revenue from hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. According to the state, having a local short-term rental bylaw could allow the town to receive a portion of the tax revenue collected from short-term rentals, one board member said.
 
"I think this is great. I think it's important that all short-term rental operators and owners are registered with the state. That is the way that the platforms make sure that the town gets its tax revenue," said one attendee, who is also a short-term rental operator.
 
"The way that Airbnb excises taxes is through the registration number that I have with the state. As an owner [of a short-term rental] in this town, I'm concerned when I hear that the town is not aware of its revenues from this type of business." 
 
The short-term rental operator volunteered to work with the board to investigate whether Adams has actually activated, and is properly receiving, its share of short-term rental tax revenue.
 
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