Adams Picks Select Board Candidates; Cheshire Nixes Appointed Assessor

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story
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,   


If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Cheshire Swears-In New Police Chief Matthew Wright

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Community members gathered Wednesday to welcome Matthew Wright as their new police chief, marking what is said to be a new chapter for the department. 
 
"I am honored and humbled for this opportunity, and I look forward to growing the department and serving this community, and just very excited to see what's going to come over the next several years here," Wright said following his swearing-in. 
 
Wright, formerly a sergeant in the Adams Police Department, officially took his post on Tuesday, Sept. 8, and said he is excited to hit the ground running. Among his first priorities is filling the department's two vacant patrol officer positions.
 
The department is currently operating with Wright and just one patrol officer. Once the vacant positions are filled, Wright said the department will be back to full staffing with four patrol officers in addition to himself.
 
Wright credited Town Administrator Jennifer Morse and the Board of Selectmen with making significant progress in bringing the Police Department up to public safety standards which, he says, is going to help with the recruiting process. 
 
"The demands of policing have changed, and the Cheshire Police Department has been evolving alongside those changes," said Selectmen Chairwoman Michelle Francesconi. 
 
"I think that this is the next step toward a new future, and it's going to be very good all around." 
 
View Full Story

More Adams Stories