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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Hoosac Valley Names Valedictorian, Salutatorian for 2026

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Hoosac Valley High School has named the top students for the class of 2026. 
 
Valedictorian Anna Thurston and salutatorian Alexis Warner will speak at graduation ceremonies on Friday, June 5, at 6 p.m. in the school gymnasium. 
 
Thurston, daugther of Thomas and Julie Thurston of Cheshire, has taken Advanced Placement and honors courses, including receiving a Presidential Award in AP World History. In addition to the Superintendents' Award, she has received the Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute Medal, a first-degree certification in chainsaw and first place in a General Dynamics engineering competition. 
 
During her time at Hoosac Valley, she has served three years on the Student Council, as secretary of the National Honor Society chapter and participated in Portrait of a Graduate and World of Difference. Thurston has been involved with Leo Club for five years, serving as secretary, treasurer and president, and a member of the stage crew for high school productions, and stage manager for "Seussical the Musical."
 
She was a member of the school's volleyball team, medaled in figure skating at the Bay State Games and holds a black belt in taekwondo. She has volunteered on trips to the food bank and in town cleanups in Adams. 
 
Thurston plans to attend the University of New Hampshire's Honors College to major in mechanical engineering. 
 
Warner is the daughter of Corey and Laura Warner of Cheshire. She also took AP and honors courses, earning an AP Scholars Award and a Sage Colleges Student Sage Award.
 
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