Sgt. appointed amid friendly, proud company

By Linda CarmanPrint Story | Email Story
Retired Williamstown Fire Chief Edward McGowan pins his son Scott’s sergeant’s badge on his Williamstown Police Department uniform Monday during a swearing-in ceremony at the Selectmen’s meeting. Scott McGowan’s significant other, Janette Funk, looks on.
WILLIAMSTOWN — With his family and members of the Police Department in attendance, Officer Scott E. McGowan was sworn in as sergeant at Monday’s selectmen’s meeting. McGowan’s father, retired Fire Chief Edward McGowan, pinned his son’s sergeant’s badge on his uniform. A lifelong resident, the younger McGowan, 29, joined the department as a part-time dispatcher shortly after graduation from Mount Greylock Regional High School. After serving as special police officer and civil service reserve officer, he was hired as a full-time officer in November 2001. Presenting him to the Selectmen, Town Manager Peter Fohlin said McGowan had excelled in his duties since graduating from the Agawam Police Academy in May 2002. Assigned as traffic safety officer when the unit was established, McGowan developed a traffic enforcement strategy that included accident reduction methods through statistical analysis and addressing collision causes. He is trained to conduct accident investigations and has conducted traffic safety education programs throughout the community. McGowan has also been the department’s point man for crime prevention, conducting seminars, including bank-robbery-prevention planning for all community banks, and workplace-violence seminars for the business and health-care professions. He has assisted Officer Tania Hernandez with school programs and initiatives. “Officer McGowan displays an outstanding commitment to the community and the policing profession,” Police Chief Arthur Parker Jr. said. “He is an effective problem solver and is respected by his peers and the people of the town.” McGowan is the son of Edward and Sherry McGowan of Linden Street. His mother and significant other, Janette Funk, were also present. He joins Kyle Johnson as the only sergeants in the department.
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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the snowplows for Highway District 1 has a new name: "The Blizzard Boss."
 
The name comes from teacher Gina Wagner's fifth-grade class at Lanesborough Elementary School. 
 
The state Department of Transportation announced the winners of the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest on Monday. 
 
The department received entries from public elementary and middle school classrooms across the commonwealth to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025/2026 winter season. 
 
The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during winter operations. 
 
"Thank you to all of the students who participated. Your creativity allows us to highlight to all, the importance of the work performed by our workforce," said  interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng.  
 
"Our workforce takes pride as they clear snow and ice, keeping our roads safe during adverse weather events for all that need to travel. ?To our contest winners and participants, know that you have added some fun to the serious take of operating plows. ?I'm proud of the skill and dedication from our crews and thank the public of the shared responsibility to slow down, give plows space and put safety first every time there is a winter weather event."
 
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