image description

Williamstown's Town Election Ballot Still Has Holes

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — With just over a week left before the deadline to return papers for May's town election, there is just one contested race on the ballot, and there are two positions for which no one has pulled papers.
 
Town Clerk Mary Kennedy reported Thursday that the town's three-year seat on the Northern Berkshire Vocational Regional School Committee and one of the two Elementary School Committee seats up for grabs have attracted no interest to date.
 
There are two seats on the ballot for the Williamstown Elementary School Committee, though they will be largely pro forma elections. On July 1, the elementary school committee will cease to exist as the Mount Greylock Transition Committee formally takes overall operations for the three schools in the recently expanded district.
 
Incumbent Catherine Keating has taken out papers for her seat on the School Committee. The other seat up for election currently is occupied by Joe Johnson.
 
The McCann Tech post, a three-year seat, is currently held by Thomas Mahar. No one has taken out papers to fill the post.
 
Incumbent Select Board member Anne O'Connor has taken out papers and returned them to retain her three-year seat on the board, as has incumbent library trustee Charles Bonenti.
 
The Planning Board is the only panel to see a potential race so far. There are two seats on the ballot: a five-year seat currently held by Chris Kapiloff and the two years remaining on the seat held by Ann McCallum, who is stepping down from the board.
 
Both Stephanie Boyd and Michael Goodwin have taken out and returned papers to fill the seat held by Kapiloff.
 
Alexander Carlisle has taken out papers for McCallum's seat.
 
The deadline to return election papers with signatures is Tuesday, March 20.

Tags: election 2018,   town elections,   


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

Williamstown Housing Trust Agrees to Continue Emergency Mortgage, Rental Programs

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The board of the town's Affordable Housing Trust at its December meeting voted to extend its mortgage and rental assistance programs and discussed bringing in some consultants early next year before embarking on any new programs.
 
Chair Daniel Gura informed the board that its agreements with Pittsfield's Hearthway Inc., to administer the Williamstown Emergency Rental Assistance Program and Williamstown Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program was expiring at the end of the year.
 
Gura sought and obtained a vote of the board to extend the programs, born during the COVID-19 pandemic, through the end of January 2026, at which time the board plans to sign a new long-term agreement.
 
"In 2024, we distributed $80,000," through the programs known as WERAP and WEMAP, Gura said. "This year, to date, we gave $16,000, and Ihere's $17,000 left. … It's a little interesting we saw a dropoff from 2024 to 2025, although I think there were obvious reasons for that in terms of where we are in the world."
 
Gura suggested that the board might want to increase the funding to the programs, which benefit income-qualified town residents.
 
"If you look at the broader economic picture in this country, there's a prospect of more people needing help, not fewer people," Thomas Sheldon said in agreeing with Gura. "I think the need will bump up again."
 
The board voted to add an additional $13,000 to the amount available to applicants screened by Hearthway with the possibility of raising that funding if a spike in demand is seen.
 
View Full Story

More Williamstown Stories