Veteran Selectmen Re-elected in Adams, Cheshire

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — Incumbents Joseph Nowak and Richard Blanchard were re-elected on Monday to the Board of Selectmen as the town held its first election back in the former Memorial School Building.

All candidates on the ballot, whether incumbents or newcomers, were running unopposed in this year's election. Nowak received 335 votes, while Blanchard received 287.

The highest vote-getter on the ballot was Library Trustee Virginia Duval, who received 341 votes.

After the election of Amy Oberlin to the Board of Health, the board will still have one empty seat. Former members Peter Hoyt and Joyce Brewer decided not to run for re-election.

Elected were Myra Wilk as moderator; Kelly Rice as treasurer/tax collector; Lorraine Kalisz as assessor; Sandra Moderski as planner; Aimee Sinopoli as parks commissioner for one year and Mary Ciuk and Sarah Marie Panesecchi as parks commissioners for two years; Karen Kettles to a second seat on the library trustees; James Taylor as cemetery commissioner; Joseph Allard as a member of the Redevelopment Authority and as a member of the McCann School Committee; and John F. Duval and Erin Milne as Adams representatives and Michael Henault as the Cheshire representative to the Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee. 

The election had been held at the town garage on Summer Street for more than a decade after the school closed. Renovations in the Memorial Building have been ongoing for several months, as the site will soon be the home of the Adams Council on Aging. COA Director Sarah Fontaine said she spent much of the day giving voters tours of the new facility.

"We had a great morning, and I gave a lot of tours. My throat was actually sore from talking so much," she said during Monday's COA meeting. "And people were excited to see the space and see how we're going to use it."

In Cheshire, voters swapped out a current selectman for a former one, returning Ronald DeAngelis to the board along with Michelle Francesconi in a three-way race for two seats. 
 
Francesconi polled the highest with 171 votes, followed by DeAngelis with 165, leaving incumbent Mark Biagini third with 143.
 
A ballot vote to create a combined town treasurer/tax collector appointed position was affirmed 158-111.
 
Also elected were Nancy Delorey as assessor, Christopher "C.J." Garner to the Board of Health; Stephen LaFogg as water commissioner; Richard Francesconi as cemetery commissioner; Francis Griswold to a five-year seat and E. Richard Scholz to a one-year seat on the Planning Board; C.J. Garner, Timothy Garner and Alison Warner as constables; William D. Craig to the McCann School Committee; and Michael Henault as the Cheshire representative and Erin Milne and John F. Duval as Adams representatives to the Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee. 
 
Offices left unfilled are moderator, two-year assessor, and four-year Planning Board member.

 


Tags: election 2022,   town elections,   

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Adams Fire District Meeting Approves Full-Time Paid Chief

Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — A special meeting of the Fire District overwhelmingly passed making the fire chief and clerk/treasurer appointed positions on Thursday evening. 
 
More than 50 registered voters experienced déjà vu as they rehashed the requests to make the fire engineer and clerk/treasurer positions appointed during a meeting that lasted half and hour. 
 
These votes will have to be confirmed at a future election.

In previous district meetings, changing the fire chief position to a paid, full-time, appointed role was controversial. Article 2 passed with a large majority in favor at the meeting, as it has in the past. However, it's failed narrowly on ballot votes. 

Voter Catherine Foster said this change is long overdue, especially now that current Fire Chief John Pansecchi has announced his retirement effective May, after nine years as chief and 40 years with the department. 
 
Following questions from voters, it was explained that the pay scale for the 40-hour position will be based on qualifications and will range between $75,000 to $111,000, not including benefits.
 
Based on benefits for other town employees, benefits will cost an additional of about $40,000 to $50,000.  
 
Through the stipend, Pansecchi is getting paid roughly $30,000. 
 
Over the past five years, the position's responsibilities and hours have increased significantly, making it nearly a full-time role on top of his existing full-time job.
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