Annual Adams Fire District Election to Decide Treasurer Position

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
12:27PM / Saturday, May 09, 2026Print Story | Email Story

ADAMS, Mass. — Voters will head to the polls Tuesday to choose the district's leadership and decide whether the clerk/treasurer position should shift from an elected role to an appointed one.

During the district's special meeting in February, voters overwhelmingly passed making the fire chief and clerk/treasurer appointed positions.

Although the changes were approved during the meeting, they must also receive voter approval at the ballot. The proposal to make the clerk/treasurer position appointed will be before voters on Tuesday.

Despite also passing at the special meeting, the district's request to change the fire chief position to a paid, full-time, appointed role is not on this ballot.

District officials thought the question would be too confusing as the chief engineer's position is up for election this year. It will be posed to voters on next year's ballot.

If voters approve changing the clerk/treasurer role to an appointed position by the Prudential Committee, going forward the post will be filled based on expertise and individual will be required to have a medical exam and drug and criminal background check.

The appointed officials will report directly to the Prudential Committee. If approved the district bylaws will be amended to align with this change.

The current clerk and treasurer will also hold the office until their term expires or the office is vacated.

If the ballot question fails, the Adams Fire District bylaws will remain the same and the position of the clerk and treasurer shall continue to be elected by district voters for a three-year term.

The only qualification for an elected official is the individual must be a legal voter residing within the district

Also on the ballot are elections for several district positions, all of which are uncontested.

Three-year term for the Prudential Committee: Richard Kleiner
Two-year term for the Prudential Committee: John Pansecchi; remainder of the term ending in 2028
Three-year term for chief engineer: David Lennon
Three-year term for first assistant engineer: Edward Capeless
Three-year term for second assistant engineer: Dylan Grimes
Three-year term for third assistant engineer: Timothy Ziemba
Three-year term for fourth assistant engineer: David Lennon

The annual district meeting will be held Wednesday, May 27, at 6 p.m.

Tags: annual meeting, election 2026, fire district,

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Adams Planning Board Cited for Open Meeting Law Violation

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:12AM / Wednesday, November 11, 2026

ADAMS, Mass. — The state Attorney General's Office has determined that the Planning Board violated Open Meeting Law by continuing to deliberate on a matter after adjournment.

According to the determination, the violation occurred after adjourning the Jan. 27, 2025, meeting when three board members stayed to discuss permitting concerns for Aisling Mountain Farm, a 22-acre equestrian facility on West Road owned by Kathryn Foley.

The board was ordered to amend its meeting minutes within the next 30 days, to include a summary of the discussion that occurred after the meeting was adjourned, to certify to to the AG's Office that it has done so, and to comply with the Open Meeting Law going forward.

The ruling stems from a complaint filed by Catherine Foster on Aug. 22, 2025, alleging that the board violated the Open Meeting Law during and after its Jan. 27 meeting.

Although filed nearly seven months after the January meeting, the Attorney General's Office said it met the 30-day filing deadline because Foster did not become aware of the situation until it was raised at a July 23 Select Board meeting.

"The Open Meeting Law requires that complaints be filed within 30 days of the alleged violation, or if the alleged violation could not reasonably have been known at the time it occurred, then within 30 days of the date it should reasonably have been discovered," Assistant Attorney General Matthew Lindberg said in the determination.

"The complainant could not reasonably have discovered that the Board deliberated after adjournment of the January 27 meeting until the issue was raised during public comment at the July 23 Select Board meeting. Because the complaint was filed within 30 days of the July 23 Select Board meeting, the complaint was filed timely as to this allegation"

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