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Annual Adams Fire District Election to Decide Treasurer Position

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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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 Man Gets 20 Years for Child Sex Assault

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An Adams man has been sentenced to 15 to 20 years in state prison for sexually assaulting a child. 
 
Michael Hiser, 39, was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on June 11 of single counts of aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and indecent exposure; two counts of posing or exhibiting a child in the nude, and three counts of photographing an unsuspecting nude child.
 
He was sentenced on Tuesday to prison for the aggravated indecent assault, with further sentencing of eight to 10 years for the indecent assault, four to five for the photographing and 2 1/2 for indecent exposure, all to be served concurrently. Hiser was also sentenced to five years probation on the posing or exhibiting charge, with conditions not to contact or go near the victim and no unsupervised contact with minors. He will have to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board and take sex offender treatment. 
 
Investigators found that from approximately 2020 to 2022, Hiser would sneak into the victim's room at night to inappropriately photogram and touch them inappropriately. Additionally, he would follow the victim around the house and photograph them with inappropriate intent. An additional incident involved the defendant acting in a sexual manner in the presence of the minor and the investigators found multiple explicit images of the victim on Hiser's phone.
 
"Cases of child abuse and child sexual abuse shake the foundation of our community," said Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue. "Today justice has been served on behalf of a child who survived unimaginable abuse. While the guilty verdict and lengthy sentence do not take away any of the horrific crimes the defendant committed, I hope today provides an opportunity for both the child and their family to move forward."
 
Chief of the Child Abuse Unit Andrew Giarolo represented the commonwealth and Associate Director of Victim Witness Advocates Kristen Rapkowicz served as the victim witness advocate on behalf of the DA's Office. The Adams Police Department with assistance from a Williamstown Police Department's Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force digital evidence unit officer led the investigation.
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