The last-minute write-in campaigns for Planning Board resulted in higher than normal write-in votes — 306 — for Monday's election.
DALTON, Mass. — The unofficial results for the town's annual election indicate that Planning Board registered candidate William Striebel III and write-in candidate Richard Hall have secured the two seats.
Some 413 voters cast their ballots at the Senior Center on Monday. There were 82 mail-in ballots.
The Planning Board race began with just one candidate for the two available positions, leaving one vacancy initially unfilled, but as Election Day approached, two additional candidates launched write-in campaigns, transforming it into a competitive contest.
The Planning Board saw a significant number of write-in votes, totaling 306. Striebel secured 238 votes, Hall 163, and Mary Tresa Devereaux with 133.
Both Hall and Devereaux have been endorsed by the Dalton Clear Air Coalition, of which Hall is a member, and Democratic Town Committee.
Hall decided to run for Planning Board last Monday inspired by the Berkshire Concrete situation wanting to ensure that the company follows the town's zoning bylaws.
"Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I look forward to helping the town. It's a privilege being on the Planning Board," he said.
In the position, Hall hopes the board works as a team to update zoning laws and ensure zoning is properly followed.
iBerkshires called Striebel, also a newcomer, for comment, but at the time of publication had not heard back.
However, during his campaign, Striebel highlighted his experience running a small trucking business that hauls quarry materials and performs state snowplowing contracts. This experience, he said, taught him the value of hard work, responsibility, problem-solving, and collaboration.
In a Facebook post prior to the elections, Striebel shared his concern stemming from Berkshire Concrete's lawsuit against the town, cautioning that there is a "very small window left for meaningful negotiation, every word counts and each word needs to reach for common ground."
"Like many residents, I have watched from the sidelines as concerns over dust from the Berkshire Concrete Corporation gravel mining operation have grown into a major issue for nearby residents and for the Town," he wrote. "I also recognize that the resulting lawsuit will be quite costly and difficult for everyone involved."
Incumbent John Boyle and newcomer Jeannie Ingram have successfully been elected to the Select Board for the three-year positions. Boyle raked-in 294 votes and Ingram won 350 votes. The uncontested race had 41 write-in votes.
Results for other seats; all uncontested:
Moderator: incumbent Anthony Doyle, 364 votes; Cemetery Trustee: Mary Cherry, 372 votes; Finance Committee: Diane Lowe: 356; two library trustees: incumbents Max Ehrlich, 347 votes, and Fred Sears, 374 votes.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
State Housing Secretary Tours Downtown Pittsfield Developments
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state's new secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities on Monday saw how local developers are transforming historic buildings into downtown housing units.
Secretary Juana Matias, appointed to the role in February, toured the former St. Joseph's High School on Maplewood Avenue and the near-complete Wright Building Block on North Street.
Matias observed local leaders working collaboratively to dismantle bottlenecks in housing production, something she said the administration wants to see across all 351 municipalities.
"This is a perfect model of the partnerships we want to see, and we love coming to the ground and seeing how people are leveraging public taxpayer dollars to help address the issue of our time, which is housing production," she said after the tours.
Developer David Carver, of Scarafoni Associates & CT Management Group, is seeking support from the state Housing Development Incentive Program to transform St. Joe's into apartments, and Allegrone Companies has secured millions from the program towards the Wright Building renovation.
They first visited the shuttered school that functioned as a shelter during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, greeted by broken windows and leaving with Carver's vision.
The plan is to transform the school with good bones into 19 apartments, 20 percent designated affordable, and 30 percent of the building for commercial use. Units are expected to cost between $1,700 and $1,900 per month; 14 one-bedroom units and five two-bedroom units are planned.
The project team is in talks with the nearby Berkshire Family YMCA to expand their childcare activities to the building's lower level. Residents and the daycare would use different entrances.
A community drive called Save the Triplex, led by local resident Nicki Wilson, was quickly organized. It gained strong support and within several months managed to raise sufficient funds to make an offer to buy the Triplex for $1 million. Stanley facilitated the deal by providing a five-year... click for more
For close to 38 years, Lynn Shortis has devoted herself to providing visually impaired students with the confidence, skills, and resources they need to thrive in their educational and personal journeys.
click for more
The traffic light at the intersection of lower and upper West Streets is now active, and there are a few raised crosswalks on the corridor.
click for more