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Reminder Assistant Editor LONGMEADOW With six candidates vying for three open seats, the School Committee race was the biggest issues during Longmeadow's town elections which took place June 10. Despite the sweltering weather, 1,576 residents -- 13.9 percent of the town's registered voters stopped by the Community House for the election. Town Clerk Katherine Ingram said she wasn't anticipating a big turnout because of the heat but was expecting around 1,500 voters to come out. The Desrosiers, 35-year residents of the town, said they always come out for elections. "If we don't, then we have no right to complain," they said. Incumbent Geoff Weigand was re-elected to the School Committee for another three year term. Newcomers Gwendolyn Bruns and John Fitzgerald will be joining him. Bruns first ran for the School Committee last September for an appointment to fill a seat left vacant by Jim Nittoli. Janine Idelson was chosen for the appointment, however. "Running for that appointment was a first step," Bruns told Reminder Publications. "It was an excellent experience and it helped me get my foot in the door. I'm excited to be working with [the School Committee]." She added that as a member of the School Committee, she would like to see the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) high school project move forward, make sure curriculum needs are met -- she noted that the high school is still lacking a health course -- and collaborate with other communities when it comes to working on special education needs. Fitzgerald served as a teacher in the Longmeadow school system from 1971 to 2004 and is a member of the Longmeadow Historical Society, the Friends of Storrs Library, the Longmeadow Educational Excellence Foundation (LEEF), the District Learning Team and is a former Registrar of Voters for the town. He plans to focus on finding adequate revenue to finance needed school services. Fitzgerald also mentioned implementing more recycling programs in the schools, finding alternative energy sources and said in a release that "building a new high school makes the most financial sense." Bobby Barkett, a former member of the School Committee, was elected to fill the vacancy on the Select Board left by Hal Haberman's retirement. He said he wants to ensure the Select Board and the School Committee work together on the MSBA project. When asked if he was nervous about moving from one elected board to another, Barkett said, "I'm looking forward to the challenge [of being a member of the Select Board]. If you have it in your heart to support the whole town, it transfers to the other end of the street." He said he's ready to take on the issue of water and sewer rates as well. "Analysis shows we need to raise the rates," Barkett stated. "What do we need to do to provide services people can afford? The biggest problem the last time around was the lack of public input, and that blew up in everyone's face. This issue isn't going to be fixed in one meeting or one vote." Gerry Nolet was elected to a five-year term on the Planning Board and Kenneth Taylor was elected to a two-year term on the Planning Board. Ronald Manseau will be serving a five-year term with the Housing Authority as well. In addition to the elections, two questions were put forward to voters on the ballot, to see if the town would approve of going forward with debt exclusions to pay for the repair of the high school roof and for the repair of the Greenwood Center roof. Both questions were approved. | ||||||
