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Date: 5/18/2022
CHESTERFIELD – The Annual Town Meeting (ATM) on May 9 cleaned up the municipal books. The yearly town election the week before, however, didn’t fill all of the important vacancies in town government.
Town Administrator Brenda Lessard said two seats on school committees, local and regional, went unfilled. That is a problem for the town because those positions are so hard to fill.
“We took a big hit after COVID[-19],” Lessard said. “There was a lot of not nice things said to School Committee members. There was a lot of meetings involved … I think it took a lot out of the members.”
Angela Thompson declined the seat for a three year term on the Chesterfield/Goshen School Committee. She was the top draw for write in votes, with two out of six. Meghan Sheils-Willard received a vote for that seat, but did not prevail. Sheils-Willard also received a write in vote for the two year seat on the Hampshire Regional School Committee, but declined the role.
“They get a small stipend, but it’s a very needed position,” Lessard said. “It’s sad to see people treated that way.”
Laura Somes chose to continue her work on the Regional School Committee. Somes was appointed last spring. She received 71 of 86 possible votes for a three year seat.
The election brought personnel changes, but primarily affirmed residents’ confidence in the existing management team. Three challengers for the seat on the Select Board occupied by Donald Willard III received a total of seven votes. Willard retained the seat with 68 votes.
Residents stepped up to keep the Planning Board staffed. Incumbent CJ Lammers won re-election with 56 votes, while Frederick Drake, new to the board, received 68 votes. Carol Rhine and Eileen McGowan both received one write in vote for each seat.
Edward Severance, an incumbent on the Board of Assessors, won reinstatement with 75 of 86 possible votes. The Board of Health also reinstated Board of Health member Kirke R. Henshaw with 72 votes. Mark Klitzke received a write in vote.
Incumbent library trustee Amy G. Gavalis was reinstalled by her fellow residents. Jeffrie A. Young, who ran for another three year term as constable, was also re-elected.
“It’s getting harder to find people to fill some of the seats,” Lessard said. She sees the same problem in Williamsburg, where she is the town clerk. “You have a lot of people who have been in those positions for quite a few years and they’re getting older. It would be nice to see some younger people step up.”
The warrant for the ATM, itself a significant project requiring many work hours by town officials, did not provoke discussion among residents. The first five articles authorized money from free cash to fund an audit, line painting, deficit spending for snow and ice mitigation, and to buy a laptop computer for the emergency management director. Article 6 rescinded $18,617 in borrowing that was not spent for past purchases.
Capital planning for various projects was sought and approved in Articles eight through 13, a total of $665,000 in spending. Voters approved the fiscal year 2023 proposed town budget, showing a $668,571 increase, with no money for excess and deficiency to be carried over.
The balance of the warrant established pay rates for elected officials, set limits on the town’s revolving accounts, and codified operations of the municipal light plant, the body running the town’s broadband network. Every article passed without a dissenting vote.
Lessard appreciated the ATM had no controversial questions to settle.
“It was my first official [Annual] Town Meeting with Chesterfield,” Lessard said. “There was really nothing controversial on the warrant this year, so I know there has been in years past, and I’m sure there will be in the future – but this was a pretty easy one.”