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Date: 5/24/2022
HATFIELD – Town Clerk Lydia Szych loves election day. Every year, Town Hall turns festive as candidates campaign in the sunshine and voters choose who will sit on committees and boards.
“What I love about Hatfield,” Szych said of election day, “everybody’s friendly, everybody’s having a good time, just enjoying themselves, and it was a gorgeous day. It was just a nice election. Everyone was polite. The voters, we had no issues.”
The town has about 2,600 registered voters, Szych said, but the turnout was low, at 652 ballots cast. Three contested races for Planning Board, School Committee and Board of Health brought uncertainty to the voting booth. The majority of seats, however, will be refilled by familiar faces.
Two residents of Main Street competed for a three year seat on the School Committee. Adam Sullivan won against incumbent Danielle Stanisewski, 433 votes to 214.
“Both are well known names in Hatfield, they’ve been here quite a while,” Szych said. “Adam grew up in Hatfield and Dani’s been here for awhile, so it was a strong competition because you’ve got two well known people.”
South Street resident Catherine Englehardt was re-elected to a two year term on the School Committee. Diana Szynal, living on Straits Road, secured another three years on the Select Board. Stanley Pitchko Jr. of Prospect Street, an incumbent on the Board of Assessors, also won another three year stint. All three candidates did not face a challenger.
Town Clerk Szych was re-elected to be the Elector Under The Will of Oliver Smith, a position that seeks residents who qualify for financial assistance in training to work in the trades. Funds for the qualified residents originate from the Smith Foundation in Northampton. Szych said the work of the elector is important because tradespeople are essential to a community.
“I believe in the trades because we need everyone,” Szych said. “A brain surgeon doesn’t call another brain surgeon when their toilet backs up. We need tradespeople to … stay in the area.”
Incumbent cemetery commissioner Robert Flaherty Jr., who lives on Primrose Path, was re-elected for another three year term. Library Trustee Amy Goclowski also did not see a challenger and was voted in for another three years. She is a King Street resident.
Planning Board seats have five year terms. David Bell Jr., a Prospect Street resident and the incumbent, earned 401 votes to challenger Virginia Martell’s 148 votes. Martell lives on West Street and is a newer resident.
“David Bell is a long time Hatfield resident,” Szych said. “I did meet Virginia. She was well-qualified to run for the Planning Board. She has a lot of conservation commission background. She was a good candidate, just probably not as well known as David, which led to that [outcome].”
The five year position on the Redevelopment Authority did not draw a declared candidate. Write in balloting drew four votes for Nathan Bench and four votes for Michael Cahill, which Szych said is a “failure to elect.” The Select Board will appoint someone to the seat.
Question 1 on the ballot asked voters for a debt exclusion to pay for the town’s wastewater treatment plant upgrades, which are extensive. Debt exclusions remove payments on borrowing from calculations of the 2.5 percent ceiling on municipal budget increases mandated by the Proposition 2 1/2 law. A debt exclusion makes room for borrowing that otherwise could not be allowed.
Question 1 passed with 388 yes votes and 221 nays. The town’s business completed for the day, Szych and Assistant Town Clerk Alaina Wilcox began counting the ballots.
“It was absolutely gorgeous,” Szych said of the weather. “It was just friendly, a lot of people having a good time. A lot of the voters had their kids there, the kids were playing in the park. It was very Norman Rockwell.”