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Pittsfield Will Hold Preliminary Election on Sept. 19

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is expected to hold a preliminary election on Sept. 19 to trim the candidate fields for mayor, Ward 2 and Ward 7, barring any last-minute withdrawals.

Friday was the last day to submit nomination papers to the Registrar of Voters for certification and preliminary ballot positions will be drawn on Aug. 10. Each of the three contested position will be narrowed down to two candidates on Sept. 19 in preparation for the general election on Nov. 7.

Peter Marchetti, John Krol and Karen Kalinowsky are now the three certified candidates running to replace Mayor Linda Tyer, who is not seeking re-election.

Craig Gaetani and David Webber had pulled papers but never returned them.

Krol is a former city councilor and Marchetti and Kalinowsky are current city councilors. This is the second mayoral bid for both Marchetti and Kalinowsky.

In Ward 2, Soncere Williams, Alexander Blumin and Brittany Bandani are vying for the seat. Current Councilor Charles Kronick is not seeking re-election.

And in Ward 7, incumbent Anthony Maffuccio is being challenged by Jonathan Morey and Rhonda Serre.

The other races did not meet the criteria for a preliminary. 

Incumbent Kenneth Warren is unopposed for Ward 1.

Bill Tyer and Matthew Wrinn are running in Ward 3 to replace current Councilor Kevin Sherman, who is not seeking re-election.

Incumbent James Conant is unopposed in Ward 4 and incumbent Patrick Kavey is unopposed in Ward 5.

Gaetani has been certified to run for Ward 6 against incumbent Dina Lampiasi.

At-large candidates include incumbents Earl Persip III and Peter White, former councilor Kathleen Amuso, and newcomers Alisa Costa, Craig Benoit, Lucas Marion and Daniel Miraglia.

For School Committee, William Garrity, Dominick Sacco, Diana Belair and incumbents Sara Hathaway, William Cameron, and Daniel Elias are in the running.

The last day to register to vote for the preliminary election is Sept. 9.

Candidate list

MAYOR

Peter Marchetti
John Krol Jr
Karen Kalinowsky

CITY CLERK

Michele Benjamin

AT LARGE

Earl Persip, III
Peter White
Alisa Costa
Craig Benoit
Lucas Marion
Daniel Miraglia 
Kathleen Amuso

WARD 1

Kenneth Warren. Jr 

WARD 2

Soncere Williams
Alexander Blumin
Brittany Bandani

WARD 3


Bill Tyer
Matthew Wrinn

WARD 4

James Conant

WARD 5

Patrick Kavey

WARD 6

Craig Gaetani
Dina Lampiasi

WARD 7

Anthony Maffuccio
Jonathon Morey
Rhonda Serre

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

William Garrity Jr.
Sara Hathaway
William Cameron
Daniel Elias
Dominick Sacco
Diana Belair

 


Tags: election 2023,   municipal election,   


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Lanesborough Picks Information Panel for Public Safety Proposal

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town has a public safety building proposal to present to taxpayers, and now, an informational committee will help move the process forward.

On Monday, the Select Board voted to form a public safety building informational outreach committee and re-appointed four members: Dean Clement, Daniel MacWhinnie, Mark Siegars, and Lisa Dachinger.

"The Public Safety Building Committee has done their job. Now we need, hopefully with some of those same bodies, to form a new committee of some type and move forward," Select Board member Timothy Sorrell explained.

Earlier this month, the town officials voted to advance a $7.3 million combined police/emergency medical services facility to town meeting, discarding the option for a $6.5 million separate build.  The same design, then priced at $5.9 million, was shot down in 2023.

"There is the option to go to what could be a debt exclusion, which requires a two-thirds majority at either a special town meeting or an annual town meeting, and that can be followed by inclusion in a ballot," Town Administrator Gina Dario said.

Siegars advised that if the question goes to a ballot first with a fixed project budget, that amount can't be changed for a subsequent special town meeting vote.

"In our discussions, there are committee members who are willing to stay on if you wanted to continue the committee or appoint to new one, who have volunteered to be involved with any public information sessions to try to answer the questions with the idea that that they would also explore further and work with Gina and town counsel on specifically what the question should be for a special town meeting, and if, if warranted a subsequent ballot vote," he reported.

Chairman Michael Murphy echoed the former committees' arguments that the town can't explore grants and financing until it has approved an amount.

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