DALTON, Mass. — iBerkshires.com is hosting a Select Board candidate forum at the Senior Center on Thursday, April 24, at 6 p.m. 

 

Pittsfield Bureau Chief Brittany Polito will ask the candidates questions curated from voter submissions. 

 

The number of questions will be limited by the 90-minute time limit. Each candidate will begin with a two-minute opening statement. Following this, Polito will ask questions. 

 

For every question, the candidates will each have up to 1 1/2 minutes to answer, followed by 30 seconds each to rebut or follow up. The moderator can allow for further debate on a particular question if needed. 

 

At the conclusion of the event, each candidate will have up to 90 seconds to deliver a closing statement.  

 

The event is also being livestreamed on the iBerkshiresTV YouTube channel and broadcast on Dalton Community Cable Association's Channel 1301 in Dalton.  

 

The election is at the Senior Center, located at 40 Field St., on May 12 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Don’t forget to also attend the town meeting on Monday, May 5, at 7 p.m. at Wahconah Regional High School. 

 

Background on Candidates 

 

Marc Strout 

 

Strout has served on the Select Board for nine years, including a stint as vice chair.  In addition, he has been a police officer for thirty years and currently serves as a Patrol Captain.

 

"I feel that being on the Selectboard for nine years has made me understand that in this position you have to make tough decisions and that the residents elect you to this position to represent them in making these decisions," he said. 

 

"Making these decisions and being able to effectively communicate why you made those decisions is key."

 

The town is at a crossroads, which propelled him to run for reelection. There has recently been a lot of negative, and Strout said he refuses "to allow our great town to go down that road." 

 

"When I initially ran for Select Board, communication between the town and the residents was poor but my use of social media has improved this," he said. 

 

Strout runs a Facebook page: "Marc Strout, Town of Dalton Selectman," which he and residents use to stay informed about Dalton news, businesses, initiatives, and events. 

 

If re-elected, he is committed to addressing residents' concerns and moving the town forward while "continuing to be a good steward of taxpayer money," he said

 

"I also have had recent discussions in regard to trying to open up our downtown and attract new business and restaurants."

 

Robert Collins

 

Collins is the newest member of the Select Board after being elected during the special election in February. 

 

He highlighted his "sense of commitment to the town" and "strong desire to contribute to making Dalton’s  future as strong as possible." 

 

Collins said he has also been very active in helping residents, including the people and town staff, dealing with the complaints of sand from Berkshire Concrete. 

 

Collins also serves on the Planning Board, a seat he has held for a year and is the town’s delegate on the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. 

 

Additionally, he was the President of The Massachusetts Association of Professional Foresters for 7 years and was on the Forest Reserve Committee for the Secretary of States forum.  

 

Collins highlighted his experience running their own business, REWC Land Management, Inc., an environmental and landscape construction company, where he has experience in contract negotiations, project planning, budgeting, and knowledge of bidding and procurement ethics, as well as project planning.

 

Collins said his vision for the community includes, maintaining accountability and accessibility as a Select Board member, promoting an easily accessible, responsive, and transparent town government, and achieving improved financial stability through long-range planning, and the proposed Capital Planning Committee to reduce tax increases.

 

Additionally, he hopes to encourage the enhancement of town infrastructure with the help of a revitalized stormwater commission and will advocate for increased green energy initiatives to assist residents in adapting to climate change.

 

William Drosehn

 

Drosehn was raised in a family involved in local government in Hinsdale. His father served as the Department of Public Works Superintendent, and his mother was a Town Assessor. He has always wanted to follow in their footsteps.

 

Residents have encouraged him to run, especially considering the recent financial challenges the town has faced, he said.

 

"I share their concern and feel my Finance Committee experience positions me well to help. Since I believe the town will be well served through better long-range financial planning and then basing annual spending on that plan, these challenges will be my first priority," Drosehn said.

 

He also aims to engage Dalton residents outside Select Board meeting, have the town pay "greater attention" to infrastructure such as roads and sidewalks. 

 

Other priorities he highlighted included exploring getting a solar field on the old Dalton landfill so there can be incentive monies available to help people make climate change preparations and beginning the search for opportunities for the town to bring money into the general fund other than taxes.

 

Drosehn has been on the Dalton Finance Committee since 1995, serving as chair for over 7 years, and said you can know everything about the town being on that committee. Additionally, he has served on the traffic commission for 8 years, the last 5 as chair.

 

Drosehn highlighted his 28 years of experience as the State Department of Transportation Bridge Inspector, serving 15 years, running a business, plus other experiences that have gained him negotiation skills. 

 

Antonio Pagliarulo

 

Pagliarulo has been volunteering for the town in one capacity or another since 1987, beginning by serving on the Dalton Finance Committee until 1995. 

 

Currently, he is involved in the Public Safety Facility Committee and has advocated for changing town bylaws to allow additional dwelling units while promoting green initiatives like electric vehicle charging stations and community composting.

 

Additionally, he served on the committee to repurpose the old Dalton High School building.

 

Pagliarulo highlighted how he has seen the town change over two-plus decades, including hiring the  first Town Manager and overcoming a "major fiscal crisis which resulted in the closure of town offices on Fridays." 

 

"I’ve learned the importance of listening, asking questions, and being informed before acting.

I’m intent on providing for the safety and well-being of Dalton," he said. 

 

"I understand that Dalton must adapt to these changing times, mindful of our community’s culture."

 

Pagliarulo emphasized his background as a special education teacher and his leadership roles, including serving as executive secretary/president of the Central Berkshire Teachers Association (2002-2006) and as Massachusetts Teachers Association regional district director (2006-2010). 

 

As a director, he was the first chair of the committee, which eventually crafted and secured passage of the Fair Share Amendment in our commonwealth, he said. 

 

He also renovated two houses in Dalton after obtaining a Massachusetts Building Supervisor License and represented the Central Berkshire Regional School District on the Board of the County Schools Credit Union (1995-2000).