The last-minute write-in campaigns for Planning Board resulted in higher than normal write-in votes — 306 — for Monday's election.
DALTON, Mass. — The unofficial results for the town's annual election indicate that Planning Board registered candidate William Striebel III and write-in candidate Richard Hall have secured the two seats.
Some 413 voters cast their ballots at the Senior Center on Monday. There were 82 mail-in ballots.
The Planning Board race began with just one candidate for the two available positions, leaving one vacancy initially unfilled, but as Election Day approached, two additional candidates launched write-in campaigns, transforming it into a competitive contest.
The Planning Board saw a significant number of write-in votes, totaling 306. Striebel secured 238 votes, Hall 163, and Mary Tresa Devereaux with 133.
Both Hall and Devereaux have been endorsed by the Dalton Clear Air Coalition, of which Hall is a member, and Democratic Town Committee.
Hall decided to run for Planning Board last Monday inspired by the Berkshire Concrete situation wanting to ensure that the company follows the town's zoning bylaws.
"Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I look forward to helping the town. It's a privilege being on the Planning Board," he said.
In the position, Hall hopes the board works as a team to update zoning laws and ensure zoning is properly followed.
iBerkshires called Striebel, also a newcomer, for comment, but at the time of publication had not heard back.
However, during his campaign, Striebel highlighted his experience running a small trucking business that hauls quarry materials and performs state snowplowing contracts. This experience, he said, taught him the value of hard work, responsibility, problem-solving, and collaboration.
In a Facebook post prior to the elections, Striebel shared his concern stemming from Berkshire Concrete's lawsuit against the town, cautioning that there is a "very small window left for meaningful negotiation, every word counts and each word needs to reach for common ground."
"Like many residents, I have watched from the sidelines as concerns over dust from the Berkshire Concrete Corporation gravel mining operation have grown into a major issue for nearby residents and for the Town," he wrote. "I also recognize that the resulting lawsuit will be quite costly and difficult for everyone involved."
Incumbent John Boyle and newcomer Jeannie Ingram have successfully been elected to the Select Board for the three-year positions. Boyle raked-in 294 votes and Ingram won 350 votes. The uncontested race had 41 write-in votes.
Results for other seats; all uncontested:
Moderator: incumbent Anthony Doyle, 364 votes; Cemetery Trustee: Mary Cherry, 372 votes; Finance Committee: Diane Lowe: 356; two library trustees: incumbents Max Ehrlich, 347 votes, and Fred Sears, 374 votes.
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Lanesborough OKs Open Space Plan, Short-Term Rental Forms
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday set fees for short-term rentals and adopted an Open Space and Recreation Plan.
Town Administrator Gina Dario discussed the draft for STR registration and certificate of inspection since the new bylaws were passed at the annual town meeting.
The draft shows the process to file for inspection through Permit Eyes, the town's online permitting system that includes the state building code and safety requirements. Dario said members of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals and the building commissioner looked at other town models to come up with the best process for registration.
Inspections will be annually for non-owner occupied units and five years for owner-occupied. The inspection fee is a flat $50. The last suggestion discussed was the posting requirements for key information.
Dario said they looked at about four other communities on how they used non-sensitive information on owner contacts. Chair Deborah Maynard motioned to have the information posted both inside and out to help with law enforcement if needed.
"I'm going to make a motion that we put that relevant information not only on the inside of the short-term rental but on the outside, so if the police need to respond, ambulance needs to respond, fire especially needs to respond, all that information is there, nobody has to go searching for it," she said. "If push comes to shove, and it's a matter of minutes, that's going to make a big, a big difference in the outcome of the incident."
The board then heard a presentation from Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's community planner Andrew McKeever and Open Space and Recreation Committee Vice Chair Mark Hawthorne.
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