Clarksburg Petition Calls for Changing Elected Positions to Appointed

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Three elected positions could become appointed if voters agree with a petition likely to be placed on the town meeting warrant.

Seventeen people signed a petition presented to the Selectmen on Wednesday night to make the tax collector, town clerk and treasurer appointed positions. It was not clear Thursday if the signatures had been certified but it takes only 10 registered voters to have anything placed on the warrant.

The petition was submitted by Mary Giron of Hayden Hill Road. Giron, contacted Thursday night, said it shouldn't be construed as being against any one person or position; it was about accessibility and accountability.

"For the most part, I think the town has been run OK, but I think we need to be proactive," she said. "There is no quick recourse if we have problems with any people in those positions ... the select board can't do anything about it."

There is a recall option but by time it could be brought to bear, the individual may be out of office, she said.

Giron was one of a number of upset residents who spoke at a recent Selectmen's meeting after the state ordered the town to replenish the sewer enterprise fund with $30,000, forcing an increase in the property tax. Collections of payments from sewer users had fallen behind enough to put the fund in the red.

Tax Collector Melissa McGovern Wandrei said at the time it was caused in part because a larger percentage than normal had not paid and software glitches had hampered collection efforts.

Giron said Thursday that it seemed many people didn't understand how the town operated when the sewer issue came up.

"It's just like any other business ... if the positions are appointed you can interview [candidates], have their credentials and a job description. If they don't follow it, they can be let go."

Attempts to make town positions, in particular the collector position, appointed in the past have been defeated. If the petition passes town meeting, it would still have to be passed again as a ballot item at the next town election.

Also at Wednesday night's meeting, Town Manager Michael Canales updated the board on an information session held on the proposed senior housing project on Cross Road.

About 30 people attended the focus group meeting on Wednesday afternoon at the Senior Center. Canales said on Thursday taht they had been asked to give a wish list of what they'd like the housing project to have. "Right now nothing is off-limits," he said. "Obviously, reality will set in once we begin planning."

The overwhelming wish was for outside spaces, he said, like patios, barbecue areas, picnic tables, gardens and maybe a greenhouse. They also suggested small sheds for each unit for storage.

The next session will be held Thursday, April 2, from 6 to 7 at the Senior Center.
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Trump Elected 47th US President

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

On Wednesday morning, some woke up with a sense of victory and others with a sense of fear.

Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Tuesday after a tight race with Democrat Kamala Harris. According to the Associated Press, Trump has secured 51 percent of the vote to Harris' 47.5 percent.

Trump has 292 of the required 270 electoral votes, with Harris garnering 224.

The former president delivered his victory speech in West Palm Beach Wednesday morning while the crowd chanted "USA, USA, USA." He called this the "greatest political movement of all time" and promised to deliver the "golden age of America."

"We're going to help our country heal. Help our country heal. We have a country that needs help and it needs help very badly. We're going to fix our borders. We're going to fix everything about our country," Trump said.

"We've made history for a reason tonight and the reason is going to be just that we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible and it is now clear that we've achieved the most incredible political thing."

Harris was to deliver a concession speech at 4 p.m. at Howard University in Washington.

AP called this an "extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts."

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