To the Editor:

As chairman of the Chester Board of Selectmen, I had the pleasure of getting to know Ed MacDonald and working with him for over the past year. I first met Ed when the Board of Selectmen was in the process of hiring a town administrator last year at a time of chaos in the Town Hall and significant financial deficits due to cuts in local aid. We chose him because of the breadth and depth of his experience in municipal government that would be instrumental in getting our town back on its feet.

The qualities I like most about Ed was his commitment and dedication to our town and its citizens, the valuable help to the selectboard in closing a large budget deficit while maintaining all services in the FY10 budget, and the fact that he is not afraid to "roll up his sleeves" to get the job done!

I know in my heart that, if elected as your state representative, Ed will most certainly bring these same qualities to his district. He will be the kind of representative we need in Boston, dedicated to his constituents and their quality of life but cognizant of the financial difficulties the people and the state face. He will offer viable solutions to our state’s budget woes while working with his Western Mass. peers to ensure that the state’s budget is equitable. Most importantly, he will work tirelessly on your behalf and get the job done!

On Sept. 14, please vote for Ed MacDonald as your Massachusetts state representative!

Michael W. Crochiere
Chester

To the Editor:

I read with interest the letter to the editor by Herman Bishop in the September 2 Transcript concerning the race for Sherriff. While I know that as a retired police officer, Mr. Bishop has a bias towards a fellow officer, I was left wondering if we had watched the same debate. Dan Bosley clearly had the command of the issues and even Mr. Bishop’s candidate  said that he was one of the "best orators ” in the state. I believe that this is an important quality because the next Sheriff has to be a good communicator. He has to persuade others of his vision and plans. He has to negotiate contracts, sell his budget, apply and win grants, and be very clear as to the rules and regulations of the facility with inmates, guards and others. Being one of the best communicators in the state is a big plus.

However, it is not how you say something that is as important as what you say. Since Mr. Bowler didn’t propose any new ideas to meet the challenges of the jail for the third debate in a row, Mr. Bishop is left to be an apologist for his candidate and can only question the details of Dan  Bosley’ s plan.

I find that I disagree with a lot of the interpretations of the debate from the letter. For example, Mr. Bishop wrote that a lot of the programs proposed are already at the jail. Yet Mr. Bosley has demonstrated many times that the services are not there and that more is needed. Again, you have to listen to the details of the plans to understand this. Mr. Bishop criticized Bosley for the budget cut over the past two years. Notwithstanding the fact that we have been in the worst recession in the past 80 years and all programs have been cut, Mr. Bosley has been the only one who has talked about the need to seek other funding sources. He has also proposed ways to cut expenses by using new technologies and changes in the operation. So far Mr. Bowler hasn’t proposed one budgetary change.

Mr. Bishop poses the question of whether  the correctional officers are police because they direct traffic and wear a badge. I hardly think that directing traffic makes you a police officer. The Sheriff doesn’t investigate crime nor do they act as the police department. This is an administrative job.

One final note on the issue of the Sheriff being the top law enforcement officer in the county. I would ask Mr. Bishop this question: If he were a victim of a crime or saw one in progress, would he call the police department or the Sheriff’s office? Anyone who has attended any of the three debates that have been held can only come away with one inescapable conclusion. The only one of the two candidates who is qualified to become the next Sheriff based on their knowledge of the job, their experience in areas that matter, and their ability to think and communicate is Dan Bosley.
 

Wilfred Parmenter
29 Crandall Street
Adams

To the Editor:

The race for state representative in the 1st Berkshire District is a critical one for the residents of this area. When it comes right down to it, who do you envision being the best candidate to stand up at the State House and do all they can for our district? There is no better choice than Dave Bissaillon. He has a passion for this area that is unparalleled. He is a community leader, a business leader, a strong supporter of many local causes and a volunteer of countless nonprofits. Because of these and many other reasons, I know he will succeed in Boston.

I have known Dave for a number of years including attending Bryant College together. He was extremely involved with the college, just as he is involved with this community. This position represents a perfect opportunity for him to apply all of the experiences, accomplishments and relationships he has towards the betterment of our area.

We live in challenging times locally, and at the state level. It is critical that we elect someone who understands this community and is best able to go to Boston on our behalf, and be effective. Dave spent five years as the president and CEO of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, a position that demanded a regional perspective and the ability to work well with many different stakeholders to get things done. In that time, Dave was very effective in bringing various people together from all over Berkshire County to solve problems and increase collaborative efforts. He understands the importance of education, was involved with the creation of an online county wide building inventory and the advent of the Berkshire Economic Development Corporation among other specific efforts to help the county.

In the end, Dave has a clear track record of community involvement that should be considered strongly when we all vote on Sept. 14. Please join me in supporting Dave Bissaillon for state representative in the 1st Berkshire District on Sept. 14. You will be making the right choice.

Becky Cellana            
North Adams               

To the Editor:

In an ideal world the position of sheriff of Berkshire County would require that applicants apply and the most qualified person would be selected for the position.

Fortunately, we do have a candidate in Tom Bowler, who clearly would be the most qualified applicant regardless of the process. His background in law enforcement and public service makes him the prime candidate to be our next sheriff.

Please mark Tuesday, Sept. 14, on your calendar because this is a primary race and the winner will be decided on this date. Please join me and cast your vote for Tom Bowler, sheriff.

Lorraine Robinson
Adams