Election Checkup: Pittsfield Sees Increased Interest in School Committee

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — More candidates have had their signatures certified and there is now a full slate of interest in the School Committee.

Not long after the City Council averted a petition from Ward 2 Councilor Charles Kronick that imposed a 30-year age requirement to represent Pittsfield schools, two more people have taken out papers for the six-seat board: Stephanie Sabin and Dominick Carmen Sacco.

According to her social media, Sabin works as a patient advocate for bariatric surgery at Berkshire Medical Center.

Kronick had proposed charter modifications that include a minimum 30-year age requirement on School Committee candidates and a one-year "cooling off" period for elected officials and it did not fare well.

A majority of the councilors and some community members spoke against the proposal before Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren called a charter objection.

At the time, only five candidates have taken out papers for the six-seat board, one of whom is 19-year-old William Garrity. The young candidate said people his age are leaving and the city should be enticing them to return.

"By putting an age limit for office, the city would be implying that it does not care about the voices of young people like me in the city," he said.

"How would this implicit statement help to keep and attract young people to the city in a time where it's very much needed for our future?"

A new candidate has also taken out papers for Ward 2, Soncere Williams. According to her Linkedin, she is self-employed as a forensic mitigation social service expert.

Kronick indicated during last week's council meeting that he is dropping out of the race and had not returned nomination papers as of Friday. 

Alisa Costa, who is vying for an at-large seat, has had her signatures certified by the city clerk. Costa was previously running for a Ward 3 and at-large seat and has since withdrawn from the ward race.

As of Friday, eight of the 28 people who took out papers have had their signatures certified and returned to the city clerk's office: mayoral candidate Peter Marchetti, incumbent City Clerk Michele Benjamin, Costa, incumbent Councilor at Large Peter White, at-large candidate Craig Benoit, Ward 3 candidate Bill Tyer, Ward 3 candidate Matthew Wrinn, and incumbent Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey.

The last day to submit nomination papers to the Registrar of Voters for certification is July 21 and the last day to submit papers to the city clerk is Aug. 4. A preliminary election, if needed, is scheduled for Sept. 19 and the general election is on Nov. 7.

Candidate list

MAYOR

Peter Marchetti
John Krol Jr
Craig Gaetani

CITY CLERK

Michele Benjamin

AT LARGE

Earl Persip, III
Peter White
Alisa Costa
Craig Benoit
Karen Kalinowsky
Jonathon Morey

Belchertown Stops Pittsfield Post 68