Pittsfield General Election Includes All Positions
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Voters will elect a mayor, city clerk, City Council, and School Committee tomorrow.
Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and there are races in all but three wards — Wards 1, 4 and 5 — and School Committee. There is also one non-binding ballot question asking if there should be a residency requirement for the police chief, fire chief, and public services manager.
Peter Marchetti, the current City Council president, and John Krol, a former councilor, are running to replace Mayor Linda Tyer in the corner office.
Krol has worked in communications, including for former Mayor James Ruberto, and has owned a media business for a decade. He has promised change in the city, which includes fiscal transparency in the form of an independent audit of the city and a new finance director.
He has also called for downtown revitalization, better public services, a friendlier business environment, and improvements to the school district.
Marchetti is running on his experience which includes a 35-year career with the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank and decades in public service through boards, commissions, and organizations.
Among his promises are a task force to address mental health and substance use disorder, an overhaul of the city's infrastructure, and a new policing philosophy that goes along with the new chief.
Brittany Bandani and Alex Blumin are running to replace Charles Kronick in Ward 2.
Bandani is a newcomer to Pittsfield and to politics and feels that much of local governance relies on simple questions about money, the community's needs, safety, business, and making the city a desirable place to live.
Blumin is running to represent homeowners, business owners, and taxpayers in the city, promising that he will listen to the constituents of his ward before anyone else. He moved to the United States from Ukraine in the 1990s and is now a landlord for low-income and disabled tenants.
Matthew Wrinn and Bill Tyer are running to replace Kevin Sherman in Ward 3.
Wrinn has a background in criminal justice and is focused on public safety and, in terms of ward issues, he's heard from residents about flooding concerns and the recent installation of large speed bumps on a few streets in the ward.
Tyer has almost 40 years' worth of public and private experience and believes the ward needs to get its fair share of services and respective money to service those needs.
Ward 6 incumbent Dina Lampiasi is being challenged by Craig Gaetani.
Lampiasi, elected in 2019, has worked in state and municipal government and public service nonprofit agencies and wants to continue her work in the ward. She recognizes that taxes and infrastructure are unifying topics among constituents.
Gaetani is a veteran and an engineer, and one of the inventors of the processes used in the city's water treatment plants, which he regularly speaks about during open microphone at City Council meetings. He also sees the 9 percent rise in the city budget this year and the conditions of the roads as concerning.
Ward 7 Incumbent Anthony Maffuccio is being challenged by Rhonda Serre.
Maffuccio has served the ward for a total of about 10 years and wants to continue being a voice for constituents. He believes the ward is unique in that it has two lakes that are a big draw in the city and projects including several bridges and Wahconah Park that need to be addressed or completed.
Serre has worked in finance and for state and federal representatives and is running to be a leader that is responsive, active, engaged, and leads with conviction and transparency.
There are seven candidates running to fill the four at-large seats: incumbents Earl Persip III and Peter White, and Alisa Costa, Craig Benoit, Lucas Marion, Daniel Miraglia, and Kathleen Amuso
White, who is the council vice present, has served for a total of 10 years as a Ward 2 and at-large councilor. He wants to continue being approachable, accessible, and dedicated to improving the community and said he takes feedback from constituents seriously.
Persip has served for three terms and is passionate about Pittsfield, wanting to see the community and each of its citizens succeed.
Amuso is a former councilor at large and has more than 30 years of tenure with Berkshire Medical Center. She wants Pittsfield to be a city that people can be proud of and wants to work collaboratively to address homelessness, drug abuse, safety, infrastructure, job creation, education, panhandlers, and fiscal responsibility.
Benoit owns the Hot Dog Ranch and wants to help make Pittsfield the best place to live and raise a family like he did. He believes in the power of small businesses, quality education, and public safety.
Miraglia is a lifelong city resident and wants to be a new voice on the council, advocating for better management of the downtown, re-evaluating bike lanes, and doing away with parking meters. He would also like to see better management of the city's lakes and ponds.
Costa is a community organizer who ran Working Cities Pittsfield and has 25 years of public policy experience. Through her work she learned about city systems and why they do not work for people, inspiring her to run.
Marion owns Otto's Kitchen and Comfort and his lifelong journey in Pittsfield has been shaped by its streets, schools, and vibrant community. He wants to address issues related to housing, homelessness, mental health, safety, and the need for equitable budget reform.
Kenneth Warren is running unopposed in Ward 1, James Conant in Ward 4, and Patrick Kavey in Ward 5. All three are incumbents.
Six candidates are running to fill six seats on the School Committee: incumbents Sara Hathaway, William Cameron and Daniel Elias, and William Garrity Jr., Dominick Sacco and Diana Belair.
Incumbent City Clerk Michele Benjamin is running opposed.
Polling Locations:
* Ward 1, Precinct A: Reid Middle School, 950 North St.
* Ward 1, Precinct B: Reid Middle School, 950 North St.
* Ward 2, Precinct A: Morningside Community School, 100 Burbank St.
* Ward 2, Precinct B: Somerset Fire Station, Somerset Ave.
* Ward 3, Precinct A: Providence Court, 379 East St.
* Ward 3, Precinct B: Egremont Elementary School, 84 Egremont Ave.
* Ward 4, Precinct A: Herberg Middle School, 501 Pomeroy Ave.
* Ward 4, Precinct B: Williams School, 50 Bushey Road
* Ward 5, Precinct A: Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Ave.
* Ward 5, Precinct B: Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Ave.
* Ward 6, Precinct A: Columbia Arms Housing, 65 Columbus Ave.
* Ward 6, Precinct B: Conte Community School, 200 W. Union St.
* Ward 7, Precinct A: Fire Station, 54 Peck's Road
* Ward 7, Precinct B: Capeless Elementary School, 86 Brooks Ave.
Tags: election 2023, municipal election,
