West Stockbridge — Moments after the West Stockbridge polls closed at 7 p.m. on May 13, Town Clerk Ronni Barrett announced the winner of the open seat on the town’s Select Board as incumbent Andrew Krouss, with 275 votes, over challenger Wayne Cooper, who garnered 213 votes. There were three blank votes. Barrett commented that the voter turnout, at 491 voters, was “unusually large.” That turnout represented 43 percent of the 1,139 total registered voters.
Krouss said he was feeling “very, very happy” shortly after the results were posted. “It wasn’t contentious, per se,” he said of the campaign with Cooper. “I’m just as happy that we didn’t have a debate. I’m just as happy that we didn’t have to do a lot of stuff that goes on nationally. And, I’m happy with the results.”
With a Select Board meeting set for May 14 at 6 p.m. listing a hearty agenda, Krouss said he is ready to get back to work “tomorrow, with boots on the ground running.”
“I want to thank everybody on my committee, Vicki Bonnington and Sandra Hotchkiss, and everybody else, especially my wife Lorrin Kantor,” he said.
Cooper said he had no regrets about the campaign. “I did my best,” he said.
For Moderator-elect Joseph Roy Jr., the new title will be challenging, acknowledging he has “a really, really tough act to follow” after the departure of Eugene Dellea who has held the position for 58 years, earning the distinction of being the Commonwealth’s longest running moderator.
Roy received 439 votes, with four write-ins and 48 blanks noted for the position.
Roy said he was feeling “overwhelmed” as Barrett announced his name and said Dellea agreed to help him out when he needs it. “I’m buying all the manuals I can find and studying,” he said jokingly. “I will make mistakes, but I’m going to do my best.”
Rounding out the election were Susan Lupo for the Board of Assessors (398 votes, 93 blanks or blank spaces on the ballot); Frank Landsberger (359 votes) and Mark Greenlaw (349 votes) with three write-ins and 271 blanks for three-year terms for the Finance Committee; Jared Gelormino (373 votes, four write-ins, 114 blanks) for a two-year term on the Planning Board; Andrew Fudge (385 votes, one write-in, 105 blanks) for a five-year term on the Planning Board; Kathryn Korte (430 votes, 61 blanks) for the Board of Health; Beth Sack (413 votes, 78 blanks) for Library Trustee; and Earl Moffatt (397 votes, one write-in, 93 blanks) for Cemetery Commission.
Voters overwhelmingly approved adopting a senior exemption for property taxes by a vote of 397 to 36, with 58 blanks.
