Recall questions on the May 16 town election ballot are aimed at removing Kenneth Elstein and Selectmen James A. Barry and George D. Archible from office.
Kenneth ElsteinBELCHERTOWN – Faced with one of three recall drives, Selectman Kenneth E. Elstein is campaigning to keep his seat by stressing experience in budget and economic development matters and strides made in bringing grant money to town.
“It takes time to get the kind of experience you need to figure out the very difficult budgets we have for this year and next year,” Elstein said. “Now we have that experience.”
Recall questions on the May 16 town election ballot are aimed at removing Elstein and Selectmen James A. Barry and George D. Archible from office.
In each case there is a two-step process. If the majority vote to recall a selectman, then there will be a contest elsewhere on the ballot for who gets to finish the remainder of the selectman’s term in office.
The votes in those contests for the remainder of the term would not be counted if the majority votes negatively on the recall question.
The incumbent selectmen are eligible to run in the contest for the remainder of the term if the recall vote goes against them, and Elstein, Barry and Archible have all qualified for the ballot for the remainders of their own terms.
Matthew Jackson is also running for the remainder of Elstein’s term, which would be for one year after May 16.
Elstein said keeping him in office along with Barry and Archible would help with the economic development proposals at the former Belchertown State School and Cold Spring Golf Course.
“The thing I fear is that if the people of Belchertown vote for instability, it might scare away these serious outside investors,” Elstein said. “They need confidence that they know who they are dealing with.”
Elstein said that in his two years on the Board of Selectmen, he has shown vision and helped bring in grant money for energy efficiency upgrades and other projects.
The recall drives were organized by people who objected to Elstein, Archible and Barry voting initially against offering a contract renewal to Police Chief Francis R. Fox Jr.
Archible and Elstein subsequently voted to reconsider the original vote and took part in a vote to offer Fox a new contract, which he and the selectmen have since signed.
The three selectmen were criticized for not listening to the will of the people, but Elstein said he and his colleagues have listed telephone numbers and town government email addresses and do listen to and respond to residents’ comments.