CUMMINGTON – Voters Monday overwhelmingly elected write-in candidate Bill Adams to the Select Board, unseating incumbent James Drawe.
Adams, of 108 Dodwells Road, won the three-year seat by a vote of 111-29. A retired U.S. Navy officer, Adams runs a Christmas tree farm, Maple East Farm, on his property.
A total of 142 ballots were cast, which is about 20 percent of the town’s registered voters.
A Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion override of $500,000 to repair the roof of the former Berkshire Trail Elementary School was approved by a vote of 96-32. That was necessary after Town Meeting on Friday approved the expense.
In a telephone interview Monday evening, Adams said that he was overwhelmed by his win.
“Jim has been on the board for 25 years and thought this probably wouldn’t happen. It is very humbling,” Adams said. “I want to thank the citizens of Cummington for having confidence in me and I hope I earn their trust and belief that we can make good things happen in town.”
Adams previously said he was running for Select Board because of encouragement by friends and neighbors, and his decision was not issue-driven but he was motivated by a desire to serve the town.
Drawe could not be reached for comment Monday night.
Voters also reelected incumbents Jill Figliozzi, of Nash Road, and Geraldine Wilcox, of Porter Hill Road, to two, three year-terms on the Finance Committee.
The following incumbents ran unopposed and were re-elected:
Richard Roberge, 26 Main St., assessor, three years; Mark Bevan, 83 Porter Hill Road, assessor three years; Donna Forgea, 6 Porter Hill Road, moderator, one year; Theodore Lynds, 7 Bates Road, vocational school committee, three years; Bernard Forgea, 585 Berkshire Trail, almoner of charitable funds, three years; Joyce Wiernasz, 12 Swift River Road, commissioner of trust funds, three years; Donna Forgea, 6 Porter Hill Road, water commissioner, three years.
Also, Deborah Hoechstetter, 45 Luther Shaw Road, trustee of the Bryant Free Library, five years; Gregory Tessier, 60 Fairgrounds Road, trustee of the Bryant Free Library, one year; Roger Gunn, 768 Berkshire Trail, Board of Health, three years; Kalyan Uprichard, Board of Health, two years; Kathryn Harrison, 28 Main St., Planning Board, five years.
Also, Nicole Wortis, 71 Trouble Street, and Geraldine Wilcox, 142 Porter Hill Road, Recreation and Pettingill Memorial Field Committee, three years; Sharon Cunningham, 25 Main St., and Michael Perkins III, 94 Fairgrounds Road, constables, three years; James Drawe, 28 Wilder Road, councilor for Hampshire Council of Governments, two years.