SOUTHAMPTON — On Tuesday, Southampton voters have four candidates to choose from for just two positions on the Select Board.
Francine Tishman, Matt Roland, George Plouffe and incumbent Charlie Kaniecki laid out their platforms at a candidate forum in Southampton last Thursday.
Kaniecki, current chairman of the Select Board, said that he has been a lifelong resident of Southampton who has been involved in community activities for his whole life.
“Basically, this is my community,” Kaniecki said. “And I see great potential for this community.”
Kaniecki said that serving on the Board of Health and as district health officer has given him a strong understanding of both state and local government. After serving on the Select Board for the past three years, he said he would like to continue serving in that capacity.
Francine Tishman, who grew up in Pittsburgh and moved to Southampton by way of Long Island, said that she loves the town’s open space, beautiful views and reputation of schools.
She also said that since moving to the town in 2008, she has had personal experience with police and ambulance service responding quickly and professionally to her mother’s stroke, which she said contributed to her wanting to give back to the community.
She worked for 26 years with a Abilities Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides training and employment for people with disabilities and, since retiring, has continued consultancy work. She is an extended faculty member for Cornell University and has been a member of the Southampton Finance Committee for six years.
“I believe that my collaborative style in both management and leadership would make me a valuable asset as a member on the Select Board,” Tishman said.
Born in the Pioneer Valley just over the border in Connecticut, Matt Roland said that he has lived in Southampton since just after the big snowstorm of 2011 and works in health care with Stryker Endoscopy.
“I’m in your ORs and this community every single day,” Roland said. “My goal for this town is simple: establish and transparently execute a clear long-term strategy that allows for steady and balanced and sustainable growth.”
His education and life experiences would lend themselves well for Select Board, he said, as would his volunteer work coaching youth athletics.
George Plouffe, who grew up in Amherst before attending the U.S. Naval Academy and serving in the Navy, found his way back to Southampton four years ago, he said.
“Southampton is a great community that I see has a lot of potential,” Plouffe said. “We’re a rural community. We’re not trying to get too over-populated or too commercialized. Realistically, we have to look at our sustainability.”
Plouffe works with children who have been adopted out of foster care as a youth development coordinator for the Treehouse Foundation. He said his military background and experience working with youth would serve him well if elected. He said that working with kids is similar to working with a town as far as addressing ever-changing needs, looking towards the future and working towards self-sustainability.
Plouffe said his goal would be to focus on a master plan for Southampton, looking at all possibilities of new revenue, saving money and taking the burden off taxpayers.
The final candidates on Tuesday’s ballot are:
Robert Floyd for town moderator.
Janine Domina for town clerk.
Jennifer Day for treasurer/collector.
Lise Marie Lemeland for almoner.
Janet Cain and April West for two assessor positions.
Sharon Dawn Hart for Board of Health.
Michael Goyette and Jared Hamel for two constable positions.
Jonathan LaBrie for the Finance Committee.
James Seney for a position with the housing authority.
Maxine Brodeur, Faith Harrison, Convy Stahl, and Jennifer LaBrie for library trustee positions.
Jessica Lee Hufnagle for a library trustee position of one year.
Mark Reed for park commissioner.
George Plouffe for a position with personnel policy and procedure.
Lucinda Palmer for a position on the Planning Board.
Margaret Larson and Tammy Walunas for positions on the Hampshire Regional High School Committee.
Erin Couture and Gregory Bennett for positions on the William E. Norris School Committee.
Ronald Laurin for tree warden.
Mathew Christy for water commissioner.
The four candidates vying for two positions on the Select Board make up the only contested election, now that only two candidates are on the ballot for open constable positions. This listing clarifies an earlier notice of the election in the Gazette which contained outdated election information.
M.J. Tidwell can be reached at mjtidwell@gazettenet.com.