HADLEY — Three contested elections will be decided by Hadley voters Saturday, with polls at Hopkins Academy open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and social distancing protocols, including mask-wearing, in place.
In addition to four residents running for a three-year position on the Select Board, Mark M. Howard, of 64 Mount Warner Road, is trying to unseat Joseph F. Zgrodnik, of 5 Meadowbrook Drive, for a five-year seat on the Planning Board. In addition, Susan Mosler, of 14 Hockanum Road, is challenging incumbent Richard J. Tessier, of 14 Arrowhead Drive, for a three-year seat on the Board of Health.
Zgrodnik, a retired orthodontist, said his mission in serving on the Planning Board, to which he was first elected in 1975, has been to preserve the rural character of Hadley and its large swaths of agricultural land. During his tenure, Zgrodnik has served on two master plan committees. The reports of these committees have dovetailed with his efforts on long-range planning and creating housing for people of all income levels, noting that Hadley now has the highest percentage of affordable housing in the region.
Howard, an economics professor at Springfield College, said the town should utilize existing commercial zones to diversify the tax base, in part because retail is in decline, and continue to support family farms. Having more multi-unit housing would be worthwhile, though Howard said a challenge is to make that happen without being dominated by college students.
Tessier has served on the health board for 15 years. She said there was significant work to do even before the COVID-19 pandemic, from permitting food and tobacco sales, issuing more than 200 permits, to inspecting restaurants and reviewing septic system plans. Bi-weekly checks of the flea market on Route 47 and the farmers market at the Hampshire Mall also have been among his responsibilities.
“I am retired and enjoy doing it,” Tessier said.
Mosler has spent 35 years as a doctor and said she wants to keep the town safe and healthy. She said she is looking forward to creating policies and guidelines that will help reopen schools. She is worried that the health board completed fewer than 40% of the necessary inspections of food vendors in 2019.
“Our health is our most valuable asset,” Mosler said.
Town Clerk Jessica Spanknebel said voters can mail in their ballots or put them in a drop box located at the side door of Town Hall, though all ballots must be received by the time polls on election day. Residents should reach out to Spanknebel if they need special accommodations at 413-584-1590 or at clerk@hadleyma.org.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
