ATHOL — The Selectboard took up the matter of redistricting this week — specifically, making it unmistakable that members do not want to see the town again lumped into a district that includes Greenfield.
Selectboard Chair Rebecca Bialecki, noting that Athol is part of the 2nd Franklin District, explained, “Every 10 years, as a result of census information that is gathered, the state Legislature looks at the House and the Senate to create new district lines, as far as what towns are served within what district. There has been some significant change in our district, as far as some of the numbers.
“Also, every 10 years there is a certain amount of political maneuvering that happens to have people serve in a way that makes sense for every town in that district, and for those representing those towns,” she continued.
Bialecki said some effort has been mounted to once again include Athol and Orange in a district that also serves Greenfield. The three communities, she said, had shared a district prior to the census that was done a decade ago. To do so again, she argued, would be detrimental to the interests of Athol.
“I felt very strongly that that is not in the best interest of Athol,” Bialecki said. “I know we circulated an email (among board members), and I know (Athol Town Manager) Shaun (Suhoski) certainly responded as well to the chair of that (redistricting) committee. In the past, we often got short shrift when it came to allowances of resources that are determined to be sort of Greenfield-centric. We never win when a bigger city is at the top of that heap.
“For the last decade,” her argument continued, “we have seen significant progress here in Athol, certainly. I think that has a lot to do with the way the district has been set. It’s now inclusive of all nine of the North Quabbin towns, plus Templeton and a small sliver of Belchertown.”
Bialecki said it was important to continue to advocate for the existing structure, where Athol and Greenfield have different legislators.
“When we originally changed that,” added board member Stephen Raymond, “that was the exact reason that we wanted to be away from Greenfield. Because everything that went to this district, all of the funding and everything else, was ending up in Greenfield and we were getting, as you say, short shrift.
“So, I think it’s important that we maintain the district the way that it is,” he said. “We don’t know who the representative would be, we don’t know how we would be represented. I mean, in my mind, we would be right back to where we were before.”
“I think the only reason Athol ever got much of anything from the 2nd Franklin District prior to the redistricting,” Bialecki replied, “had to do with the fact we were represented by Chris Donelan, who was a native North Quabbin person. He never forgot that Athol and Orange should get some share. And before that, John Merrigan, who really was tied to Orange and certainly made sure some resources out here were funded.
“But, aside from those little bits and pieces, we didn’t get much,” Bialecki continued. “And that’s not been the case (recently). We’ve seen too much good growth here in town to see anything get in the way of that continuing forward.”
Selectboard member Alan Dodge made a motion to send a “strongly worded letter to the redistricting committee that we need to remain autonomous, as North Quabbin, from any other big city.”
The motion passed unanimously, with the uttering of five emphatic “ayes.”
The 2nd Franklin District — which includes the Franklin County towns of Warwick, Orange, New Salem, Erving, Wendell and Gill — is currently represented by Athol native and independent Susannah Whipps. Prior to Whipps, Democrat Denise Andrews of Orange represented the district.
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.