ATHOL — Dispatch regionalization and government transparency were on the tip of people’s tongues when the five candidates for two selectmen seats fielded submitted questions ahead of the April 3 election.
Incumbents Anthony Brighenti and Alan Dodge lauded their experience and service while challengers Sarah Gambrell, Holly Young and Rebecca Bialecki made pitches for new perspectives on the board during the forum at Athol High School’s auditorium on Wednesday.
One of the issues focused on was dispatch. The Athol Board of Selectmen in March 2015 entered into an intermunicipal agreement to regionalize its dispatch services. The proposal is to consolidate Athol police and fire dispatch with that of Gardner and operate in a regional emergency communication center in the new Gardner police station. The agreement angered many townspeople who felt it was conceived without much public input and the selectmen voted last month to withdraw from the agreement given the required 18 months’ notice to terminate the plan.
Brighenti and Dodge stressed that residents have always been included in municipal decisions. Gambrell and Young said said the regionalization issue was a big factor in their decision to run for public office. Gambrell, a former Athol Police dispatcher and current dispatcher for Rutland Regional Emergency Communications, was a vocal opponent of regionalization, and Young circulated the petition that created the special town meeting where voters overwhelming favored an article aimed at dismantling the agreement.
In other queries, students in the high school’s advanced placement history class asked the candidates about perceived advantages and disadvantages to bringing businesses to North Quabbin Commons as opposed to downtown Athol.
Bialecki said the two spots are not mutually exclusive and it is important to invest in both to help boost employment and the town’s bottom line. She said it would be great if people shopping at North Quabbin Commons were also encouraged to shop downtown.
Gambrell said she loves grocery shopping at the Market Basket in the plaza, but doesn’t think it drives any traffic to the downtown area. She also said bringing in a full-service restaurant — which has been proposed — will negatively affect full-service restaurants in other parts of town.
Another question asked the candidates was where they see Athol in five years.
Gambrell and Bialecki said they want to increase tourism by taking advantage of the North Quabbin’s recreational offerings. Young said she wants the abandoned houses in town to be torn down or rehabilitated. The challengers said they want taxpayers to have a say in the town’s future, but Dodge said no one but voters raise taxation, as the selectmen and town manager merely put together a proposed budget.