Veteran Athol selectman seeks return to board

ATHOL – Former Selectboard member Bill Chiasson is hoping to return to the board next month as he faces three challengers in a special election to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of former board member Andy Sujdak.

Chaisson,72, returned to Athol in January after several years living in Florida.

“I grew up in Athol,” he said. “I lived here for 68 years until I moved to Florida five years ago. I went to Athol High School and after graduating from college I returned to AHS where I taught mathematics. I served as assistant principal at the high school and was principal at the middle school for a year before I retired. I spent 33 years in the district, then I did five years up at Keene High School as an assistant principal.”

Chiasson said he returned to Athol for family reasons.

“I moved up here in the middle of January, in time to run for the seats for the regular election in April, if I had wanted to,” he said. “I did have some people tell me I should run, but it would have been a quick turnaround and I had other things going on in my life at the time. I said, ‘If I want to run, I’ll wait until next year.’”

However, when a vacancy opened up in April, Chiasson decided to jump in the race. He said he enjoyed serving on the board prior to his move to the Sunshine State.

“Recall that was during Covid,” he said, “so it was a very awkward time, a very difficult time. We were meeting on Zoom, then when we met in person we had to meet spaced apart; it was difficult for me to really get a handle on everything that I was trying to learn and figure out. It was a complicated time.”

At the time, Chiasson was also serving as a member of the Athol Royalston Regional School Committee.

“So, now I have another opportunity to give back to a community that has given a lot to me over the years,” he explained. “Hopefully, if I get this seat, we won’t have any more Covid and things will be a little easier this time around.”

Chiasson said he is entering the race with a positive outlook for the town.

“I do love the way things are going in this town as far as infrastructure is concerned,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of bridges that have been replaced or are in the process of being replaced. We also have the Five Points project getting underway around Chestnut Hill Avenue and Crescent Street; that has been needed for a long time.”

Chiasson said he is also impressed with the transformation of the old Silver Lake School into apartments, a project being undertaken by a private developer. He added that he is impressed with the progress being made at the former Riverbend and Bigelow schools, which are also being rehabbed for mixed income and elderly housing.

Chiasson said he would like to see more activity when it comes to dilapidated and abandoned buildings in Athol.

“All the buildings that we have the big red Xs on,” he said, “we really need to start doing something. They’re eyesores, they’re not safe. Kids can get in there to play and get hurt. I know there is some work going on relative to that issue, but we really need to make an extra effort toward getting those buildings either upgraded or removed. And we have a lot of them.”

In addition, said Chiasson, “The budget is a concern. This year we could possibly be in the same straits that the Town of Orange has been in. We need to really start putting together a plan to make things work.”

The candidate said he would need to take time to examine the town’s finances more closely and work cooperatively with fellow board members to develop a budget that works best for Athol.

Asked if he had particular message for Athol residents, Chiasson said, “Yes; no matter who you plan to vote for, get out and vote.”

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.