Overview:
Jon Costa, a former member of the Petersham Selectboard, is running for the Athol Selectboard vacancy created by Andy Sujdak's resignation. Costa, who has lived in Athol for 23 years, has previously served on the Athol Fire Department Staffing Advisory Committee and is committed to fully staffing the Fire Department. He also cited public safety and housing as important issues that need the board's attention.
ATHOL – Jon Costa hopes to bring his past experience on the Petersham Selectboard to bear as a member of Athol’s board.
Athol voters will choose from among four candidates to fill the Selectboard vacancy created by April’s resignation of Andy Sujdak. Along with Costa, the other candidates are Bill Chaisson, Jeffrey Raymond and Russ Raymond.
If elected, this would not be Costa’s first turn at being a Selectboard member, having served eight years on Petersham’s Selectboard in the early 1980s. Most recently, he served on the Athol Fire Department Staffing Advisory Committee, which recommended passage of a $286,000 Proposition 2 ½ override to fund the hiring of three new firefighters. Athol voters approved the override in April 2024.
“There are some things that you absolutely need to run a town; you can’t just go in and start cutting funds without knowing the impact.”
Jon Costa
Costa said there was no one issue which inspired him to run for the Selectboard.
“I just want to serve the town,” he said. “Having been a selectman in Petersham, I know what the job is about. It’s a bit more involved now that it used to be but I’m sure I can do the job; I know I can contribute.”
A native of Petersham, Costa has lived in Athol for 23 years. After working for Petersham’s Public Works Department, Costa went to work at Union Twist Drill in Athol. After a brief stint at Petersham Oil, he went to work for MassDOT, where he was a maintenance supervisor before retiring.
Costa said he remains committed to fully staffing the Fire Department.
“The Police Department is fully staffed and we need to get the Fire Department fully staffed,” he said.
With passage of the override last year, the department is now able to staff each of its four shifts with four firefighters.
Costa said he is not making any assumptions when it comes to budgeting for the town.
“I would need to see more closely what’s going on after I’m elected,” he said. “There are some things that you absolutely need to run a town; you can’t just go in and start cutting funds without knowing the impact.”
He said housing is another issue that needs the board’s attention.
“The way the housing market is now is terrible,” said Costa, who argued caution is needed when trying to address the issue. “I don’t know how much more the town can do without taxing the people. If the town wanted to renovate more buildings, unless they got grants, I don’t see how the town could afford to do it.”
Costa said public safety is an important issue, citing his 27 years as a firefighter and 19 as a police officer, adding that he is familiar with the role of the Department of Public Works.
“A lot of people don’t realize that in the winter, while everybody else is sleeping, these people are out maintaining the roads,” Costa said. “All of these people are working hard to serve the town.”
The special election will take place on Monday, Sept. 8. Polls at Town Hall will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The deadline to register to vote in the election is Aug. 29. For further information, call the Town Clerk’s Office at 978-721-8445 or email vote@townofathol.org.
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.