PETERSHAM – Nearly 30% of the town’s 1,106 registered voters turned out and, by a 173-100 margin, chose Michael Shamgochian over Patric Gillespie to fill a vacancy on the Selectboard in Monday’s special election.
A special election held in September of last year which also featured a race for Selectboard only saw 15% of registered voters, and turnout for an August 2023 special election drew only 9%.
“I’m very grateful to everyone who voted,” Shamgochian, university law professor, said the day after the election. “And I’m grateful to Patric for standing up to run. Getting all those votes is a great thing and I know we haven’t seen the last of his name on Petersham ballots. So, I think that’s a very good development.”
Gillespie, a U.S. Army veteran and local businessman thanked all the voters who showed up to cast ballots, adding, “I know Mike will do a fine job. I’ve offered my assistance should he ever find himself in need of it. I plan to continue my current work with the community.”
As for mounting another campaign for Selectboard next April, Gillespie said, “I guess it all depends on where I can be the most useful when the time comes. I hope the town continues to advance, while holding onto what makes Petersham a warm, welcoming and historic community in which to live.”
Shamgochian will serve until the annual town election in April, when the term he is filling the remainder of ends. He said he will use that time to better familiarize himself with the duties of the office.
“I make no promises on running next April,” he said, “but I have been reading the Mass Municipal Association handbook for Selectboard members, which has been incredibly helpful.”
Shamgochian said he has also been attending local meetings, “so I think I will hit the ground running.
“I’ve been really impressed with some of the issues brought up by the other members, like process improvements,” he said.
Having done pro bono work for the town on the Sunpin Energy suit, he added, “I learned a lot about our Zoning Board of Appeals and our bylaws.”
Shamgochian said once he decided to run, he sought out current and former town officials for advice.
“They said they were really happy to serve, and they told me, yes, it is a learning experience. That’s what brought me to run,” he added. “I enjoyed learning about the town and about the position. The reason I wanted to get involved is because people were very welcoming and offered a really nice pathway into serving.”
Voters also overwhelmingly approved a pair of Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusions. The first, seeking $600,000 for a new tanker for the Fire Department, passed by a vote of 236-53. The second, asking to borrow $74,500 for the purchase of a new pickup truck for the Highway Department, was approved by a margin of 219-67.