A longtime veteran of local politics and a newcomer will each assume their respective seats on Athol’s Selectboard when it reorganizes next Tuesday, following the April 7 Town Election.

In a four-way race for two seats on the board, former Selectboard member Mitch Grosky far outdistanced his competitors in balloting on Monday, earning 442 votes. Marc Browning Maxwell received 270 votes to oust incumbent board member Kala Fisher, who earned 175 votes. Rounding out the field was Katalin Krieger with 131.

A total of 579 out of Athol’s 9,257 registered voters – just over 6% – showed up to cast ballots.

“I would like to thank the voters and all the citizens of Athol for their great show of support,” said Grosky. “Hearty congratulations to Marc Maxwell, who will be joining the board as well.”

Grosky thanked Fisher for her three years of service on the board, and Krieger for her service on the town’s Energy Committee and Zoning Board of Appeals and for “dedicating her time and energy to the race.”

Grosky concluded that, as a member of the Selectboard, he would “make every decision” based upon what he believes to be “best for our town’s families and residents.”

Asked for his reaction to the results, Maxwell said, “I am honored that the voters put their trust in me to represent them and I am ready to get to work for them.”

In Royalston, a familiar face will be returning to the Selectboard – for at least one more year. Linda Alger, who had served on the board for 18 years before opting not to run again in 2018, outpolled newcomers Chris Deveneau and Steve Egan, who received 67 and 20 votes, respectively. Alger received 133 votes.

The three-way race was to fill the remaining year of the term of Shelby Bronnes, who resigned in January to take care of her new infant son and pursue her education.

“I would like to thank everyone for their support,” said Alger. “As I’ve said before, I know there is a learning curve to town government and both sitting board members are – although doing admirably well – still in somewhat of a rookie status. I thought the best way to help was to run for the one-year term so that they can benefit from my experience and institutional knowledge. I was thrilled to see new names on the ballot this year and it is my hope that Chris and Steven continue to be active in our community.”

There was no candidate on the ballot to fill the post of Royalston’s representative on the Athol Royalston Regional School Committee but Deveneau did collect 40 write-in votes in Athol and another 38 in Royalston. Asked if he would accept the position, he told the Athol Daily News, “I asked to be a write-in for School Committee after I had announced I was running for Selectboard, so I agreed.” He said he felt good to be able to “contribute somewhere else for Royalston.

Deveneau congratulated Alger on her victory, then added, “I look forward to serving our community in this new role and working to support our students, teachers and families. Thank you to everyone who supported me.”

A total of 222 of Royalston’s 1145 registered voters – just over 19% - went to the polls Monday.

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