ORANGE – The 2023 annual Town Meeting will be called to order by Matthew Fortier.

The town’s health agent ran uncontested for moderator and won with 164 votes in Monday’s election. He replaces Christopher Woodcock, who decided not to seek re-election to a role he has held since 1988.

“We won by a landslide but, of course, we weren’t up against anybody,” Fortier, 31, said with a laugh on Tuesday afternoon. He said he had been sworn in by Town Clerk Nancy Blackmer during lunch earlier in the day.

Fortier previously told the Greenfield Recorder he consulted with the State Ethics Commission and learned there is no conflict of interest for a town’s health agent to serve as moderator as long as the candidate does not campaign while on the clock.

Fortier said he plans to soon reach out to Woodcock for guidance and advice. Annual Town Meeting will be held in June. Orange’s moderator ensures annual and Special Town Meetings are conducted fairly and efficiently and also appoints the members of the Finance Committee, the Human Resource Board and the town’s representatives to the Franklin County Technical School Committee.

There were no contested races in Monday’s elections and, as a result, no surprises when the results were tallied. Jane M. Peirce and Thomas J. Smith were re-elected to their three-year seats on the Selectboard, with 145 and 158 votes, respectively. Blackmer accrued 172 votes to win re-election as town clerk, a three-year position.

Tim Sakach earned six write-in votes to be elected constable for two years. Kimberly Scot received 160 votes to win re-election to her three-year position on the Elementary School Committee. Elizabeth Cross notched 34 write-in votes to edge out Crystal Cooke for the other three-year position up for grabs. India Eadie bested Adrienne Berry with 33 write-in votes for a two-year spot on the Elementary School Committee.

Patrick Clark Davis accumulated 149 votes to get re-elected to the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School Committee for three years. Katie Hunkler got eight write-in votes for the other available three-year position.

Library Trustees Robin Shtulman and Joanne Woodcock won re-election to their three-year seats, as did Josefa D’Vora Bashein Scherer to the Board of Health and Bruce St. John as a veteran member of the Trustees of the Soldiers’ Memorial. Mercedes Clingerman was re-elected to a two-year spot as a water commissioner.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.

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