In this year’s Pittsfield town elections, four candidates are vying to fill two three-year seats on the select board. Sabrina Ann Smith is the only candidate running to fill a third vacancy for a one-year term.

Pittsfield voters will choose between candidates Arthur St. Laurent, Paul W. Colby, Daniel Joseph Greene and Dan Schroth, all long-time residents.

Arthur St. Laurent, or Art, has deep roots in Pittsfield, where his family has lived for over 150 years. He graduated from Pittsfield High in 1981 and raised his children in town. He worked as a police officer soon after graduating and said he has been around long enough to understand the many changes the town has seen in past decades.

St. Laurent wants to incentivize more business and attract more to Pittsfield by working with the state to turn Route 28 into an accessible highway. He added that he hopes he can provide more financial transparency so that people can make informed decisions in town. Regarding working with the state, he believes that the state should do more to help schools in towns like Pittsfield.

“The financial aspect of education is a huge one. I believe that has to be revised and fixed,” he said. “As far as the appropriations from the state, if they’re going to mandate certain things, they really need to fund them. I think the infrastructure of some of the roadways that are controlled by the state need to be looked at and worked on.”

Colby, Greene and Schroth reiterated this sentiment — all said Pittsfield has struggled with education funding from the state and that the state should be doing more to assist smaller towns.

According to Schroth, the current state funding for education is unconstitutional, and in his view, Pittsfield’s state representatives have failed to engage with residents’ concerns regarding education.

“I want Cyril Aures and Clayton Wood to come to a meeting and listen to our concerns, number one. Number two, the state needs to follow the court order to have fair funding, as far as the adequacy and as far as fair funding tax,” Schroth said.

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Colby said that his family instilled in him the value of serving his community and that he has not run before because he thought the select board was doing a good job. However, similarly to St. Laurent, he thought it was the right time to step up to the plate and provide more transparency.

More economic development is top of his list, and because of his experience, Colby said he can provide insight into how to best approach that issue. From Concord to Pittsfield, Colby has served in municipal government for over 40 years as a fire and building inspector. He later worked in the private sector.

“I actually worked for a medical company as their national developer, planner and facilities administrator, overseeing budgets of 20-plus million dollars a year. So I have some vast experience, I believe, in the area of municipal management,” Colby added.

Greene also has extensive experience working for municipal government and is a local farm-owner. He has been part of the Pittsfield Planning Board and has expressed concerns about the rise in taxes in town.

He said he recognizes the importance of being fiscally responsible and believes that some of the town’s spending is not necessary. He added that he wants more oversight and safety for housing in town, particularly the apartment complexes.

“You all want low taxes so that you can afford your homes and not have to lose them because of higher taxes. Well, that’s what we’re trying to do – make it possible for you to keep your homes and be happy in town,” Greene said.

Schroth, known as Dan the Stoneman for his stonemasonry, said that he hopes voters choose the default budgets — which are higher than the proposed budgets — for both the town and school district. He said he believes that better town services and beautification will yield better living situations and incentivize economic growth in the town.

He also emphasized the need for transparency.

“I want to build trust. I want people to trust our department heads again. I want to be more forthcoming. They don’t even discuss spending the surplus, I was at the meeting,” he said regarding select board meetings.

Alexander Rapp