WILLIAMSTOWN â The selection of Lt. Michael Ziemba as interim police chief, while unanimously supported by the town s search committee, caused a procedural rift in the group at the end of the process. That rift was reported to the Select Board on Monday night.
According to members of the committee, some felt that their first choice for interim chief should be the final choice, and pointed to communications they received from former Town Manager Jason Hoch.
By the time the committee made its final decision, Hoch no longer was at the helm. So, committee members did what they were instructed: They offered a first choice and a second choice, which they provided if the first choice didnât work out.
Despite Lower Demand, U.S. Natural Gas Market Expected to ‘Net Grow’
Natural gas isn’t going anywhere soon and overall demand for U.S. gas will keep growing on the back of rising exports, according to Mercuria Energy Co.’s Charles Blanchard.
Blanchard, head of North American natural gas research, recently published an exhaustive study on the history of natural gas in the United States called, “The Extraction State.” He spoke to NGI about the book, published by the University of Pittsburgh Press, in the latest episode of NGI’s Hub & Flow podcast.
Blanchard suggested that demand for natural gas in the United States, which has grown since 1985, has probably reached its peak. New wind and solar power generation coming online outweighs retirements of coal and nuclear plants, which will squeeze natural gas market share.
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Charles Blanchard is the new interim town manager for Williamstown, Massachusetts. After Jason Hoch resigned due to a series of scandals related to police department misconduct, the select board tapped Blanchard to steer Williamstown’s day-to-day operations while it searches for a new permanent manager. WAMC spoke with Blanchard about his philosophy on town management, and how he envisions his role in the community during a fraught period in Williamstown.
BLANCHARD: I m an experienced town manager. I ve been in municipal government for quite some time. So you know, I have some good background and knowledge, and I like to listen to people. I’ve been out to Williamstown, it s a beautiful community. And I m hoping that I can provide, you know, some help during this transition to a full time permanent town manager.
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Thirty years ago, Ralph Hayles fired the missiles that killed two American soldiers in Iraq. Ever since, he has worked to develop technology that could prevent similar deaths, while the military has looked elsewhere to address the problem with little success.