Retired cop, teacher elected to Charlemont Selectboard in uncontested race
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CHARLEMONT Dan Girard became the town’s newest Selectboard member on Tuesday night, receiving 67 votes in an uncontested race in the town election. According to Town Clerk Kathy Reynolds, 78 of Charlemont’s 919 registered voters cast their ballots, resulting in a roughly 8.5 percent voter turnout.
Polls were open from noon to 7 p.m. at the Fire Station.
Speaking Monday in advance of the election, Girard, a retired police officer and substitute teacher who has lived in Charlemont since 2001, said if he was elected to the Selectboard, he would be eager to hear from constituents about what issues in town are important to them.
Retired cop, teacher seeks Selectboard seat in Charlemont
Residents vote at the Charlemont Fire Station during the 2020 town election. This year’s election will also be held at the Fire Station, on Tuesday from noon to 7 p.m. Staff File Photo/PAUL FRANZ
Published: 5/24/2021 3:11:58 PM
CHARLEMONT Should retired police officer and substitute teacher Dan Girard be elected to the open seat on the Selectboard during Tuesday’s town election, the 71-year-old hopes to work on attracting people to town and ensuring its post-pandemic recovery.
“I think we’re in for some hard times, but I think the town has the chance to be upwardly mobile over the next few years,” Girard said of his reason for running. “There’s a lot of tax burden that goes on homeowners. We need to find something that helps so that we’re not pushing out families who can’t afford to stay here.”
Dr. Kathy Reynolds, CEO, Greater Munising Bay Partnership/Alger County Chamber of Commerce
MARQUETTE A common trend recently found is that there are businesses struggling to get enough workers. Just like most places, Alger County is also having this issue.
Some people might think that this is only a cause of the pandemic and the economic terrors that have come with it. COVID-19 certainly hasn’t helped the situation, but in Alger County among other places, this has become an ongoing problem over the years.
“It’s been a problem every year and of course it was accelerated by the pandemic over the last year,” said Dr. Kathy Reynolds, Greater Munising Bay Partnership/Alger County Chamber of Commerce CEO. “Of course there’s less high school kids out there available to work in a lot of these towns for service-related jobs like restaurants and retail and that type of thing. Businesses, though, are trying their best to regroup.”
Journal Intern
MARQUETTE As winter has turned into spring, summer is on the horizon and the outdoor recreation industry in Munising and the Alger County area is expected to start booming.
While last summer held many unknowns with the pandemic, the lakeshore area still reported record-breaking tourism numbers.
It was a guessing game last year, but it’s expected this summer’s tourism numbers will be strong, Greater Munising Bay Partnership/Alger County Chamber of Commerce CEO Dr. Kathy Reynolds said.
“We’re anticipating that it’s going to be very busy this summer. I mean reservations, I think, are up and our attractions and things like that,” she said. “Everybody had a good summer last year, even when some were doing 50% capacity. I think they anticipate, we all do, a very busy summer.”
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