Cemetery commissioner and library trustees to be appointed by joint vote

WHATELY — With a failure to elect residents to fill three positions in the most recent election, the town will use a joint-voting process to fill the vacancies until next year.

At the town’s June 13 election, voters failed to elect a cemetery commissioner and two S. White Dickinson Memorial Library trustees, as a slew of write-in candidates either tied or chose to decline their victories. In lieu of an elected victor, the town is able to turn to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 41, Section 11, which allows a vacancy to be filled by a joint vote between the Selectboard and the committee in question.

Town Administrator Brian Domina said the Selectboard and those committees will be able to submit a person to be appointed and vote on that recommendation at separate meetings. Whoever is appointed will serve a one-year term and would have to run again in the 2024 election.

The failure to elect in the instance of these three positions resulted from two different scenarios. The cemetery commissioner race resulted in a six-way tie at one write-in vote apiece, while Peter Richardson and Sheila Symanski earned victories in the library trustees race, receiving four and three write-in votes, respectively. The two winners, however, declined to accept the position, according to Town Clerk Amy Lavallee.

Anyone who is interested in being appointed to the seats should contact Domina or the Selectboard.

Music series returns with Kyshona Armstrong on July 5

WHATELY — Watermelon Wednesdays is returning to the West Whately Chapel on July 5, at 7:30 p.m. with a concert by Nashville recording artist Kyshona Armstrong.

Armstrong, who brings a blend of soul, R&B, folk and roots music, has worked with artists like Margo Price and Jason Isbell. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased at bit.ly/3r5AcsB.

South Deerfield resident graduates from Wichita State

WICHITA, Kan. — South Deerfield resident Aleah Diemand graduated from Wichita State University this spring.

Diemand, who earned a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene, also earned magna cum laude honors.

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