Adams Mass Voters Guide

This page will be updated once per day until the election as responses from the candidates in Precincts 2 and 5 come in. (The other precincts do not have contested races, although if this guide is successful next year I’ll expand the survey to include all precincts regardless of whether there are contested races or not.)

Please ask the candidates who don’t yet have responses posted to fill out the survey.

The precinct 2 candidates I mailed surveys to on April 15 are:

  • Ann M. Bartlett
  • John E Duval (answers below)
  • Paula Jean Grover
  • William Floyd Ketcham
  • Eugene F. Michalenko
  • Mary Ellen Sutliff
  • Shaun W Sutliff
  • Lawrence Turoczy
  • Aimee Lynn Buell
  • Catherine Foster (answers below)
  • Charles H. Foster (answers below)
  • Jason Holmes

The precinct 5 candidates I mailed surveys to on April 15 are:

  • Timothy R Burdick (answers below)
  • Colleen M. Byrd
  • Mary Ciuk
  • Lawrence A. Clairmont
  • Jacqueline Haddad
  • David Jean Lennon
  • Elaine Joyce Melillo
  • Richard W. Tarsa Jr
  • Colleen Ann Doyle
  • Kathryn A. Foley (answers below)
  • Christian Richard Rowe (answers below)
  • Caroline Ann Scully (answers below)

Precinct 2 answers

 

Name on the ballot
John Duval
Precinct
2
Would you be better known in town by other names, nicknames, married names, etc? Please list them here.
Why are you running for town meeting?
I believe strongly in community service and using my experience to support the Town of Adams with major projects, economic development and quality of life.
Please share anything about yourself that you’d like the voters to know:
Town Meeting Member – 26 years (current)
ACRSD School Committee Member – 17 Years
Adams Board of Selectmen Member 14 years (current)
Profession
Retired – General Dynamics 33 years
Do you or any of your immediate family members work for the town?
No

Catherine Foster

Name on the ballot
Catherine Foster
Precinct
2
Would you be better known in town by other names, nicknames, married names, etc? Please list them here.
Cathy Foster
Why are you running for town meeting?
I’m running for Town Meeting Member to help ensure transparency, accountability, and a strong, independent voice to decisions that directly impact our community and taxpayers. I want what’s best for the ordinary citizens, who are under-represented at Town Meeting.
Please share anything about yourself that you’d like the voters to know:
I’m someone who pays attention, asks questions, and follows the facts, even when it’s uncomfortable. I believe taxpayers deserve honesty, transparency, and decisions grounded in the law and common sense. I’m running to make sure Town Meeting reflects the voices of residents, not just the preferences of a few.
Profession
Retired
Do you or any of your immediate family members work for the town?
No

Charles Foster

Name on the ballot
Charles Foster
Precinct
2
Would you be better known in town by other names, nicknames, married names, etc? Please list them here.
Kit Foster
Why are you running for town meeting?
I’m running for Town Meeting because I care about Adams and want to stay involved in helping the town make thoughtful, responsible decisions. After serving on the Finance Committee for twenty years, I understand how important it is to look closely at budgets and ask the right questions, to make sure taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely. Town Meeting is an important process, and I’d like to continue contributing in a meaningful way.
Please share anything about yourself that you’d like the voters to know:
I was born and raised in Adams, and it’s always been home to me. I’m a retired accountant, and both in my career and during my time on the Finance Committee, I’ve focused on being practical, detail-oriented, and fair. I take the responsibility of representing taxpayers seriously and try to bring a steady, common-sense approach to town issues. I care about keeping Adams financially sound and a great place to live.
Profession
Retired Accountant
Do you or any of your immediate family members work for the town?
No

Precinct 5 answers

Timothy Burdick

Name on the ballot
Timothy Burdick
Precinct
5
Would you be better known in town by other names, nicknames, married names, etc? Please list them here.
Why are you running for town meeting?
I have a strong interest in the well-being of our town and I have experience in the inner workings of town government.
Please share anything about yourself that you’d like the voters to know:
I am a lifelong citizen of Adams and raised my family here. I’ve been a town meeting member for 25 years and have and continue to serve on the town Finance Committee – a position I’ve held since 1993.

I’ve been involved in youth sports having coached youth football, basketball and baseball. I’ve served on the boards of several non-profits including the Northern Berkshire United Way, ProAdams and the WB Plunkett Hospital Trust.

Profession
Banker – retired 2025.
Do you or any of your immediate family members work for the town?
No

Kathryn Foley

Name on the ballot
Kathryn Foley
Precinct
5
Would you be better known in town by other names, nicknames, married names, etc? Please list them here.
Kathy or Kat
Why are you running for town meeting?
’m running for Town Meeting because I want to be an active, constructive participant in my community and contribute to thoughtful, practical decision-making. As a small business owner and resident, I see firsthand how town policies affect everyday life, and I believe that perspective is important at the table.

Precinct 5 has had very consistent representation over the years, which brings valuable experience, but it can also limit opportunities for new voices. I’m running to help broaden that representation—bringing a fresh perspective while working collaboratively and respectfully to serve the best interests of the town.

Please share anything about yourself that you’d like the voters to know:
I live and work in Adams, where I run a small business that includes both a psychotherapy practice and equine-assisted services. My work is centered on helping people, and it’s important to me to contribute to a community where people feel supported and connected.

I value thoughtful decision-making, clear communication, and treating people with respect, even when there are differences of opinion. If elected, I would bring that same approach to Town Meeting—listening carefully, asking questions, and working toward practical, fair outcomes for the community.

Profession
Psychotherapist, Farm owner, & Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Do you or any of your immediate family members work for the town?
No

Christian Richard Rowe

Name on the ballot
Christian Richard Rowe
Precinct
5
Would you be better known in town by other names, nicknames, married names, etc? Please list them here.
Why are you running for town meeting?
The Town of Adams is a diamond in the rough, and I believe our townspeople are underestimated and dismissed. With it’s population unfortunately in decline and new businesses choosing not to open here. Finding new answers seems like a necessary action for Adams success. All around town opportunity for growth is everywhere. I see townspeople, and businesses doing their part everyday making things better. We need an open, fair town government that listens better and speaks less, that’s all.
Please share anything about yourself that you’d like the voters to know:
I have lived in Adams for six years, and was elected to the Planning board last year. I’m from Detroit and have experience with how a city, town can turn around. I worked as a commercial sales manager at both HD, and Lowe’s in Detroit for 20+ year’s. My responsibilities included working with entities like Habitat for humanity, get back Detroit, Detroit City council, and the Detroit historical society. I worked with 600 unit apartment buildings, and rebuilding the worst neighborhoods in the city. And I’m much happier being a farmer here in Adams. Thank you for your consideration.
Profession
Farmer
Do you or any of your immediate family members work for the town?
No

Caroline Ann Scully

Name on the ballot
Caroline Ann Scully
Precinct
5
Would you be better known in town by other names, nicknames, married names, etc? Please list them here.
Why are you running for town meeting?
I am running for town meeting because I want Adams to thrive and find ways to ease financial, environmental, and other issues that impact us all. I hope to put forward the perspectives and ideas of those who may not be comfortable speaking out in select board or town meetings. I come from a life of diverse experiences in other places and moved to Adams in 1999, 27 years ago. I believe we need to protect our environment and natural resources to keep this community and our planet as healthy as possible for everyone. I am passionate about the fair treatment of all, listening and understanding different perspectives, and speaking out when I feel something is important. I believe I am good at asking questions to ensure that I understand what someone is trying to say. I hope that my broad experiences will help me represent the residents of Adams fairly and honestly. I am happy that we have many new community members who value the potential as well as the beauty and peace of our town and I value their voices along with those of lifelong residents.
Please share anything about yourself that you’d like the voters to know:
I have led an eclectic life and have traveled throughout the USA and beyond. I have been many things in my work life including social worker, family caregiver, senior companion, baker, farmer, student advisor and sustainability coordinator, researcher, and bookkeeper. In May I will be starting my second season as a park interpreter at Mount Greylock State Reservation in the Lanesboro visitor center. I am honored to be working right here in our community, talking to visitors from around the world about our mountain, history, and natural environment. I particularly love learning and sharing knowledge about bats and native plants and their pollinators. I have a master’s from Antioch New England in environmental studies and did my field research on bumblebees in Northern Berkshire County. I love animals, baking, gardening, hiking, skiing, and being outside.

While I did not grow up in Adams, my family has long roots here. My grandparents emigrated to Adams from Lebanon in the late 1800s and early 1900s and were small business owners. My grandfather Kahlil Joseph and then my uncle Marshall ran Kelly’s on the Corner, a small restaurant and gathering place. Marshall ran the Adams movie theater from 1958 until it closed in 1967. My mother and her siblings grew up in the house where I now live. I love living with this family history and seeing the same places that my family saw every day. This gives me a sense of rootedness that I have not found anywhere else.

Profession
Seasonal park interpreter with Mount Greylock State Reservation.
Do you or any of your immediate family members work for the town?
No