Town Government
Russell Board of Selectmen
About the Board
The Board of Selectmen is elected at large, so every Russell voter helps choose all three, and each serves a three-year term on a staggered schedule that puts a seat on the ballot most springs. The board sets town policy, signs the warrants that decide what Town Meeting gets to vote on, appoints residents to many town boards, and serves as the town’s executive, running the town’s business itself rather than through an appointed administrator. When a daily problem becomes town policy, this is the room where it happens.
- Sets policy and direction for the whole town, and serves as its licensing authority.
- Runs the town between meetings, supported by the board’s own staffed office at Town Hall, 65 Main Street.
- Controls the warrant, deciding what business reaches Town Meeting for a vote.
Board Members
All three members are elected at large. The town’s own Board of Selectmen page and its staff directory both name Wayne Precanico as Chairman, with Keith Cortis and Illtyd Fernandez-Sierra as members. Article 5 of the General By-Laws requires every town board in Russell to elect its own chairperson and clerk, so the officers you see are chosen by the three members themselves.
Wayne Precanico
Keith Cortis
Illtyd Fernandez-Sierra
The town routes contact to board members through the Selectmen’s office, which can be reached at 413-862-6200. The member roster is posted at townofrussell.us.
Meetings & How to Participate
- When: every other Tuesday, from 6 to 8 in the evening, at Town Hall, 65 Main Street. The town posts each agenda in advance.
- Agendas & minutes: posted on the town’s Agenda Center at townofrussell.us.
- Public comment: meetings are open to the public and residents may address the board. Check the posted agenda for how comment is taken.
- Town Meeting: for the budget and bylaws, the deciding vote belongs to the registered voters in the hall, which can include you.
Public hearings and meetings are where residents shape town decisions.