Belmont Moderator Announces Run For Re-Election

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Photo: Belmont Town Moderator Mike Crowley

With a contender ready to place his name on the ballot, Belmont’s town moderator has announced he will be seeking to retain his post in the 2026 Town Election.

“I’m excited to officially announce that I’m running for re-election,” said Mike Crowley, who is seeking consecutive terms as the town’s moderator, who presides over town meetings as well as appoints members to the Warrant Committee. 

Crowley will meet former Select Board member Adam Dash for the one-year position in the town election to be held April 5, 2026.

“Last year, I stepped up to take on this role becauseI believe Belmont deserves a town government where every voice matters. I promised to modernize town meeting, broaden participation, increase transparency, diversify appointments, and bring new voices into town government,” said Crowley’s 

Crowley highlighted his accomplishments, including standardizing the hybrid town meeting, which he said allows participation by a wider range of residents, and backed a Moderator’s Advisory Committee to provide direct member input on improving town meeting. He also pointed to his appointments to the Warrant Committee – including parents and underrepresented voices – to help tackle Belmont’s long-term challenges and recruit new candidates for Town Meeting.

“I’m running for re-election because this progress is only the beginning. With your support, we can keep strengthening Town Meeting and building a Belmont that works for everyone,” said Crowley, a retired US Government official who has served as a Town Meeting member and on the Warrant and School committees.

Former Select Board Chair Announces Run For Town Moderator: Interview With Adam Dash

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Photo: Adam Dash

There will be more than one contested town-wide race at the Belmont Town Election as Adam Dash has confirmed he will seek the Town Moderator post currently held by Mike Crowley.

“I am in the race,” Dash told the Belmontonian.

The Goden Street resident, who served on the Select Board for two terms from 2017-2023, filed paperwork to create a candidate’s campaign committee on Nov. 14. Former School Committee member Amy Checkoway is the committee chair and Matt Lennon is the treasurer.

Town Moderator is a one-year term position. Nomination papers will be avaliable to potential candidates in the days after Thanksgiving, according to Town Clerk Ellen Cushman.

The Town Moderator In Belmont presides over Town Meeting and manages its proceedings, according to the Belmont Town Meeting Member Handbook. Main duties include setting the meeting’s agenda in coordination with other officials, making sure meetings run smoothly and fairly, and appointing members to several important committees such as the Warrant and the Comprehensive Capital Budget committees.

The Belmontonian held a short impromptu interview with Dash at the opening of the Belmont Sports Complex on Saturday. 

Belmontonian: Why are you running for Town Moderator?

Adam Dash: “I believe I have the skills to handle the position. It actually plays into my wheelhouse with the main four functions of it: One is making legal rulings on the fly during the Town Meeting. And I am a lawyer who does municipal law and ran large meetings in a hybrid fashion which I did for years on the Select Board. Second is experience appointing people to committees, and I did that for six years, appointing probably 300 to 400 people onto some 60- odd committees. Third, I will also be like a mentor and senior person to bounce ideas off of for other elected officials who can’t talk to each other due to the Open Meeting law. And, four, I think that I could do some things to improve how town meeting is functioning. I was the chief of the executive branch as chair in the Select Board, and I made fundamental changes and improvements to that during my time, and I would like to do that as the chair of the legislative branch.”

Something I will focus on will be appointing Warrant Committee members to make sure that we had balance geographically in town, and that we have representation of other people in town.

Adam Dash, candidate for Town Moderator

Belmontonian: One area the current moderator has emphasized is beefing up the Warren Committee in its role of financial watchdog for Town Meeting. What do you see the role of the Warrant Committee and would you make any changes to that?

Dash: “As someone who was for nine years on the Warren Committee, including being its vice chair and two subcommittee chairs, I am intimately involved in how the Warren Committee operates, and I can tell you that they do Yeoman’s work that nobody ever sees, as far as providing budgetary help and information, interviewing department heads and making recommendations to town meeting. I believe Town Meeting takes that very seriously.”

“Something I will focus on will be appointing Warrant Committee members to make sure that we had balance geographically in town, and that we have representation of other people in town. We have a large Asian community. When I first was on the board, there were probably almost no Asian residents on any of the committees. There were no women on the Zoning Board of Appeals. Those are things that I went out and talked to people, to get them to apply, so we could actually make the committees look like Belmont. These are things that I’ve done quite a lot for very long time, over a lot of committees.”

Belmontonian: Under your leadership, what would the Town Moderator’s relationship be with the border community?

Dash: “I think [Town Moderator] has been a good sounding board. For instance, when I had some ideas and I wanted to talk to somebody, I could not talk to the other Select Board members outside of a meeting. I also did not want to put the Town Administrator in any questionable position, because she has to work for all the Select Board members. However, I could talk to the Town Moderator [Mike Widmer], not to get policy ideas, but to just sort of get a sounding board. I think I have the experience in town from my time on the Zoning Board and the Warrant Committee, the Pool Building Committee, High School Building Committee, Structural Change Impact group and the Capital and the CPA committees, and the Select Board. All of those things give me a very broad, big view of the big picture. And as a lawyer who gives counsel to people, I think that I could fulfill that role, which is an unofficial, unwritten job of the Moderator that is not as robust as it could be.”

Belmont Town Election will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

Dash Honored By Town, Select Board Colleagues For Service To Belmont

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Photo: Adam Dash (left) being feted by the Belmont Select Board at a recent meeting

It felt odd for regulars at the Belmont Select Board meeting to see Adam Dash addressing the Belmont Select Board and not with them. But this was a special night as the board paid tribute to Dash’s service to Belmont.

“We don’t do this for the recognition or honor or wealth, obviously, but it’s nice to be appreciated,” said the Goden Street resident as his former colleagues and residents spent a few minutes recognizing their former colleague who did not seek re-election in April.

Dash’s six years on the board included managing the town’s response to a worldwide pandemic, overseeing a budget after a failed override, and the more mundane duties such as honoring a retired board member.

Take a seat: Former Belmont Select Board Member Adam Dash (sitting) was honored by the current board: (from left) Mark Paolillo, Roy Epstein and Elizabeth Dionne.

Like many esteemed residents in Belmont’s history, the proclamation noted that Dash answered the call to public service and selfishly devoted a decade of his time and abilities on several committees before being elected twice to the Select Board starting in 2017.

“Adam has lived up to the lofty ideals of public service through commitment and dedication to the various causes, projects, and people he has represented and will serve as a source of inspiration to our community,” read the proclamation.

Dash’s most significant challenge while on the board was the unprecedented events brought about by COVID-19 in March 2020. “Adam’s leadership was characterized by great poise and resolved during ever-changing circumstances to contribute to the decisions that prioritize the safety and health of the Belmont community,” said Board Chair Mark Paolillo, who, along with the board, presented Dash an engraved chair as its appreciation.

The newest board member, Elizabeth Dionne, recalled Dash’s role as the town’s senior statesman by providing key insights and information during what could have become a very contentious budget debate “that I was personally grateful.”

Dash, for his part, said he’s “taking a break” from town-wide governance, which he said was a privilege representing all town residents.

“But I have to say that it’s nice leaving [a board meeting] before 7:45 p.m. when you know you’re gonna be here until 11 p.m.,” quipped Dash. “I’m fine with that.”

After Six Years, A Farewell To Select Board’s Fedora-Wearing Member Who Leaves Three Nuggets Of Advice And A Poem

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Photo: Adam Dash

The Belmont Town Hall auditorium was the location of a fond farewell for Adam Dash who is leaving the Select Board after serving six years on the town’s three-member panel overseeing town government.

Dash, known for his collection of fedoras, was feted by his fellow select board members – Mark Paolillo and Roy Epstein – and a slew of town employees all of who commended the Goden Street resident for his dedication to the town during a board tenure that included fiscal constraints and the sudden and profound impact of the Covid pandemic.

“He always made decisions that he thought were best for the community, never for political gain,” said Paolillo. “And the community has benefited from that.”

(from left) Select Board Chair Mark Paolillo, Town Administrator Patrice Garvin, Select Board members Adam Dash and Roy Epstein.

After his six years on the board – winning a seat by defeating Guy Carbone by a two-to-one margin in 2017 and running unopposed in 2020 – Dash said while it was the right decision not to seek re-election, he would miss working with all those in government and elected positions.

“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve this community, and I am reminded of it every day in the kind words I have received since my announcement that I was leaving the board,” he said.

Dash dispensed two pieces of advice “whether you want to hear it or not.”

“Please be aware of historically marginalized groups in town. Often, I am the only town official at various cultural events and demonstrations held by such groups, and the town needs to make sure there is representation going forward,” said Dash.

He also suggested that all keep an open mind on matters until all presentations and public comments have been heard on issues before the town and select board.

“It is fine to come into a meeting with an idea of what should be decided, but digging into a position with no possibility of change negates the whole public meeting process and does not foster public confidence in our boards, committees, and departments,” he said.

Dash reminded the assemble the three rules he lived by when he became chair in 2018:

  • One, no drama.
  • Two, be respectful of each other.
  • Three, don’t waste anyone’s time.

“I hope you all can adopt these rules in your work for the town. I can say that it would be appreciated by those with whom you interact,” said Dash.

And for his closing words, the attorney transformed into a poet.

“Once I sat at the table

And supped on the power

That comes from the vote

I like to think that I acted

With and without a mask

And inhaled the ideas

That finished the task

My political part-time sentence is over.”

Paolillo (Re)Joins Select Board

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Photo: The team that runs Belmont: (from top left clockwise) Select Board Chair Adam Dash, vice-chair Roy Epstein, Town Administrator Patrice Garvin, Select Board member Mark Paolillo, and Jon Marshall, assistant town administrator.

When Mark Paolillo served on the Belmont Select Board in the 2010s he would be continually fighting a losing battle with Boston traffic to get to the Board’s Monday evening meetings on time, which resulted in good-natured comments from colleagues when he would eventually come flying into Town Hall.

The three-term (2010-19) “selectman” returns to the board after running unopposed to secure his fourth term at the April 6 Town Election. And the next day, at the annual organizational meeting, it was as if Paolillo hadn’t missed a beat … as he was running three minutes late.

Paolillo said there will be a lot of work facing the Board in the coming year after the rejection of the Prop 2 1/2 override by the voters 12 hours earlier.

“We need to come together as a board and, frankly, as a community. It was an emotionally charged election and I think it’s up to us as members of the board to help the community move past its differences,” said Paolillo, pointing to reengage on fiscal issues within the town.

“That’s going to be my primary focus on the board, but there are other things that are in the back of my mind like the community path and our climate action plan,” he said. “I know we have a diversity initiative that I’m fully engaged and committed to.”

At Wednesday’s meeting, Adam Dash returned for his second turn leading the Select Board after he was named chair for the coming year. Dash said he will run the meetings – they have been pushing close to four hours – using three simple rules:

  1. No drama,
  2. Be respectful, and
  3. Don’t waste anybody’s time because there’s a lot to do this year.

Dash also mentioned the failed override vote resulting in “a lot of work to do in a very short time getting ready for Town Meeting” which will occur at the end of April.

Roy Epstein, who ran the board for the past year is now vice-chair. Epstein said he will continue his work of making Select Board meeting material available to the public via the board’s website.

“There’s been some difficulty in getting that organized as it’s logistically cumbersome and sometimes we have 15 to 20 and 30 documents. But I think it’s a good practice just to make everything available so nobody feels that they’ve been at some informational disadvantage at the time of the meeting,” said Epstein.

Memorial Day In Belmont, 2018: In Words and Photos

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Photo: Larry and Janet MacDonald salute the flag as it passes by on Memorial Day 2018 in Belmont on Monday, May 28.

It was a drizzling and cool Memorial Day as Belmont prepared to honor residents who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedoms and protect the citizens of the country.

Despite the weather and the long holiday weekend that signals the unofficial start of summer, residents came out to watch their veteran neighbors, the High and Middle schools marching band,  trucks, the police and fire department, town and state officials and seemingly every kid between four and eight left in town march from Cushing Square, down Trapelo Road and Belmont Street to Grove Street and on to the Belmont Cemetery for the annual service to remember the honored dead.

Speaking for the town, Selectmen Chair Adam Dash noted that the world will mark in November the centennial of the armistice ending the First World War, the “War to End All Wars.” After facing industrial war with poison gas and mechanized killing with airplanes, submarines, tanks and machine guns, it was felt at the time “that no future men and women would have to live through it again,” Dash recalled.

But rather than finalizing conflict, World War I “was the precursor to an even greater conflict a generation later, as well as the numerous other conflicts around the globe over the past 100 years.”

But while peoples have fought peoples since time began, “[w]e have shown the ability to follow the biblical command of Isaiah to turn swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks … We have turned airplanes into civilian modes of travel. We have used submarines to scientifically explore the ocean depths. While we have waged wars, we have also used diplomacy to prevent wars.”

“It is up to us, who are living right now, to create that utopia dreamt of a century ago by soldiers trapped in trenches year upon year. Sustained peace would be the ultimate gift to those soldiers of yore who made the ultimate sacrifice. We are up to the task if we simply want to make it happen.”

“We remember that they rest in peace so we can live in peace,” said Dash.

The day’s keynote speaker, Belmont Board of Library Trustee Elaine Alligood, was one of the few women honored to be the main speaker at the service. She spoke how over a quarter century working as a Veterans Administration Librarian, veterans “have taught me way more than I can ever claim to have done for them. Each veteran – more than 21 million in the US including 2 million female vets – “has a unique journey back to their world, often compelling, instructive, and complicated.”

Alligood highlighted two veterans she got to know on their journeys. One was convinced he was going to die from an intestinal condition he didn’t have. She drew him out of his shell by finding material in the library related to his Ph.D. in Russian Literature. The vet soon began telling her a story that as an intelligence officer during the invasion of Grenada in 1983, he believed his faulty analysis led to the death of 19 soldiers, “each death weighed on him even now, decades later.”  

“He simply could not forgive himself even though he’d done his job. [He] taught me about the almost unendurable burden of a soldier’s commitment to his brothers in arms; the awful and powerful affliction he couldn’t shake at their loss,” said Alligood.

The other veteran was in recovery and on probation, “endur[ing] much, and lost much, during combat and once home, he couldn’t stop remembering and re-living it. His experiences fueled his unfocused rage, and his addiction. All utterly de-railing his life plans, destroying his relationships, landing him in a world of consequences.”  

Alligood saw that the vet was diligently trying to re-build his life, repair his relationships, and make amends to his fractured family so took him in a VA work-therapy program. He showed up in her dusty basement library, “enthusiastically re-organized and re-shelved our old, pre-digital print journal collection without a complaint.” When he asked Alligood to write a letter to his probation officer documenting the work he was doing, “I realized then, the depth of his dedication to his road back. [He]. knew it was long and tedious, yet central to his journey, and he was not stopping.”

“[He] taught me about forgiveness and endurance, acceptance, the power of commitment and hope; no matter how long or bumpy the road back home might be, he was committed to the journey,” said Alligood. 

“Here’s to all our Veterans, all you’ve sacrificed, all you’ve given and done, for all of us, all across America. Thank you for your service, and Godspeed on your journey,” she said.

135 Years Later, Belmont Town Hall Drawing Finds A Home in Town Hall

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Photo: The illustration of Belmont’s Town Hall, circa 1881.

While some people like to spend their vacation sitting by the pool or hiking on far off trails, this July Selectman Adam Dash took some of his time away from work to hit the internet with the goal of seeking out items for sale with a Belmont theme.

“I’m interested in seeing what’s out there,” said the first-term selectman who lives on Goden Street.

Dash said during one of his treks online; he happened to “stumble upon” something that immediately caught his eye: a hand-colored single-page illustration of Belmont’s Town Hall with a detailed floor plan of the building’s first floor as depicted in the Aug. 6, 1881 issue of “American Architect and Building News.”

“Somebody 135 years ago must have felt that this was worth some architectural significance because they put it into a national publication,” said Dash.

The magazine that ran the image began in 1876 before changing its name to “American Architect” in 1909. It ceased publication in 1938 when it was absorbed into the “Architectural Record” which today is one of the leading architectural monthlies in the US.

Not many issues of the “Building News” survive and most of those editions do not have color illustrations “so this is a rare find, probably the only one in existence,” said Dash.

The drawing of the familiar landmark off Concord Avenue shows that the building hasn’t changed much since it was constructed in the early 1880s although its uses have: the Selectmen’s Room was the town’s reading room while the town administrator’s office was the book room. Dash speculates that the counter likely where books were checked out by the public.

A seller from Minnesota had put the drawing up for sale for a price “that wasn’t going to break the bank,” said Dash. 

“I showed it to Phyllis [Marshall, the interim Town Administrator] and said ‘That belongs in the Town Hall.’ So I said ‘I think I’ll get it and donate to the town.'” Which Dash will do at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Monday, Aug. 21.

“I figured it would be nice for the public to see,” said Dash.

Letter to the Editor: Dash Thanks Supporters, Residents For Placing Faith in Him

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Photo: Adam Dash

To the Belmont Community:

Thank you for placing your faith in me and electing me to be your next Selectman. I have spent many years working to make Belmont a great place to live, and I am excited to continue this work on the Board of Selectmen. 

I have learned so much through this campaign, through conversations as I have gone door to door, at meetings, events, and neighborhood gatherings. You have shared your ideas and your frustrations, and I am indebted to you. I believe there is nothing more important that I can do as Selectman than to learn directly from the members of our community and let that guide me in my decision-making. We have many challenges – but also many opportunities – and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together. 

Thank you to all of the volunteers who opened their homes, made phone calls, sent email, posted on Facebook, visited neighbors, spoke with friends, held and hosted signs. Your commitment is humbling and inspiring.

I especially want to thank my opponent, Guy Carbone, and his campaign team and supporters, for helping to make this election a conversation about the future of our town. We are all better served as a result of this dialog.

It is now time to turn my attention to the business of Belmont. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues, our town departments, boards, and committees, and each of you, to move forward on the projects ahead of us.

Thank you,

Adam Dash

Selectman

Letter to the Editor: Adam Dash will be Belmont’s Champion

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Photo: Adam Dash

To the editor:

In the next few years, Belmont will face a daunting array of tasks, from building a new high school to repurposing the former incinerator site to finally turning the Community Path from concept to reality. It’s critical that we have a Selectman who will involve you – the people of Belmont – in major decisions to ensure that they progress smoothly, effectively, and responsively. Adam Dash has the courage to listen as well as talk, the temperament to meaningfully address citizen concerns, and the thoughtfulness to work toward innovative solutions.

In going door to door, I’ve heard from many Belmontians who feel their local government is somewhat distant, slow-moving, and often lacking in accountability and 21st-century innovation. Many have been disappointed in the pace of action in town. Adam is a pragmatic, open-minded consensus builder who will not continue doing our town’s business in a certain way just because “that’s the way it’s always been done.” If local government can operate in a more transparent, efficient, and inclusive way, he’ll be unafraid to pursue it. Adam’s broad Belmont experience, unique skill set, and comprehensive understanding of how best to harness Belmont’s governing bodies will allow him to make greater progress in a shorter time. 

Adam has a detailed plan to improve every aspect of our town, from fundamental issues such as ensuring the best maintenance of override funds to supporting clean energy, smoothing the nuts and bolts of town operations, and improving communication with residents through Belmont’s tinternet and social media presence. 

Perhaps most importantly, Adam has a deep understanding of the forces and process required to make effective change in Belmont town government. Citizens will always have concerns about local actions, such as the recent controversy over the Belmont Center town green or the zoning regarding the potential for a boutique hotel. It’s important that the voice of every citizen be heard in an efficient and productive way. Adam understands the need to account for those concerns at the beginning of the process, and to ensure transparency and public feedback from day one. 

Last year I ran for Town Meeting because Belmont needed more fresh voices and new ideas in local government. We must be a leader not just in education but in everything from sustainability to infrastructure to reducing the red tape and bureaucratic regulations that hold back our small businesses. Adam will be that fresh voice on the Board of Selectmen. 

Adam is the real deal. He has contributed countless hours to our town and has served on more Belmont committees and commissions than can be recounted here. More importantly, he has a record of results, from helping to lead the Underwood Pool effort to manage the funds voters approved in the multi-year override in 2015. As a recent Belmont High School grad, I’m confident that Adam is the best candidate to support our schools and to stand up for the education of every Belmont student. 

Adam will work tirelessly for our schools, for the environment, for our businesses, for community input, for transparency, and for accountability. He will fight for all of Belmont.  

We need open-minded, innovative leadership that preserves Belmont’s many strengths while planning carefully for the future. The pace of progress in our town must increase. Let’s move forward. 

Adam Dash will be our champion. For real progress in Belmont, vote for Adam on Tuesday, April 4. 

Daniel Vernick

Town Meeting Member – Precinct 1

Letter to the Editor: Dash Provides Forward Thinking As Selectman

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Photo: Adam Dash

To the Editor: 
Monday night’s debate at the League of Women Voters’ Candidates Night made it clear that this is a lively campaign for Selectman. Both candidates have a lot to offer the town.

On balance, I believe that Adam Dash is more forward-looking and therefore better prepared to deal with these challenges creatively. For one thing, his support for the Community Path seems stronger. That is the single biggest step Belmont can take to cut traffic and enhance the two business centers it would pass through, Belmont Center and Waverley Square.

Please consider giving Adam your vote.

Sue Bass
Precinct 2