BURRILLVILLE – John Blodgett will fill the seventh seat on a commission set to guide a new entity merging the Pascoag Electric District with the Harrisville Water District, after narrowly winning an election for the seat held on Monday, Jan. 13.
Officials with the Clear River Electric & Water District announced the results at a special meeting after voting closed Monday night.
Blodgett, who served as a commissioner for the Pascoag Utility District for the past five years, joins the three most senior members of the former PUD board along with three members from the operating committee from the Harrisville Water District – appointments decided prior to the official merge of the two utility companies on January 1. CREW’s first board of utility commissioners also includes Albert Palmisciano; Michael Kogut; Douglas Lees; David Houle; Roger Johnson and Brayton Round.
All expiring terms of commissioners will be voted on by members CREW’s customer base.
According to Supervisor of Administration Desarae Dolan, 202 customers cast votes in the contest, held at the CREW office at 253 Pascoag Main St. Blodgett received 99 votes, coming in just ahead of candidate Roberta Lacey, who received 96. Candidate John Demelim received seven votes
Blodgett began his career as an EMT with the Burrillville Ambulance Company, going on to work for the Pascoag Fire District after it closed. In 2001, when the Pascoag Fire District separated the electric and water divisions from the fire protection and formed the Pascoag Utility District, Blodgett left EMS service and began his career in the electrical distribution side. He worked for PUD for 28 years ultimately achieving the title of system technician.
John Griffin will serve as the new board’s clerk after running unopposed.
The team will guide operations for a new entity that now owns and operates the electric distribution system in Pascoag and Harrisville, and the water production and distribution system in the villages of Harrisville, Pascoag and Oakland.
