The republican and democratic "organizations" in town hold caucuses every year about this time to endorse candidates for town offices. Both organizations have some new blood this year; the democratic group had a complete turnover of people in what amounted to a revolt. It will be interesting to see if the new blood results in any changes. In the past, both parties made a few inquiries about who was contemplating running for office and then put the names on a ballot voted on at a caucus (usually on a Saturday), the winner getting the nomination. (Unless the people running the operation didn't like a candidate, in which case they'd leave that name off the ballot; so much for democratic principles.)

Government in Egremont has suffered for many years as a result of not reaching out to townspeople who are qualified but need a bit of encouragement to run for town office. You'd think the function of a party would be to do that reaching out, not just stick with the same old, tired volunteers, many of whom don't have the slightest qualifications for the office they're nominated for. Do you think the new blood will make that kind of effort? Don't bet on it.