The election is over, and the new Charlestown Town Council was ushered into office last week. A breath of fresh air has arrived in town with the installation of Greg Avedesian, Charlene Dunn, Marge Frank, Richard Hosp and Forrester Safford. I wish them all well in governing the town in an open and ethical way. I know this town council is dedicated to being respectful to citizens and will urge residents to volunteer and get involved in government affairs.

This town council's election was not without a lot of hard work, especially on the part of the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA). Begun just two years ago, CCA emerged to give voice to town residents' concerns about the path that Charlestown was taking. A majority of Charlestown regular voters joined the CCA e-mail list, and the group was able to speak for those residents who begged for a return to civility and open government. A big thank you goes to John Goodman who was CCA's first president and its next president Dan Slattery. Both men worked tirelessly for the organization to help take the town back for its residents. Under their leadership, CCA remained fair and even-handed in its opposition to how the town was being run.

As a member of CCA, I met neighbors from all over town — people whom I might never have met had it not been for the torture that the town faced. CCA members came from all walks of life, from south and north of Route 1, longtime residents, new people to the community, old, young and those in between. I wish to thank the hundreds of volunteers who manned the polling places on election day, made phone calls to urge people to get to the polls, hosted Meet and Greets for candidates, stuffed envelopes and attended town council hearings as the eyes and ears of the public. All of these volunteers should take pride in gaining what every resident clearly wanted — a town council that puts residents' desires and needs first and foremost.

Kallie Jurgens