Shrewsbury – Residents and officials from Shrewsbury gathered Dec. 10 for a farewell event for State Rep. Matt Beaton, R-Shrewsbury, who will be stepping down from that position in January. Beaton will be joining Gov.-elect Charlie Baker’s administration as the state’s secretary of energy and environmental affairs. Over 200 people from Beaton’s districts of Shrewsbury and Westborough were in attendance.
Notable elected officials present included Lieutenant Gov.-elect Karyn Polito, State Committeeman Rick Green, State Sen.- elect Ryan Fattman, and former Assistant Minority Leader George Peterson. Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen Chair James Kane, and fellow selectmen Maurice DePalo, Henry Fitzgerald and John Lebeaux were joined by Westborough Selectman Denny Drewry. Other local officials included Shrewsbury Finance members Gene Buddenhagen and John Cygielnik, Shrewsbury Planning Board members Mel Gordon and Stephan Rodolakis, Shrewsbury Housing Authority members Paul Campaniello, Anthony Cultrera and Richard Ricker, Shrewsbury Public Library trustees Beth Casavant, Laurie Hogan, Clare O’Connor and Frank Stille, and Shrewsbury Development Corporation member Pat Convery also attended the event.
Beaton was presented with citations honoring his four years of service from the Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen, the Westborough Board of Selectmen and the House of Representatives. He expressed his gratitude for the support he has received from his constituents, and noted that he has always felt privileged to work in the Statehouse and has been humbled by the historical importance of his office.
The evening was hosted by the Committee to Elect Hannah Kane. Beaton has endorsed Hannah Kane, who is his business partner in Beaton-Kane Construction, to replace him as state representative. Jason Palitsch, a government and public affairs specialist with Veterans Inc. has also announced he is running for the spot. No election date has been set yet.
