John M. Pratt stood behind his role in bringing the new Cheshire County jail to Keene and a regional prosecutor program to three outlying towns, and he defeated his Republican challenger Tuesday night.

Pratt took 57 percent of the vote, or 6,822 votes, to Bill Hutwelker’s 5,124 to retain his seat as county commissioner for the 1st District.

Pratt, a Democrat from Walpole, said after learning that America had its first black president that he was too overcome with emotion to comment on his win over Hutwelker of Swanzey.

An outspoken critic of the jail, Hutwelker had said millions of taxpayer dollars were wasted on the project, which is under way off Route 101, near the Marlborough town line. He said his outrage over the jail played a significant role in his run for commissioner.

Pratt will serve a second term as commissioner in the 1st district, which covers Chesterfield, Hinsdale, Surry, Swanzey, Walpole, Westmoreland and Winchester.

Commissioners are part-time elected officials who meet weekly throughout the year and supervise county departments, buildings and land. They also prepare and oversee the county’s annual budget.

The county’s legislative delegation, composed of the county’s 24 state representatives, has final say on all county spending.

In a previous interview with The Sentinel, Pratt said he was proud of bringing the $38.8 million jail to Keene after a 10-year battle over the project’s price tag and location.

Another accomplishment during his first stint as commissioner, he said, was helping to bring Sullivan, Surry and Winchester on board with the regional prosecutor program, which replaces police officers or contract attorneys with full-time prosecutors.

Hutwelker could not be reached for comment.

u Democratic incumbent Roger T. Zerba of Keene also retained his commissioner seat in the 2nd District, which covers Keene and Marlborough. The county commission chairman ran unopposed.


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