Agawam City Council candidates state election cases

Oct. 12, 2021 | Lauren LeBel
llebel@thereminder.com

AGAWAM – The ballot for the Nov. 2 election will feature 14 candidates competing for 11 seats on City Council. Incumbents are George Bitzas, Cecilia Calabrese, Paul C. Cavallo, Christopher C. Johnson, Gina M. Letellier, Dino R. Mercadante, Robert E. Rossi, Rosemary Sandlin, Gerald F. Smith, Anthony R. Suffriti and Mario Tedeschi Jr. as well as challengers Thomas David Hendrickson, Peter T. McNair and Anthony J. Russo.

In advance of the election, in an effort to inform voters, Reminder Publishing asked all candidates the same series of questions on their candidacies and visions for Agawam. In this first  of a two-part series, their responses are organized in alphabetical order by last name.

Reminder Publishing (RP) Why have you decided to run for City Councilor?

Bitzas: It has been a great honor to have been an Agawam City Councilor serving our town and all of the people for many years to the best of my ability. I am running for re-election because I want to continue my work and make our town better and guide it in the right direction. As a homeowner and with grandchildren in the Agawam school system I will continue to work for the lowest possible taxes without cutting any services. As always, I will advocate to continue to repair our streets and our sidewalks. I will always be a strong supporter of our school system to provide the best education for our students. I also want to continue my strong support of the police and fire departments. These are some of the reasons why I am running for re-election.

Calabrese: I first ran for City Council in 2003. At that time my main concern was the disrepair of the town sidewalks, especially within the walking radii of our schools. Since that time, I have been on the leadership team in town government that has seen significant improvements to the walking/biking lanes all around Agawam as well as improved visibility in school crossing zones. Safety, health, and the welfare of people that live and work in Agawam have always been my top priority. That will continue in my next term.

Cavallo: There are three reasons why I am seeking re-election to the City Council. First of all, I have served 16 years in our town government, four years as a School Committee member and twelve years as a city councilor. During that time, I have gained experience regarding how both segments of our government functions. As a result, I am able to apply what I have learned when I cast my votes on matters that come before the council. Second, our mayor has established a relationship of trust, honesty and transparency with the Council. His communication skills and his rapport with the Council is excellent. If there are important issues/problems, he will inform us immediately. As a result, we are able to resolve pending issues in an amicable way. Third, there are many issues that are yet to be resolved. I would like to continue to be part of that process for the next two years.

Hendrickson: I’m 22 years old, a recent graduate of Providence College, a current full-time graduate student at UMass Amherst, and a lifelong Agawam resident. I’m running for city council because the time has come for a new generation of political leadership in Agawam. The future that my generation will inherit is determined by the decisions that our leaders make today. We need leaders with the foresight to plan for our future, and the political courage to fight for the working people of our town. As city councilor, I will bring fresh ideas, new perspectives, and a renewed sense of urgency towards improving the quality of life for our residents.

Johnson: I have chosen to run for reelection to the Agawam City Council because I care about Agawam. I am a lifelong resident who has chosen to raise my family in Agawam. I want to continue to work hard to make Agawam a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Letellier: I am running for reelection for the Agawam City Council so that I can continue to contribute to the best interests of Agawam and it’s residents by diligently analyzing budgeting and spending and remaining responsive to the concerns of residents. I study the Town’s spending reports to ensure that your taxes are used properly and I will continue to propose cuts and/or transfers to both the town and school sides of the budget. I successfully proposed budget amendments to support underfunded school programs. I questioned underspending on street paving under the prior mayor. I will continue to respond to residents’ concerns. Most recently I was in close contact with the Mayor about traffic concerns surrounding Six Flags and I shared residents’ suggestions and concerns with him. I read the local forums and answer questions or direct people to answers.

McNair: The town has had the same core of council people for over 27 years. I believe our founding fathers would be concerned for Agawam with the same crew in office for that long. Our government would be better served with term limits that would see a natural rotation of new representation for its citizens and ideas that benefit all. For this I've decided to run for a position of city council.

Mercadante: I have decided to run for reelection to the Agawam City Council because as a small business owner, one has to be a problem solver. I have worked well with my colleagues and enjoy very much the challenge of making life better for all the citizens of Agawam.

Rossi: I have been in public service for the town of Agawam most of my adult life. First, as an Agawam Police Lieutenant where I became deeply involved as an advocate for human rights through union representation, social and civic groups, fundraising and various charities throughout Agawam and the region. It was through that calling and the love of community that drove me to my first election for the City Council striving to make a difference in people’s lives and providing them a strong and independent voice.

Russo: I’m running for Agawam City Council because I feel a fresh voice is needed for our town and I have the drive and dedication to be that voice. As a lifelong resident, I've gotten to know many of the people and business owners in town well. I've listened to and learned from them and I truly understand their needs. I want to be their advocate and their voice at the table. My background, dedication and love for the community will allow me to be a positive addition to the City Council.

Sandlin: My decision to seek re-election to the Agawam City Council is continue my efforts to: bring an alternative to Comcast, to continue my efforts to work on our cities zoning laws, to continue my efforts to bring charter review to this season and finally to give back to the taxpayers of Agawam my extensive background in government both on the state level as well the city council.

Smith: I have devoted my life to helping by using my abilities to lead, to communicate, and to influence others. I have been a teacher, a coach, a driver's education instructor, a business owner, and a city councilor. I would like the opportunity to continue as your city councilor.

Suffriti: I have decided to run for re-election, because I am a strong believer in public service. I have been in public service for 25yrs. I decided to originally run for City Council with the same belief but also to keep myself engaged along with the values this town has that I grew up in along with raising my daughters in. Agawam is an inspiring community when you take the time to engage yourself in it.

Tedeschi: I am running for my second term because I wish to continue work on behalf of Agawam to become even more business friendly. I hope to create a Business/Industrial committee that actively pursues and encourages new businesses to plant roots in our city.

RP: What issues have you seen within the town that you wish to address?

Bitzas: The first issue we need to address is maintaining the lowest taxes for our homeowners and our businesses. We have to continue to improve our streets and sidewalks. Our town is growing and we may need to address the possibility of a third fire station to cover and protect with quicker response the health and safety of our citizens. I will continue to fight to be able to secure federal and state money for a new high school, the Feeding Hills sewage problems and the storm water issues.

Calabrese: The completion of the sewer expansion system into the southwest section of Feeding Hills remains a source of frustration to the people that live there. I have consistently advocated for completing that project to bring the families that live there long-promised relief from dealing with wetlands and septic system maintenance costs. Also, the intersection of Springfield Street and North Street is long overdue for a redesign to make that crossroads in town safer and more easily navigated.

Cavallo: There are multiple town related issues that are ongoing and continue to be addressed. They include the following:
1. Making Agawam a “greener” community.
2, Infrastructure – Aging sewers and water pipes are being replaced, new sidewalks installed and streets being resurfaced.
3. New traffic lights and crosswalks at dangerous intersections.
    Also, there are projects that must be addressed during the next two years.
4. Review of Agawam’s Town Charter.
5. Development of the Tuckahoe property as a recreational space.
6. A Town Hall/Public Safety Complex (Part of the mayor’s Capital Improvement Plan)
7. A plan to attract new businesses to Agawam.

Hendrickson: Some of the biggest financial burdens that Agawam’s working families are currently dealing with are the outrageous internet and electricity prices in town. For years, corporate monopolies like Comcast and Eversource Energy have been price-gouging our community. As city councilor, I will support creating a publicly-owned electric utility and a municipal internet provider. By bringing these assets under local, community ownership, we can ensure fair prices and better service for many years to come. Other towns in the area including Westfield, Chicopee, and Holyoke have experienced great success with this model; there’s no reason that we can’t do something similar here in Agawam.

I will also work to break through the complacency surrounding the Feeding Hills sewer project, and finally provide Feeding Hills residents with the sewers they’ve been entitled to for decades. Providing and maintaining sewers for residents is one of the most basic, fundamental purposes of local government; the fact that Agawam has failed to do this for so long is unacceptable. Finding an equitable solution to this project will be one of my main priorities as city councilor.

Quality of life in Agawam is generally pretty good, but there are always things we can do to further improve our community. Investing in a new high school and other improvements to our schools’ infrastructures will improve educational outcomes. Investing in road infrastructure in hazardous areas (such as the Barry Street/Pine Street intersection) will improve public safety. Reducing the price of the electric vehicle charging stations to a reasonable rate will promote environmental sustainability. As city councilor, I will always be searching for new ways to improve quality of life in our community.

Johnson: We need to work on finding new and innovative revenue sources to meet our growing list of capital needs. Our capital needs include a new public safety complex, a new high school and a new town hall. Not to mention, the annual infrastructure needs for our roads, sidewalks and storm drainage system.

Letellier: We need to be proactive to attract quality residential and business development in Agawam. The Walnut St and Morgan Sullivan Bridge construction projects are an asset to the Town and now we need to move forward on getting the Games and Lanes property developed and attract businesses that will last. We need to make recreation in Feeding Hills a priority for Community Preservation Fund projects. We need to ensure that our first responders have what they need to be safe so that they can continue to be the best first responders in the area, if not the whole state.

McNair: The town is yearning for a diverse government that has people from all walks of life. We have a sameness council and would be best served if we had a new generation of demographics that would represent all neighbors and families in our communities. It has been about 30 years with zero happenings at the Walnut St area and our Sand Trap property has been abandoned for quite some time. I don't see the vision or care with the current council. I would hope to change this in due time.

Mercadante: The issues of our town remain the same as with all cities and towns, infrastructure, education, and substance-abuse. These issues are all difficult but not insurmountable if we work together. Some citizens have waited for a great period of time to see improvements in these areas. It is not easy to address everything that is needed and keep taxes in check. The capital improvement plan should start to emphasize and address these problems so that our residents will continue to see results that affect their daily lives.

Rossi: Education, public safety, and the economy are certainly at the top of the list. However, there are many other issues facing families and neighborhoods daily that need to be addressed by the City Council; zoning issues, infrastructure needs, parks and recreation, to name a few. A community has to be intentional, therefore maintained. It’s the City Council working with its citizens coming together to support a common cause; a better community.

Russo: Although there are several things I would like addressed in town, I have included three. I would like to see us get a new high school, as a member of a trade union I've worked on many of the newer schools in Western Massachusetts. In doing so, I've seen firsthand how out of date our school is. I believe an appropriate learning environment is essential to a quality education. The Feeding Hills sewer expansion is something that has been talked about for a long time but is still pending. If elected, I would aggressively pursue completion of the project working not only with my fellow Councilors and the Mayor, but also with our State Representative and State Senator. I would also pursue state funding to save the Agawam tax payers as much as possible for these projects. I would also pursue a Recreation Center for the youth of Agawam, something I feel would greatly benefit parents and kids of all ages.

Sandlin: The issues that I see as my priority are Waste Water without additional fees, using monies to correct our infrastructures, underground systems, road repairs and continued sidewalk replacement and new construction.

Smith: Our storm water issues are currently being addressed by the appropriate town departments, and I will keep careful watch to be sure they continue until all issues are completely resolved. I also plan to work in any way I can with the police, fire, DPW, health, and school departments to be sure our town services remain at the same high level already provided.

Suffriti: I believe there are many issues the town needs to address. Prioritizing and being fiscally responsible while moving forward with the issues/projects while working in conjunction with the administration and elective officials, agawam will be a better community. But to be more specific our storm drain systems in town along with discontinued sewer projects in the feeding Hills section continue to be the bigger issues that need to be addressed sooner than later.

Tedeschi: To name just a few:
1. South West Feeding Hills Sewers; I have found many roadblocks to a quick solution to this problem. I have been working with other councilors and the administration to come up with new ideas to get some movement on this critical issue.
2. Charter Review; I have had several discussions with interested Republicans and Democrats to get together to create a charter review commission and get this on the ballot.
3. Increase tax base; I hope to be part of group of interested Agawam citizens to find ways to attract new business’ to Agawam
4. Infrastructure and Maintenance; Though as a City Councilor we cannot add to a budget, I have requested the administration to apply more funding to this budgetary line item.

RP: If you are elected, how do you plan to work with other members/constituents?

Bitzas: I have always worked well with all the councilors, the mayor, department heads, town employees and of course the residents of our town. I always work with integrity, honesty, professionalism and common sense with the best interest of our town and our people. I will continue to do my best to help any constituents that come to me with any issues they may have. This is my job and my duty to serve the people who elected me to be their city councilor.

Calabrese: I will continue to do what I always have as a City Councilor. The hallmark of my service has been to take a leadership position in which my practical skills can be best utilized. I have served multiple terms as Council Vice President, Chair of the Finance Committee and the Community Relations Committee. I show up, voice my opinion, explain why I am voting the way I do, and am available to answer questions. I always listen to constituent concerns whether I am in the grocery store, walking the neighborhoods and parks, or answering the phone when a concern arises. My responsiveness to citizen concerns and good stewardship of our town resources will continue.

Cavallo: As a City Councilor, I will continue to work with the other counselors as a team. It is important to share mutual trust and respect for each other. I feel communication is essential for working efficiently and being able to share thoughts and opinions to reach a conclusion that will be in the best interest of Agawam.

Hendrickson: Over the course of my campaign, I have heard from so many people throughout our community about the issues impacting our residents. As city councilor, I will always be accessible and responsive, and I will work tirelessly to identify and rectify problems affecting our community. I will always treat my colleagues on the council with respect and decency, and I will cooperate with them to cultivate ideas and solutions.

Johnson: I have had the honor of serving as Council President over the past several years. In that role, I work with my fellow councilors on issues that affect our community. I strive to have robust communication with them and with the mayor to make sure all points of view are heard and incorporated in the future direction of Agawam. I also enjoy interacting with constituents and listening to the concerns and ideas for our town.

Letellier: I have a very successful history of working with other members of the council. Including being elected as council president. As council [resident I prioritized sharing of information and professionalism, even when Councilors disagreed on an issue. I will continue to be responsive to constituent concerns as raised in Citizen’s Speak Time, email, social media, or any form of communication. I am a firm believer in Citizen’s Speak Time and in fact that is how I got my start in Agawam politics.

McNair: Being a fresh new voice on the council I would share new ideas that would best for our constituents and neighbors. Offering an independent voice that would be healthy for the growth and the savvy we lack. With decades of private sector experience, I would be added value to a stale and predictable council. Let me be clear, I would be open to new ideas that are well sought after in our community.

Mercadante: I have, in my four years on the City Council, always worked well with my colleagues as well as our mayor. We can only move forward as a town, with compromise as well as mutual respect for one another. Citizens know that I am accessible and address their concerns in a timely fashion. They come and visit me at our place of business, the 911 Burgers and Dogs or by phone and we have been very successful solving problems. The residents of this town elect us to be part of the solution not part of the problem.

Rossi: A legislator must be someone with convictions, willing to stand alone when needed, to compromise when necessary, and always act in the best interest of the community. History should be our story of how we come together undivided so as to empower us to achieve the goals that we otherwise not achieve; making Agawam a better, more inclusive and enviable place to live, work and play.

Russo: I feel if elected I will be able to work very well with my fellow Council members. I'm fortunate to know almost all the other candidates pretty well. This will make for a comfortable and smooth transition into the work that needs to be done. I will include my fellow Councilors and the Mayor in all plans and ideas that I have for Agawam because I believe having a successful community is a team effort not an individual one. My constituents will always be my number one priority, they are the reason I'm running. One of my biggest goals as a Councilor is to be as accessible to constituents as possible. This is why I'm planning on having monthly coffee hours and potentially Town Hall style meetings. I want to hear their concerns and ideas; it is my hope to get the residents more involved in the decision making of the City Council.

Sandlin: I have always been available to the taxpayers with their questions, problems and concerns. No problem is too little or too big to tackle and get answers for the citizens of Agawam. My extensive work on the Agawam School Committee, the State Senate and my tenure as Agawam’s Representative to the House of Representatives have taught me to work with my colleagues on all sides of issues.

Smith: I have served on the City Council for the past two years. During that time, I have shown my ability to work cooperatively with my fellow councilors and have actually attended every sub-committee meeting, even those for committees to which I am not assigned, in order to be aware of all issues and the discussions related to them. I have also made myself readily available to all Agawam residents.

Suffriti: I will continue to work with my constituents and other elected members of the community as I have for the past eight years. Stay engaged, always listen and keep the betterment of the town and the residents the priority.

Tedeschi: As the chair of the Republican Town Committee, I am honored to have many prominent Agawam Democrats encourage and support my election. Though we may disagree on some issues we all agree that a City Counselor's job is to advocate/compromise for the betterment of all of Agawam. With regards to constituents, many stop by my store here in town to bring up a concern. I have and will continue to work with anyone whose focus is making Agawam the best it can be.

RP: How can you/the city support small business development and expansion?

Bitzas: To support small business development and expansion I will work hard and continue to keep business tax rates as low as possible which will encourage businesses to stay in our city and be able to expand. This will bring more jobs and revenue to our city. I will continue to support and patronize our local businesses. We must also make the permit process to expand or open new businesses easier. Our towns boards and commissions should expedite the permitting process without unnecessary delays. We must be empathetic and business friendly to be able to attract new businesses and help existing ones.

Calabrese: By completing the sewer system into the southwest section of Feeding Hills, more opportunities will open up for small businesses. Agawam has consistently had a split tax rate, which has enabled us to keep our business tax rates among the lowest in our section of the Pioneer Valley. By making sensible use of revenues, we can continue to offer lower tax rates for businesses and our families alike.

Cavallo: To support small business development in our town, I would like to hire a Company that specializes in attracting small businesses to towns/cities. We would require that the Company conduct studies that would produce data that would assist in the future development of businesses in our town.

Hendrickson: Small businesses play a substantial role in Agawam’s local economy. As city councilor, I will work to help locally-owned businesses thrive by making the necessary investments in our community. Maintaining our town’s infrastructure is integral to the success of our small businesses. Improving the quality of life in town will attract new residents, creating a larger pool of potential customers for small businesses. Investing in our public schools will ensure that we provide future generations with the knowledge and abilities needed to operate small businesses when they grow up. Ultimately, investing in infrastructure, quality of life, and education, among other things, will help ensure that small businesses can thrive in Agawam.

Johnson: We need to work with small businesses as they are one of the largest sources of new job creation in the area. The focus should continue to be on how to streamline our processes to make them more user friendly for existing businesses, and to try to attract new businesses and industries by making the permitting process as quick and friendly as possible.

Letellier: Projects such as Business Improvement Districts are a great way to support business development and expansion by focusing on specific areas that need attention. The City Council can use our Community Relation Committee to hold regular meetings with the businesses in Town to address their concerns and get ahead of problems before they happen. The City Council sets the tax rate in town and we need to be knowledgeable about business concerns in order to fairly apportion the tax rate.

McNair: A task team and professional team are needed to support what we have left in small business and to recruit new business. Agawam has so much work to do that we really must start with this election on Nov 2nd. Agawam deserves a new generational and diverse group of leaders to take us to the next level. I believe Agawam needs a change and that can only happen if we have the courage to vote for new individuals that are ready to serve.

Mercadante: I pledge to support small business expansion and development by keeping business taxes low to stimulate that growth. I don’t want our residents, of which I am one also, to subsidize business with higher residential taxes but one has to understand that business does not require the services that the residents do. Therefore, the more business we can attract the better tax base we will have in order to A. keep residential taxes in check and B. subsidize the infrastructure projects we talked about earlier. Thank you for your support on Nov. 2.

Rossi: The town’s administration along with the City Council can offer low interest loans so that local business owners continue to operate during difficult and trying times. The town can also partner with the City Council offering tax incentives for upgrading the facades and exteriors of buildings and stores making them more attractive and desirable to patrons. Better marketing strategies and offering incentives to improve and create new business. Also, improving the permitting process is a win for business and the Town; and a growing tax base.

Russo: I am passionate in my support of small local businesses as I recognize the diversity, growth and employment opportunities they bring to our town. Each business is unique and may have individual needs, I would support them by understanding those needs and assisting them in obtaining all resources available to them through our town and state government. These businesses are a big part of what keeps Agawam growing in many ways and we (not only elected officials but residents) need to do all we can to help them succeed by supporting those businesses that are open and those that hope to open in our great community.

Sandlin: I will continue to attempt to keep the business tax rate reasonable to encourage small businesses. I will support efforts to bring reasonable development in our industrial and business zoned land.

Smith: To encourage small business retention and growth, I voted to keep our commercial tax rate at $31.46, which is the lowest among towns in our area. I also would like to make existing small businesses more aware of a local relief fund available to them. Additionally, we can provide support to businesses applying for an SBA loan.

Suffriti: Helping support the small businesses in town has always been supported by myself, the elected officials and administration, most recently as we come through the pandemic the city Council along with the mayor's office did many things to help support businesses financially, economically along with some waivers. I understand the difficulties the small businesses endured during the pandemic and I strive to make sure that they continue to be a business in town.

Tedeschi: Agawam can be more proactive in finding, attracting and securing business development. We can be creative by utilizing a 40R program to increase traffic flow to distressed business areas, encourage land swap to create more attractive parcels along with tax incentives to new prospects. I am open to all ideas that create a stable, long term and lucrative tax base that fits the community that we all call home.

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