CHICOPEE – In a shake-up of the previous establishment, the Chicopee City Council voted for Councilor At-Large Frank Laflamme as its new president and Councilor At-Large Robert Zygarowski as its new vice president during a Jan. 3 meeting.

During the meeting, Laflamme was the only councilor to receive a nomination for the president position, with former City Council President and Ward 2 representative Shane Brooks not receiving a nomination from his peers. Laflamme ultimately secured the position in a 11-2 vote, with Brooks receiving the other two votes.

The vice president vote showcased three different candidates. Zygarowski shared the ballot alongside Ward 1 Joel McAuliffe and Ward 7 William Courchesne.

Zygarowski defeated McAuliffe and Courchesne with 8 votes in his favor, with his challengers receiving 4 votes and 1 vote respectively.

In an interview with Reminder Publishing, Laflamme, who previously served as the council’s vice president last term, shared that several councilors approached him to consider the president position. “Councilors reached out to me regarding the president position. I told them if someone nominates me, I will take on the position if elected,” said Laflamme.

As the new council president, Laflamme sets his sights on creating a better dialogue between the mayor’s office and the council. “I am going to work toward creating a better dialogue between the council and the mayor’s office. I want an open dialogue with all departments,” said Laflamme.

Along with improving the city’s communication, Laflamme stressed the importance of aiding counselors in progressing their constituency. “I will be working to help all councilors get things done within their wards and throughout the city,” said Laflamme.

In an interview with Reminder Publishing, Zygarowski explained why he decided to run for the vice president position after serving in that role during the first two terms of his 19-year council career. “Even as a freshman councilman, I had a good hold of the operation of the City Council. After years of experience, I feel I can bring a lot to the council and work with the new president,” said Zygarowski.

As he brings a new perspective to a familiar role, Zygarowski stressed the importance of maintaining positive relationships with each member of the council. “I can get along with every member of the council, I don’t have grudges with anybody. I feel that my job is going to be to unite the entire council with the current president and work together for the betterment of this city,” said Zygarowski.

Zygarowski also expressed that his sturdy working relationship with Laflamme will aid the council and its operations. He said he will serve as a resource for the sides to work out any discussion. “With my communication skills, I feel that I can work with each member of the council and bring some of those matters to the president. The president is there, but he can’t be in touch with every little detail that’s going on, so I certainly can be the eyes and ears of the president when needed,” said Zygarowski.