Editor’s note: This is the second article of a three part series chronicling a total of 32 candidates running for Town Council. Candidates will be profiled in alphabetical order by last name. Eleven candidates whose last names start with F through K are featured in this story.?

EAST LONGMEADOW – Many town council candidates have a variety of backgrounds, but most share common ground on issues in the town, including fiscal responsibility, government transparency and accountability, as well as allowing for more resident input.

Robert Fitzpatrick, 30, said he believes he’s qualified to serve on the council because he’s the kind of person who will take the time to listen to what people have to say and he is a lifelong resident.

He noted he voted in favor of the charter.

“Since we have grown from the little east village of Longmeadow, we should grow as well,” Fitzpatrick said. “The Town Meeting worked when we had a couple hundred people living in the town. With the number of residents we have today, change is needed. I think this new form of government is perfect for our little town that is growing every year.”

He added he would advocate for the creation of a stoplight at the corner of Lombard Avenue and North Main Street if elected to the council.

“For the residents that live between North Main and Westwood, they know how long you will wait at this stop sign, especially during rush hour,” Fitzpatrick explained.

Keriann Flynn, also a lifelong resident, said her experience of growing up in the town has informed her knowledge of the community as an adult.

“I have attended the public schools, from Meadowbrook to the high school and graduated in 2014,” she noted. “All of these experiences and more give me the knowledge of what it is like to not only be a resident in East Longmeadow, but to grow up in East Longmeadow.”

She said she believes councilors will be able to learn from one another’s different backgrounds and life experiences.

Flynn said the current form of government was lacking in many areas, including low Town Meeting attendance, which she believes decreased with each consecutive meeting.

One of her top goals as councilor would be to advocate for new life skills learning opportunities in the school district, including courses on how to fill out taxes, financial aid, and W2 forms as well as home economics.

“These skills will benefit students in a way that prepares them for the real world, not the test world,” she explained.  

Flynn said she would also like to see students become inspired to serve as active members of the community and attain knowledge about how government works.

“The next generation, the younger generation, is extremely important to this community and it is now that we must begin educating them,” she added.

Joseph Ford said he has a background in business administration and his work entails helping businesses understand how to better manage employees and their human resources needs.

He said he believes the new council-manager form of government would allow the town to focus on intermediate and long-term planning.

“[We’ll] have a town manager that is responsible for the minutia in the more day-to-day aspects,” he added.

Ford said he would advocate for improvements to town infrastructure if elected to the council.

“For example, it’s not enough to just make improvements in the external parts of our schools,” he noted. “We need to make sure we’re on the cutting edge of giving these teachers and our schools the tools that [students] need to be modern learners.”

Anthony Gentile Jr., a 20-year call firefighter in the community who also served as the director of emergency management for two years, said he’s acquired “keen leadership and decision making skills” through his experience.

“With a background in public safety, I am able to understand the inner workings of the public safety departments in the town and can work effectively in understanding how each department operates,” he explained. “I was born and raised in East Longmeadow, protected life and property in East Longmeadow and I want to give back to the town that has given my family and I so much.”

Gentile said he believes transparency, accountability, and integrity are needed values when serving in a governing body.

“I would also restore the community’s trust that was lost in the past months with some members of the Board of Selectmen,” he noted.

He said he wasn’t initially in favor of the charter. However, in speaking with other residents and researching the charter he found the new government would be an improvement.

“I would have liked to have seen more options presented to residents,” he noted.

Gentile said the first item of business for the council should be to find an appropriate town manager – an individual who is highly trained in managing a community with the right people skills.

“Secondly, I would be against splitting the tax rate for residents and businesses,” he added. “Keeping the tax rate a single rate system would continue to benefit the taxpayers.”

Susan Grimaldi, a former selectman and owner of Grimaldi Insurance Agency, said her work on the board gave her the opportunity to gain insight on the inner workings of town government and witness problem areas that she believes need to be addressed.

She said she was in favor of the charter, having served as the chair of the political action committee East Longmeadow Home Rule Charter.

“Restructuring the multi layers of town departments will result improved communications and services for our residents and businesses,” she explained. “Our newly established Financial Department will be able to use all their resources and channel financial expenditures more effectively while meeting the current and future needs of our town.”

Kathleen Hill, the former principal of Birchland Park Middle School from 1997 to 2013, said she believes she is qualified to serve on the council due to her professional training and work experience. She currently serves as a member of the New England League of Middle Schools’ Board of Directors.

“My duties as principal provided the opportunity to use my skills in public relations, budget development, and management, facilitates management, personnel hiring and evaluation, state and federal law, and grant writing and management,” she added.

Hill said she believes voting in favor of a “more comprehensive form of government was warranted.”  

She noted the charter has checks and balances in place, which would address dangers inherent in “special interests and agendas” that could have a negative impact on the town.

Hill said her top priorities would be to ensure that town assets such as buildings, vehicles, and equipment, are maintained, to manage the town’s finances with fiscal responsibility, and to listen to residents and provide them with “democratic access” to the town’s government.  

Carleen Eve Fischer Hoffman, a 14-year resident and volunteer director for the Medical Reserve Corps, said she also owns the Clutter Doctor – an organizing service – located in the community.

“My business experience prepared me to wear many hats and to work with all types of people, both of which are needed for someone holding office,” she added.

Hoffman said she believes a form of government is less important than having the right people representing the voice of the people.

“We need to work together to preserve what’s special about East Longmeadow and prepare us for the future,” she explained. “It’s important that we make this form of government work for the town and not for any particular elected official, special interest group, or political party.”

If elected to the council she said her top goals would be listening to the needs of residents and evaluating challenges facing the community that require thoughtful planning.

“We need to have new fiscal policies and long term financial planning to allow us to meet the challenges of the future,” she added. “Soon those over 65 years of age will outnumber the younger folks. We need to be prepared to plan efficiently and effectively.”

William Jacques, who has a background in law enforcement, said he strives to be honest and a trusted leader and believes those qualities are what East Longmeadow residents are looking for.

He added he believes the seven-member council would provide a more proficient and consistent balance on issues.  

“Should I be fortunate enough to be elected I would like to bring to the table the idea of working towards a lower tax rate for the seniors and working with public safety officials to make public safety as efficient as possible,” Jacques said. “It is important to me that I show the people that I hear and understand their concerns and issues and work towards a common resolution.”

Isabella Kacoyannakis said she believes she has what it takes to make the right decisions for the town and would always listen to the concern of residents.

She considers the new form of government “incredibly necessary” and noted Town Meeting had become outdated.

“With the new Town Council in place it will be a lot easier for residents of this town to voice their concerns,” Kacoyannakis said.

If elected to the council, she said she would advocate for a bylaw requiring residency to all appointed boards and would oppose a single tax rate.

Michael Kane, an owner and manager of numerous business during the past 20 years and a police officer, said he believes he has the qualifications to manage budgets, interview candidates, and conduct background checks.

He said he believes all forms of government are “only as good as the members elected,” adding that he is confident councilors would listen to comments and concerns from residents before making decisions.

Kane said one of his top priorities as a councilor would be to ensure the current bylaws in the town are being enforced.  

“If the wrong candidates are selected, our bylaws will become compromised for self-serving interests,” he asserted. “This will have an adverse affect on our community. I would also like to explore opportunities regarding tax relief for our seniors. Many seniors are unable to remain in town due to unaffordable tax rates.”

George Kingston, a member of the Planning Board who has lived in the town for 37 years and served in town government for 26 years, said he has a good idea how government functions.

He added he also helped write the charter as a member of the Charter Commission and is aware of all the details of the new form of government.

Kingston said he believes the new form of government would prove more responsive and cost effective.

“As one of the authors of the new charter, I recognize that it is a starting point and will have to be supported by new bylaws and even changes in the document itself as implementation reveals new challenges and as state and federal laws evolve and affect the town,” he noted. “I look forward to the opportunity to help implement it.”

He added he is fiscally conservative and would work to bring strong financial control and accountability to the town.

“I would like to see centralization of purchasing and human resources,” Kingston said. “The success we have had with the centralization of [Information Technology] already shows the benefits of this approach. I would like to see the town take greater advantage of state and federal grants, where appropriate. I do believe that the council should be very careful about implementing any changes to the zoning bylaws. I also think that the town should take a stronger role in attracting and retaining new businesses, especially in the garden industrial district.”

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