Eighth candidate announces intention to seek election as Holyoke mayor

July 19, 2021 | Danielle Eaton
deaton@thereminder.com

HOLYOKE –  A resident is now the eighth candidate to announce their intention to seek the position of mayor of Holyoke.

Christopher Kosinski moved to the Paper City from Poland when he was just 5 years old. “I’m the only one in my family without an accent,” he said. Kosinski said he attended Catholic school for his education from kindergarten until eighth grade including Mater Dolorosa.

Upon entering his freshman year of high school, Kosinski transferred to Holyoke High School, where he said he was excited to play sports for the school. “I was so excited to be a Holyoke Knight,” he said. Kosinski said while he didn’t grow up playing sports for the district, there had been ample opportunities for him to bond with his friends through sports offered at the “YMCA, YWCA, the Boys [and Girls] Club and city hall.”

“I didn’t understand the language, but everyone understood sports,” he said. However, not long after he started at Holyoke High School his father, who “made footballs by hand” at Spalding, purchased a house across the street from the factory in Chicopee.

Determined to continue his education in Holyoke, Kosinski was accepted into Holyoke Catholic. However, he said, “my dad wouldn’t pay,” for the tuition. Kosinski said his father told him if he wanted to attend the school he would need to pay for the tuition himself. “So I got a job and paid for it,” he said.

Kosinski said he went on to become  a scholar athlete, which he called a “neat experience,” and said he was a part of the team to win “the only state championship to come out of Holyoke Catholic.”

He said after graduating high school he attended the University of New Hampshire as a business major. Kosinski returned to Holyoke after finishing college and was offered a job as a football coach. “I came back and coached football for a year with Ray Mitchell. He gave me a math class at Peck and we got the football program going,” he said.

After a stint on the West Coast he entered sales and returned to New England. He met his now ex-wife and had a daughter, who he speaks highly of. Despite being away from Holyoke, he said he always maintained connections within the city and ultimately bought a house in the city. “I ended up back in Holyoke, I bought a house on Jarvis Avenue. I was a member at Wycoff Country Club when living in Agawam,” he said. “I’ve always been here, always linked to Holyoke.”

Kosinski said his interest in politics began a few years ago when he assisted his friend with a mayoral campaign. At the time, he said he couldn’t vote as he was a permanent resident in the U.S., but wasn’t a citizen at the time. “I became a citizen about two years ago. I loved it, I clapped for everyone that went through,” he said.

While he loves the city and feels passionately about it, he said he was worried about the direction it was heading in. “I love Holyoke, but I don’t like the direction it’s going. There’s no accountability for city employees,” he said.

He said he took out papers to run for mayor and every day “after work I would go for walks” and  talks to people to get the required number of signatures. “It took a while, but it was great. There’s a diverse group of people,” he said. Kosinski said he had reached 303 signatures when his mother began to have health issues, so he turned in his papers and was registered with 267 official signatures.

“I just wanted to get my name out there. I don’t want any money, I just want my name on the ballot. All I want to do is get on the ballot and give people a choice,” he said. Kosinski went on to say he’d like to see High Street transformed into an area similar to Northampton Street with businesses.

“All these other towns are doing great, how come we’re not? It’s not that hard,” he said. “We have got to educate people, my number one priority is the schools. We should go internally, talk to people. We have a lot of talented people that give you more inside than outsiders.”

He continued, “Parents have to become more involved. In the lower part of Holyoke, kids don’t have access to computers. I’m not invested in Holyoke politics. If given a chance, I want responsibility, I will make a difference.”

He said he felt as though the city had a lot to offer, but there were issues that needed to be addressed, which could be done by working together. “If the team is successful, everyone is successful. Holyoke has a lot to offer, but you [have] got to go get dirty,” he said. “When I came, so many people helped me, this is a great community. The small majority brings it down.”

Kosinski said he believes in transparency. “Honesty is the best policy, Holyoke means a lot to me, there’s so many things happening,” he said. “I just wanted to give people a voice. I’m here for you guys, I just want to help the city.”

Kosinski can be reached by email at ckosinski@richelieu.com.

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