NORTHAMPTON – With the race set for Mayor David Narkewicz’s position once his term ends, candidates for Northampton’s mayoral seat discussed their goals and decision to run for the position.

Shanna Fishel, a social worker and former Boston Public Schools teacher, said they decided to run for mayor partly to ensure that government leaders are ethical and compassionate.

“I think the factors that contributed to my decision to run was a perfect storm of events. I think insurrection has partly to do with it; it is my responsibility by focusing on myself and what I can do in government to make sure leaders are ethical and compassionate,” they said.

Current City Council President Gina-Louise Sciarra said that she has been dedicated to the city for her entire tenure on the council and would be honored to be the city’s next mayor.

“I’ve been serving on the City Council now for eight years, so I have been working as an elected official for the city for a long time and that is something that is really important to me. I am really devoted to the city and our community. I have dedicated years to serving Northampton and it would be the greatest privilege of my life to lead the city as mayor,” she said.

With her experience in city government and working with city employees, Sciarra said she has the knowledge to succeed as mayor.

“I feel like the position of mayor is one that really requires a deep and real understanding of the way our municipal government works. There is a learning curve to that, and I feel that I have put in the work and have that base of knowledge. I also understand that it takes teamwork and I have built relationships and respect the hundreds of dedicated people that keep Northampton going,” she said.

While they do not have direct municipal experience, Fishel said they have direct experience with budgeting as a teacher and the effects of municipal decisions on marginalized people as a social worker.

“I do have professional experience as a teacher and a social worker, but I think when you translate that to a municipality, then I obviously do not have professional municipality experience, but I have direct experience of the factors that go into budget allocation, whether it is how schools perform, and how curriculums are decided,” they said. “And then as a social worker to see how racism has affected education and treatment.”

If elected, Fishel said they have three top priorities including recovering from the pandemic, revitalizing downtown Northampton and investing in community economics.

“I have three top priorities and the first one is the pandemic recovery, in terms of the mental health of individuals, as well as the impact on our economy. I also think we need to revitalize our downtown and in addition to that I want to invest into community economics with more participatory budgeting, rent stabilization, and city-wide Wi-Fi,” they said.

Sciarra said one of the first and biggest tasks if she is elected will be to move the city forward from the COVID-19 pandemic without leaving anyone behind.

“There is a desire to put a hard time behind you, but we want to make sure we do not lose sight of the lessons we learned and make sure that no one gets left behind. That means providing support to local businesses, driving people downtown when it is safe, pursuing any economic aid that becomes available, supporting workers, and supporting those that need help in the city,” she said.

Along with recovering from the pandemic, Sciarra said she wants to continue to work on the Resilience Hub if elected.

“Last March the Resilience Hub became fast tracked as a priority for the city. It is a space not only where people can be, but it is also going to be a space where people can make connections with different support services and build community. It will also serve as safe space in times of immediate crisis,” she said. “That is a top priority for Mayor Narkewicz for the rest of his term and if I am fortunate enough to be mayor, it will be a primary focus for me.”

As mayor, Fishel said they wanted to divest from the police budget and invest more into community care and education.

“I know some folks think Northampton might be a progressive police department, but I beg to differ. I know people of color in Northampton still encounter racism, unjust jail time, and police brutality because of the color of their skin. Our crime rate is so low there is no reason for us to have the police, what we need is more mental health support,” they said.

One thing Fishel said they want residents to know about them is that they are vegan and might one day open a vegan bakery.

“I’m a vegan, and for me being a vegan is not just for animal rights, but it also goes to the core of food justice. For me being a vegan is a political action, but I am not going to turn the town vegan as mayor. And I love to bake and when I retire my family tells me I should open up a vegan bakery,” they said.

Despite running for mayor, Sciarra said she wants residents to see her as a neighbor and feel comfortable approaching her.

“I’m your neighbor, I just want people to feel comfortable talking to me. I have two kids in our public schools, and they have been in there since preschool. I have the same interests and concerns as you,” she said. “I can also be kind of a goofball sometimes and so I love to talk to anybody, I am just as happy to talk about the crack sealing schedule as I am about the latest Tik Tok trends.”