Incumbents keep town council, school committee seats

Nov. 12, 2019 | Sarah Heinonen
sarah@thereminder.com

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Westside took to the polls on Nov. 5 to select town councilors and members of the school committee. The town chose to stay the course by reelecting the 12 incumbents who ran.

In the race for five town councilor at-large positions, the four sitting councilors held on to their seats. Councilor Bruce Gendron did not seek reelection. Instead, former West Springfield Mayor Edward C. Sullivan was elected, receiving 2,101 votes, more than any other candidate, incumbent or otherwise.

“I’m thrilled to have the community support,” Sullivan told Reminder Publishing. “Hopefully, it has something to do with the work I did as council president and mayor.”

Sullivan was mayor for a single term from 2014 to 2015. He said that while he has maintained a level of civil service involvement in town since leaving the mayor’s office, “I’m looking forward to being able to delve a little deeper into the work that needs to be done in town.”

Anthony R. DiStefano ran unopposed for the seat held by outgoing Council President George D. Condon III, who did not seek reelection. DiStefano was unavailable for comment.

The races in districts one and four ended with the challengers being decisively bested by incumbents. Michael Eger, of district one, received 181 votes, double that of his opponent, William Forfa. Meanwhile, district four’s Daniel O’Brien received 424 votes to David Higgins’s 338 votes.

Nathan A. Bech, an incumbent from district two, ran unopposed.

Six seats on the West Springfield School Committee were up for grabs in this election year with six candidates on the ballot. Five incumbents were reelected – Kathleen A. Alevras, Nancy M. Farrell, Patricia A. Garbacik, William P. Garvey and Colleen Marcus. The sixth seat went to newly elected Jennifer Marcus.

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