Well, it’s that time of year: the leaves are falling; the temperatures are dropping; we’ve eaten all of the good Halloween candy; and the political lawn signs need to be picked up.

Despite the fact there was low voter turnout in some communities and despite the fact this was an “off-year” election in which the highest office was mayor, this was a very important election and in some communities, actually historic.

In Northampton, that community will have a new mayor, City Council President Gina-Louise Sciarra, and there is a new mandate. Voters showed interest in taking the steps to explore municipal broadband service, a topic that is also becoming a significant issue not just in Western Massachusetts, but across the nation.

In Easthampton, this election marked the start of ranked voting and saw the affirmation of incumbent Mayor Nicole LaChapelle. It also saw the return of the top hat into the political arena, perhaps for the first time since the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961. Perhaps that will once again become a fashion trend for elected officials.

History was indeed made in Holyoke where the city’s first Latinx mayor as elected. Joshua Garcia beat City Councilor Mike Sullivan in a race most pundits could not call. The voters also added greater diversity to the City Council.

In Chicopee, diversity also came to the City Council. Attorney Delmarina Lopez ran unopposed in Ward 3 becoming the first person of color to be part of the council. School Committee member Mary-Beth Pniak-Costello is also joining the council meaning the formerly all-male group will now include two women. There has not been a woman on the council since the early 2000s.

Simply put: Chicopee is a diverse community and its council should reflect it.

Westfield saw a change in power. There is nothing quite in political reporting like a rematch and Westfield saw the same two men who faced off for the mayor’s job two years ago return to the ballot. This time former police Captain Michael McCabe beat incumbent Don Humason.

The big question is what will Humason do next. He is a man who has been in public service for many years and who does indeed love his community. I‘m willing to bet he is still interested in public service.

In Springfield, the City Council showed a little change. While there are no new at-large members of the body, there were two new ward councilors.

So despite the poor turnout in some communities, this was a history-making election. Now, let’s see what elected officials actually do to create more history.

Character

A common phrase that suggests an almost intangible quality to a community is “character.” People talk about “the character of a town” and how new developments can affect the “character.”

I’m using quotation marks here because within that phrase there is not real meaning to the word “character.”

This phrase is coming up in Hampden where the town is considering two self-storage facilities. There are many people who are opposing the development on several counts from the impact on the environment to public safety, as well as it would change the “character of the town.”

I’ve often said to my staff that learning the personality of a community is vital in understanding it and sharpening your reporting. Some communities here welcome change and welcome new residents. Some are far more insular.

Springfield has a different feel to it than Chicopee, for instance. I live in one and report on the other and yes, there is a difference.

My family spent 20 years in Granby and it does have a different feel from South Hadley.

When someone comes in with a new business or the intent to build housing, for example, the term “character” is brought out like your trusted carving knife at Thanksgiving. Suddenly people are concerned the personality of the town will be threatened.

That is code for “I’m being threatened.”

I tend to react negatively to the use of that phrase because it is not specific. If you oppose a business then say exactly why you don’t want it.

I much rather people say things like, “I don’t want that affordable housing because I don’t like poor people.” Or what about, “I don’t want that halfway house because I don’t trust recovering sick people.” Or, “I don’t want new market-rate housing because that will bring families and I don’t want to pay for new schools.”

Yes, these reasons are pretty terrible, but they are honest and at least accurately reflect a point of view that is otherwise cloaked behind “character.”

It’s important for everyone on both sides of such an issue as new development actually to say what they think and not to hide behind platitudes.

It says something about your character.