Lamontagne to challenge Brunetti for Ward One City Council seat
Date: 3/22/2013
By G. Michael Dobbs
news@therminder.comCHICOPEE — School Committee member Adam Lamontagne announced recently through Facebook that he will challenge Ward 1 City Councilor Dino Brunetti for that seat.
On March 13, Lamontagne wrote, "It's official that I have taken out nomination papers for City Council in Ward One! It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Ward 1 on the School Committee for three terms! I'm now on a new journey to bring a new and fresh perspective to the City Council!"
Speaking to
Reminder Publications, Lamontagne said the reaction from Ward 1 residents to the announcement that he was not running for another term on the School Committee motivated him to make the decision.
He said he was "surprised and amazed" at the response.
"People wanted me to stay in government," he said.
He said that he gave Brunetti a courtesy call and told him his decision to run "has nothing to do with you."
He explained to the incumbent city councilor "people feel they want a different representation."
Lamontagne who is the School Committee's representative to the City Council and said some of what he has seen is "troublesome." He noted the City Council has had only two meetings of the Finance Subcommittee in a year as compared to four to five of the School Committee's Finance Subcommittee.
As an example of a lack of action, he noted the asbestos removal in the former library a required step for any action to the property. "The procrastination is costing more and more," he explained.
He said, "More dialogue in government is better," and added, "I'm not going to let allow gridlock stand in the way of progress."
Lamontagne said he would welcome a Lincoln/Douglas style debate with Brunetti.
