Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.

Mayoral victory is muted by corruption charges

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



NEWS ANALYSIS



CHICOPEE With Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" playing in the background, several hundred supporters of Attorney Michael Bissonnette partied at the He Ke Lau on Election Night.

There was a pall cast over the proceedings, though, by incumbent Mayor Richard Goyette. His arrest by the FBI on extortion charges and his subsequent dropping out of the mayor's race just days before didn't give Bissonnette the kind of clear mandate any candidate would have liked.

Although the overwhelming number of voters gave Bissonnette their support, there were still over a thousand voters who marked their ballots for the incumbent. And one could not say how many of the votes cast for Bissonnette were protests against the incumbent.

In politics, though, a winner is a winner and on Election Night Bissonnette was clearly enjoying the fruits of a long and frequently contentious campaign.

"We're all from Chicopee," he told the crowd. "Today we sent a clear message that Chicopee City Hall is not for sale."

His supporters roared their approval.

Bissonnette than called for help from Goyette supporters.

The mayor-elect was joined on stage by his friends, family, and by members of the Chicopee firefighters and patrolmen unions.

" 'Team Chicopee' will be the watchword of our administration as we go forward," Bissonnette said.

Once the official statements were over, Bissonnette spoke to reporters. He was both restrained and philosophical in his remarks.

"He [Goyette] has got to make his own decision [about resigning]," Bissonnette said.

Goyette didn't offer his congratulations to Bissonnette on Election Night and Bissonnette said that he "hadn't heard from that side [the Goyette campaign] in a very long time."

Staying in office, Goyette runs the risk of creating a "paralysis affecting the city[government]," Bissonnette added.

Bissonnette said that he has both a 48-hour and a two-month transition plan ready and since the election he has spoken with city employees as part of his readying to assume office.

Bissonnette already has served in a mayoral role by attending the Veteran's Day services, apparently in the place of Goyette.

Attending the Election Night party were State Senator Michael Knapik and Aldermanic President Keith Rattell.

Knapik told Reminder Publications that Bissonnette ran "a good campaign regardless of what happened."

He said that city needs "a period of healing and needs unifying," and that the city's legislative delegation has an obligation to work with the new mayor.