Seniors hear from candidates

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

CHICOPEE A proposed casino, a new senior center and new ideas for the city were among the topics explored at a forum sponsored by the Council on Aging for the candidates for mayor, the Board of Aldermen, and the School Committee at the Chicopee Senior Center on Wednesday night.

The format of the event was that each candidate was asked two questions. There were no questions from the audience and, aside from one instance, there was supposed to be no debating. Ray Hershel of ABC40 served as the evening's moderator.

Mayor Michael Bissonnette, who is running unopposed, told the audience of about 30 that he is going to vote in favor of the casino question on this year's ballot because the passage of the question "puts us at the table and in the game."

In 2009, he expects another vote that would be site and plan specific. At that time, there should be a proposal that should be scrutinized by the voters.

"You can say yes in 2007 and no in 2009," he said.

Bissonnette admitted, "I'm obsessed with finding new sources of revenue."

Addressing the issue of a new senior center, Bissonnette said the project should have started by now, but hasn't because of financial concerns. The city must cope with a $19.5 million cost increase for the new Chicopee Comprehensive High School (CCHS) and with the yet unknown costs of the demolition of the old CCHS.

Another financial unknown is the cost of the improvement to the city's dike system along the Connecticut River mandated by the Army Corps of Engineers in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Those improvements might cost the city $3 million.

Once Bissonnette was finished speaking, groups of candidates were brought forward to answer questions. The at-large Aldermanic candidates were first and consisted of incumbents Jean Croteau, Shane Brooks, Robert Zygarowski, and James Tillotson and challengers Frank LaFlamme and James Raschilla.

LaFlamme was asked what was his number one priority and how his candidacy is different than his opponents. He said his principal concern is a new Senior Center and if elected he would bring new ideas to the Board. He added he would work to merge departments to create efficiencies and works with the School Committee to improve the city's schools.

Tillotson was asked what were his greatest accomplishments while in office and if he could speak about his background.

Tillotson said he was proud of being part of the fund-raising team for the new library and been on the Board to see a new Chicopee High School with a 90 percent state reimbursement rate and a new CCHS with a 70 percent reimbursement rate. He was also proud of his efforts to allow a public speak-out period at aldermanic meetings.

He said that he was well educated and during his over 20 years on the Board he concentrated on financial issues. He said a new Senior Center should be built with funds equally raised by the friends group, obtained from state an federal sources and from the city itself.

Croteau was asked about the biggest challenge facing the city and he identified it as the rapidly growing elderly population that he said would comprise 28 percent of the city's population by 2020. The city will have to have a new Senior Center with wide range of programs.

"Seniors have such a broad spectrum of needs," he said.

He was also asked about his accomplishments and he said helping to obtain the state funding for the library was one of them as well as the service he provided his ward as a ward aldermen.

When asked about Chicopee challenges, Brooks said the aging Boomer population will need various services and the city must be prepared to offer outreach programs.

Brooks caused a bit of laughter when he said with a smile his greatest accomplishment while on the Board was being elected. He views the Board as a group and doesn't consider individual efforts.

Zygarowski said the casino is not the city's biggest challenge over the next two years, but looking at the city as whole including projects such as downtown redevelopment and keeping the tax rate under control should be the agenda.

A new Senior Center is also a priority, Zygarowski and noted, "The State isn't coming through and the city should do everything possible within means to get a new center."

Challenger Raschilla said, "I don't give a darn" when the subject is a proposed casino. The biggest challenge for the city is to identify long and short term goals and to look for tax relief for the growing elderly population.

As far as a new senior center, Raschilla said the city should look to how the new library was funded as the model for a new center.

Next came candidates for various ward aldermanic positions: Paul Demears, Jr. and Dino Brunetti for Ward 1; Chuck Swider and Ernest Mendrala for Ward 2; and William Zaskey and Ronald Czelusniak for Ward 4.

When asked about the challenges ahead for his ward, Brunetti noted the sewer project will have benefits but present some difficulties. The top priority for his ward, though, is the Granby Road and Montgomery Street "intersection hell" and streets such as Pendleton Avenue that are used for "racetracks." He would like to see steps taken to make these streets and intersections safer.

Demears said the potential of flooding is one of his concerns for the ward and, if elected he would work to see the Police department in an up-graded facility.

Swider said rising property taxes is a big issue for him with the challenge being how the city can provide services at an affordable tax rate. Swider said he is also looking to bring additional businesses to the Center Street corridor to help offset residential property taxes.

As for the challenges facing the ward, Swider said he sees the ward split into two: a business ward and a residential ward. He said the fiber optic system needs to be modernized and used more by the city, perhaps to offer its own cable television system.

Mendrala, the long-time alderman for the ward who lost his seat to Swider, spoke on the need to control taxes and re-establish a bridge between downtown Chicopee and West Springfield to encourage new retail businesses in downtown. Mendrala also said the Cabot Street Fire Station needs to be replaced, which is the biggest challenge to the ward.

Incumbent Zaskey said his number one priority is the re-development of the Uniroyal/Facemate property as well as the development of the bike path along the Chicopee River. Zaskey said he believes the Board of Aldermen has done "a great job keeping the tax rate down" and he would work to encourage the Legislature to put a cap on the rate of home valuations.

His challenger, Czelusniak, said his top issue is balancing the tax rate as not to drive away businesses from the city. He also said Chicopee faces new challenges with crime elements coming into the city from Springfield and that the ward needs a community watch program.

Incumbent Fred Krampets and challenger Kevin Topor of Ward 5 and challengers Cynthia Wegrzyn-Conklin and Timothy McLellan of Ward 6 spoke next. Incumbent Ward 6 Alderman Keith Rattell is seeking election as City Clerk.

Krampets said one of his issues is to address quality of life concerns in the ward and he would like to see more health inspectors added to the city's staff. When asked about the differences between him and his challengers, Krampets said his five years of experience is a plus as well as his willingness to change his own work schedule so he would be more accessible to his constituents and to working with city department heads.

Topor said his educational background and his employment with a Fortune 500 company gives his an advantage. Topor also said he is concerned about quality of life issues such as trees being trimmed, sidewalks maintained and cracking down on speeding. He would also like to see additional police patrols.

When asked about the business expansion along Fuller Road, Wegrzyn-Conklin said the thoroughfare couldn't expand without the city addressing traffic issues, but that expansion along the road will be tempered by the environmental restrictions placed on much of the property.

McLellan agreed there wasn't much suitable land to develop along the road now.

When asked about his priorities, McLellan said he would like to see the parks in the ward upgraded and he would like to see more events in which Chicopee could come together as a community.

Wegrzyn-Conklin agreed about the parks and added that traffic on Burnett Road and Sheridan Street must be addressed. The streets and sidewalks need to be renovated.

"The amount of traffic is unbelievable," she said.

The final group of candidates was for seats on the School Committee and included incumbent at-large member Susan Lecca, challenger at-large Ronald Sliski, incumbent Ward 7 Donald Lamothe, challenger Ward 7 Ellery Brevard, and Ward 1 challenger Adam Lamontagne.

When asked what schools can do to adapt to social issues such as global warming and an aging population, Lecca said curriculums have been changed to meet such challenges. She said schools expect more from students with standardized tests such as MCAS.

Sliski said that people are being misled and to address high rates of divorce schools must have more family-oriented programs. He said there should be more before and after school programs for working parents.

Lecca agreed with the need for such programs and noted that most people cannot afford to pay $65 a week per child for enrollment in a private after-school program.

Lamontagne, who is running against incumbent Dana Cutler, said his greatest challenge is to address the city's dropout rate which is twice the state's average. When asked about his background, he said he has served on two city commissions and is a manager for the F.L. Robert Company.

Hershel asked Donald Lamothe how does the city train new skilled workers to replace aging ones. Lamothe noted that in 2001 there was a movement to eliminate the welding vocational program but he opposed it and now there are two welding instructors at Chicopee Comprehensive High School. Vocational programs need growth, he said.

Brevard said that 98 percent of the young people in prison are high school dropouts and the city's dropout rate must be addressed. He would like to see the city's businesses participate in an intern program to help teach them business skills.

"The secret is to make young people economically viable," Brevard said.

When asked about his background, Brevard said he has lived in Chicopee 19 years and his four daughters have been students in the system. Because of his daughters he has become involved in the schools and noted with a smile he "became a pain in the neck in the system." He supports additional after-school activities.

Lamothe said he is a life-long resident of the city who has missed only two meeting at the most during his six-year tenure on the School Committee. He has supported increased efforts to address truancy issues in the city's high schools by reaching out to parents.