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Date: 6/26/2015
HOLYOKE – Fran O’ Connell said he has watched changes in his city he did not like and added that now is time for him to “put up or shut up.”
Lifetime resident of Holyoke and business owner O’ Connell officially announced his campaign for mayor on June 22 at a rally at the Yankee Pedlar. This is his first run for public office. A graduate of Holyoke Catholic High School, he earned an associate’s degree from Holyoke Community College, a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Columbia University and a Master of Science from the University of Massachusetts. He served in the Army from 1985 through 1998 and founded his business O’Connell Care at Home in 1987.
Besides work as a business owner, O’Connell also fronted a band “The Franny O Show” several years ago.
He believes his leadership and business background give him the necessary “skill set” to be mayor, he told Reminder Publications prior to the rally. His campaign will focus on four major areas, he said – the city’s schools; the management of the city; public safety; and making the city more “business friendly.”
O’Connell is facing City Councilor Anthony Soto as well as incumbent Mayor Alex Morse who will be looking for a third term.
When asked about financing his campaign against an incumbent, O’Connell said he would be using some of his money while speaking about his plans until “people feel comfortable to donate” to him.
O’Connell did not offer any initiatives, but said he has been “talking to experts, experts in the city, experts in the state to get some good advice.” He added his style is to conduct research and “surround yourself with smart people.”
When asked if he has seen economic growth in the city, he countered with a question: “Do you see real growth?” He doesn’t discount the advancement of an art economy in the city or the potential for high tech jobs, but O’Connell believes Holyoke is still a place for manufacturing and should greater capitalize on its affordable energy.
He doesn’t see the state takeover of the school system as a defeat but rather “the ultimate opportunity.” O’Connell said, “We need a strong leader to work with the state [on the schools.]”
O’Connell said his run for mayor is something he has been thinking about for a long time. He said he has been spending part of the year in Puerto Rico for the past 15 years and he has always followed what has happened in the city when he is gone. He added he has been “unable to disengage from my hometown because of the trouble we’re in.” He said he is offering the city a “new direction.”
His website is http://FranOConnellForMayor.com.