Angelides runs for Select Board uncontested

Date: 3/21/2011

March 21, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

LONGMEADOW — It didn't take long for Marie Angelides to throw her hat back into the political arena.

Angelides, who lost a hotly contested race for State Representative of the 2nd Hampden District to Democratic incumbent Brian Ashe in the November 2010, election, decided to submit nomination forms for the open seat on the Select Board being vacated by Robert Barkett in June.

"When I learned that Bobby Barkett was unfortunately not returning to the Select Board in February, I hesitated because many things were happening in my life," Angelides said, adding that she is expecting to become a grandmother twice in the coming year.

"I decided I wanted to contribute to the town and I appreciated the opportunity that was in front of me, so I decided to put paperwork in," she said.

Angelides will be unopposed for the seat and is excited about the opportunity to get involved in the town's government.

"I think I have a lot to offer. I'm someone who's lived in town for over 25 years," Angelides said. "When I ran [for State Representative] in 2010, I tried to get to as many meetings as I could to understand the processes and to get to know the concerns people have. Those concerns, as it turns out, are a lot of the same concerns I have."

Angelides added that she could also draw from her experience as someone who runs a business in town, as her law office is located on Converse Street.

She said the major concerns of the people of Longmeadow are very similar to those of people throughout the Pioneer Valley and the Commonwealth.

"These are really challenging times when people are either out of work or have had their work hours cut," Angelides said. "As a state, our budget is in serious trouble and as a town, during these trying times, we have outstanding projects, such as the high school, but we also have maintenance concerns and unfunded liabilities, such as pensions."

Angelides credited the Select Board for managing the budget during the economic downturn.

"I think they have been working really hard at balancing the budget, but at the same time, they are still trying to move forward with new projects," Angelides said.

She also admitted that the town still has issues to address, including immediate ones, such as road conditions after a very harsh winter.

"This has been one of the hardest winters I've ever seen living in Massachusetts," Angelides said. "As a result, a lot of the roads are in bad shape, as they are in towns and municipalities throughout the state. It's a challenge that the town faces and, in a way, it's a new challenge, because we haven't faced anything like this in a long time."