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Date: 9/13/2023
CHICOPEE — A lengthy City Council meeting on Sept. 6 was marked with a heated exchange during the mayor’s briefing between Mayor John Vieau and Delmarina Lopez, the councilor who is challenging him as mayor.
Although Lopez voted in favor of the many mayoral orders authorizing purchases of equipment for various departments, she questioned why the new Chief Human Resources Officer Stephen Zajchowski was being hired despite the fact the job description noted that a master’s degree was required for the job.
Zajchowski has been the interim officer since July 1.
Department of Public Works Superintendent Elizabette Batista, who was on the hiring committee for the position, explained said three people were interviewed for the job and the committee not only looked at the educational background but also their years of experience. She added that Zajchowski impressed the committee.
Lopez asserted a person with a bachelor’s degree should not have been hired as the pay rate of a candidate with a masters’ degree and said she would not support the approval of the City Council. Zajchowski is being paid the same as his predecessor.
It was revealed the former Human Resource Officer did not have a master’s degree when he was hired but earned it while he was on the job.
During the course of the discussion with Lopez, Vieau said he stood behind Zajchowski. Lopez pressed Vieau for additional information, which Vieau said he would have to supply her the next day. The two then talked over one another with Lopez making a motion to suspend the mayor’s briefing. Banging his gavel to restore order, City Council President Frank Laflamme ended the discussion and the mayor continued and completed his briefing.
When it came time in the agenda to vote on the appointment, Lopez said she had spoken to Batista during a recess in the meeting and said there had been several job descriptions for the position and that she wanted answers to her questions.
Councilor Derek Dobosz said he would not support the hiring and brought up the issue that had been discussed earlier this year of the city paying for insurance for deceased employees. Councilor Mary Beth Pniak-Costello shared his concerns as she would like the council to be updated about the progress of that issue.
Councilor Gary Labrie noted Zajchowski was not any part of that issue — which had happened well before July 1 and in his opinion that should not hold up his hiring.
Councilor Shane Brooks then read from the job description, which said the applicant should have a master’s degree or a bachelor’s degree with four years of experience. Brooks said someone with a bachelor’s degree could be hired.
As they said they would, Lopez and Dobosz did not vote in favor of the hiring, but the 11 other votes approved it.
Zajchowski’s appointment will be for three years, ending June 30, 2026. His salary is currently at $103,860 and will increase in fiscal year 2025 to $105,912.72 and then to $108,030.97 in FY26.
The council also approved Batista’s re-appointment as the superintendent of the DPW for a five-year term. Councilors praised her for performance.
Vieau noted the capital expenditures such as new equipment had been prioritized by the capital budgeting committee.
Among the many mayoral order approved by the City Council were:
The council also accepted a FEMA grant $40,977 for new turn-out and safety gear for the Fire Department.
A grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Office was accepted and the Police Department was approved to spend $10,200 for new bullet-proof vests.