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Date: 8/11/2021
CHICOPEE– Although five candidates initially pulled papers to run for mayor in the city of Chicopee, only one turned in their certified signatures by the Aug. 3 deadline. Incumbent Mayor John Vieau is the sole mayoral nomination for the Nov. 2 election.
Reminder Publishing asked Vieau to reflect on his time in office and explain why he chose to run for Mayor again after his first term.
Mayor John Vieau
“As Mayor, I look forward to the opportunity to serve a second term working for our community, its needs and our future. When elected in 2019, my goals were to focus on public safety, economic development, affordable housing, and cultural programs while continuing to support our schools, seniors, municipal broadband and other infrastructure projects.
“No one expected we would be facing a global pandemic. Working collectively as a team to ensure the health and wellbeing of all took complete priority. Chicopee TV switched gears to online/hybrid meetings focusing on getting information to the homes of our constituents. In addition to campaign priorities, we shifted focus to saving lives. We worked together to open a municipal Covid-19 testing center, access to vaccine and created our own vaccine sites to combat this deadly virus. We continue to prioritize saving lives as new variants emerge.
“During the height of the pandemic, we paid attention to our social well-being and economic health. Our approach involved providing grant assistance to help small businesses, rental assistance, working with health experts to get kids back to school, and cooperating with surrounding communities to better address issues. This is the right direction to pursue for the best interest of all Chicopee residents. Many of my original goals were put on hold so that we could better serve the immediate needs of our community. I could not be more proud of our team as we created the manual on how to handle a global pandemic at the local level.
“City departments partnered with Mass Development and other community groups continue working to modernize Chicopee Center and create affordable housing. Soon you will see new branding and logo for the Center along with bike shares and social events at our pop-up City Center as the downtown renaissance emerges and takes shape. The Planning Department’s vision includes new streetscapes, redesigning access and pathways for all modes of transportation. Housing programs for multifamily homes, first time home buyers and the development of new districts continue to provide opportunities for renters and prospective owners. When one experiences the beautification and restoration of our City Hall and its new parking lot, I am hopeful it will encourage others to renew and update.
“My first days in office, I pledged to get to work and hit the ground running. We turned the challenges into opportunities. During my first term, ensuring the wellbeing and safety of the people of Chicopee was our most pressing matter. It is still a top priority, but we have created the necessary internal infrastructure to accomplish our original goals: public safety, economic development, affordable housing, cultural programs, supporting schools, our seniors, municipal broadband and infrastructure projects. We are focused and looking into this second term with fresh eyes and an enthusiastic approach for our City. After all, Chicopee is a great place to live, work and raise a family! I look forward to my second term as I hope to earn your trust and support come November.”