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Date: 12/12/2023
SPRINGFIELD — While the Springfield City Council will see some changes in 2024, longtime Ward 2 City Councilor Michael Fenton is hopeful he will once again be elected as president thanks to his experience and support from both incumbents and newcomers.
Fenton has been a member of the City Council since 2010 and previously served as council president for three terms, from 2014-2016.
He is looking to take over the role from incumbent City Council President Jesse Lederman. Lederman will be leaving the council after deciding not to run for reelection, but instead run for mayor. However, Lederman was defeated during the preliminary election in September.
“It is with tremendous gratitude that I announce I have secured the requisite support to become the next president of the City Council,” Fenton said.
Councilors who have indicated their support for Fenton include Maria Perez, Melvin Edwards, Malo Brown, Lavar Click-Bruce, Victor Davila, Timothy Allen, Sean Curran, Kateri Walsh, and Councilor-elects Jose Delgado and Brian Santaniello.
“Serving as council president is an honor and a privilege,” Fenton said. “I want to serve in this role to help the council continue the great progress that has been made in our city in recent years. It’s an exciting time for Springfield and I am looking forward to working with newly elected colleagues and old friends to work together for a better Springfield.”
He went on to say that the most important role of the council president is to ensure that everyone receives a fair chance to be heard and decorum is preserved.
“It is also important for the council president to defend the institution of the City Council. I believe that I have demonstrated an ability to carry out these responsibilities effectively, which is why my colleagues are counting on me to lead them in 2024,” he added.
During his time on the council, Fenton has led some of the most “complicated” issues facing the body, having chaired the Casino Oversight Committee, the General Government Committee, Finance Committee, Audit Committee, Residency Committee, Cannabis Committee and the Special Committee Digital Equity, he shared. Fenton is also a current member of the Residency Compliance Commission.
“I am humbled by the support of my colleagues and thankful for the trust they have put in me,” Fenton said.
He noted that the one thing people should expect from him — above all else — during his tenure is fairness.
“We will conduct orderly business on behalf of the citizens of Springfield who have entrusted us to lead this city,” he added. “I look forward to working with old friends and new members of the council to push forward a productive year of business for the City Council.”
Fenton represents the neighborhoods of Hungry Hill, East Springfield and Atwater Park.
Fenton is a partner at the Springfield based law firm Shatz, Schwartz, & Fentin PC.
He has a bachelor of arts from Providence College, and a juris doctorate and master of business administration from Western New England University.
Currently, Fenton serves as a member of the adjunct faculty at the WNE School of Law, where he teaches corporate finance.
“I love the city of Springfield. I am honored and proud that my colleagues have selected me to serve as president and I am excited to serve in this leadership capacity during the continued renaissance of our city,” he concluded.
An informal caucus will take place to informally elect the City Council president in December and an inauguration will follow in January 2024.
In addition to Fenton, on Dec. 6, Edwards announced that he has the votes to continue serving as vice president of the City Council in 2024.
Edwards, who serves Ward 3, has received commitments from Perez, Fenton, Brown, Click-Bruce, Allen, Davila, Walsh, Curran and Santaniello, along with his own vote, for a total of 10 committed votes. Seven votes are needed to be elected.
“It’s been an honor to put my experience to work as vice president of the City Council, and I am thankful to my colleagues for putting their trust in me again for the 2024 session,” Edwards said. “As vice president, I will continue providing support to all of my colleagues to continue growing the capacity of the City Council and ensure the work of the people is done with professionalism, respect and urgency.”
Edwards is one of the City Council’s longest serving members, having first been elected in 2009. In November, Edwards was reelected to an eighth term. He has also served as vice president of the City Council since mid-2022 when then-Vice President Lederman became president. In 2023, Edwards was reelected to this role.