Mayor announces he will run for his 5th term in office

By Katelyn Gendron-List

Staff Writer

AGAWAM In a room filled with over 250 citizens and supporters, an exuberant Richard Cohen, mayor of Agawam, announced that he would be running for reelection.

Cohen has been the mayor of Agawam since 2000, and is will be running for his fifth term in office.

"I want to continue to be your mayor for another two years," Cohen said in his speech. "My decision to run for reelection is based upon my continued concerns for the issues which affect our community."

Currently Cohen's main concerns with the city of Agawam are education, senior citizens, economic development, public service and public safety.

For one senior citizen in attendance, Emile Cot , president of the Friends of Agawam Senior Center, was very pleased to hear about the mayor's continued support of Agawam's senior citizens.

"I thought that he was right on the ball and he has such a positive attitude," Cot said. "He's trying to get a bond for the new senior center to be built and that's really important to me and to all of the seniors. The Baby Boomers are coming up now and this center is getting too small for us."

Not only is the new senior center on the mayor's future agenda, as he stated in his speech, but Cohen is also working on the phase one of the Southwest area sewer system.

According to Alan Cohen, brother of Richard Cohen and guidance councilor at Agawam High School, his brother has already accomplished so much as mayor. As Cohen stated in his speech, he has helped the city to create a full day of kindergarten at no cost, the city has the lowest split tax-rate in the area, and he has also worked to create eight balanced budgets with no cuts in services or layoffs.

"He's done a lot," Alan Cohen said. "Everything that he said he's going to do he has done, and all of the projects he has yet to accomplish I believe that he will finish them."

George Bitzas, Agawam City Councilor, who was also in attendance for the mayor's speech, stated that Cohen has done so many positive things for the communtiy in cooperation with the Agawam City Council.

"He's an honest man and he does what he can for the town," Bitzas said. "This was a very nice event where a lot of people were there to acknowledge all that Agawam has achieved under his leadership and under this administration. I wish him the best."

According to Alan Cohen, there was a very lively and mixed crowd in attendance for his brother's speech, with everyone from senior citizens to city officials and younger citizens as well. The crowd came out in great support of his brother, he went on to state, and they really showed support for him at the end of his speech with a standing ovation.

"It was really great and exciting," Alan Cohen said. "The response was incredible because his whole speech was really sincere and from the heart."

Cohen went on to state that his brother has always believed that he is not a politician but a human being, a human being that is the mayor of Agawam.

"I am extremely proud of the turnout of support of my running for reelection," Cohen said in an interview with Reminder Publications. "It's a great feeling to have that kind of support as I am seeking my fifth term in office."

Cohen also stated that he believes that he has, and will continue, to do everything in the best interests of the city of Agawam.

According to Paul Cavallo, a member of the Agawam School Committee, Cohen stated that he plans to continue with his philosophy of government should he be elected for another term as mayor.

"It was a good speech and he did a good job," Cavallo said. "He hit the highlights of the city's accomplishments and why he wanted to continue on as mayor."

Cohen also stated that the decisions that he has made, while not all might have agreed with him, he has made with sound judgment and rational thinking.

"We are not just working to make Agawam better," Cohen said. "We are striving to make it the best, the best community in the Pioneer Valley."

Cohen concluded his speech sentiments of his love for his job and his outlook for the future of the city that he loves so much.

"Being your mayor is something that I cherish and as your mayor I will continue to listen to you and work for you," Cohen said. "We are getting more done than ever before and we are not finished. I will continue to make Agawam the greatest community it is meant to be."