Nomination papers certified

By Michelle Kealey

Staff Writer

AGAWAM There are not enough candidates to hold a preliminary election in the city, however many incumbent officials do face challengers in the November election.

The deadline to file nomination papers in Agawam was 5 p.m. on Aug. 23 and most of the candidates who have returned papers have been certified by the Board of Registrars, according to City Clerk Richard Theroux.

Mayor Richard Cohen, who is seeking a fourth term as the city's mayor, has one challenger Michael Elliot Thomas Davidson.

Cohen had also faced one challenger in the 2003 election.

All 11 members of the City Council are seeking re-election and will face four challengers.

The incumbents include Donald Rheault, who currently serves as president of the Council, Robert Young, who currently serves as vice president of the Council, Cecilia Calabrese, Robert Magovern, Ruth Carr Bitzas, Robert Rossi, Gina Letellier, Joseph Mineo, George Bitzas, Dennis Perry and Jill Simpson.

The 11 incumbents will be challenged by Michael DeFilippi, Maryann Paleologopoulos, John Cesan and Marc Katsoulis.

Owen Broadhurst, who was looking to run for the City Council did not qualify to be on the ballot. He returned his papers, but only had 88 certified signatures, according to Theroux. Each candidate needed 100 signatures to be certified by the Board of Registrars.

DeFilippi, Kastsoulis and Broadhurst ran for City Council in 2003 and were defeated. At first, DeFilippi, who had just graduated from Agawam High School in 2003, initially won the election, but lost during a recount to Cecilia Calabrese.

Five of the six School Committee members are seeking re-election and will face seven challengers for the six seats on the Committee. The seventh seat is filled by the mayor, who serves as chair of the Committee.

The five incumbents seeking re-election include Roberta Doering, who currently serves as vice chair of the Committee, Diane Juzba, Paul Cavallo, Rosemary Sandlin and Linda Galarneau.

Teresa Kozloski and Susan Dawson, who were unseated in the 2003 election, are looking to serve once again as members of the School Committee. They are joined in the race by Pamela Jones, Michael Beaudry, Anthony Bonavita, who ran for mayor in 2003, Marie Mazza and Abbe McLane.

The drawing of the ballot positions by the City Clerk Office will take place at 5 p.m. in the Clerk's Office on Oct. 13.

Oct. 19 is the last day for residents to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election. The Clerk's Office will be open that day from 8:30 a.m. - 8 p.m.

On election day, the polls will be open from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. After the election, the last day to file for a re-count is Nov. 18 at 5 p.m.

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