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Date: 10/20/2021
EASTHAMPTON – Outside of a mayoral race for a four-year term, this year’s election on Nov. 2 also features an At-Large City Council race where four seats are looking to be filled for a two-year term.
This year’s At-Large field features five candidates including Lindsey Rothschild, Owen Zaret, Koni Denham, Brad Riley and David Meunier. Rothschild and Zaret are running for re-election, while Denham, Riley, and Meunier are newcomers.
The city also has five district city councilors running for re-election without a race. Those Councilors are James “JP” Kwiecinski as a part of District 1, Homar Gomez as a part of District 2, Thomas Peake as a part of District 3, Salem Derby as a part of District 4, and Daniel Rist as a part of District 5.
In preparation for election night, Reminder Publishing asked some questions about issues pertaining to Easthampton. At-Large and District Councilors are split into two separate categories. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order by last.
At-Large City Council
RP: Easthampton is participating in a myriad of ways to become more energy efficient and environmentally cognizant, particularly with the Honeywell project that is just getting underway, as well as the MVP program. What do you think the future holds for the city when approaching climate change, and do you think there are there other methods of approaching it down the road?
Denham: I’m originally from Portland, OR. It was 118 degrees there this summer, and in July, it hadn’t rained since March. This is unheard of. As a community we must be prepared for those temperatures in Easthampton. We need to be proactive and not reactive. We need to have structures and protocols in place to assist residents quickly. We need to assess what our community resources are and how to best access them? I see community groups like the Easthampton Community Center, Easthampton Mutual Aid and A Knee is Not Enough as important community partners to help the city mobilize responses through their networks. Additionally, we need to think about how does Easthampton reduce its environmental footprint? I think the Honeywell project is an important way for the city to assess consumption, strategize on tactics to promote conservation. The MVP program is also an important initiative to protect our roads and property with creative drainage solutions and to improve our water quality. The city’s efforts to put in place municipal solar will also help us to more energy efficient. I fully support initiatives like these to fight the impact of climate change.
Riley: Consider that since 2000, New England felt the effects of 48 named tropical storms but only 32 for the entire 20th century. Our electrical grid and water systems weren’t designed for this new climate, and we do not have the professional bandwidth or resources in Easthampton to do this work alone. Contracts like Honeywell bring in expertise to help Easthampton start the process of adapting our energy infrastructure. The MVP program also gives certified cities preferential lending for grants to accomplish the projects that are in our near future.
In the long-term, I’d like to foster more collaboration with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to look at the big picture for the Pioneer Valley and the entire Knowledge Corridor to increase quality of life and sustainability for the entire region.
Zaret: Easthampton has been historically thoughtful about conservation and environmental action. We have a hybrid vehicle ordinance, were the first community to place solar on a landfill and have aggressively pursued open space acquisition. More recently we passed a very forward-thinking single use plastics ban that will go into effect in 2022. The Honeywell project is a good first step to reduce our carbon footprint and should be a good test of how to best proceed forward with increasing use of solar energy in the city. We need to be aggressive of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and make good on our promises in our recent climate crisis resolution. Going forward we need to revisit our solar policy, not just in terms of ease of installing solar in the city, but also to find ways to either incentivize or require solar energy/renewables in new construction. In regard to construction, we also have to look at building codes that may improve our energy efficiency. We also need to explore our options outside of solar. Easthampton has a variety of waterways, and we should look to harness any hydroelectric potential there. Can we reduce car usage/encourage more ride sharing/improve mass transit?
I would like to see us look closely at restricted use of certain pesticides/herbicides. We also need to preserve and expand habitats for our pollinators through at least good faith efforts, but potentially through legislation. We also need to reduce the waste we produce, embrace municipal composting, and advocate for commercial composting facilities. While we work to prevent climate change, we also need to accept that it is happening, and think about what challenges that may present to the city and how to mitigate it, such as anticipating hotter summers, need for cooling centers, change in farming climates, etc.
RP: As the pandemic continues to linger, what do you think are some ways the city can continue to support the art community and small businesses, particularly in the downtown district?
Denham: I think the arts community and small businesses are the heart of our downtown. I think the city can take a two-pronged approach to support the arts community and small businesses. First, the city can encourage residents to show their support where they can. Residents can take the 413 Pledge to support local restaurants (4 friends each order 1 meal a week for 3 months). Or, instead of buying gift cards to chain stores and restaurants, people can buy Easthampton Chamber gift cards to be redeemed at local businesses. Community members can also support local artists by shopping at their open studios, which are coming up, and/or promote them through their networks. Second, the city can provide institutional support. The Easthampton Cultural Council offered emergency grant and relief funds to local artists. Additionally, they promoted free business and financial webinars to navigate economic challenges and to think creatively about the survival of their businesses through the pandemic. More programs like these would support our artist and business owners with immediate assistance. The city can also work with local landlords to fill our empty storefronts with reduced rent incentives. I think it is important to identify resources to continue such efforts, perhaps from the CARES Act.
Riley: As we move into the winter months, I would like to see the public embracing our local businesses and artists more on social media. For residents with spare time, consider donating your professional skills to help local businesses. Twenty hours of your entire winter could be the reason a small business makes it through the pandemic. We’re stronger together and our neighbors need our help.
Zaret: Action allowing for outdoor entertainment is key. The ongoing risk of COVID make indoor events more of a tricky proposition. The Spot Lot series was a great example of leveraging municipal property to spotlight local artists, and we should continue to utilize public and private outdoor spaces as long as we can. Virtual concerts and events can also be viable, provided they are well advertised. Perhaps we can work with local property owners to use vacant stores as temporary gallery space.
Throughout the pandemic, and even prior, my goal was to make sure that our small business community was properly seen and highlighted. During the pandemic I ran a series of posts and social media campaigns to bring attention to our businesses and artists. I run an ongoing series called “Three Questions for You by You” interviewing local businesses. We as leaders need to use our platforms to draw attention to our local economy. Easthampton media would be a great partner to hold forums or interviews with local businesses to bring exposure, but also to talk about the realities of their work during the pandemic and beyond. It is also important to work behind the scenes to determine the thoughts and needs of businesses and artists and to gain their insight and input.
We also have to remember that prevention, vaccination, and COVID mitigation practices are what gets us out of the pandemic sooner. Being responsible in all of those aspects can help get our businesses and artists back to a more regular setting and workflow.
RP: Affordable housing has been another hot topic in Easthampton. How would you as a Councilor address this issue for residents in Easthampton, and push for the city to become an even more viable place to live?
Denham: Gentrification and climate change will drive our affordability issue in the future. We are already struggling to ensure our aging community, who live on a fixed income, have affordable housing given rising property taxes and other expenses. Additionally, young families who are interested in settling here in Easthampton cannot afford the costs of purchasing a home and/or access our limited rental inventory. This problem is only going to increase, particularly as the impacts of climate change become more know. Rising sea levels will force people from the coastline.
Easthampton is a very desirable area, and the council will need to find solutions to the housing crisis. I fully support the $1,500 property tax credit for the work-off program, and I think we need similar initiatives. I think we should explore property tax and assessment freezes for seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. There are some states that offer rebates for property taxes and rent, and I think we should explore the viability of such programs for our city. There are some residents who will not be able to keep up with the rising costs of rent and home ownership and we need programs to support them.
Riley: Housing is a complex and interconnected set of economic and social issues in all levels of government. Making it affordable has its challenges but we can address them with education and political willpower. First, understand the legislative scope of control. We can amend zoning ordinances and use the Community Preservation Act to our advantage. We can use our platform to speak intelligently and compassionately too. Effective Councilors must also go into the community and hear the lived experiences of housing insecurity from our own neighbors. Also, be engaged at the state and federal level by writing letters of testimony on legislation to address housing affordability. We cannot solve affordability without being engaged with HUD, Beacon Hill, and Parson’s Village.
Zaret: I am fortunate that one of my colleagues, Tom Peake, has been putting forward a lot of zoning changes to make building affordable housing easier in Easthampton. As a councilor that is the most potent option, we have is to create zoning that makes affordable housing options easier to bring into the city. The success of the city is a double-edged sword. As Easthampton grows more and has more amenities and economic growth, the housing prices subsequently go up in response to the community’s popularity. Business growth may help in the sense that if we increase our tax base, we may see the need for tax revenue spread out over more residents and businesses. Initiatives like a first-time homebuyers’ sustainability fund might be an option. This is more of an executive initiative, but we as councilors can certainly support it. Also, as we evaluate building reuse and consider RFPs for the old school buildings, that is also a place where we can target affordability.
RP: What is/are other issue(s) that you want to address as a councilor, and why?
Denham: I am committed to our Easthampton youth. As a councilor I will work with other members of the council and with members of the community to identify initiatives and projects to support our young people. One such initiative will be to explore creating a youth center. The council needs to be proactive in creating spaces to bring young people together, particularly youth from different cultural and economic backgrounds. It can be a critical space for students to promote building relationships, peer-to-peer learning, mentoring, skill development (communication, restorative practices in conflict, problem solving, etc.), and mental health support. Young people are a tremendous resource, and involving them in civic engagement initiatives in Easthampton, such as helping our aging population, addressing climate change, or working to keep our recreation areas in shape, encourages them to have an investment in their community and its future.
Additionally, I want to work with community members to make Easthampton a more welcoming city where all members of the community can thrive. BIPOC members of our community have raised real concerns about racial profiling and its impact on individuals and families. We have a responsibility to develop initiatives that support the health and safety of all members of the community. The Mayor’s Pledge to Reimagine Policing outlined several recommendations that I think the council can play an active role in, including community-led non-police responses to health and safety concerns, data collection and analysis, promoting community dialogue, and intentional and on-going communication with the community. The council has a responsibility to address the concerns of all its members and that is a responsibility that I take seriously.
Riley: I want to engage our youth in the civic process in Easthampton. We have students who consistently perform at the Regional and National level in civic studies. These students are future city planners, city councilors, and mayors. We should include them in our legislative process through mentorship and job shadowing programs or even co-drafting of local legislation. We know our youth are most engaged and informed about climate justice. What better way to get them invested in their own future than to include them on the variety of legislative opportunities coming in our near future? Even if they don’t stay here in Easthampton, we should be good stewards of the communities where they land by preparing them for future leadership roles.
Zaret: First and foremost, I want to continue to engage with the people of Easthampton and offer myself as a resource to connect residents to municipal government. I’d like to offer more events that engage the community throughout the term, as well as be an ongoing resource for information and advocacy. It is important to make sure that the city works well together. I’d like to find projects to work with my fellow councilors on that also bring in resident input. Our city needs to strive for working on common goals and less polarization. This includes working with underrepresented groups to connect with our city.
Some of the issues discussed above are items I have in process. I would like to be aggressive about environmentally active issues such as renewable energies and ecological sustainability. I am working with a group to update our solar regulations, and also looking at ways the city and its residents can expand our planting of native plants for pollinators. We need regional solutions for commercial composting, and I would like to see some form of accessible municipal composting. I would also like to look at gaps in our current regulations around issues that directly affect our residents as the city grows and has more and more outdoor events, festivals, music, etc. We do not currently have a noise ordinance and I would like to explore how to offer some reliable framework for our residents to enjoy the quiet of our residential spaces balanced with the growth of commercial and industrial spaces as well as outdoor events. A lot of what I am passionate about has little to do with legislation, and more to do with connecting with community members and businesses. I want to continue to highlight the people in Easthampton: residents, artists, businesses etc, to promote the great spirit and success of our community. We have a group that does local cleanups, and I would like to see more people get involved there. Continue with local community campaigns like our current nip bottle collection. Helping build the local Jewish community continues to be important to me, and I look forward to more events that welcomes everyone in Easthampton into sharing those traditions.
District City Council
RP: Easthampton is participating in a myriad of ways to become more energy efficient and environmentally cognizant, particularly with the Honeywell project that is just getting underway, as well as the MVP program. What do you think the future holds for the city when approaching climate change, and do you think there are there other methods of approaching it down the road?
Kwiecinski: I would like to see Easthampton become a leader in combating climate change. For example, as we look to renewing our mostly original, 100-year-old municipal infrastructure there will be opportunities to incorporate the latest thinking on ways to prepare for the changes in weather and to be sure we design for those impacts. I would also like to see additional support for our farm and garden communities to adapt to climate change to assure steady sources of local food. It is good for the environment and good for us. In line with these efforts, I believe Easthampton can do more to develop and encourage the establishment of pollinator plants.
Rist: The Honeywell project is a great example of how city governments can and should attack climate change. During the debate I argued that this project alone will save a great deal of fossil energy use and provide more sustainable energy. We will always approach any way we can reduce carbon emissions. We are now investing in electric and hybrid vehicles, especially police cruisers.
RP: As the pandemic continues to linger, what do you think are some ways the city can continue to support the art community and small businesses, particularly in the downtown district?
Kwiecinski: I believe one of the best ways to support the arts and small business community, in addition, of course, to promoting local shopping and local efforts to develop funds for the art community is to enthusiastically support vaccines and mask wearing. It is one of the easiest ways to show our support for small business, our schools, our jobs, and for each other.
Rist: The pandemic has forced some small businesses to close and our arts to be hidden in closed studios. We are beginning to awaken. One extraordinary way we can help both is to get the Old Town Hall second floor performance space finally built. I have fought for this the last few years and as chair of the CPA committee I have shepherded through a $3 million dollar award to the City Space project. This project alone will give our city an incredible economic boost and give our artists the place they need to present their art. I will continue to assist City Space in getting this project done.
RP: Affordable housing has been another hot topic in Easthampton. How would you as a Councilor address this issue for residents in Easthampton, and push for the city to become an even more viable place to live?
Kwiecinski: I support programs for affordable housing and have worked to keep seniors in their homes with tax credits and most recently with the proposal I made to establish Easthampton’s Senior Tax Work Off Program. Working together with other councilors, community members and the mayor I am very happy to say that this fall Easthampton seniors are now working part time in meaningful public service jobs in exchange for credit toward their property taxes. I would like to see this program grow by including even more people and projects. It’s a win-win for the individual and for the community
I also support the smart growth development of our downtown and additional density incentives the greater the percentage of affordable units proposed for a project. I would like to see us examine our zoning by-laws with an eye toward increasing the opportunities to make it easier and more affordable to live in our city.
Rist: Affordable housing is another major issue the City must improve. With housing costs extraordinarily high, using the surplus school buildings for affordable housing is a goal of mine. Our city council and the mayor have set this issue on the top of the list. We must do anything we can to increase our stock of city housing. The CPA committee stands ready to help as affordable housing is one of the three tenets of the law governing how the CPA uses its funds.
RP: What is/are other issue(s) that you want to address as a Councilor, and why?
Kwiecinski: I would like to continue to help us find ways to address food insecurity, and to help our seniors. Perhaps the best way to stop division and to promote the common good, is to look for ways to find our common goals and for ways to come together to reach those goals. I am proud of the work we have done thus far and with this in mind; I look forward to even greater possibilities for Easthampton.
Rist: Affordable housing and the City Space project are my two primary areas I will do everything I can to accomplish. I also want to continually improve the quality of life here in Easthampton by using CPA money carefully for economic development and recreation. Also, as our city becomes more diverse, I want to do anything in my power to make our city inclusive and safe for all regardless of race or creed. We've come a long way in my 25 years as a city council, but our work is far from complete.
Meunier and Rothschild did not respond with answers as of press time for At-Large candidates, and Peake, Gomez, and Derby did not respond in time from the district field.