WESTFIELD – The race to succeed outgoing Westfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik is beginning to take shape, as City Council President Brian Sullivan formally threw his hat in the ring last night at an event held at The Tavern Restaurant.
With Michael Roeder, the man who lost a nail biter to Knapik by barely 300 votes in 2013, rumored to be in for another run at City Hall’s corner office, the field is filling out as to will succeed Knapik, who announced at the end of 2014 that he would not seek re-election next fall.
Initial speculation following that announcement was that, if Knapik were to resign, he would likely do so after June 30, a situation that would make the city council president the de facto mayor.
But after news broke late last week that Knapik is being considered for the town administrator position open in Walpole, the likelihood that Knapik may have to vacate his office before the end of June has increased, an event that would trigger a special election and likely cost the city thousands of dollars.
But a special election would not void the fall mayoral election, meaning that the city would then have to shell out even more for what would likely be a special election rematch between Sullivan, a longtime at-large city councilor with considerable clout and blue blood political lineage, and Roeder, a political outsider who garnered a considerable following when he attempted to upset Knapik in 2013.
Yesterday at The Press Room Coffee Shoppe on School Street, a poll of customers proved two things – that many city residents aren’t thinking about the upcoming election and the ones that are seem already to have sworn their allegiances.
Of the dozen or so customers polled, several said they were Sullivan supporters and cited the Democrat’s tenure on the City Council, which includes several stints as council president, and his understanding of municipal government.
“I intend to vote for Brian. He has the experience,” said Brian Crawford of Westfield, adding that he didn’t think much of Roeder’s chances in his second go-round.
“I think it’s a lost cause, but that’s just me,” he said.
Not everyone is enamored with the prospect of another Sullivan – Brian’s older brother Richard served 13 years as mayor – being elected to the corner office. They feel that political families like the Knapiks and Sullivans hold too much sway over city government.
Still some city residents prefer neither candidate at this time but instead have a checklist for what they’re looking for in their next mayor.
City resident Joan Hadley said she believes the man for the job is whoever can do the most for the city while at the same time cutting back on wasteful spending.
“They’ve got to do stuff for the city, not buy stupid stuff like those cannons they put over by the bridge that we can’t even use and freeze in the winter,” she said. “Things that have to be done with the streets, taking care of things they should’ve done right.”
“Making sure the city is better for what we have,” said Hadley.
