WESTFIELD – The city’s four mayoral candidates sat down with Ken Stomski of WCPC Channel 15 this week and The Westfield News was given exclusive access to the live taping. The following is an excerpt of the answers the candidates gave during the one-hour question-and-answer session.
Residents will vote Tuesday. Sept. 24 for two of the four candidates to move on to the Nov. 5 election. Polls are open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Donald F. Humason Jr.
Donald F. Humason Jr., 52
Where did you grow up and what schools did you go to, and what do you do now?
I’m a lifelong Westfield resident. I attended Juniper Park, South Middle and Westfield High Scholl Class of 1985 and Westfield State College Class of 1989. I’m the state senator for Westfield and 10 other communities for the past six years and before that I was the state representative.
Why do you want to be mayor of Westfield?
My goal is to bring some of the perspective I have gained over 19 years in state government and working with mayors and councils and select boards of other communities. I’ve always wanted to help people. I want to bring government to people in a way that’s accessible.
Are you ok with the carbon treatment used for our water supply or do you want to see an alternate source of water?
For the time being, I have to be okay with it. It’s a decision the mayor and council made. The biggest issue is we have the right to clean water. We ultimately have to wait and see if it works. If it doesn’t work, regardless of the amount of money the city’s already spent, we have to pursue the other options.
It has been said that the budget is very “lean” compared to the past – do you see more ways to reduce expenses yet keep our police, fire, DPW, and schools operating at their current potential?
There’s always opportunities. It’s the job of the mayor to work with department heads and the council to go line item by line item to find where we can exact efficiencies and, of course, by increasing revenue.
What are you going to do for the senior citizens in town whose property taxes and city utility costs are increasing much higher and faster than their social security COI increases?
It affects seniors on fixed incomes, young families and people just out of college. It seems like our property taxes still go up. It’s frustrating to people to see their tax increase more than their ability to pay that increase. The mayor is tasked with working on the budget. You always have to look at efficiencies, bring new taxes into the city and always look for efficiencies.
Related to the budget, what do you think you can do to increase the maintenance and repairs to our infrastructure without hitting the two and half taxation limit?
The biggest part of any budget is people. The people we employ to do whatever the services are – all very important. Then there’ the purchase of dump trucks, plows, pavement . . . you prioritize it. We need to prioritize where any revenue goes to fix those problems.
Would you be able to sacrifice friendships in order to make the best decisions for Westfield?
I hope I wouldn’t have to, but every time you make a decision you make some people happy and other people unhappy. For past 19 years I’ve had the pleasure of serving Westfield in the legislature and I’ve taken thousands upon thousands of votes and a lot of times I’ve heard you did a good job and other times I’ve heard people weren’t happy with those decisions. You make the best decision you can. Personally, I like to be liked, but professionally, I want to do a great job.
What experience do you have with managerial skills on a large scale?
I’ve served in the legislative branch of government for the last 19 years. I have an office with five paid employees and numerous volunteers. My job day to day is to work collaboratively. I ask questions and listen and weigh the options. I take the information I’ve been given and make the best decision.
What experience do you have with budgeting on a large scale?
Began my career as a legislative aid and looked over the budget. For six years I’ve been a member of the House Ways and Means Committee that actually writes the state budget for the Senate side. I also work on my house budget with my wife.
Michael A. McCabe
Michael A. McCabe, 57
Where did you grow up and what schools did you go to, and what do you do now?
At 12 years old I moved from New York to Westfield and attended North Middle School and Westfield High School Class of 1980 and Westfield State College Class of 1984. I received my Master’s in Criminal Justice in 1994 and (graduated) the FBI National Academy in 2002. I have been employed in Westfield at Family Pizza from 1979 to 1986 and joined the Westfield Police department in 1986. I am now the senior captain and for 20 years I have been an adjunct professor at WSU.
Why do you want to be mayor of Westfield?
There are certain things occurring in our city that I think I can help with. I’ve worked as an executive leader with a budget of $8 million. I know all aspects of the council and city hall.
Are you ok with the carbon treatment used for our water supply or do you want to see an alternate source of water?
Am I okay with what was done in 2016 in order to remediate the water problem in 2016, yes. However, the AAAF product used at Barnes and PFAS . . . those things need to be looked at. Additionally, we need to look at what I would call the class action lawsuit against the government to those areas that have been adversely affected by PFAS and AAAF. It’s not a simple question I recently reached out ton one of the folks doing a study in China and I got back from that person that GAC filtration was the best answer.
It has been said that the budget is very “lean” compared to the past – do you see more ways to reduce expenses yet keep our police, fire, DPW, and schools operating at their current potential?
I would look at the way we allocate the budget. Budgets aren’t really a mystery. We should offer some relief to unions and explain to unions there’s a way to get to the promised land other than the ways they thought.
What are you going to do for the senior citizens in town whose property taxes and city utility costs are increasing much higher and faster than their social security COI increases?
There’s already a couple of different tax deferment plans in the city. There’s a tax abatement plans you can work off as a volunteer. We can continue to work on the overall budget. Lack of experience in the finance (committee) if you can add layers and expertise to the finance (committee) and the city council we’re in a much better shape.
Related to the budget, what do you think you can do to increase the maintenance and repairs to our infrastructure without hitting the two and half taxation limit?
I have a plan. Currently, we don’t have a plan and we need to have a plan. If I were elected mayor, I’d ask the 23 boards and commissions we have to come up with a three-year strategic plan and find the synergies. I guess they’ll come in roads, water, schools or schools, roads, water. I’d go to the state and see where we are for Chapter 90 money and say remember the Chapter 70 money you’re supposed to be giving us. And you have to promote your city, remind people all the extra stuff Westfield has that other cities don’t have – their own utilities, their own airport, their own ambulance service that other cities pay for out of pocket.
Would you be able to sacrifice friendships in order to make the best decisions for Westfield?
I can’t be concerned with that. I have to be concerned with what is the best interest of Westfield and how can I better it. If my head, my heart, my stomach are aligned, that’s all you can ask of me, and that’s the way I run my life.
What experience do you have with managerial skills on a large scale?
There are 140 men and women in the police department. As an executive leader, the buck has to stop with you. I’ve walked around this neighborhood the past three months not one of them has complained about the quality of the police department. I would take that as a feather in my cap.
What experience do you have with budgeting on a large scale?
I’ve been working the last 12 years with the police department budget but also been working the last 20 years on the Boys and Girls Club budget and am the Cadets treasurer and the Lions Club treasurer, so I have extensive experience in budgeting.
Kristen L. Mello
Kristen L. Mello, 46
Where did you grow up and what schools did you go to, and what do you do now?
I was born in Westfield and went to Highland, Smith Avenue, Westfield Middle School and Westfield High School. At UMass I received by Bachelor’s in chemistry and at the University of Delaware for my Master’s in Analytical Chemistry. I worked in the industry for a while and returned to New England. I was teaching and making food and am a stay-at-home aunt raising my brother’s children and am the co-founder of WRAFT (Westfield Residents Advocating for Themselves).
Why do you want to be mayor of Westfield?
So that the rest of the voters can have their voice listened to for more than just the obligatory three minutes. Decisions need to be made that are not in the establishment, stop PFAS exposure and right some wrongs.
Are you ok with the carbon treatment used for our water supply or do you want to see an alternate source of water?
No, I’m not okay with that. I wasn’t okay with it in February 2017 or January 2017. It didn’t work in Alabama, New York, New Hampshire or Colorado.
It has been said that the budget is very “lean” compared to the past – do you see more ways to reduce expenses yet keep our police, fire, DPW, and schools operating at their current potential?
Absolutely. There is a lot of opportunity to go through our budget and find projects that had overages, projects not guaranteed by the contractor – I mean, Cross Street. Don’t tell me we can’t hire teachers or police officers when there’s millions of dollars in Cross Street.
What are you going to do for the senior citizens in town whose property taxes and city utility costs are increasing much higher and faster than their social security COI increases?
I think that there are several ways we can reduce those numbers just by doing our business a little bit better and a little bit wiser. The money we took out for the water infrastructure bond could have been through the state revolving fund at a lower interest rate. That increase didn’t have to happen that way.
Related to the budget, what do you think you can do to increase the maintenance and repairs to our infrastructure without hitting the two and half taxation limit?
What I can do best is advocate for help for our community. The next best thing I can do is find out where we are wasting money and stop that.
Would you be able to sacrifice friendships in order to make the best decisions for Westfield?
I already have.
What experience do you have with managerial skills on a large scale?
On a large scale I’d say the only managerial skills I have are in the classroom and everything dealing with WRAFT and the National PFAS Coalition.
What experience do you have with budgeting on a large scale?
We were in charge of all the funding for the laboratory when I was doing my graduate work. When you open a small business in Westfield you have to make sure you have funding for that, not to mention what everyone else in Westfield has, which is your household.
Andrew Mullen
Andrew Mullen, 33
Where did you grow up and what schools did you go to, and what do you do now?
I lived in Westfield but we moved around quite a bit. I went to Juniper Park, Paper Mill, North and South Middle and Westfield High School Class of 2004. I went to HCC and am a stay-at-home dad to my 6-year-old son.
Why do you want to be mayor of Westfield?
To help as many people as I can. While I don’t have experience, I do offer a new perspective. I don’t have a lane I need to stay in. Compromise is what we need.
Are you ok with the carbon treatment used for our water supply or do you want to see an alternate source of water?
I have a child who lives in the city and brushes his teeth like everyone else. I’d like to see us work hard, if this doesn’t work, and get down to the best solution
It has been said that the budget is very “lean” compared to the past – do you see more ways to reduce expenses yet keep our police, fire, DPW, and schools operating at their current potential?
One of the things I’m running on is having a medical and recreational marijuana dispensary. We would get those tax dollars rather than Chicopee or Easthampton or Northampton.
What are you going to do for the senior citizens in town whose property taxes and city utility costs are increasing much higher and faster than their social security COI increases?
Property taxes are just too high. We have to look over the budget. We have to look into longer-term solutions
Related to the budget, what do you think you can do to increase the maintenance and repairs to our infrastructure without hitting the two and half taxation limit?
I agree we need a plan. We also need to get back to replacing rather than repairing. We keep patching holes thinking this will last together – that’s extra money we spend on repairing it twice a year rather than replacing it. We have to find out where the waste is and get rid of it.
Would you be able to sacrifice friendships in order to make the best decisions for Westfield?
I don’t think I’d have to sacrifice friendships. It’s not about pleasing everybody, it’s about what’s doing what’s best. That’s not necessarily what’s been done. We have to get back to compromising.
What experience do you have with managerial skills on a large scale?
Not a lot. Probably the biggest is managing a restaurant. I believe a team mentality is important. We’re all in this together – we’re all Westfield residents and human beings. There’s so much division, and it’s not necessary.
What experience do you have with budgeting on a large scale?
I have absolutely zero experience in large scale budgeting. For me it would be putting the best people around me to try to do the best job I can.
