WESTFIELD – Many people look to join the ranks of public officials for a variety of reasons, and for people like Jeff Gosselin, a lifelong resident of the Whip City and the only non-incumbent running for the Westfield School Committee, sometimes the reason is close to home.
“My mother was on the school committee for three terms from ’97 to ’07,” said the 45-year old Gosselin of his mother, Sharon Merlo-Gosselin. “And my grandmother was the President of the Prospect Hill Elementary School Parent Teacher Association, so public service is ingrained in me.”
Having gone through the Westfield public school system and worked in the public school systems of Springfield and Northampton, as well as serving as an adjunct faculty member at Westfield State, Gosselin believes he has the experience to follow in his family’s footsteps.
“This is my home community,” he said. “I have done a lot of work with kids, and have a long history in education.”
He also believes that his attention to the current status of the school system holds merit for voters to consider.
“I probably pay closer attention than anyone else,” said Gosselin, who was appointed for a five-month term in 2007 following his mother’s death. “I want to make a difference in our schools and be an advocate for them.”
Gosselin, who has served as a Commissioner on the Westfield Historical Commission for the past three years, is an advocate for changes to the school system’s budget.
“We need to be creative and produce a fair and balanced budget,” he said. “We need to utilize community agencies more, as well. We can no longer rely on the taxpayer to fund our school system. We’re a suburb, but we’re fairly large compared to the surrounding towns.”
He has also advocated for building additional facilities for the city’s students.
“I’d like to see a school built for at-risk kids, and while I’ve been campaigning, I’ve heard from people how we should maybe opt for a school for the arts,” he said.
Gosselin highlighted several important points he is advocating in his campaign.
“A safe environment for students, a balanced and fair budget, and to ensure a well-rounded education for our children,” he said.
