WESTFIELD – Mayor Daniel M. Knapik will resign his post Monday to begin his new duties at the State Department of Energy Resources, meaning that Mayor-elect Brian P. Sullivan will be sworn in as acting mayor nearly two months before he takes the official oath of office in January.
Sullivan will continue to serve as the City Council President until January. Ironically, Knapik will also be taking that oath of office in January as he begins his latest tenure as an At-large City Councilor. Prior to being elected mayor, Knapik served four terms as the Ward 2 Council representative.
Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson announced this morning that Knapik, a three time mayor of Westfield, will serve as the Director of Green Communities.
“We are excited to have Dan Knapik join the Department as the Director of our Green Communities Division,” said Judson. “His years of municipal leadership will be a great asset as we work with every city and town to address their energy needs.”
The Green Communities Division, a division within the DOER, works closely wills all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth to find clean energy solutions that reduce long-term energy costs and strengthen local economies.
The Green Communities Division provides communities with technical assistance and financial support for municipal initiatives to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy in public buildings, facilities and school.
Knapik, as mayor, oversaw a $40 million energy-conservation investment in municipal building and schools, replacing outdated boilers and furnaces with energy efficient system which greatly reduced the city’s energy footprint.
“I would like to thank Secretary Beaton and Commissioner Judson for the opportunity to lead the nationally recognized Green Communities Division as its Director,” said Knapik. “I look forward to working on behalf of the Commonwealth’s citizens to further the energy and sustainability goals of the Baker administration.”
Knapik, prior to his election as mayor, was a principal in the firm Environmental Compliance Services in Agawam and has worked in the environmental field since 1989.
Sullivan who outpolled his mayoral opponent Michael L. Roeder by 1,000 votes Tuesday, said he is prepared to take the oath of acting mayor Monday when Knapik’s resignation become effective.
“I get a jump on January to set priorities, meet with every councilor and department head to develop a plan of action of cooperation right from the beginning,” Sullivan said Tuesday night following his election victory. “I listened to people during the campaign. They want cooperation in city government.”
