Wednesday, January 07, 2009
By KEN ROSS
kross@repub.com
HOLYOKE - The municipal election may be 11 months away, but the campaign season is already under way.
On Monday, the first day on which residents could take out nomination papers to run for office, several did so for several offices, including retired Police Lt. Eva M. O'Connell. She plans to run for mayor.
Four incumbent office-holders, including At-large Councilors Patricia C. Devine and Peter R. Tallman, Ward 1 Councilor Donald R. Welch, and City Clerk Susan M. Egan, also took out nomination papers.
O'Connell is the only potential candidate to take out papers for mayor so far.
Two residents who had said they were considering runs for mayor, City Councilors Diosdado Lopez and Kevin A. Jourdain, said later they will not seek the office.
"I really landed a great job here," Jourdain said on Monday, explaining his decision. "I made a commitment to the Sisters of Providence, and it's an exciting new challenge."
Last November, Jourdain, 37, was named a senior financial analyst for the Sisters of Providence.
Lopez, 44, said he made his decision after talking with his family.
"I talked to my family, and I'm not doing it," he said.
Mayor Michael J. Sullivan repeated that he will not run for re-election in November.
"I made the decision, and it's time for me to move on," he said.
Sullivan said he hopes that several people decide to run for the post he has held since 1999.
"Maybe we'll have an exciting election season," he said.
Councilors James. M. Leahy and Elaine A. Pluta said they have not ruled out running for mayor.
"I'm still weighing my decision," Pluta said on Monday.
Leahy said he met with friends and family last week to discuss whether to run for re-election as a councilor or for mayor.
People interested in running for mayor must obtain 250 signatures by July 28, and submit them to the clerk's office.
The mayor's post pays $85,000 a year.
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