HOLYOKE — The group of 13 people gathered behind Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia on Tuesday evening were a who’s who of civic leaders in the city.
Standing together in City Hall, the Garcia administration’s transition team held a press conference Tuesday evening to update the city on its progress and announce the creation of a series of advisory councils that will inform the mayor’s work after the transition team dissolves at year’s end.
“The key focus behind all of this is to make sure that equity and inclusion is in the forefront,” Garcia said, noting that the group will be meeting weekly from now until the end of December.
Chaired by the city’s planning and economic development director, former state rep. Aaron Vega, the transition team represents a broad swath of civic leaders in the city. Vega said the group is already having difficult conversations about what needs to be done in the city.
“The common thread that is coming from everyone here is public engagement,” he said. “It’s just really great for all of us to be a part of it.”
The group has not yet finalized a list of advisory councils that will inform Garcia’s work, though Vega did list several ideas that had already bubbled up from the group’s discussions. Some of those ideas included infrastructure, youth development, public safety, public health, “community collaborations,” and marketing and tourism of the city.
Garcia said the transition team is also working as a sounding board to help him find strong candidates to be named to open seats on the city’s boards and committees. As for open posts in city departments, such as the Department of Public Works director, Garcia said his administration is already working to fill those positions.
Vega added that those open positions in city departments are an opportunity for the administration to bring new people to the table.
“Institutional knowledge is great, as are young, energetic voices as well,” he said.
Garcia said that his top priority continues to be ensuring that local government can restructure to work more efficiently.
Speaking after the meeting, Duffy said that she has been encouraged by the conversation so far among the group members.
“I’m really impressed with what a diverse group he got from Holyoke life,” she said.
Sullivan, who lost to Garcia in last month’s general election, said he will do everything he can to help Garcia be successful.
“To me, it shows what kind of a unified city Holyoke can be,” he said.
In addition to Vega, other members of the mayor’s transition team include At-large City Councilor Michael Sullivan; current state Rep. Patrica Duffy, D-Holyoke; Theresa Cooper-Gordon, who chairs the board of the Holyoke Housing Authority; Meghan Blanche Magrath-Smith an adjunct professor and member of the Holyoke Parks & Recreation board; Ray Feyre, a former city councilor and former president of the St. Patrick’s Parade Committee; Mildred Lefervbe, the vice chair of the Holyoke School Committee; Maria Pelcher, a lieutenant in the Holyoke Fire Department; Manny Reyes, a lieutenant in the Holyoke Police Department; Jordan Hart, the executive director of the Greater Holyoke Chamber; Gary Rome, the president and CEO of city business Gary Rome Auto Group; Christina Royale, the president of Holyoke Community College; Marc Swygert, the principal of Maurice A. Donahue Elementary School.
Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.