NORTHAMPTON — By a vote of 5-4, the City Council on Monday selected James Nash over Rachel Maiore to serve as council president for the next two years, elevating Nash from the vice presidency at a time when seven of the nine councilors are starting either their first or second terms.
Nash, of Ward 3, first elected in 2016, will replace Gina-Louise Sciarra, the former at-large councilor and president who was sworn in as the city’s 45th mayor hours earlier in a ceremony at the Academy of Music Theatre downtown.
Councilor Karen Foster of Ward 2 was the only nominee for vice president and won the position unanimously after her nomination by councilors Stanley Moulton and Marissa Elkins.
Foster had submitted Nash’s name for nomination to the presidency, while Maiore, of Ward 7, asked her fellow councilors to consider her for the post. Garrick Perry of Ward 4 cast the deciding vote when Nash and Maiore, who each voted for themselves, were tied 4-4.
“I am deeply committed to us all working together. I know there was a split vote here, but at the same time, I very much appreciate everyone on council,” Nash said. “We’re going to get some great stuff done over the next two years and my goal is that all of us are going to be leading here, so buckle up.”
Before the vote, Maiore said it’s critical for the council to create a welcoming environment for constituents, pledging to run meetings that are “compassionate” in terms of listening while being considerate of people’s time, including the councilors and department heads.
“I’m confident and excited about our council. These are challenging times and I think we’re all up for it,” Maiore said. “We have big shoes to fill” when replacing Sciarra and “I’m confident I can do the job after speaking with my family.”
Foster said Nash, of Montview Avenue, is an inclusive and knowledgeable councilor with a long history of serving in different roles. Moulton, of Ward 1, who joined the council on Monday, praised Nash as “levelheaded,” “even-handed” and “collaborative in his approach.”
Prior to his work on the council, Nash served on the city’s Zoning Revisions, Public Transit and Passenger Rail Advisory committees, as well as the Disability Commission. He has been president and vice president of the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association and sits on the Northampton Democratic City Committee as the Ward 3 chair.
He has spent most of his professional life working with special needs students and founded CareerWorks in 2001.
Nash and Marianne LaBarge of Ward 6, first elected in 1998, are the only current councilors who have served more than one full term. Four councilors — Gore, Elkins, Perry and Moulton — were first elected in November, while three others — Maiore, Foster and Alex Jarrett — began their second two-year terms on Monday.
Gore and Perry are the second and third Black city councilors in Northampton’s history, while Gore is the first Black woman on the council.
Brian Steele can be reached at bsteele@gazettenet.com.