NORTHAMPTON — Five new city councilors will sit in the chamber at the start of next year, following the city’s municipal election on Tuesday.
Perhaps the biggest change in the council came in Ward 6, where longstanding councilor Marianne LaBarge lost to Christopher Stratton by 167 votes, 889-722. LaBarge has served on the council since before the turn of the century. Stratton, meanwhile, was endorsed by the advocacy group Support Our Schools.
At an election party for incumbent Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, LaBarge spoke to the Gazette about her loss.
“I’m fine with it. I don’t have a problem,” she said. “I’m still going to be there for the mayor.”
Other candidates endorsed by SOS, formed as a response to the city’s last two fiscal school budgets, came up short in their bid to earn a seat on the council. In Ward 2, Al Simon lost to incumbent Debbie Klemer, 543 to 478, while Ward 5’s Aline Davis bested SOS-endorsed Luke Rotello, 787-592. But incumbent Ward 7 candidate Rachel Maiore, endorsed by SOS, won handily against Susan Timberlake, 924-319.
In the at-large race, incumbent Garrick Perry will be joined by newcomer Meg Robbins on the next council. Robbins was the top vote-getter among the four candidates, with 4235, followed by Perry with 4206. Robbins was endorsed by SOS, as was at-large candidate Deb Henson (3,480 votes), who along with candidate Benjamin Spencer (3,999 votes) placed fourth and third respectively in the municipal election.
“I love trying to bring people together, whether or not they agree with me,” Perry said in an interview regarding the election. “I feel more invigorated than before.”
Another big turnover came in Ward 3, where challenger Laurie Loisel defeated incumbent Quaverly Rothenberg by 240 votes, 748-508. Rothenberg had proven to be controversial during her time on the council, becoming a strong critic of the mayor and at one time facing censure from other council members.
“We ran a very decent campaign,” Loisel said in an interview. “We focused on facts and talked about issues, and voters in Ward 3 appreciated that.”
In a statement to the Gazette, Rothenberg noted that although she lost, Ward 3 as a whole voted in a majority for Jillian Duclos against Sciarra for mayor.
“I’m thrilled to see Ward 3 vote against the mayor,” Rothenberg stated. “I’m proud to have drawn fire so allies could advance in other races.”
Eight of the council’s nine seats faced competitive elections, with current councilors Stanley Moulton of Ward 1, Alex Jarrett in Ward 5 and At-large Councilor Marissa Elkins not seeking reelection. Only Ward 4’s Jeremy Dubs ran unopposed among councilors in this year’s municipal election.
In place of Moulton will be Gwen Nabad, who defeated Michele Ronco 673 to 577 to occupy the seat on the council.
The new councilors will serve under Sciarra, who was narrowly elected for a second term in office.