City Councilor Tim Wagner discusses not seeking reelection at the Jan. 7 City Council meeting.
Photo credit: ChicopeeTV
CHICOPEE — After announcing earlier in the year that he would not be seeking reelection, Chicopee At-Large City Councilor Tim Wagner announced he will be stepping away from his role at the end of August.
Wagner explained his decision and said, “It basically comes down to the fact that I need to grow personally and professionally, and right now the best places to do that are out east with my new job and with my partner.”
Wagner was sworn in to the City Council in January 2024. Before that, Wagner served on the School Committee, representing Ward 1.
He made history by being elected and serving on the School Committee at 19 years old. He is also the first Gen Z member and the first member of the LGBTQIA+ community to serve the city.
Wagner shared at the Jan. 7 City Council meeting that he would not be seeking reelection.
At that meeting he said, “As someone who was elected to represent all of my constituents to the best of my ability, over the past year, this is what I’ve tried to do — to represent the 50,000 people who call Chicopee home. It’s been an honor and privilege of my lifetime.”
While looking back at his time on the council, Wagner shared that he most enjoyed “meeting all the people and hearing about their concerns and being able to help them navigate the ins and outs of city government. It’s the little things like that that I really enjoyed.”
One accomplishment that Wagner highlighted was the recreation of the economic development director position that he helped get approved.
“[It’s] what I am the proudest of, although the position needs a bump in pay to attract anyone,” Wagner stated.
Mayor John Vieau discussed the position with the City Council during a June 2024 special meeting, which he explained would move the position to the Planning Department. Vieau added it was something his office had worked on for months.
The hybrid position also has the responsibility to be a grant writer along with the duties in economic development. Previously, Vieau had been reporting to the city planner who is serving as the current grant writing team.
At the meeting, Wagner filed the order and said Chicopee is in “dire” need of new growth.
Wagner discussed the importance of filling the position and how it could benefit the city with the right person serving that role at the right pay rate.
“If that’s what the mayor wants to pay an economic development director, he’s more than welcomed to, but he’s not going to get anybody and it’s not a real economic development director. So, I want to get on the mayor about this. I want somebody to come into this city and market it,” Wagner said, “Maybe I’ve been spoiled and have grown up knowing people and been related to people that actually know how to do that job and bring some economic development to the city of Chicopee, but I think it’s time that we get someone to actually properly and professionally do that.”
Since Wagner is stepping away before his term is up, he stated that he did not think it was “fair” to take the full pay for his position due to him leaving early, so he will be donating two months of pay to places in the city who need it, like Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen.
Once Wagner officially steps down on Aug. 31, the question of whether the vacant seat should be filled will be put before the City Council to vote on.After the passing of Robert Zygarowski in March, the City Council voted to not fill his vacant position.
