AGAWAM — As Agawam’s municipal elections approach, the city has a large field of 16 candidates for its 11-person City Council.
This week, Reminder Publishing reached out to the candidates to ask about their priorities and vision for Agawam.
This week, incumbents George Bitzas, Edward Borgatti, Thomas Hendrickson, Dino R. Mercadante and Anthony Russo, and candidates Richard Borsari, Uduak Enyiema and Christina Rickmon share their ideas. Reminder Publishing will present the other eight City Council candidates in our Oct. 9 issue. Candidates’ responses are listed in alphabetical order.
Reminder Publishing: With an eye toward the fiscal year 2027 budget, what is one funding priority you would like to pursue and where would the funding for it come from?
George Bitzas: My top priority for the 2027 budget is repairing our streets and sidewalks, a concern many residents have shared. Well-maintained infrastructure improves safety, accessibility, and quality of life. Funding should come from a balanced approach: state and federal aid, available grants, and responsible city budgeting. I will also advocate for fair distribution of state resources to reduce the tax burden on residents, who already contribute significantly. By combining outside funding with smart fiscal management, we can address long-standing infrastructure needs without overburdening local taxpayers.
Edward Borgatti: Quality of life is a top priority, with public safety being most important. We must prioritize resources to police and fire. Residents must feel safe in their neighborhoods. Safety includes maintenance of roads and sidewalks. The new high school will attract new families; we must ensure their safety while ensuring quality infrastructure to attract them. As I have publicly stated, we must develop a strategy to ensure our town fields and playgrounds are maintained, keeping them safe for all. As we prioritize state, federal and local resources, we must set aside the necessary capital to fully fund these initiatives.
Richard Borsai: My FY27 priority is improving Agawam’s infrastructure, with a focus on youth sports facilities and roadway upgrades. Our fields are heavily used and in need of investment to ensure safety and accessibility for kids and families. Roads and sidewalks also need consistent, lasting repair. Funding can come from reprioritizing the budget to eliminate wasteful spending and from aggressively pursuing state and federal grants. I also support strengthening DPW resources to ensure projects are done efficiently and correctly the first time. Investing wisely now builds community pride and avoids costly fixes later, while keeping taxpayer impact low.
Uduak Enyiema: For FY27, I will champion increased investment in road and sidewalk repairs, building on the $600,000 and $250,000 commitments in FY26. By blending state funds, town dollars, and targeted grants, we can address skyrocketing costs and improve safety in every neighborhood.
Thomas Hendrickson: My top priority for the FY27 budget is keeping Agawam Public Schools fully funded. School districts throughout Western Massachusetts have experienced layoffs and budget cuts recently. Last year, Belchertown had 17 layoffs, and Northampton had 20 layoffs; this year, South Hadley had 19 layoffs. These issues in our neighboring communities are deeply troubling to me, as I strongly believe there is no better investment we can make than investing in public education. Fortunately, Agawam has avoided these sorts of difficulties for the time being. However, I am prepared to oppose any potential budget cuts or layoffs for Agawam Public Schools
Dino Mercadante: With a new high school coming online shortly after 2027, the finished repairs on the library, the new police station, major improvements to our athletic fields and the creation of Still Brook Park to name a few, we are somewhat limited on major projects in the immediate future in my opinion. As always, the taxpayer is the major source of funding. With an increase in Chapter 90 funding from the state for roads and sidewalks, I would focus on these infrastructure improvements.
Christie Rickmon: I would prioritize expanding recreation and community programming. Agawam needs more summer camps for kids and high-interest classes like dance, theater, CPR, babysitting, and intramural sports. Events such as food truck roundups, fun runs, movie nights, and craft or farmers markets can bring neighbors together. Funding could come from existing town resources and grants from the Agawam Cultural Council and other state programs. Using what we already have more effectively allows us to strengthen community opportunities without creating new financial burdens.
Anthony Russo: Looking ahead to the FY27 budget, my top funding priority is increasing funding for road and walkway replacement to improve safety, accessibility and long-term infrastructure quality. Funding could come from reallocating the capital improvement budget, pursuing state and federal infrastructure grants, requesting earmarks from state legislators and reprioritizing areas of the general budget. I am proud that, over the last two years, we have increased the amount of roadwork being done, but much more remains to be accomplished.
RP: What issues would you like to tackle in the term ahead?
Bitzas: In the year ahead, I will approach every issue with common sense, integrity, and my experience as a City Councilor. Key areas of focus include strengthening public safety, ensuring excellent education for our children and grandchildren, maintaining and upgrading infrastructure, and supporting our veterans and seniors. I will also prioritize strong police and fire services, keeping neighborhoods safe, and fostering unity across the community. My goal is to work collaboratively with residents and city officials to address challenges thoughtfully, always making decisions that benefit Agawam’s people and preserve our community’s quality of life.
Borgatti: We must continually expand our tax base to make government more accessible to our residents by improving the towns’ ability to communicate with our citizens. We must ensure and provide resources and programs that directly affect our families and seniors. As a local businessman for nearly 40 years in Agawam (E. B.’s Restaurant) it is important that our goal must always be to budget and spend our tax dollars wisely. We must continue to always attract more economic development to our community. Raising property taxes and fees must not be the only solution to balancing our budget.
Borsai: The most urgent issues are fixing aging infrastructure, modernizing youth sports facilities, and supporting DPW so they have the resources to maintain Agawam properly. Our kids deserve safe, updated fields, and our residents deserve smooth, reliable roads and sidewalks instead of quick, short-term patches. At the same time, I’ll focus on eliminating wasteful expenditures so more of our budget directly funds these high-impact projects. Supporting DPW with the right tools, staffing, and planning capacity will help ensure repairs are long-lasting, efficient, and cost-effective, which creates visible improvements for residents while strengthening our long-term financial health.
Enyiema: My focus extends beyond infrastructure to affordable housing, safer streets, and meaningful youth programs, ensuring every family’s future is secure.
Hendrickson: One of the most pressing cost-of-living issues that Agawam residents are currently facing is the outrageous price of internet from Comcast. Other towns in our area (Westfield, Chicopee, South Hadley, etc.) have created municipal internet providers that have successfully delivered better, cheaper internet services to their residents. I think that creating a municipal internet provider in Agawam would be a great investment for our community, and I intend to continue working on delivering an alternative to Comcast’s monopoly that can create competition in the marketplace.
Mercadante: As I stated in the answer to the previous question, I would like to see more road and sidewalk improvements. I think another important focus would be on taking care of our community relative to blighted properties. We need to take pride in our town. It truly is a great place to live. I would also like to work with the administration to increase our business base. This will help to defray the tax burden on our residents. The tax revenue received from business property helps out the town significantly in that businesses require no trash or school services.
Rickmon: I want to create a Problem-Solvers Committee where residents can bring concerns directly to town leaders and other community members. Often, people don’t know who to contact, or previous attempts to raise issues went unheard. This committee would provide guidance or solutions, ensuring concerns are addressed rather than left unresolved. It would also improve communication between residents and officials, helping people feel informed, heard, and supported while building trust in local government.
Russo: The cost of living for seniors must be a top priority. Our seniors are the backbone of Agawam — they raised families, ran businesses, volunteered and should never be forced to leave due to rising costs or unsafe housing. I will focus on two goals: 1. Create and preserve affordable, accessible senior housing near services and transit so people can age in place with dignity, and 2. Provide targeted tax relief and financial options so fixed-income seniors can remain in their homes. Using local funds, housing trusts, state and federal programs and tax credits we can build, preserve and reduce costs.
RP: What is your vision for Agawam in the next 10 years?
Bitzas: My vision for Agawam over the next 10 years is to build on our strengths while making thoughtful improvements. I want Agawam to remain a safe, welcoming city where families can thrive, seniors are supported, and businesses grow responsibly. Maintaining high-quality schools, reliable services, and well-kept roads and sidewalks will be central to that vision. I see a future where we balance growth with preserving the small-city character that residents value. Through strong community partnerships and careful planning, Agawam can continue moving in the right direction — offering a safe, vibrant, and connected place to live, work, and raise families.
Borgatti: Agawam is a vibrant community and a town on the move. In Agawam, our young people receive a quality public education, families can find first class neighborhoods and seniors live a quality of life they deserve. Seniors will continue to be recognized, appreciated and afforded all the services they require. As a lifelong resident and a long-time community activist and public servant, it has been a privilege to serve the town I love, and I hope to continue serving the residents of this great community.
Borsai: In 10 years, I envision Agawam with modern, well-maintained infrastructure that supports both residents and businesses. Our youth sports facilities will be safe, high-quality gathering spaces for families, helping grow community pride and opportunity for our kids. Roads, sidewalks, and drainage systems will be properly upgraded, not just patched, and DPW will be equipped to deliver long-term, cost-effective maintenance. By cutting wasteful spending and reinvesting in these core needs, we can strengthen Agawam’s reputation as a town that manages taxpayer dollars responsibly while creating a vibrant, sustainable community where families and businesses want to stay and grow.
Enyiema: In 10 years, I see Agawam as a community where opportunity and support reach all corners, where vital investments uplift every resident, and where progress reflects the strength and diversity of us as a whole.
Hendrickson: I envision a future for Agawam in which our public schools are able to deliver a world class education to our students, a future in which housing is abundant and affordable for Agawam’s young people, working families, and seniors, a future in which we’re able to invest in and improve our roads and sidewalks and our water and sewer systems, and a future in which we can provide a high quality-of-life for our residents by maintaining pristine public parks and recreational opportunities for people of all ages.
Mercadante: A safe community, with a great educational system is a great place to start for a vision. The new high school will add a dimension to the community of unbridled pride. Our children deserve at least that to grow and flourish. I also would like to start entertaining, at some point a more accessible town hall. One that is inviting to all its residents and easier to navigate. Let us be the town that displays its best at all times. This may seem a bit ambitious. All these things must be looked at first and foremost with the taxpayer’s approval.
Rickmon: My vision for Agawam is a thriving, connected community. As I’ve walked neighborhoods and spoken with residents, I’ve heard that many feel less connected since COVID. I want to expand summer camps, high-interest classes, and events in our parks, while also creating a problem-solvers committee where residents can bring concerns to town leaders and community members, receiving guidance or solutions. Together, these efforts will strengthen relationships, provide support for families and neighbors, and ensure people feel informed, heard, and proud to be part of their community.
Russo: My vision is for Agawam to remain a community that families are proud to move to and where residents of all ages can thrive. Our seniors must know they are a priority, but we also need services that attract families and encourage current residents to stay. That means bringing in businesses that not only strengthen our tax base but also provide real benefits for the community. We must also invest in youth. When the new high school and early childhood center open, I would like the old ECC to be transformed into a Recreation Center, supported by grants to limit local cost.
Voting will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 4. For a list of polling places, visit agawam.ma.us/231/Election-Information.
