Select Board Chair Jason Perron has decided to not run for reelection.
Reminder Publishing file photo
SOUTHWICK — Wanting to spend more time on himself, his family while winding down his law enforcement career, current Select Board Chair Jason Perron will not seek reelection for another three-year term on the board.
“I am announcing I will not be running for re-election. I now need to take a step back to be able to focus on myself, my family, and the last several years of my career as I plan the steps that come next,” Perron wrote on the Southwick Community page on Facebook on March 29.
On March 31, Town Clerk Christie Myette confirmed Perron had officially withdrawn his name as a candidate for Select Board.
Perron began his political career in 2022 after he challenged three-term incumbent Joseph Deedy for the open seat and won by 83 votes.
For 27 years he has been an officer with the Westfield Police Department and is a military service veteran. He was with the Department of Defense working as a police officer at Westover Air Reserve Base and served in the U.S. Air Force. Perron attended both American International College and Westfield State University.
Doug Moglin, Perron’s colleague on the Select Board wished him well.
“I’ve enjoyed working with done some good stuff and have had some healthy debates,” Moglin said, adding that serving on the Select Board is more stressful than most people think.
He also hopes Perron stays involved in municipal government.
“There are certainly ample opportunities for him to continue serve on board or commissions,” Moglin said.
His other colleague on the board, Diane Gale, said she knew he had been struggling with his decision to withdraw for some time.
“I know how grueling this process was for him to come to this decision,” she said.
She said Perron always had the best intentions when fulfilling his duties and she believes he’ll finish his term with those same intentions.
“And he’ll finish his service on a high note,” Gale said.
Perron wrote that three and a half years ago he had no plans to run for political office, but “after moving back to Southwick I watched what the town was going through and how the town I had lived in before joining the Air Force had become so divided.”
The year before Perron won the election, the town was roiled after the used-car dealer Carvana proposed building a distribution facility on a 137-acre field at the intersection of Tannery Road and College Highway. It eventually withdrew its proposal.
“After watching this I knew it was my obligation to step forward and I did,” Perron wrote.
He said that over the last three year, he listened to residents and made “decisions that have made positive differences and changes in the best interest of the town and its people.”
“I also promised to be approachable, fair, impartial and unbiased when I ran for this office and I have been,” he wrote.
He didn’t rule out running again in the future, perhaps after retiring from the WPD.
“But maybe sooner if I think it’s time for another change,” he wrote, adding that he will remain involved in municipal government.
“I will continue to be involved in the town in one way or another and plan on applying for the openings on the boards or committee I think I can do the most good,” he wrote.
He also wanted to wish Russ Anderson and John Cain, the two who will square off for Perron’s open seat, good luck.
“It has been my honor, and privilege to represent you these last three years … this is not goodbye, it’s ‘until next time.’”
