EASTHAMPTON — Interim Mayor Salem Derby has introduced the “Keys to the City” program, a new initiative honoring individuals whose exceptional contributions have significantly enhanced the quality of life in the community.
The program will celebrate extraordinary achievements in service, arts, education, business, environmental stewardship and civic leadership, reflecting Easthampton’s core values of equity, sustainability, creativity and collaboration. More specifically, individuals, organizations or groups whose contributions have significantly improved the city’s quality of life.
Derby told Reminder Publishing that the idea for the program came from wanting to recognize the people and organizations making Easthampton a stronger, more vibrant and connected community in the spare time he is guaranteed in office as interim mayor. Derby just announced at the end of August that he will be running for mayor this fall after initially not having intentions to do so when first moving into the interim position this summer.
“I created this in my first week [as interim mayor]. I had the idea for a long time, and I wanted to do something that was uplifting. I thought this might be my only opportunity,” said Derby. “The program will hopefully outlast my legacy. At the time I was like, ‘I’m only here for a short period of time. I want to try to not only keep the city moving in the right direction and stable and not chaotic without a regular mayor, but I would also like to do something that is beneficial to the community in this new role.’”
The first honoree will be Robin Bialecki, executive director of the Easthampton Community Center. Under her leadership, the center has expanded its reach and deepened its impact, providing vital food, clothing and community support to thousands of residents each year.
“I’m a firm believer in lead by example and you shouldn’t ask anybody to do something you wouldn’t be able to do yourself, and I think Robin shares that belief with me,” said Derby. “She is in the thick of it. She is leading by example, and I find people that are willing to do the work themselves, even though they’re at the top, is really impressive and something I’ve always strived to do and that stood out for me.”
The Easthampton Community Center provides a Food Pantry, Community Care Kitchen and a Clothing Closet, along with meeting space for community groups and holiday or celebratory gatherings. A resident of Easthampton for almost four decades, Bialecki was named executive director in 2008, and she served on the board of directors for nine years prior to being hired in her current role.
“I also think people don’t understand the scope of what she does,” said Derby. “She’s just resourceful and creative and that is what we need in Easthampton.”
Derby added that Bialecki’s dedication to serving the Easthampton community embodies the spirit of the award.
He shared that when first taking the interim position after the resignation of former Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, he started using his lunch times to walk around downtown and just observe and meet with people in an attempt to be a “on the ground” mayor. After visiting the Easthampton Community Center, Derby met with Bialecki and was “blown away” by her hard work and operation she runs.
“I ended up sitting with her for over an hour and talking to her about all the amazing stuff that she does for the community of Easthampton, but also the broader community. Her work ethic, her sensibility, I just left being like, ‘this person is a rock star,’” said Derby. “She is a one-of-a-kind person and I was just really inspired, and that’s when I came back and put this to paper and thought ‘she’s going to be the first one.’ The Key to the City symbolizes our gratitude and serves as a lasting reminder of her impact.”
The Keys to the City program will accept public nominations annually, with recipients announced in the new fiscal year. Recipients may include Easthampton residents, business owners or employees, organizations, nonprofits or community groups serving Easthampton, or individuals whose work outside of Easthampton significantly benefits the city, such as regional partners or philanthropists.
Honorees must demonstrate substantial and positive community impact either through volunteerism, leadership or innovation, a commitment to Easthampton’s values of equity, sustainability, creativity and collaboration, and a long-term benefit to residents as one-time publicity stunts will not be entertained.
Derby said the program will run annually or semi-annually, and that only one to four recipients will be chosen each year to maintain the award’s prestige. Nomination forms will eventually be available on the city website and will require a detailed description of a nominee’s contributions and impact.
“I didn’t want to dilute it,” said Derby. “I didn’t want to limit it, but I wanted to make sure that the potential people who could receive it was a wide net for the people and organizations doing good in Easthampton. For this one, even though Easthampton Community Center is the organization, for me, Robin I felt like was just a natural fit.”
The mayor may select a recipient if they feel the person meets the criteria and is deserving of the award, but will also work with a selection committee made up of the mayor, one City Council representative, one past recipient and two community members appointed by the mayor.
Recipients will be honored during a public presentation at a City Council meeting and will receive a ceremonial key, a framed proclamation outlining their contributions and recognition on the city’s website and social media. Derby added that he also hopes to establish a plaque for City Hall where each year’s honorees can have their names added to showcase the program’s highlighted community members.
The Mayor’s Office will oversee nominations, communications and event logistics. Funding will be minimal, drawn primarily from the city budget, with optional sponsorships or donations supporting presentation costs. A public record of the honorees will also be maintained.
A formal ceremony will take place at an upcoming City Council meeting to honor Bialecki where she will be presented with the key and proclamation.
“This is one of my first attempts at being mayor,” Derby said with a laugh. “It’s so huge for me because as I stepped into this role, I realized how many opportunities there were to do good things for the community, and it was just cool to be able to take that idea and put it into action.”
