The midterm municipal election in Springfield is off to a brisk start. Several races are developing only days after ballot papers became available. Challenges to some incumbents have been incubating for some time either publicly or quietly. Since the Election Commission opened the petitioning window on Friday, it appears even more officials could face opponents.
A deeply controversial selection process for his successor had not totally poisoned the well of good-will Daniel Warwick had accumulated over decades in city schools. He was about three weeks from the close of his career. Then it all came crashing down in less than 48 hours.
An audio recording has surfaced in which the outgoing superintendent trashed a School Committee member. Superintendent Daniel Warwick calls relatives of at-large member LaTonia Monroe Naylor “scumbags” and “crazy.”
In the recording, Warwick was ostensibly speaking with Chief Schools Officer Kim Wells, a finalist for superintendent.
Barring any signatures challenges, the midterm ballot in Springfield looks ready to go and two prominent open races will want for competition. Moreover, the field will be thin enough to avoid the need for a preliminary. Still, a full complement of contenders will challenge at-large councilors and half of the ward Council seats will have races.
The School Committee’s at-large vacancy is the first one since ward representation began. With schools and their reputation a perennial problem—fairly or not—for the city, this position has a great deal of import. Moreover, the School Committee controls nearly 2/3 of the city budget, giving
This post is the fourth of several profiles of Springfield at-large School Committee candidates. School Committee members run for four-year terms and in that time a lot can change. Since she was on the ballot in 2013, at-large School Committee member Denise Hurst has seen
This post is the third of several profiles of Springfield at-large School Committee candidates. Springfield is no stranger to political comebacks. Candidates for office up and down the ballot have returned to office after defeats, both honorable and humiliating. While those comebacks happen, timing is
This post is the second of several profiles of Springfield at-large School Committee candidates. SPRINGFIELD—A more frequent phenomenon is the tendency of the area’s young people to depart or not return after college. Job prospects or new ties draw them away. For the Valley, it
UPDATED 11/5/17: For grammar and clarity. This post is the first of several profiles of Springfield at-large School Committee candidates. SPRINGFIELD—The battle for School Committee has, to the extent the populace is tuning in at all, been less prominent than the one for City Council.
UPDATED 9/21/17 11:28AM: To include a quote from Ryan. SPRINGFIELD—Amid anemic turnout, voters in the 413’s largest city narrowed its unusually large at-large fields for City Council and School Committee. Incumbents seeking reelection romped in their races, leaving most of the action among who those