By KENNEDY GRIFFIN
(Greenfield, MA) The Greenfield City Council met Thursday evening to elect their President and Vice President for 2023. Dan Guin was the sole nomination for Council President and was unanimously voted in.
Guin has served as the Vice President for the past year and as well as Chair of the Appointments and Ordinances Committee. He was also the first City Council President when Christine Forgey became the first Mayor of Greenfield in 2003.
“I look forward to the opportunity to work with everybody. Over the last year I’ve tried to be a good leader and keep us on track and cross lines and make sure I’m more concerned about this council and this city of Greenfield than anything else,” said President Guin. “I think we’ve all worked really well together. I think in a lot of ways this year people expected that we weren’t going to get along as well as this group did and I look forward to leading you all, if that’s your choice.”
Former Council President Sheila Gilmour and Former Mayor Christine Forgey were both nominated for the role of Vice President. The vote was split 5-7, with Forgey getting the majority vote.
In candidate statements Gilmour said she has appreciated the opportunity and the experience to be Council President and hoped that as Vice President she would be able to “provide continuity in leadership.”
Forgey’s candidate statement include her announcement that she will not be seeking re-election to City Council in 2023 “for a number of different reasons.” Forgey also said she would “like to end [her] council career in a leadership position” citing her leadership experience, steady availability, and desire to serve as qualifications for the role. “I have worked with Dan Guin in the past, I know he and I can get along really well. I’d like the opportunity to serve all of you.”
The City Council will hold its next meeting on Wednesday, January 18th at 6:30 p.m. in the John Zon Community Center.