Chicopee Councilor Tim Wagner resigns, moving to Boston area
Wagner, who sat on the Chicopee City Council since January 2024, told The Republican Wednesday he's moving to the greater Boston area for a new job opportunity and 'to be closer to the people I care about.'
He said he had submitted his resignation with the City Clerk's Office, and is looking at ways to donate his pay from July and August. He will officially leave the council by the end of August, he said.
'I don't think it's fair to take the full pay if I am unable to fully help my constituents,' he said. Wagner said he would donate two months of his pay to Lorraine's Soup Kitchen and Pantry, the Boys and Girls Club and the senior center.
In a social media post on June 19, Wagner asked residents to contact other city councilors for assistance, but 'I will still do my best to assist those who reach out,' he wrote, adding that he planned to continue to attend City Council meetings.
Earlier this year, Wagner announced he would not be running for re-election come November. The 22-year-old directed that decision at having 'a lot of life left to live.'
Wagner was elected to the council in the 2023 municipal election. Before that, he served on the School Committee representing Ward 1.
The young politician said he was proud of a lot of the work he has done while on the council, including restoring an economic development position to the city, adopting a 'long needed' master plan for Chicopee and proposing significant reforms.
'These were substantial efforts, but there is still more to do,' he said in a statement at a January council meeting.
Wagner is asking constituents to reach out to the other at-large councilors, Frank LaFlamme and Jerry Roy, or to their ward representatives for any assistance.
'I'm grateful to the residents for this opportunity to serve on the council,' Wagner said.
When reached by phone Wednesday, LaFlamme, who is also council president, said Wagner 'always did what he believed was right as an at-large councilor.'
'Sometimes we agreed and sometimes we disagreed, but he always did what he thought was right,' LaFlamme said.
The council president said he heard the news about Wagner wanting to resign over the weekend. The young at-large councilor will continue to serve until the end of August, LaFlamme said.
After that, LaFlamme will put a question about filling the vacancy to a vote with the other councilors, he said.
In March, after Robert Zygarowski, who was vice president of the council, died, the council voted not to fill his vacant position.
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Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky wrote on X on June 29: "There's no such thing as a tax relief without spending cuts. Gov't can reduce the tax rate, but the spending still must be paid for. Gov't must borrow money (which raises interest rates & requires more taxes later) or print money (which causes inflation). Both hurt Americans." What Happens Next Both chambers must agree on the final version of the bill for it to advance to the president's desk to be signed into law. The House minority leader is holding the House floor in a speech that has already run for more than six hours, delaying what Republican leaders hoped would be a quick march to the final vote on Thursday.
