List of mayors of Chicopee, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of Chicopee
Seal of Chicopee
Incumbent John L. Vieau since January 6, 2020
Style	His/Her Honor
Member of	School Committee
Residence	None official
Seat	Chicopee City Hall
Nominator	Non-partisan nominating petition
Appointer	Popular vote
Term length	Two years (1917-Present) One year (1891-1917)
Constituting instrument	Chicopee City Charter
Precursor	Chicopee Board of Selectmen (1848-1890)
Formation	1891
First holder	George Sylvester Taylor
Salary	$122,000 (2023)

The Mayor of Chicopee is like the main boss of the city government in Chicopee, Massachusetts. This person is in charge of making sure all the city's rules and laws are followed. They also pick and manage many important city workers.

The mayor is also a special member of the Chicopee School Committee. This means they automatically get a spot on the committee because of their job. Chicopee uses a system called a mayor-council government. This means the mayor works with a city council to run things.

People in Chicopee vote directly for their mayor in elections that don't involve political parties. The mayor serves for two years. There's no limit to how many times someone can be elected mayor. You can find the mayor's office in the Chicopee City Hall.

The person who is currently the Mayor of Chicopee is John L. Vieau.

How Chicopee's Mayor Role Began

Before the Mayor: Town Meetings and Selectmen

Before 1891, Chicopee didn't have a mayor. It was a town, not a city. The town was run by something called an open town meeting. This is where all citizens could gather to make decisions.

There was also a Board of Selectmen. These were elected officials who handled the daily tasks of running the town. They made sure everything worked smoothly.

Becoming a City: The First Mayor

Chicopee officially became a city in 1890. This meant it got a special document called a city charter. With this new charter, the city needed a mayor.

The first mayor of Chicopee was George S. Taylor. He started his job in 1891. Back then, mayors were elected every year in December. They would start their term in January.

What Happened if the Mayor Left Office?

If the mayor's job became empty, a new election had to happen right away. The person who was the President of the Board of Aldermen would step in as acting mayor until a new one was chosen.

Changes to the Mayor's Job in 1897

The city charter was updated in 1897. This brought some big changes. The city council became a single group, instead of two.

The mayor no longer led the city council meetings. They also didn't work with the council to announce who won elections. Another change was that a new election wasn't always needed if the mayor's job became empty close to the end of their term. These new rules started in 1898.

Non-Party Elections: A Fairer Way to Vote

In 1938, a group in the city suggested that local elections should not be tied to political parties. They thought this would help people vote based on who they thought was best, not just their party. It was also hoped to reduce arguments between different groups.

The first elections without political parties were held in Chicopee in 1943. This made voting more about the person than their party.

Meet the Mayors of Chicopee

This table shows all the people who have served as mayor of Chicopee. You can see their names, when they served, and sometimes a picture!

#	Mayor	Picture	Term	Party	Notes
1	George Sylvester Taylor		January 5, 1891 - January 4, 1892	Republican
2	William W. McClench		January 4, 1892 - January 2, 1893	Democrat
3	Henry H. Harris		January 2, 1893 - January 1, 1894	Republican
4	William M. E. Mellen		January 1, 1894 - January 7, 1895	Democratic
5	Andrew W. Gale		January 7, 1895 - January 6, 1896	Republican
6	Alexander Grant		January 6, 1896 - January 4, 1897	Republican
7	George D. Eldridge		January 4, 1897 - January 2, 1899	Democratic
8	Denis Murphy		January 2, 1899 - January 7, 1901	Unaffiliated	Born in Cork, Ireland; First Irish mayor of Chicopee
9	James H. Loomis		January 7, 1901 - January 4, 1904	Republican
10	Charles A. Buckley		January 4, 1904 - January 2, 1905	Republican
11	Albert E. Taylor		January 2, 1905 - January 6, 1908	Republican	Son of George Sylvester Taylor
12	Joseph O. Beauchamp		January 6, 1908 - January 4, 1909	Republican	Born in Saint-Roch, Canada; First Franco-American mayor of Chicopee
13	William J. Fuller		January 4, 1909 - January 2, 1910	Republican
14	Samuel E. Fletcher		January 2, 1910 - January 1, 1912	Republican
15	Frank A. Rivers		January 1, 1912 - October 7, 1914	Unaffiliated
16	Rogette D. Earle		October 7, 1914 - January 4, 1915	Unaffiliated	Board of Alderman President, Acting Mayor
17	William J. Dunn		January 4, 1915 - January 3, 1916	Democrat
18	Daniel J. Coakley		January 3, 1916 - January 5, 1920	Democrat
19	James E. Higgins		January 5, 1920 - January 2, 1922	Republican
20	Joseph E. Grise		January 2, 1922 - January 4, 1926	Republican
21	Michael I. Shea		January 4, 1926 - January 2, 1928	Democrat
22	Henry Cloutier		January 2, 1928 - January 4, 1932	Republican
23	Anthony J. Stonina		January 4, 1932 - January 1, 1934	Republican	First Polish mayor of Chicopee
24	O'Neil Deroy		January 1, 1934 - January 6, 1936	Republican
(23)	Anthony J. Stonina		January 6, 1936 - January 1, 1940	Republican
25	Leo P. Senecal		January 1, 1940 - January 3, 1944	Republican
26	Edward O. Bourbeau		January 3, 1944 - January 7, 1952	Republican
27	Walter J. Trybulski		January 7, 1952 - January 2, 1956	Republican
28	Walter M. Grocki		January 2, 1956 - January 4, 1960	Republican
29	Edward A. Lysek		January 4, 1960 - January 3, 1966	Republican
30	Richard H. Demers		January 3, 1966 - January 5, 1970	Democrat
31	Edward J. Ziemba		January 5, 1970 - January 5, 1976	Republican
32	Howard W. Redfern, Jr.		January 5, 1976 - January 2, 1978	Democrat
33	John P. Moylan		January 2, 1978 - January 7, 1980	Democrat
34	Robert F. Kumor		January 7, 1980 - January 2, 1984	Democrat
35	Richard S. Lak		January 2, 1984 - January 4, 1988	Democrat
36	Joseph J. Chessey		January 4, 1988 - February 28, 1997	Democrat
37	Patrick E. Welch		March 1, 1997 - July 7, 1997	Democrat	City Council President, Acting Mayor
38	Richard J. Kos		July 7, 1997 - January 5, 2004	Republican	Did not run for re-election in 2003
39	Richard R. Goyette		January 5, 2004 - January 2, 2006	Republican
40	Michael D. Bissonnette		January 2, 2006 - January 6, 2014	Democrat	Lost re-election for 5th term
(38)	Richard J. Kos		January 6, 2014 - January 6, 2020	Republican
41	John L. Vieau		January 6, 2020 - Incumbent