2023 will be an important year for Pittsfield, Massachusetts City Council President Peter Marchetti. He’s already thrown his hat in the ring for the upcoming mayoral race — after losing to Dan Bianchi by around 100 votes in 2011. Marchetti, who won his eighth non-consecutive two-year term in 2021, so far faces former city councilor John Krol in the contest. Incumbent Linda Tyer, who won a second four-year term in 2019, has yet to reveal her intentions for next year. WAMC spoke with Marchetti about his mayoral campaign, what lies ahead for the city council in 2023, and his thoughts on what the body accomplished this year.
MARCHETTI: Well, I think that we have been really trying to focus on a variety of different issues, especially the homeless issue, and with the ARPA funding and the new proposed housing, there's some solutions on the way. Unfortunately, they're not a short-term fix.
WAMC: Well, let's get into some of that. Looking back at our conversation in early 2022 back in the first week of this year, you talked about the council digging deep on homelessness, ARPA funding, and trash. You've alluded to two thirds of that- Let's get into that. When you think about homelessness and ARPA funding, what stands out to you from this year when you talk about the short fix versus long term?
So, I mean, I think the big fix is the new housing developments that we're working on, which I think are the long-term solution, and also the resource center that will be embedded into one of those complexes. You know, and I said a couple times throughout the year, the homeless issue is a very multifaceted problem. And I think, you know, the, just find someone in apartment and they'll be fine, is not the right solution, because we need to make sure that they have the life skills, and if there are other underlying issues such as mental health issues or drug addiction, that those are being addressed.
From your vantage point, what would fill in those pieces of the puzzle that are missing from what Pittsfield is already working on?
Well, I think we need some additional state funding to increase the resources. I think my other concern is, I'm not sure that we have the bodies on the ground. So even if we were to have the dollars in place to be able to do more, I'm not sure that we have the people in place to do more.
Now, again, looking back at your checklist for this year, 2022, you had talked about bringing forward the long-standing concern about Pittsfield trash collection policies before the council. It seems like that didn't get addressed this year. Walk us through that- Where is that conversation? And what lies ahead for it in 2023?
Well, I think throughout 2022, there were a lot of major changes, especially with the center on Hubbard Ave. and the changes that were there. You know, I didn't feel that we could even get members of the council to engage in the conversation of trash. So, those items have been sitting tabled for our committee of the whole meeting, and in 2023, they'll need to come back and be addressed. Because I think we need to change, or at least have the conversation about the possibility of changing, the way that we do trash collection under the current conditions. And we all said that a year and a half ago when we first brought it up in 2021, which happened to be an election year, and I guess we'll have the conversation about trash again in 2023 during an election year.
What exactly would you propose for trash collection to the city to change its existent model?
So, I think when we were having the conversations about a pay-as-you-throw model, we started to hear from a lot of people that the toter concept was not a bad idea. I think we need to go back and revisit the toter conversation with a much more open view of what size we may need. And “one size fits all” I don't think works. But we also have to recognize that there needs to be a maximum cap per household that one should be entitled to as curbside trash pickup.
Now, trash was one thing that did not get addressed this year. Peter, anything else on your list from the year that you wish had been addressed that the council did not get around to in 2022?
So, I wish that we had also made some progress with a new police station. Clearly that building is unfit. But I think as part of that conversation, we need to have a better understanding of what we want policing to look like in the future. And I think we've made some inroads there with the creation of a social worker positions and trying to develop a better first responder problem. I mean, clearly, if there's an emergency situation that involves a weapon, we would not just send in a first responder by themselves. But I think we have a little bit more work to do in airing that out.
Now, you're alluding to one of the more traumatic and tragic stories from 2022 in Pittsfield, the police killing of 22-year-old Miguel Estrella back in March. I wanted to know- You know, there was a lot of raw emotion on display from the community, a lot of very pointed calls towards city leaders to take more action around mental health and policing in the city. What do you feel like you took away from that conversation, and what can happen in the city moving forward from it?
Well, you know, I think that the first thing I took was that all of us, I think, including some members of the council, were talking from an emotional standpoint. And I had a conversation with the family shortly after one of those council meetings. And, you know, although different circumstances, I had just been weeks into a loss of my own. So, a loss is a loss, and people grieve in different ways. And in no way was I trying to compare when I was going through what they were going through. But I think that we made progress with body cams coming forward and starting that process. And I think we all have a better understanding of the issue. But the resources, again, it’s the same with the homeless issue- The mental health resources and bodies on the ground are just not there yet. And that needs to be a focus into 2023.
As you alluded to earlier, 2023 is an election year in Pittsfield, and you have thrown your hat in the ring to once again seek the office of mayor, which you last attempted over a decade ago. Talk to us about this- What makes this the right year for the Marchetti for Mayor campaign?
So, it's been something that I've thought about since 2011 when I first ran, and, you know, had a unsuccessful bid, but it was a pretty close election. I think it's been called the closest election in the city's history. And I kind of felt after that, that I got promoted at the bank and have a really good career path there. And it's now come to the opportunity where I can retire and move on and accept the next challenge, and I wanted to really start putting forth some of the items that I talked about in 2011. But really, instead of looking backwards, look to the future. And I think that COVID really changed the world, never mind the city of Pittsfield, and there are so many opportunities there for us at this stage of the game to rebuild Pittsfield and work on a whole host of fronts. And, you know, I think, from an education standpoint, data’s going to show that we slid backwards based on what's had to happen for COVID. Clearly businesses are hurting and need assistance there. And so, I just felt it was the right time to make a decision to try to take what I attempt to do on a regular basis as the council president and form consensus and try to collaborate to take that type of leadership to the corner office.
Now, at this point, the only other stated candidate is John Krol, the former city councilor. Toward the end of his decade-long run on the council, your relationship had gotten a bit more testy than it had been at times. What's it going to be like for you to confront Krol on the campaign trail in 2023?
So, I think he'll be like any other challenger that I've ever run against. And, you know, somebody asked me, well, aren't you friends? And I would say that that's a true statement. But I run against friends in almost every campaign that I've ever run. I think the campaign needs to be issue driven. We will most likely agree on a majority of the issues and there will be issues that we don't agree on. But I welcome the challenge and pledge to keep a campaign that is about me and my skill set and my experience, and I'll be asking the voters to vote for me, and I'll be telling them why I'm the best candidate.
What do you feel like most distinguishes you from Krol at this point heading into the contest?
I think that my 35-year private sector employment all with the same employer helps. I think my background in finance is a really big piece. And I have almost double the number of years’ experience in government.
Now you work closely with Mayor Linda Tyer, who has at this point not made her plans public for next year. I have to imagine that you've had some sort of conversation with her about your decision to run. Can you speak to that?
So, I did have a conversation with her to let her know my intentions. And when the opportunity came to declare, I did. From my perspective, you know, everyone's making assumptions, and until I hear from the mayor publicly what she's doing, you know, I'm sure John Krol and I will welcome her to the race if that's what she chooses to do.
