EASTHAMPTON — Robert Laferriere has emerged as the third candidate for mayor of Easthampton, with hopes of enacting change in his community.

Laferriere, 56, will vie for the mayoral position against City Councilor JT Tirrell and Mayoral Executive Assistant Lindsi Sekula. Current Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, who has been in office since 2018, announced in 2023 that she would not seek reelection for a fourth term.

A 30-year resident of Easthampton, Laferriere said he decided to run for the mayor because he “wanted to make a change in city government,” and saw no better way to do that than to run for office himself.

“One of the things I would love to see changed is for the seniors in the community to see their taxes reduced, especially their property taxes,” he said.

Laferriere said his desire to drive change in Easthampton is born out of his love for the community. He said that while he has had a few opportunities to leave the city, he had no desire to, because Easthampton has become a place where he feels at home and his voice matters.

“Easthampton to me is a welcoming place to come back to. Living there makes you feel like a part of something,” he said. “In Easthampton, you’re more than just a number. People take care of their own.”

Laferriere has spent the last 36 years working at an electrical supply company, and he is currently in charge of logistics, shipping and receiving, and more day-to-day operations, which has given him leadership skills he believes will be beneficial if he is elected to office.

He also noted that he believes face-to-face interactions are a pillar of good leadership, and hopes to not just be available if elected, but also to go door to door introducing himself as he campaigns.

“I think there should be a lot more transparency around city government,” he said.

If elected, he also hopes to quickly address the city’s aging wastewater and sewer infrastructure, as he anticipates issues arising from its current aging water mains and pipes.

However, cost-cutting is at the forefront of his mind, especially for seniors. He has concerns about the costs associated with building a new senior center, and wants to reassess whether another pre-existing building can be eventually turned into a new senior center for the city.

“A new senior center is going to cost a lot of money,” he said. “If you build a new senior center, the money is out of seniors’ pockets. They shouldn’t have to pay for their own senior center.”

He also said that he doesn’t “know if affordable housing is actually feasible,” and wants to ensure that “people are not being given something lesser quality just because they make less.”

Laferriere also proposed that affordable housing be created out of pre-existing buildings to save on costs. He named the city’s three former elementary schools as potential locations for affordable housing or a senior center.

There are already city plans to develop the Maple, Center and Pepin school buildings into about 70 housing units, about 20% of which will be designated “affordable.”

Laferriere said he has more plans he hopes to unveil as the race for the mayoral seat gets underway, but that he doesn’t want to reveal too much at once. In the meantime, city residents might encounter him on their doorsteps as he embarks on his campaign.

The city will begin accepting formal filings for mayoral candidates on July 1, according to the City Clerk’s office. The deadline for candidate filings will be Sept. 16.

The next mayor will be the fourth for Easthampton, following LaChapelle, Karen Cadieux and Michael A. Tautznik.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.