WESTFIELD — With two candidates withdrawing from the City Council race and the deadline now passed, Westfield voters now know what decisions they’ll have to make Nov. 7. There will be contested races for mayor, councilor at large, councilor in wards 1 and 2, School Committee and Athenaeum trustee.
There will be fewer choices for council than expected, however, as two former councilors — Dave Flaherty, who resigned on May 5, and Mary O’Connell, who returned to the council as Flaherty’s midterm replacement later that month — have pulled out of the race for at-large seats. Flaherty, who said back in May that he was leaving to pursue new career opportunities, said this week that he is not ready to talk about his plans, but will stay involved in city politics and attend meetings. O’Connell cited her work as the reason for giving up her campaign.
“I’m grateful for the support that I have received from Westfield residents while on the City Council, and I have enjoyed my time working for the advancement of the city,” O’Connell said. “However, I co-own Wolcott Realty and have been extremely busy and focused on serving my real estate clients. It is difficult to work at two full time jobs and to do them well.
