Committee forwards two Council on Aging appointments to full council

The Chicopee City Human Resources Committee voted June 11 to approve and forward two mayoral appointments to the full City Council: Judy Mack for a three-year term on the Council on Aging and Ronald Lavoie to serve on the same council.

The committee chair presented the mayor’s appointment of Mack to serve through May 6, 2028, with the appointment described as effective May 6, 2025. The appointee, who introduced herself as Judy Mack, said she has lived in Chicopee since 2002, recently retired, and volunteers at the River Mills senior center where she teaches classes and meets one-on-one with seniors to assist with problems.

The committee then considered the mayoral appointment of Ronald Lavoie, presented as effective June 3, 2025. Lavoie described a long record of volunteer service in the region, including work with the Pioneer Valley Credit Union board, tutoring at the Valley Opportunity Council, and involvement with federal workplace giving programs; he said his father was a frequent user of the senior center and that service there motivated his interest.

Both appointments were moved and seconded, public input was opened and closed after brief comments from a resident, and the committee recorded unanimous approval at the roll call. The chair said both recommendations will be presented to the full City Council on June 17 and that the appointees do not need to attend that meeting.

Why it matters: Council on Aging members advise on senior services and programming at municipal senior centers; these appointments place volunteers with direct senior-center experience and local volunteer histories in advisory roles.

The meeting record shows no objections or amendments to either appointment. Committee members thanked the appointees for volunteering and closed the items quickly after brief public comment.