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Laflamme elected Chicopee City Council president; Shumsky chosen vice president
Summary
At the Chicopee City Council organizational meeting Jan. 5, 2026, Councilor Frank N. Laflamme was elected council president by unanimous roll call and Councilor Samuel R. Shumsky won the vice president election after a roll-call tally (Shumsky 8, Courchesne 3, Arriaga 2). Both were sworn in and the meeting adjourned at 11:55 a.m.
Frank N. Laflamme was elected president of the Chicopee City Council during the council’s organizational meeting Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, and Samuel Robert Shumsky was elected vice president.
The meeting opened at 11:45 a.m. in the City Hall Conference Room. City Clerk Keith W. Rattell swore in Councilor Gerard (Jerry) A. Roy, who was participating by Zoom, before the council took up leadership nominations.
Councilor Shane D. Brooks moved to nominate Councilor Frank N. Laflamme for president. Councilor Joel D. McAuliffe moved to close nominations, and the motion to elect Laflamme passed by unanimous roll call vote, seating Laflamme as council president.
Nominations for vice president included Councilor Abigail Arriaga, Councilor Samuel R. Shumsky and Councilor William C. Courchesne. Councilor Laflamme moved to close nominations; Councilor Shumsky moved for a voice vote, and Councilor McAuliffe then moved that the council vote on individuals until a nominee received seven votes. The subsequent roll call produced the following preferences: Avery–Arriaga; Laflamme–Shumsky; McAuliffe–Courchesne; Roy–Shumsky; Arriaga–Arriaga; Brooks–Shumsky; Goff–Courchesne; Balakier–Shumsky; Pasternak–Shumsky; Shumsky–Shumsky; Courchesne–Courchesne; Girouard–Shumsky; Pniak-Costello–Shumsky. That tally gave Shumsky eight votes to Courchesne’s three and Arriaga’s two, and Councilor Shumsky was declared vice president.
City Clerk Keith W. Rattell then swore in Councilor Laflamme as president and Councilor Shumsky as vice president. Both councilors thanked their colleagues for the votes. Councilor Samuel R. Shumsky moved to adjourn at 11:55 a.m.; the motion passed by unanimous roll call and the meeting ended.
The minutes were attested by City Clerk Keith W. Rattell.
