Bissonnette bests embattled mayor in Chicopee

CHICOPEE -- Attorney Michael Bissonnette glided into a landslide victory as the city's next mayor yesterday, promising to restore confidence in city government a week after his predecessor was arrested on federal extortion charges.

''The office doesn't belong to me," Bissonnette said. ''It belongs to the people of Chicopee. And today, it's been returned by the voters to the people of Chicopee."

Bissonnette said his victory ''sent a clear message that's going to be heard across the Commonwealth that our city, Chicopee City Hall, is not for sale."

But Bissonnette, 51, stopped short of calling on Mayor Richard Goyette to step down before the current term expires in January.

Goyette, who could not be reached for comment last night, ''has to make his own decision on that," Bissonnette said. ''I would hope that the paralysis facing the city would help his decision making."

Goyette, 36, withdrew from his bid for a second two-year term last week, two days after the FBI arrested and charged him with taking two illegal $5,000 campaign contributions from city businessmen. In exchange for the cash, Goyette allegedly promised one man a city towing contract and another man was assured city approval of a development project.

With all precincts reporting, Bissonnette won with 7,725 votes, or 84 percent, to Goyette's 1,471 votes, unofficial results showed.

About 900 ballots were submitted blank, apparently a statement on how the mayoral campaign ended up in recent days. Barely a third of the city's 32,800 voters showed up at the polls.

Karen Roy, one of the hundreds of Bissonnette supporters who attended the mayor-elect's victory party at the Hu Ke Lau restaurant, said the election results ''make me believe in Chicopee again."

''It makes me believe that the people who are not doing the best for the city will be found out, and the people who are best for the city will be found," she said.

A majority of the city's Board of Aldermen have asked Goyette to step down. A letter signed by 11 of the 13 board members told the mayor that his presence in City Hall would interfere with city business. He has not responded to the letter, and has told the board that he will not resign. His term expires in January.

Bissonnette said he will have a transition team in place by the end of the week, and is ready to be sworn in if Goyette resigns.