Michael A. Tautznik was elected as the first Mayor of the City of Easthampton in July of 1996. In the successive elections since then, Mike has demonstrated his unique capacity to lead the community and remains the only Mayor to have ever served in Easthampton. He is a life-long resident who has dedicated his time and energy to the city and its citizens for more than 33 years.  He was an elected member of the legislative Town Meeting, serving from 1977 until its dissolution in 1996, and he served as a member and as Chairman of the Easthampton Board of Selectmen from 1989 to 1996.

Since taking the oath of office as Mayor in September 1996, Mike has worked  diligently to lay the foundation for a successful transition of government:

• He established all of the operational policies and procedures in place today.
  
• He implemented the organizational changes necessary for the community to thrive in an ever-challenging financial climate.
  
• He renovated an abandoned downtown post office into a full service Senior Center.
  
• He constructed a new Public Safety Complex to support our Police, Fire and EMS services.
• He consolidated the operations of our school and city administrative offices from three satellite locations into a single, efficient and one-stop office building.
  
• He implemented the first comprehensive capital planning process in Easthampton.
• He serves as an active and supportive member of the School Committee.
  
• He has been instrumental in implementing improvements and efficiencies in all aspects of municipal government.
  
• He initiated the design and construction of new park properties and worked cooperatively to create attractive recreation facilities for citizens of all ages.
  
• He successfully includes all of our citizens in the governing process.
• He sponsors local, state and federal grant funds for both residential and business purposes.
• He is a tireless leader in the effort to build a better high school for our children and has the proven track record needed to make that dream a reality.
  
• He has provided consistent capital program funding from operating surpluses and balanced the city budget in each and every year without asking for property tax over-rides.
• He has undertaken the serious and sometimes difficult negotiations that are necessary to control spiraling costs and improve service delivery.
  

Mike has truly changed the direction of our community, improved the lives of our citizens, enhanced the business climate for all sectors of our economy and promotes Easthampton at home and throughout the region. As a Director of the Economic Development Council  (EDC) of Western Massachusetts he helps to attract new business to the valley while working to maintain those employers who are already here. He is connected to all of the leaders here in Western Massachusetts, both public and private, and has earned their respect and admiration. He is non-confrontational and professional in his dealings with all persons and he embraces new ideas and initiatives in ways that really matter. He has been influential in local successes like the Easthampton Bear Fest (www.easthamptonbearfest.com) and in regional economic development initiatives like the EDC’s Home Field Advantage program (www.westernmassedc.com). He has supported a wide range of housing initiatives and has dedicated city and state resources to the preservation of affordable housing stock. He has been influential in expanding the arts-based economy in  Easthampton and remains a true and trusted friend of the community. He continues to support the diversity of public discussion and the private economic activity necessary in a successful city of the 21^st century.

A little bit of history:

Mike began his service to the community in 1976 as an appointed member of the Easthampton Conservation Commission. He served as its Chairman for several years and was prominent in establishing the foundations of a conservation ethic in the community. He was a founding Director and the first Treasurer of the Pascommuck Conservation Trust and he has provided his time and expertise to a host of local, regional and state natural and historic resource protection initiatives.

Mike worked closely with University of Massachusetts Professor Ward Motts and Smith College Professor Robert Newton to examine and understand the source of the public water supply in Easthampton. He presented university findings to the Town Meeting and was instrumental in educating the community on the nature and importance of the Barnes Aquifer.  Mike wrote a successful $500,000 grant to conduct a professional review of the university studies that delineated the source of our water supply and identified key properties in need of protection. His tireless efforts resulted in the passage of aquifer protection zoning measures and enabled the land acquisition strategies used today to help protect our water supply. Beyond the borders of his community, he worked closely with representatives of Westfield, Holyoke and Southampton to create a regional advisory group known as the Barnes Aquifer Protection Advisory Committee, and helped in their efforts to designate the Barnes Aquifer as a federal sole source aquifer.

Mike also worked with a diverse group of leaders from across the valley to identify farmland loss as a serious threat to the character of the Connecticut River valley and to establish a program to protect important agricultural land from development. Their early efforts on this initiative laid the groundwork for legislative action that resulted in establishment of the Massachusetts Agricultural Preservation Restriction Program. This initiative has been a huge success and has enabled the permanent protection of thousands of acres of valuable farmland across the state, including hundreds of acres right here in Easthampton.

Mike has been a driving force in our community’s effort to protect open space and valuable farm properties across Easthampton. From his first initiative to preserve the 50-acre Town Farm property on Oliver Street to farm land protection along East Street and Park Hill Road, and open space acquisition from Mount Tom to the Manhan River, his efforts have preserved a part of the community that could never be replaced. Beyond his very public efforts, he and his wife Debra have also taken out a loan for $65,000 to acquire and protect one of the last remaining parcels of farmland over the aquifer recharge area.

His early leadership in Easthampton was soon recognized by others in the valley and he was nominated and elected to serve on the Hampshire Conservation District in 1982. As a District Supervisor, Mike worked as Treasurer of the organization and helped to create a valley-wide conservation collaborative that was a model in the state. His exceptional capacity was quickly noticed across the Commonwealth and in 1983 he was elected to serve for five years as Chairman of the State Commission for the Conservation of Soil, Water and Related Resources. He left his volunteer work with the District in 1989 to serve his first term as an Easthampton Selectman. Throughout the years Michael remained very active in conservation matters while working full-time as a department manager for a local company and while teaching computer systems operation for a national software supplier. In recognition of his continuing conservation ethic, Mike was honored by the District as Hampshire County Conservationist of the Year in 2005.

In the early 1980’s Mike began working with friends and fellow members of the Pascommuck Conservation Trust to draw attention to the importance of the Nashawannuck Pond in downtown Easthampton. He initiated guided boat tours of the pond during the Easthampton Chamber of Commerce Fall Festival and was instrumental in convincing the Board of Selectmen to change their previous position and purchase the pond on behalf of the citizens in 1983. He proposed establishment of the Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee, served as its Chairman for several years, and successfully applied for a grant to study the water quality problems and to identify appropriate solutions.  Mike worked with his fellow citizens to implement the results of that study and, because of his long-term relationship with Congressman John Olver, was able to implement the final recommendation, a comprehensive dredging project that is now underway.

Mike has shepherded many positive changes in our community, including the construction of a safe and beautiful new bandshell and park along the Manhan Rail Trail, on the shore of Lower Mill Pond. He has made us all very proud to call Easthampton our home and he has opened up possibilities that his competitors could never have imagined.

To learn more about our fine city and its initiatives and attractions please visit the official web site:  www.easthampton.org

For a video tour of our community please visit this link:  www.easthampton.org/elocallink.tv

What does Mayor Mike do in his "spare time"?

In addition to his current volunteer work on the Easthampton Retirement Board and the Easthampton High  School Building Committee, Mike is also a Director on the Economic Development Council of Western Mass and a Trustee on the Pioneer Valley Plan for Progress. Mike works hard as Easthampton's mayor and spends from  50-70 hours a week at that. He has made himself totally accessible to citizens, whenever possible, since being elected as a Town Meeting member in 1977.

Mike has volunteered actively and long term on these Boards and Organizations, while working full time: Easthampton Conservation Commission, Easthampton Aquifer Protection Committee, Easthampton Zoning Task Force, Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee, Easthampton Government Regulations Committee, Co-Founder and past Treasurer of the Pascommuck Conservation Trust (PCT),  Hampshire County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor and State Conservation Commission Chairman.

Prior to the change to mayoral form of government Mike served 19 years as Easthampton Town Meeting Member and  7 years as Easthampton Selectman, including as that Board's Chair.

With Robin Bialecki, Director of the Easthampton Community Center, Mike Superson Owner/Manager of Big E's, Mike helped to organize the Community Food Drives that are carried out at Big E's on a regular basis for years; Mike also helps with collecting food at most of these events

He initiated the playground at the corner of Plain and Strong Streets, made sure the city Park and Recreation Dept was on board with the idea, arranged the needed funding and physically helped to build the play structures.

Mike helps at Downtown Clean Up Day with the Chamber of Commerce and citizen volunteers whenever possible and has done this since the year the event was started; including clearing brush and power-sweeping the streets.

With the proceeds from his first Inaugural Ball, Mike donated the total profit from this event to help fund the building of the Maple Street Playground, which he also helped to construct.

He has offered any help and support he can to PCT projects over the years, including successfully working in partnership with other organizations and in whatever capacity he can, to promote and preserve open space and farmland across the community.

He helped build the accessibility deck on Nashawannuck Pond.

He took out a personal loan for $60K to keep primary water supply land from development.

When the Animal Control Officer (ACO) is not available and his fill-in person is not available, he acts as ACO.

He has assisted at many city Hazardous Waste Collection Days and actively supports all manner of environmental activism.

He responds to every single call he receives at home nights, weekends and holidays, and either deals directly with resolution of it himself or asks the person to call the city during work hours when their issue or can be dealt with by the appropriate personnel/department.

In the custodian's absence he has attended to city building sewer system cleaning and maintenance.

As well as being the first Chairman and an active member of the Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee, for many years he has physically assisted with the clean up/dredging efforts by taking people on boat rides around the Pond to view its changes, by helping remove the overgrowth of water chestnuts (and dumping them in his backyard) to helping fish to safety as the pond was dredged.

He has literally assisted in putting out fires in the city, by acting as a citizen volunteer to the Fire Department.

Having a CDL truckdriver's license, he has personally helped patch potholes, pick up debris and plow snow for the city, on his own time and without pay (as true of all of the above and below items)

He attends and donates personally to numerous non-profit organizations throughout the city. If you think of any of these organizations' events through many years, think also of which candidates besides Mike, that you've seen  active at and attending, before this election year.

Functions as Building Operations Manager at city buildings.

Although not required to attend any of them, he attends most City Council meetings and many Subcomittee meetings so he can be of assistance when questions arise.

Whenever asked, and for many years, he helped plant flowers in the downtown area for beautification efforts by the Chamber of Commerce.

He shows his support on any evenings or weekends that he can by attending Boy Scout ceremonies, Veterans' ceremonies, Little League and other city sports events, school graduations, etc.

He assists each year with the city Bike Auction and city surplus materials auctions, all proceeds going to the city.

He has shoveled snow in front of city buildings whenever there have been too few city staff to keep up with this.

He promoted the idea of  the Bearfest right from the start , was one of 6 citizens who bolted the bears to their logs at 4 AM  on Bearfest Opening Day and continues to promote this in every way possible, knowing that the city and city businesses benefit from this.

He has assisted with booths in support of non-profit activities at Chamber of Commerce Fall Festivals.

He actively promoted Chamber fundraising efforts, such as the Christmas Tree ornaments.

He enthusiastically represents the city offices in events like the St. Patrick's Day Parade (along withe FD, the PD and various city personnel).

He has marched in and handed out candy at many Rag Shag parades.

Because he truly honors our Veterans, regardless of his position, he makes it a point to attend every related event, parade or ceremony whenever possible.

He speaks and/or does presentations and introductions at every event he is invited to do so; he has long been credited with being an excellent public speaker and is frequently asked to make extemporaneous  presentations.

For many years he delivered turkey dinners the day after Thanksgiving to needy families designated by the Easthampton Community Association.

He wraps presents around the Holidays as a fund-raising event for organizations that ask him to.

He has always made it a priority to make himself available to focus on the Easthampton Christmas Toy Program, in getting donations, purchasing and transporting toys and in the early days, wrapping the presents for the kids.

He helped the Friends group erect the football goal posts at White Brook Middle School.

He personally responds to any calls regarding municipal problems on weekends and holidays, to assess the situations and advise if requested.

He personally manages the city's streetlights, saving significant tax dollars and assuring the repairs are completed in the most cost-effective manner.

He helped the Easthampton Community Association as a chaperone at middle school dance parties and has helped at Ice Cream Socials at Center and Pepin Schools.

Mike has been asked by several area communities to meet with them to discuss the intricacies of changing forms of government. He has been a volunteer consultant on the subject and he successfully created the present city government while taking on the role of first mayor.

He goes out in storms and extreme weather  to assess any damage to city properties and to any of the city's waterbodies, dams and bridges.

During a heavy snowstorm early in his first term as mayor, Mike physically helped the Senior Center to its (then) new space in what was the Old Post Office. (Related to this, he promoted the re-use of this space as the (now named) Enrichment Center so that the loss of the Post Office wouldn't impact negatively on Big E's business of the success of our downtown business district)

He spent several nights until well after midnight monitoring the Municipal Building boiler/heating system, including going back and forth from home throughout the night to maintain it, realizing that weekend and night calls for emergency assistance would be very expensive for the city and having the expertise to do the monitoring.

He attended many weekend seminars in support of various organizations.

He has walked in and been sponsored for the March of Dimes.

He has done readings to city children in our schools and at other events, including to be taped for airing on local cablecasts.

As a response to the 9/11 attacks, he assisted citizens and business owners to initiate the idea to hang a U S flag over the Nashawannuck Pond; he helps put up and take down the flag from season to season. (The land where the cable run is based is owned privately and the Pond and anchor end of the cable run is city property).

He has actively supported the Kiwanis Club Fireworks Display for many years, in every possible way. In 2003 he was given a Thank You certificate from the Club. 

He helped set up portable pumps needed during storms to clear floodwaters when the city departments were moving to Payson Ave.

He has personally donated evergreens from his yard for the Holiday Tree on Nashawannuck Pond.

He assisted with Meals on Wheels.

He fixed the plumbing at what was then the Town Lodging House.

He repaints the city's Welcome To Easthampton signs.