WESTFIELD — Councilwoman Dawn Mackey, who has served as a member of the Westfield Town Council since 2018, announced earlier this week that she will be resigning from her position on the town’s governing body due to “personal reasons.”
“For the past seven years, it has been my profound honor to serve the community of Westfield as the Ward 4 representative,” Ms. Mackey said via social media on Tuesday. “I have strived to be a thoughtful, accessible, committed and engaged public servant, always prioritizing what I believed to be in the best interest of Westfield, not only for now, but for a strong future.”
Throughout the course of her tenure on the town council, Ms. Mackey has served as the governmental liaison to both the Downtown Westfield Corporation and the Public Arts Commission, chaired the Code Review and Town Property Committee and overseen the town’s annual AddamsFest celebrations.
“In these roles, she initiated changes in town ordinances to spur economic growth in an evolving market — allowing craft breweries, makers’ spaces, pet daycares, and murals to meet the needs of downtown property and business owners. She also spearheaded the concept of an unbiased road-assessment program to prioritize future paving sequences, as well as the utility-funded road paving that has since resulted in approximately 50 miles of road being paved since 2019 at no expense to taxpayers,” town representatives said of Ms. Mackey via press release earlier this week.
Mayor Shelley Brindle said Ms. Mackey, who also is credited with advancing volunteerism throughout the community, will be sorely missed.
“Dawn is a consummate public servant who, for the past seven years, has made an extraordinary impact on our community,” Mayor Brindle said. “Her incredible work ethic, community-first mindset, and boundless creativity have been tremendous assets not only to the Town Council, but also to Westfield at large. Among her many achievements, she has been a tireless advocate for our downtown businesses, ensured we held utilities accountable for fully paving roads they’ve torn up, elevated the role of public art in our community, and forever put Westfield on the map as the creative visionary behind our annual AddamsFest festivities.”
Many residents have taken to social media to thank Ms. Mackey for her years of service to Westfield.
“Thank you, Dawn, for all you have done to improve our town and benefit the community,” one woman wrote. “You attended countless meetings and dealt with exponentially more calls and emails. You have made Westfield a better place.”
Property records indicate that Ms. Mackey currently is in the process of selling her home here in Westfield.
Ms. Mackey, who could not be reached for comment at the time of publication, said via Tuesday’s press release that the opportunity to work with her constituents on a “day-to-day” basis has been the most rewarding aspect of her time with the council.
“I have met with hundreds of residents in person and on the phone and have prioritized listening to their concerns in order to help them resolve their issues. These are the moments when I most appreciate what it means to be a part of the engaged Westfield community,” Ms. Mackey said. “I remain excited about Westfield’s bright future and look forward to seeing what comes next.”
Ms. Mackey’s resignation will go into effect on Monday, September 23.
“I want to thank Mayor Brindle and my original councilmates, Mike Dardia, Linda Habgood and David Contract, for working alongside me all this time. With spirited discourse, your brilliance, dedication and selfless generosity has been humbling,” Ms. Mackey said via Facebook. “To my new teammates Mike Domagala, David Kiefer, Mike Armento and Todd Saunders, I wish you a rewarding, productive tenure in your roles. I am incredibly grateful to Business Administrator Jim Gildea, the department heads and the team at the Town of Westfield. Experiencing the professionalism and dedication up close gives me great confidence Westfield is in excellent hands.”
As per state law, the Westfield Democratic Committee will now have 15 days to provide the town clerk with a list of three possible replacements to fill the remainder of Ms. Mackey’s unexpired term. The remaining members of the town council will then vote to fill her vacated seat during one of the governing body’s upcoming regular public meetings.
“On behalf of our entire community, I extend my deepest gratitude for the vast contributions she has made and the legacy she leaves behind,” Mayor Brindle said.
The next regular meeting of the Westfield mayor and council is scheduled to be held at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24, in the council chambers of the town hall.
