NORTHAMPTON — John Riley has characterized his race against incumbent Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz as being a contest between a visionary and a manager.
“I don’t see a vision for Northampton,” said Riley, speaking of Narkewicz, who nevertheless said that he admires how Narkewicz has balanced the city’s budget.
Riley, 67, and his wife, Patty, have lived in Florence for more than 40 years. They are the owners of Gabriel Books, and Riley was one of the founders of the Iron Horse music venue. A father of three, he also has three grandchildren.
“I feel like this is a culmination of my career … here in Northampton,” he said of running for mayor.
Riley noted that he has connections in the business, education and art worlds. An artist and author, he also makes videos for Northampton Community Television.
“I think of myself as a really good representative of what Northampton’s all about,” he said.
The crucible in which Riley’s campaign was formed was the controversy over the Narkewicz administration’s institution of a stormwater fee, which Riley asserts is an undemocratic, regressive and illegal tax.
Riley and other opponents tried to get the fee repealed via a citywide vote, but were told they had submitted the signatures too late to get it on the ballot.
“We felt we were denied,” he said — unfairly.
That denial fueled his decision to challenge the incumbent, he said. “I said I’m going to run for mayor, because that’s the only way I’m going to get this thing turned around.”
He said the way the stormwater fee was handled is indicative of a larger problem, and that there needs to be more democracy in the city.
Riley also objected to the mayor’s effort to exert municipal control over Forbes Library, an effort that led to a court fight and ruling that affirmed the library trustees’ role in controlling the institution.
“You don’t want politics to enter into things like that,” he said.
Riley has emphasized his ability and willingness to listen in his campaign.
“I would have an administration that listens, that works based on what we all want,” he said at the Oct. 25 mayoral debate.
This is a quality that his campaign manager, Anthony Patillo, also admires in him.
“Mr. Riley has a lot of common sense,” said Patillo. And a good heart, he added.
Patillo first started working with Riley in the fight to repeal the stormwater fee. Patillo worked 15 years as a building inspector for the city, a position he retired from in 2010.
He also said he has talked with a number of business people who are supporting Riley, but don’t want to do so publicly for fear of retribution.
“I find that pretty odd,” he said, saying that he’s never felt a climate like this in a Northampton election before.
Another supporter of Riley’s is John Lind, who also worked with him in the stormwater fee repeal effort.
“I’ve known him for a while,” Lind said.
He praised Riley’s intelligence and way with words, as well as the work he did founding the Iron Horse.
“He seems to be thinking a lot about the different issues,” Lind said.
He also voiced approval for Riley’s opposition to new municipally operated security cameras downtown.
Riley worked for several decades for publishers and book distributors that served college libraries, a position that sent him all around the country.
“I know every … college town in the States,” he said, and he said that he would like to take what he learned from them and apply it to Northampton.
Riley said he would like to expand the Calvin Coolidge museum, in Forbes Library, and to highlight other historical figures connected with the city, such as poet Sylvia Plath and preacher Jonathan Edwards.
“I think Northampton has not made enough … effort to capitalize on its history,” said Riley, saying that he saw how Italian cities did this when he lived there for two years.
Riley said he wants Northampton to become a destination that draws people from all around the world.
“I think Northampton is of that quality,” he said, and he noted that international visitors were helping to keep his bookstore in business already.
Riley opposes installing additional permanent municipally operated security cameras in downtown Northampton, an idea proposed by the police chief but opposed by a majority of City Council members. He supports a ban on the cameras, and is against police body cameras.
Riley said he would prefer to have money that would be spent on cameras used for having a police officer walking the beat downtown.
Riley and his wife have a personal connection with the opioid crisis, as they lost a son to heroin in 2000, long before opioid addiction rose to the top of public awareness.
“He didn’t get the care that he needed,” he said.
Riley said the conversation shifted toward rehabilitation because the opioid issue spread to all parts of society.
“Here in Northampton there are no limits to who it’s happened to,” he said.
If elected mayor, Riley said he expects to work at the job 70 to 90 hours a week, and that he would like to speak with every one of the city’s employees.
“I would look forward to having a hands-on approach to the city,” he said.
He also floated the idea of creating a monthly bonus for people who save the city money, open to all but geared toward city employees.
“I think it’d be a great incentive,” he said.
Riley said he would like Smith College to contribute more money to the city, but that the college will have to be convinced that it is worth it, and he cited safety and making Northampton into an international destination as two such selling points.
He also said Smith’s tax-exempt status could be challenged at some point in the future, noting New Haven’s efforts with Yale, although he did not say that he would be the person who would do so.
“I’d rather be a good neighbor and work more closely with them,” he said.
On charter schools, Riley said that he would not support charter school expansion while the state funding formula stays as is. At the same time, he said, public schools can learn from charter schools as well.
“I think charter schools have proven how inventive they can be,” he said at the debate, noting that his daughter attended the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School.
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.