HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – Holyoke officially welcomed a new mayor, the first time they’ve done so in a decade.
Inside of Holyoke City Hall, Joshua Garcia was sworn in as mayor of Holyoke as cheers erupted from the crowd. Garcia says his first moves are to work to fill vacant positions, look at the city budget, and he said he might do a little spin in the mayor’s office chair.
The 35-year-old Mayor was previously the Town Administrator for Blandford. He has also been on the Holyoke School Committee, Holyoke Fire Commission, and Holyoke Community College Foundation. Mayor Garcia not only touched upon his future plans for Holyoke. But his past, where he came from and how growing up here has shaped him.
“My community has prepared me for this day since very young. I think that everything that was put in front of me in front of my path wasn’t a coincidence it was there for a reason.” Joshua Garcia, Mayor of Holyoke
“I’ve known him, I’ve seen him raised. I know where he’s been and where he’s heading. This history for Holyoke. It’s long overdue. I look at the generations that can see what happened today and see what possible.” Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Ward One City Councilor
He’s the city’s first Latino mayor. Proud to be raised in South Holyoke, his mother and grandmother moved here from Puerto Rico years ago.
“To the kids I grew up with, hey man anything is possible.”
Mayor Garcia
But this won’t be the last inauguration that Garcia has. Since he’s taking over for former Mayor, Alex Morses’ term that he left, Garcia will get a second and even larger inauguration to celebrate the start of his own term as mayor in January of 2022.