Charles Ivar Kronick Wants to be Independent Voice for Ward 2
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Charles Ivar Kronick wants to be the voice for residents of Ward 2 who are living on a fixed income and, as a member of the City Council, make choices based on the fundamental principles of what is good for the community.
The Williams College graduate says he has well-rounded experience in the fields of business, finance, and the arts and identifies himself as an independent voice.
Kronick has lived in Pittsfield since 2010 and has a long family legacy in the Berkshires.
"There are two kinds of faces in Ward 2, A and B, and one the poorest parts of our city, the Morningside district, and then there's the other district, which has got a lot of people living on fixed incomes, and I am adamant that the city be respectful and concerned about these people's ability to enjoy their quality of life in the city," he explained.
"They live on fixed incomes, they have very tight budgets, and because I'm concerned about the cost of living that is rising rather rapidly in terms of property taxes and water and sewer bills, I want to see the city be very mindful of keeping those costs in containment, I want to see better plans presented to provide long term solutions that are more cost-friendly to our infrastructure needs."
Out of respect and admiration for the ward he calls home, Kronick wishes to make the area the best that it can be by asking hard questions and ensuring that constituents are reaping the benefits of their taxpayers' money.
"I love this neighborhood, I love the culture, the dynamics here, it's a beautiful area, but it has a lot of challenges in the area as well, naturally," he said.
"Now that Kevin Morandi said he was not going to seek another term, I felt it was critical that a person with an independent voice, a strong mind for asking challenging questions, and with a strong interest in defending taxpayers and the residents, our property and our right and our interest in strong city services, take that position and follow in his footsteps."
Kronick believes that there are many components that contribute to his constituents having a good quality of life within the ward. These include the mitigation of crime, improved city services, and supporting schools to achieve higher retention rates.
Crime is a real source of oppression to people lives in the ward, he said, with the Morningside area getting the full brunt of it and the outlying areas worrying about it, if not encountering it from time to time.
"And also keep in mind, as a ward councilor I represent the concerns of my district, but we share everything, everybody, the city shares everything, we all use these resources and when a problem happens in one area, it spills off into another area," he added.
"But the crime is a big issue, we really began to talk about it seriously towards the end of the (former Mayor Daniel Bianchi's) term and it's gotten only worse."
Kronick also wishes to improve the presence of city services such as pothole repairs and landscaping. He cited tall growing grass at the courthouse on East Street, overgrown medians and sidewalks, and a lack of beautification in the Morningside area.
The lack of attention that is paid to the neighborhood, Kronick said, makes him feel that the city doesn't care about the area which is largely made of renters.
"They do pay for that their share in taxes through the rents and they deserve a place that is at least visually attractive," he added. "And we can do better, we really can, and it's important for people's minds, for the welfare of our of the residents."
In addition, Kronick added that the recent changes made to North Street which reconfigure it to one-lane traffic with a separated bike lane are "intolerable to drive through."
He also expressed concern for the problematic Hill 78 and Building 71 behind Allendale Elementary School, citing concerns of cancer and negative health effects for abutters.
Coming out of the pandemic, Kronick believes that the city should spend the $34 million in American Rescue Act money on large-scale projects that benefit the whole city and attract manufacturing companies that will employ a fairly large amount of people at a competitive wage for skilled labor.
"I think that the thing that we must never forget is that before COVID-19 hit we were on an upswing, there was a good deal of business on Tyler street and North street, and COVID-19 decimated Pittsfield," he concluded.
"And I'm thinking but the American Rescue Plan, $34 million is coming in, this is money that is a once in a generation event, I think that it's actually rarer than that, and I am very concerned that that money will be sort of lost to special interest projects, small-scale projects that will not really add up to a plan, so, I would like to see a step back and take a look at all the needs."
Though this is his first time running for a seat on the council, he has participated in local politics by staying engaged in city meetings, exercising his voice when applicable, and writing emails to representatives, he said.
Kronick also says he ran his own business for about a decade and currently works as an accountant, making him comfortable with numbers and sensitive to details.
"I understand numbers and I also am very attentive to detail," he said. "So when projects or proposals come through the city, those minutes, there are about 120 pages long on average, I know how to read those documents and I will ask questions, and I will challenge where needs to be challenged."
He asserted that if elected, he will be an independent voice on the council with no outside influence from fellow colleagues or the city.
Kronick will face Matthew Kudlate for the open Ward 2 seat in the November election. Incumbent Kevin Morandi is not running for re-election. More information can be found about Kronick's campaign on his website.
This is part of a series of candidate interviews for the 2021 November elections in Pittsfield that will appear over the next two months. Interviews will appear in random order as they are completed.
Tags: election 2021, municipal election,
