Page 11 - BusinessWest August 3, 2020

Paul R. Salvage 1940—2020
With deep sadness, we mourn the passing of our dear friend and partner, Paul R. Salvage. Paul joined Bacon Wilson in 1966 and was an integral part of the firm’s history and growth in becoming the largest regional law firm in Western MA. Paul was a longtime respected member of the firm’s Commercial and Bankruptcy departments and was honored by the Hampden County Bar Association for 50 years of service. In his retirement years, Paul spent time volunteering and enjoying time with his family and grandchildren. Paul, we miss you.
SPRINGFIELD AMHERST HADLEY NORTHAMPTON WESTFIELD 413.781.0560 \ BaconWilson.com
399 people who have recovered, and we have 45 people in the N/A group, meaning they’re probably residents of the city that are now in assisted living, some form of nursing home, or other facility that’s not in Chicopee.”
This attention to detail is just part of managing the pandemic, or managing during the pandemic, to be more precise, he said, adding that he has a 10 a.m. conference call with his ‘COVID team’ every day, and these calls have led to some aggressive and ultimately effective efforts to slow the spread of the virus.
Indeed, Chicopee was among the first, and most vigilant, cities when it came to requiring masks in stores and other public places and putting other measures in place to slow the spread of the virus.
“We put guidelines in place that were more strict than what the governor rolled out initially with regard to stores,” he noted. “And other states, and businesses like Walmart, were adopting our rules, our guidance, and our procedures. We acted swiftly, and we saved lives.”
Redevelopment of the massive former Cabotville Industrial Park into apartments is one of many projects in Chicopee now clouded by question marks as a result of the pandemic.
This is not exactly what Vieau signed on for when he took out papers for mayor last winter, soon after Kos opted not to seek re- election. What he did sign up for was a chance to take what has become a career of service to the city to a higher level.
That career started with a stint on the Planning Board — he was appointed by Kos during his first stint as mayor — and went to a different plane when he was talked into running for the open Ward 3 seat on the Board of Aldermen 16 years ago, not long after he took
“Things were progressively looking better for the future of our downtown — for reviving it. We want to continue these efforts — we just need to get through this period of uncertainty. We’re excited about what can happen, and I think everyone is.”
a job at MassDOT handling eminent-domain work.
“I saw this an opportunity to get more involved,” he told BusinessWest. “This was the area where I grew up; to have a chance to represent it as an alderman was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”
Vieau spent the last four
of those 16 years as president of the board, and was con- tent to go on representing his ward until Kos decided not
to seek another term. Vieau said he received calls from the media within an hour of Kos’s
announcement asking if he was going to run, and his quick answer was ‘no,’ for those reasons stated earlier. But after talking with fam- ily, friends, constituents, and his employer, and after learning he could take a leave of absence,
he ultimately decided to run. There were many planks
Chicopee
Continued on page 42
BusinessWest
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
AUGUST 3, 2020 11
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