Local leaders to bring municipal insight to Legislature in 2025

Almost a dozen current and former city and town leaders from around the state will become state legislators in January, bringing their municipal experience to Beacon Hill after winning seats in the Nov. 5 election.

The newly elected legislators with municipal backgrounds include the following:
• Michael Chaisson, a member of the Foxborough Advisory Committee, will represent the 1st Bristol District in the House.
• Leigh Davis, a member of the Great Barrington Select Board, will represent the 3rd Berkshire District in the House. She joined the Select Board in 2019, and previously served on the Finance Committee.
• Kelly Dooner, who was first elected to the Taunton City Council in 2021, will become the new senator representing the 3rd Bristol and Plymouth District.
• Dennis Gallagher, who served on the Bridgewater Board of Selectmen and later as a councillor after the board became the Town Council, will represent the 8th Plymouth District in the House. He’s currently director of Braintree’s retirement system.
• John Gaskey, who serves on the Carver Planning Board, will represent the 2nd Plymouth District in the House.
• Homar Gómez, president of the Easthampton City Council and a councillor since 2018, will represent the 2nd Hampshire District in the House.
• Steven Ouellette, vice chair of the Westport Select Board, will represent the 8th Bristol District in the House.
• Amy Sangiolo, who served for 20 years on the Newton City Council, starting in 1998, will represent the 11th Middlesex District in the House.
• Greg Schwartz, who served for eight years on the Newton City Council, will represent the 12th Middlesex District in the House.
• Mark Sylvia, who had served for four years as the assistant town manager and another four as town manager in Plymouth, will represent the 10th Bristol District in the House. He has also been the town moderator in Fairhaven since 2008, and served as energy secretary, commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources and Green Communities director during the administration of Gov. Deval Patrick.
• Richard Wells, a Milton Select Board member, former police chief and 32-year veteran of the Milton Police Department, will represent the 7th Norfolk District in the House.