SPRINGFIELD — Former Springfield Mayor Mary Hurley, in her sixth year serving on the Governor’s Council for the 8th District, will not seek reelection as councilor in November.
A lifelong western Massachusetts resident who also served 19 years as a district court justice, Hurley announced Tuesday that she will not be running for the position she first won in 2016. The term for a councilor is two years.
“It has been an honor to serve in such a meaningful position alongside some extraordinary colleagues,” Hurley said in a statement. “Now in my third term, I find that I believe the time has come for me to give someone else the opportunity to serve western Massachusetts as their governor’s councilor.”
The Governor’s Council approves nominations that come from the governor, including lifetime appointments to judgeships and clerkships. Other nominations the council votes on include Parole Board members, Department of Industrial Accident judges and other administrative quasi-judicial positions.
The 8th District encompasses much of the four westernmost counties in the state, with Ware being the only Hampshire County town not in the district, as well as parts of Worcester County. Edward M. O’Brien of Easthampton, who died in 2004, held the same position for more than 30 years.
Hurley, Springfield mayor from 1989 to 1992, retired from the district court judgeship in 2014 before succeeding another former Springfield mayor, Michael Albano, in the role, defeating Jeff Morneau in the Democratic primary and facing no Republican challenger.
She campaigned on making sure judicial positions were filled so people could have their day in court in a timely fashion. At the time, there were eight vacancies in the district court, three in probate court, three in juvenile court and three in superior court.
“That is when I decided to run for Governor’s Council to do something about that,” Hurley said. “In the first three years I was able to get over 20 new judges and clerks.”
In her announcement, Hurley also thanked her family for support through elections and personal life, her friends from grammar school through law school and in her professional life, and voters for placing trust in her. She also praised Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and colleagues on the Governor’s Council for making the service “an amazing experience.”
Hurley said she hopes qualified candidates will step forward, and that she may issue an endorsement at some point for the person best suited to represent the region.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.