PAWTUCKET – The official race for Pawtucket’s next mayor got off to an interesting start for first-time candidate Camron Segalla when he attended a Grebien for Mayor campaign event at Burns Manor two weeks ago.
Segalla, who announced his run for mayor as Grebien’s opponent on July 16, was eventually asked to leave the premises by Grebien and his staff. According to Grebien, Segalla was not invited to the campaign event, which was meant for Grebien and those he currently works closely with.
“Candidates have the right to organize events, but I’ve never had another candidate come in and try to interject, I found it odd,” Grebien told The Breeze. ”The event was done with my own campaign money, so there was no reason for an opponent to be there.”
Segalla said he attended the event so he could meet with a resident who would be there and also speak with Grebien, but he said Grebien just wasn’t open to it.
“I wish it would have been different; I wasn’t trying to be confrontational and wanted to have more of a conversation with him,” he said.
According to Segalla, Grebien became rude when he went to shake his hand, asking him what he was doing there, calling him “classless,” and saying he had the right to run for office, but didn’t belong there.
“If I had held an event, and he went, I would have welcomed him,” Segalla said. “I hope in the future he would be willing to work together, if he’s open to it.”
Grebien said the situation was nothing more than what typically happens during election season, when people “tend to exaggerate and make things up.”
“It was really a non-issue, and I was just really surprised,” he said. “I try not to pay too much attention to it.”
Grebien, who is completing his 14th year as mayor this year, said he looks forward to Segalla sharing his vision for the city going forward.
“We’re different, and it’s on him to share his narrative and give people their choice,” the incumbent said.
Segalla said he is not letting the incident deter his resolve.
“I’m striving to do something different; I’m trying to work with other candidates to get together and build a better coalition to get voices heard,” he said.
“We have an opportunity to do something different locally. Younger people see it, and if they don’t see people at the top unified, then why would they be?”
So far, Segalla said he has collaborated with Pawtucket School Committee candidate David Fargnoli, as well as other current school board members including Marsha Fernandes.
He said he also reached out to Councilor Clovis Gregor to offer his support on the Morley Field issues, and says that Rep. Cherie Cruz has been doing a fantastic job by “constantly talking to the people.” He said he has also spoke with Rep. Jennifer Stewart, who recently passed a rent bill and represents Pleasant Street, where he used to live.
His ultimate goal as mayor, he said, is to “put power into people’s hands, and not just have power for power’s sake.”
“I think about the politicians, the people in charge, and never realized how dishonest they can be and how non-transparent about the city,” he said.
“I stand for giving power to the people; I don’t care about the salary and even advocated that I won’t take the salary raise. I care that people are represented.”
In May, he said he found himself struggling with whether he would run for office or not, but began to think about the things that aren’t happening in the city and the sense of hopelessness he can feel, especially from people his age.
“I’m 25 and people don’t realize that circumstances affect how you feel and keep you stuck in a cycle, and if no one is there to help you, some resort to things like addiction or violence,” he said. “I see it every day, and have so many ideas to address it, so I pushed myself to run.”
Segalla said his very first priority as mayor would be to “find every single homeless person and help them into emergency shelters and permanent housing.”
He said he experienced homelessness himself three years ago while working part-time, since he couldn’t afford rent, saying he had to live in his car for 10 months.
Segalla said he was accepted into every college he applied to, but ultimately couldn’t go because he couldn’t afford it.
“I’d also want adults and students to get connected to more trades,” he said. “Not everyone is college-bound; a lot of people resort to dark paths like selling drugs, but we need an economic path forward to let them know it’s not hopeless.”
Segalla said he also wants to focus on the city’s infrastructure, since he said there are many sidewalks buckling and a lot of hazards on the streets.
His other goals are to ensure there is “more transparency and open government, prioritize where tax dollars go, and advocate for police to be more in touch with the community to build better relationships.”
“I know things seem divided and hopeless, but I want people to know there’s a path forward,” he said.
If Grebien gets re-elected as mayor for the next term, Segalla said he hopes he listens to the community more and doesn’t just let issues slide.
“I want people to understand we’re all in this and have to start to take care of one another; that’s how we move forward and create a better, vibrant city for everyone.”
Grebien said he decided to run for re-election because he said there are a lot of good things happening in Pawtucket that he would like to see continue.
A few examples include the unified high school, train station, and the stadium at Tidewater Landing.
“I want to see the investments through; it’s an up-and-coming city,” he said.
“I’m focused on bringing in new developments to offset taxes, including the 100-plus units on Dexter Street and mixed-use units at 258 Pine St.,” he said. “New development brings new tax revenue so we won’t have to have high costs.”
Ultimately, Grebien said, this will help the city “keep up with quality of life,” which is the main request he has gotten from residents so far.
He said residents have mentioned everything from basic needs to affordability, and his aim is to keep taxes down while providing services.
This could be done by determining what dollars can be used for affordable housing, which programs can be used to upgrade homes and services, and how to produce services on a limited budget, he said.
“People in general are just about impact debt, they’re financially struggling,” he said.
The key, he said, is to determine the reasons why, and to invest wisely, such as in schools.
“Everyone has the same wants,” Grebien said. “We’re very transparent with everything we do, providing access through our updated website, customer service, and getting back to (residents).”
He said he was fortunate to have gotten the endorsement from the Democratic City Committee this year, and recalled how when he served for 11 years on the City Council, he was “an outsider” who had working relationships and spoke his mind.
“I started as a business person outside of government who saw a lot of changes needed to be made,” he said. “We’re always going to do what’s right for the people.”
He said that the people now understand that the city is in a much better place than before and that “the things we can control, we do control,” such as the roads, small businesses, and bringing in a chief equity officer.
“People understand that there’s a lot going on, and for me, I want to ask them for support to continue to do that,” he said.
Regarding the current state of the Pawtucket school district, Grebien said it’s a tough situation to navigate since he and members of the council have a responsibility to taxpayers.
Ultimately, he said, while he and his administration don’t have full control of the district, they aren’t going to let it fail, even if it requires state intervention.
Grebien said he tries to get out into the community every year and host different events. “Even on off election years, I knock on doors to keep it real,” he stated.
He said while people are excited about the changes in the city, their number one focus is still on quality of life, which includes keeping streets safe and clean, and other basic community needs.
“It’s ultimately (about) what matters to residents and reinforcing that,” he said.
“When I first started, I saw the potential as someone born and raised here, and as a new person, you realize that you want to take on the world, but government is its own process,” he said.