DePalo, Galonek vying for Governor's Council

For the first time in four years, there is a race for Governor's Council representing the 7th District.

Consisting of eight elected members, the Governor's Council approves gubernatorial appointments for judges, clerk magistrates, public administrators, parole board members and other officials.

The Governor's Council also votes on pardons and communtations.

The 7th district encompasses most communities in Worcester County and a few in bordering Middlesex, Hampden and Hampshire counties.

Paul M. DePalo, Democrat from Worcester

Paul M. DePalo, a Democrat from Worcester, is seeking re-election to the Governor’s Council, representing the 7th District. His challenger, Gary Galonek, is a Republican from Sturbridge.

DePalo, 43, of 7 Underwood St., is an attorney at Duddy Goodwin Pollard, Worcester. He was formerly a public-school special education teacher.

DePalo has a bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University, a master's degree from Fitchburg State University and law degree from Northeastern University School of Law.

DePalo is a former member of the Worcester Planning Board and former Shrewsbury Town Meeting representative. He has two daughters, ages 7 and 10. His campaign website is https://www.pauldepalo.com.

Gary Galonek, Republican from Sturbridge

Galonek, 58, at 164 Lake Road, Sturbridge, is a principal of All Star Incentive Marketing, a medium-size family-owned and operated business that employs 60 people.

Galonek has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Galonek served two terms on the Sturbridge Zoning Board of Appeals, two terms on the five-district Tantasqua School Committee and 10 years as an overseer at Old Sturbridge Village. He volunteered as a youth sports coach and for the Pan Massachusetts Challenge and Best Buddies Challenge, raising over $30,000 for those charities.

Married for 34 years, Galonek has three adult daughters and two young grandsons. His campaign website is www.GalonekGovCouncil.com.

In 2020, no Republicans ran for the 7th District seat. Prior to DePalo, five-term incumbent Jennie L. Caissie, a Republican of Oxford, resigned from the council to become clerk magistrate of Dudley District Court.

Currently, only Democrats are serving on the Governor's Council and three of the eight races are uncontested.

DePalo on the issues

DePalo sums the top three issues as addressing youth trauma in justice systems and getting kids on paths of opportunity, not incarceration; mental health and addiction treatment as part of public safety along with a need for experts throughout the justice system; and preserving choice, bodily autonomy and LGBTQ rights.

As an educator, DePalo said he developed and taught in alternative programming for adolescents coping with trauma and social-emotional disabilities. During law school, he interned in the Suffolk County District Attorney's child abuse division. DePalo said these experiences inspired his interest in the Governor’s Council.

“Juvenile justice and strengthening mental health and substance abuse diversion programs are my primary passions in approving state judges as our Governor's Councilor,” DePalo said. “I know that kids in our juvenile courts are disproportionately children dealing with abuse; children bouncing around our foster system; Black and Latino boys; and increasingly LGBTQ youth. Court-involved kids face escalating consequences for typical teenage behavior, and our systems often lack resources to provide adequate mental health services.”

In addition, childhood trauma delays brain development, so the unaddressed, untreated trauma lands these kids in jail as young adults, DePalo said.

“If we catch, divert and support kids in our juvenile courts (and young adults in our district courts), we will save lives, save money (on incarceration) and strengthen our communities,” DePalo said.

Galonek on the issues

Galonek said his top three issues are a lack of regard for law enforcement, a lack of concern for victims' rights and a lack of transparency.

“The majority of the questioning of judicial nominees is about being a 'compassionate judge' that would reduce or eliminate bail,” Galonek said. “They push back on the use of Chapter 58a on dangerousness hearings, the ability to hold someone accused of a violent crime pre-trial without bail. Look how that’s working out in places like New York and San Francisco. They talk about 'implicit bias' and 'over policing' as if there are no good cops in our society.”

Galonek said he made a spreadsheet with the names of all eight councilors on the left side and two columns labeled “Law Enforcement/Victim’s Rights” and “The Accused /Incarcerated.”

“Whenever a councilor made a comment that advocated for one group or the other, I put a check mark in that column,” Galonek said. “After about 25 hours of viewing, I have yet to put a check mark in the 'Law Enforcement/Victim’s Rights' column.”

Galonek said he has a track recorded of being fair minded in past elected positions in Sturbridge and he’s at a stage in his life where he can dedicate the time to a job without sacrificing the financial stability of his family.

On the business side, Galonek said he has had to vet candidates for high-paying jobs, make hiring and firing decisions and financial decisions that could make or break his company.

“There are plenty of lawyers already involved in the process – all 21 members of the Judicial Nominating Commission must be members of the MA Bar Association,” Galonek said. “I don’t think we need another eight lawyers on the Governor’s Council, and those of us with different purviews can bring a fresh set of eyes to this process.”

Qualities of a judge

Both candidates shared what they look for in a judge.

“By the time judicial nominees reach the Governor's Council, they've been carefully vetted by a group of volunteer attorneys, chosen by the governor, called the Judicial Nominating Committee (with occasional exceptions for patronage posts that are rushed through the diligence process). So, nearly all nominees have adequate professional experience,” DePalo said. “If I voted merely based on qualifications, I'd be a rubber stamp. Instead, I probe for temperament: For the average person, appearing in court is an intimidating and stressful experience.”

DePalo said the state needs judges who can manage a courtroom while making everyone — especially members of the public — feel welcome and safe.

DePalo said he also considers “big picture needs” of the judiciary.

“Do we have adequate balance between prosecutors and defense attorneys on the bench?” DePalo said. “Are women and other underrepresented groups being given adequate chances in the application process? For specific roles, such as parole board members, do nominees possess the mental health and social work expertise to ensure that a prisoner will make a safe and successful transition back into our community?”

When it comes to district court judges trying to move to Superior Court, Galonek said he wants to know where they were on sentencing and bail, or the idea of the lack there of.

“If the crime called for seven (to) 10 years, were they always imposing the minimum or something more than that?” Galonek said. “Perhaps, most importantly, is would they be willing to utilize dangerousness hearings to keep those accused of violent crimes pre-trial for a cooling down period? There are too many examples in New York City and elsewhere of letting those accused of violent crimes walk the streets within hours of arrest only to commit more crimes.”

Galonek insists that he’s not opposed to compassionate judges, particularly at the district court level where they are often dealing with issues involving addiction.

“The opiate epidemic in particular is destroying the youth of our country and incarcerating them when they need rehabilitation is not the answer,” Galonek said. “But at the point where that leads to violent crimes, we need judges willing to protect the safety and well-being of law enforcement and society in general.”

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: DePalo, Galonek vying for Governor's Council representing 7th District