Sam Squailia, the current mayor of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, is a dynamic and engaged public servant with deep roots in her community. A lifelong resident of Fitchburg, she has been actively involved in local governance for several years, serving on the City Council before taking on the role of mayor. Sworn in as Fitchburg’s 46th mayor in 2024, Squailia has made it her mission to enhance communication, transparency, and accessibility in local government. She is also dedicated to addressing infrastructure concerns and improving public safety, showcasing her commitment to the betterment of the city she calls home.

Sam Squalia and friends

Beyond her political career, Sam Squailia is a well-rounded individual with a passion for craftsmanship and entrepreneurship. She co-owns Rustic Craft, a custom woodworking business, which highlights her creative spirit and business acumen. As a volunteer, she remains actively involved in community initiatives and local events. Sam lives in Fitchburg with her husband and daughter, balancing her professional responsibilities with her dedication to family life and community involvement

Chris (Host):
Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of Coffee on the Couch, where we bring you in-depth conversations with influential leaders and changemakers. Today, we have the distinct pleasure of hosting Mayor Sam Squalia. Am I saying that right?

Mayor Sam Squalia (Guest):
Squalia, like a storm squall.

Chris (Host):
Oh, okay, okay. Of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Mayor Squalia, now in her first full year in office, has made significant strides in revitalizing this historic New England city. From infrastructure improvements and economic development to community engagement and sustainability, she’s tackling the critical issues head-on. Grab your coffee, settle in, and join us as we dive into the heart of Fitchburg’s transformation with the inspiring Mayor Sam Squalia. So, welcome.

Mayor Sam Squalia (Guest):
Thank you. Thank you, Chris.

Chris (Host):
You’re welcome, welcome. So, you know, we got connected because I reached out to you and asked you to be on the podcast, and we had to reschedule once or twice due to issues, mostly on my part, I believe, but…

Mayor Sam Squalia (Guest):
But here we are, so.

Mayor Sam Squalia (Guest):

Yep, put it in the calendar and all of a sudden, it’ll be that day

Chris (Host):
Yep, yep.
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Chris:
Infrastructure improvements. Your campaign highlighted a commitment to improving Fitchburg’s infrastructure, particularly its roadways. What have been the biggest challenges in executing the pavement management program? And how are you addressing these challenges to ensure long-term improvements in the city’s infrastructure?

Mayor Sam Squalia:
The biggest challenge by far has been getting the contracts approved through engineers and put up to bid. Now, coming into this as mayor, you know, one thing I—looking back, if I could change time, then I would have, you know, really pushed on the bids that we have going and the contracts that we have ready to put out. Because I didn’t realize that all of last year and maybe even two years prior, we didn’t have any road paving bids out for contractors. We were going to the state for the state bid list, which is kind of like an emergency thing because we didn’t have a bid. We didn’t have a contract out.

Mayor Sam Squalia:
And coming into this in the beginning of the year was like, okay, this is what we need. We need a contract for this. We need a contract for this. We need a contract for this. And it’s like, okay, we’re going to do it. But here it is in June, and we have very few contracts out. And so I’ve just recently realized that our engineering department doesn’t have the capacity to actually get these contracts done and put out to bid.

Mayor Sam Squalia:
So I have now—you know, now I have my procurement team. One of our deputy procurement directors actually has experience working in DPWs, so she is taking multiple days and working directly, embedding in the DPW to get these pavement preservation contracts—road paving contracts. We’re combining some road paving contracts with some other larger-scale road improvement contracts that we’ve been meaning to get out for multiple years. We have a pavement management program contract, so those have been a top priority for me.

Mayor Sam Squalia:
That’s one challenge that, you know, coming into this, if I knew right away that this was a challenge, then I would have found all the solutions quicker. But we’re working right now with the procurement department and the DPW engineering to get those contracts out. And then we’ll start with just a pavement preservation contract—a pavement paving project. And then we’re going to be implementing the pavement management program that’s going to incorporate all these pavement preservation and paving projects that we’re doing this year, likely for the fall or next year.

Chris:
Oh, well, that’s good. Yeah, because I’ve lived in Maine since 2021, but I grew up in that area. I actually grew up in my hometown of Winchendon, and, you know, a few towns over from Fitchburg. But we were often in Fitchburg, and yeah, the roads are—well, you know, it’s New England. You’ve got the freeze-thaw cycle, and that really messes with the roads.

Mayor Sam Squalia:
We have 220 miles of road, and we have a lot of ledge, a lot of hills. But also, we’ve been attacking the road problem the wrong way for many, many decades.
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