Williston has gained major representation in Easthampton after a member of the school’s community was elected to a city government position.
Jason Tirrell, known at Williston as “JT,” was recently sworn in as an at-large City Councilor on the Easthampton City Council. JT serves as the Equipment Manager for the school’s athletic department.
Dubbed the “King of the Cage,” Tirrell is tasked with what is an often overlooked but crucial element of the school’s athletic success: keeping everything needed by Williston teams organized and available for everyday use. This includes uniforms, balls, towels, and more.
Tirrell is a recognizable face for anyone who participates in the school’s athletic program, and many students will note his warmth and sense of humor when retrieving uniforms and other equipment from him before games.
This warmth helps make him an irreplaceable asset for both Williston students and coaches alike—one that strengthens the school’s strong sense of community.
“He is a Williston treasure,” Mark Conroy, Athletic Director, said of Tirrell. “Other than Ms. [Jenna] Motyka, I don’t think there is an adult member of our community who interacts more regularly with such a large portion of our community.”
Having worked alongside JT in the athletic department, Conroy has observed his deep commitment to the school’s athletes. “His dedication to Williston and its students is exceptional,” Conroy said.
Tirrell is a lifelong resident of Easthampton, and members of his family have resided in the city several generations back. His ties to Williston run just as deep: he is both an alum of the school and the parent of a 2022 graduate.
After graduating from Williston in 1990, Tirrell went on to study at Castleton University, located in Western Vermont. He graduated from college with degrees in both criminal justice and sociology.
Tirrell utilized his experience studying criminal justice in college while working as a correctional guard for four years towards the start of his career.
While realizing this position was not the right fit, Tirrell went on to serve in a number of college admissions positions for the following decade. Among these positions was one at Castleton College, the school he had graduated from some years earlier.
Despite working in other regions for much of his career, Tirrell’s work life came full circle when he returned to work at Williston in 2013. Since then, he has been involved in Easthampton in a number of ways, all of which have been inspired by the longstanding connection he has felt to the town.
This includes serving as the President of Easthampton Little League, a role Tirrell has held for the past eight years.
Although these experiences have been fulfilling, Tirrell wanted to contribute to Easthampton in a deeper way.
“I just wanted to be more involved in the city,” JT said. “I was born here, I grew up here, I’ve lived here most of my life. Even though I am President of the little league now, I wanted to do more beyond that.”
Having lived in Easthampton for most of his life, Tirrell feels a strong connection to the city’s culture and people.
It was this desire to give back that drew Tirrell towards a position in public office. When the 2023 local election cycle was approaching, Tirrell made the decision to run for City Council. He had been considering the option for nearly two years prior, but it took some time to solidify his decision to run.
“I had been planning it for about a year and a half,” he explained. “I had been thinking about it, I talked to my wife and my parents, and they were all supportive of the idea. But it certainly was a longer process in figuring out whether I wanted to do it or not, because it’s a serious commitment.”
Among Tirrell’s reasons to run was his feeling that Easthampton’s government could benefit from a wider range of voices and perspectives. As a lifelong resident, he believed he could provide a missing outlook on the way the town should be run.
“I just I just wanted to bring a fresh perspective,” Tirrell explained. “Like I said, I was born in Easthampton, I’ve lived here for the better part of 50 years, and I just think I have a different perspective than other people on the council might have—I bring something different than what is currently represented.”
Additionally, Tirrell was motivated by the hope that Williston could be better represented when a figure from the school’s community served in city government.
Williston, as the city’s largest employer and a major source of revenue for the city, impacts the daily lives of Easthampton residents, even if they are not directly involved with the school.
“I think it’s a great opportunity,” Tirrell said. “Because Williston is a vital employer in the town, a vital vendor in the town, and the students bring a lot of money to the area, the relationship between Williston and the town is a necessary one.”
By serving on City Council, Tirrell figured, he could make sure the relationship between the city and the school continues to be strong. “I want to do what I can to maintain that relationship and make sure it is fostered well into the future,” he told The Willistonian.
Tirrell is not the only member of Easthampton’s governing body to highlight the city’s relationship with Williston. Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle appreciates the strong working relationship she has with the school, which she says helped the city make it through difficult moments like the pandemic.
“Williston is a partner, and the city is a partner,” LaChapelle told The Willistonian. “Our relationship with Williston was one of the good things that came out of the pandemic.”
Like Conroy, Melissa Brousseau, Associate Director of Athletics and one of the school’s Athletic Trainers, believes both Williston and Easthampton have something to gain from Tirrell’s election to City Council.
“JT represents the best of both in both arenas, because we benefit from seeing him achieve his personal goals and the town benefits from having a community member engaged on a local level,” she said.
As to what inspires Tirrell to serve his community, he believes much of it goes back to his family’s history in the town.
“My grandfather was a selectman in Easthampton before it became a city,” he explained. “So it has always been in the back of my mind.”
In the many years Tirrell has lived in Easthampton, he has experienced the city go through various highs and lows. Through it all, though, he has been impressed by Easthampton residents’ commitment to improving their shared home.
“People just seem to have a lot more of an interest in the town’s wellbeing now,” he said. “It’s been brought to the forefront a little more.”
As Easthampton continues to develop, Tirrell hopes to draw on his connection to the city to help his fellow residents. “I just feel like I have a vested interest in this town now,” he said.