GREENFIELD — Resident Patricia Williams, who serves on the city’s Elderly and Disabled Taxation Fund Committee, is the sole candidate seeking the seat of former Precinct 6 City Councilor Sheila Gilmour.

Gilmour, who was at the time the council’s longest serving member, announced her resignation April 23. Following this, the city released a request for candidate applications, asking anyone interested in occupying Gilmour’s seat to submit letters of interest and resumes to the city clerk’s office by Friday, May 23. At 5 p.m. last Friday, City Clerk Kathryn Scott said Williams was the only candidate to apply.

Committee Chairs will hold a candidate interview session at its June 3 meeting, where councilors are expected to vote on whether to nominate Williams for the role. If nominated, Williams’ position would need to be ratified at the council’s June meeting.

“I [applied] to work toward positive change. I’ve been a political activist for a long time — I was a labor representative for 30-odd years. I worked for the Massachusetts Nurses Association and negotiated labor contracts for nurses across the state,” Williams said in an interview Friday. “I strongly support fairness and justice for everyday people. I’m appalled with the present administration in Washington. I think we’re heading into dark times, and I think it’s going to get darker.”

If selected for the Precinct 6 seat, Williams said she wishes to work collaboratively toward goals such as expanding affordable housing and finding ways to help seniors achieve a higher cost of living on fixed income. She also discussed navigating local challenges brought about by federal policies, such as exploring alternatives to federal grant funding amid cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency and finding ways to protect residents amid increased U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.

“I’m very aware that over 400 people in the state of Massachusetts have been arrested by ICE, which I think is appalling … this is going on on a regular basis throughout the state, and that’s pretty horrible. I’m a person who believes in fairness and justice and what is going on right now in our society, whether it be economic or political, the situation is pretty intolerable right now,” she said. “Any role I can play in reversing that, or making the situation better, would be important.”

Williams also expressed an appreciation for Mayor Ginny Desorgher’s administration and noted that, if selected for the Precinct 6 seat, she would also pull papers to run for the seat in the city’s Nov. 4 biennial election.

In an interview Tuesday, City Council President Lora Wondolowski explained that given how “nasty” politics have become in the last few years, she hopes that residents are not discouraged from running for local office. She noted that she wants the candidate chosen for Gilmour’s seat to carry on the former councilor’s knowledge and commitment to public service.

“Politics have gotten so much nastier in the last few years … and I hope that doesn’t dampen people’s willingness to serve in these positions,” Wondolowski said. “Each precinct in this city is important and Councilor Gilmour brought so much experience and commitment to the committee. I hope whoever takes Councilor Gilmour’s seat will share those qualities.”

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.