Letter: Macksey Has the Qualifications for Mayor

To the Editor:

A lot has happened in North Adams over the past several years. There have been many positives including outside investment and Mass MoCA, however, our beautiful city is not what it used to be.

Attention to our taxpayers and local business has declined. As we approach a new era (first female mayor), it is ever so important that we do not stay stagnant. The new mayor of North Adams needs experience in business as well as the management of personnel. We need a leader who is open to ideas and help from our citizens. We need a leader who is strong, yet compassionate. A leader who will work with outside investors without missing the needs of our own people.

While we have two very intelligent candidates, it is abundantly clear to me that Jennifer Macksey has all the qualifications to move our city in a direction that is all inclusive.

Jennifer has the strength and character to get the job done while being held accountable. As I believe Jennifer's resume stands on its own, I think people need to know her as the person she is. I have known Jennifer for many years and have had many conversations with her about politics, education, youth, safety and family. While we may not agree on everything, she has always listened and if she did not know the answer, she found it very quickly.

I have not met many people who possess the organizational skills, work ethic or the ability to deal with adversity as Jennifer does. She may be of small stature, but she lacks nothing in leadership or personal skills.

Please join me in brining North Adams back to the future and vote Jennifer Macksey for mayor on Nov. 2.

Mark Moulton
North Adams, Mass. 

Clarksburg OKs $5.1M Budget; Moves CPA Adoption Forward

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
08:44PM / Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Newly elected Moderator Seth Alexander kept the meeting moving. 

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The annual town meeting sped through most of the warrant on Wednesday night, swiftly passing a total budget of $5.1 million for fiscal 2025 with no comments. 

 

Close to 70 voters at Clarksburg School also moved adoption of the state's Community Preservation Act to the November ballot after a lot of questions in trying to understand the scope of the act. 

 

The town operating budget is $1,767,759, down $113,995 largely because of debt falling off. Major increases include insurance, utilities and supplies; the addition of a full-time laborer in the Department of Public Works and an additional eight hours a week for the accountant.

 

The school budget is at $2,967,609, up $129,192 or 4 percent over this year. Clarksburg's assessment to the Northern Berkshire Vocational School District is $363,220.

 

Approved was delaying the swearing in of new officers until after town meeting; extending the one-year terms of moderator and tree warden to three years beginning with the 2025 election; switching the licensing of dogs beginning in January and enacting a bylaw ordering dog owners to pick up after their pets. This last was amended to include the words "and wheelchair-bound" after the exemption for owners who are blind. 

 

The town more recently established an Agricultural Committee and on Wednesday approved a right-to-farm bylaw to protect agriculture. 

 

Larry Beach of River Road asked why anyone would be against and what the downside would be. Select Board Chair Robert Norcross said neighbors of farmers can complain about smells and livestock like chickens.