Letter: Support Bond for Mayor

To the Editor:

Dear North Adams friends, I have been following the campaigns for the office of mayor of North Adams and the City Council races from my home in North Carolina. I was moved to send a letter of support for Lynette Bond after seeing a letter sent out by Jennifer Macksey's campaign, which stated that if you like what has happened in North Adams government the past 12 years Jennifer Macksey is not your candidate.

Since I was part of that government for six years, I feel a need to respond this way: What defined our government during the time I served was a willingness to be open and transparent in notable contrast to what came before.

So I feel a need to speak up! This summer when I was home, I met with Lynette Bond. I was impressed that she brings a very diverse life experience to the table as well as a very positive energy. I like her visibility and engagement with the citizens of North Adams including serving as a foster parent, leading the successful fight to save the Colegrove School, and serving on city boards. I see her as a team player who will make an excellent ambassador for the city of North Adams.

North Adams needs a mayor who will represent the people who vote for her and the people who vote against her. As you go to the voting booth on Tuesday, Nov. 2, I would urge my friends and supporters to vote for Lynette Bond.

Nancy Bullett
Newport, N.C.

Nancy Bullett is a former North Adams city councilor. 

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.