Ruberto to Run for Fourth Term in Pittsfield
.jpg) iBerkshires file
Mayor James Ruberto wants another two years at City Hall. |
Ruberto made the announcement on "Good Morning Pittsfield" on 89.7 WTBR-FM in Pittsfield and said he was going to run a hard campaign to show residents how interested he is and how much he believes that in these difficult economic times, Pittsfield will come out better off then when the economic downturn began.
The mayor said there were success stories in the downtown area, including the current construction of the Beacon Cinema, newly opened restaurants on North Street, the future redevelopment of the old Pittsfield Plaza on West Housatonic Street and the development of the former auto dealership on Center Street. Ruberto said he was taking out his nomination papers around 9:30 Friday morning at the city clerk's office.
There had been a lot of speculation in recent months that Ruberto would not run for a fourth term because of his wife, Ellen, who is battling cancer. But sources said the mayor and his wife talked it over and she encouraged him to run for another term despite her illness. Both Rubertos were at the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce breakfast on Wednesday.
During the winter, several names were thrown around as possible mayoral candidates including former Pittsfield Economic Development Authority Thomas E. Hickey Jr.
Ruberto said he doesn't know if anyone will run against him, but he plans on running a busy campaign regardless. The mayor said he wants to continue the work he's begun in bringing downtown Pittsfield back to life.
Ruberto ran unsuccessfully against then Mayor Sara Hathaway in 2001 but defeated her in 2003 to win his first term in office. He easily won other terms in 2005 and 2007. It's unknown if any Pittsfield mayor has ever won a fourth term in office.
