Letters: Barrett Will Divide Community

To the Editor:

I am one of those stories that have seen both sides of John Barrett III. As a young councilor I often communicated regularly with the former mayor, and updated him on local business activity as I worked with many retailers and manufacturers. I would continually defend the rumors I heard of how he threatened people's businesses, homes, jobs, etc.

Sure, I knew of his temper, but he treated me fine, so it can't be true that he treats other people so badly. Right? Sure enough, the day came where it was my turn to become a pawn in his power plays, and when I refused to go by his rules, he made me his enemy.

It was during a debate when Barrett said as mayor he made three enemies a day, which is why there is so much resentment against him. That's a lot of enemies over 26 years, and that may be one of the most truthful things he has said. However making enemies has nothing to do with being mayor. People can disagree with you, not like your decisions, but when you refer to someone as an enemy, that means you've waged a war on them.

That is something the former mayor did very well, which is sad since he could have used his influence and power to heal the community, instead of divide and make it a "you're with me, or against me" society.

In the past six years, Mayor Alcombright and City Hall opened its doors, and allowed people to express their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Along with that came criticism, and conflicting thoughts of many citizens expressing multiple ideas at once ,which takes longer to work out, but involves much more of the community.

Keith Bona is a North Adams city councilor. He is running for re-election.

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.