Letter: John Barrett for Mayor
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To the Editor:
I have been employed at Mass MoCA since January 1991. I first met Mayor John Barrett when the Mass MoCA "project" was far from the world-renowned museum we are so proud of today. Many newcomers to North Adams have little knowledge of how — against all odds — Mayor Barrett, my boss Joe Thompson, and others were able to convince three governors of Massachusetts to invest $35 million in an economic development project in the smallest city in the state. Mass MoCA would not have happened if Mayor Barrett had not been persistent and unintimidated by those in Boston who opposed the project. He fought long and hard to save his city after Sprague Electric Co. had all but abandoned North Adams.
Many people believe that there is no way that the North Adams Regional Hospital would have closed with three days' notice if John Barrett had been mayor. He would have publicized the severity of the situation long before the March 2014 announcement, and would have called upon the governor to intercede months before the closing took place. Compare him to Mayor Alcombright who, when the hospital suddenly closed, told the press that he was shocked by the closing.
Mayor Alcombright and his supporters believe that if they repeat enough times how closed-minded and tyrannical John Barrett was as mayor, then people will believe this lie. He was a strong mayor who had to make difficult choices; that is a leader, not a dictator.
When I first moved back to my hometown of North Adams, I knew John Barrett not only as a champion of Mass MoCA but also as the city's mayor who my liberal Democrat family supported and respected. I remember the day in the early '90s when I called Mayor Barrett to complain that I had just noticed a stop sign on the corner of Church and Summer streets that was defaced with a swastika. Within one hour, the stop sign was replaced. Compare this to the many stories we've all heard about how calls to Mayor Alcombright's office are not returned, or the callers' problems are not resolved.
When John Barrett was mayor, other mayors from all over Massachusetts, and beyond, turned to him for advice and answers to their cities' toughest problems. It was not uncommon for North Adams residents to call him at home (his number was listed in the phone book). Mayor Barrett answered every phone call and responded promptly, and, if necessary, immediately. He was often stopped in stores and restaurants, and he treated every resident's concern as an important one. During snowstorms, he would be out in the middle of the night in order to make sure that the city plows were keeping North Adams' roads safe. He considered the residents of North Adams to be like family, and he was responsible for their well-being.
I watched John Barrett reach out to Eric Rudd after the most recent primary election, wanting to hear Eric's ideas. Did Mayor Alcombright ever call Mr. Rudd to even congratulate him on his campaign? Mayor Alcombright talks about inclusion, but in reality anyone who says anything in opposition to his ideas is never asked for his or her input again. John Barrett always did what was best for North Adams even if it meant reaching out to former adversaries, with Eric Rudd a perfect example. John Barrett didn't ask Eric for an endorsement; he contacted him because he knows that if North Adams is to move forward, it must not just talk about inclusion, but must act on it.
North Adams needs a strong mayor once again. Please vote for John Barrett on November 3rd and – as a friend of mine who also grew up in North Adams said – "take back our city."
Paulette Wein
Adams, Mass.
Tags: election 2015, letters to the editor, NorthAdamsElection,
