Letter: Sweeney for North Adams City Council

Letter to the Editor04:00PM / Thursday, September 12, 2019Print Story | Email Story

To the Editor:

I feel a sense of obligation and duty to bring a unique voice to the City Council chambers. I represent a younger demographic, which my work throughout North Adams and the surrounding towns has led me to connect and work with closely. I aim to connect those voices to our local government, as well as serve, and advocate for all residents who share my passion for North Adams.

Upon relocating here to attend MCLA in 2007, I immediately felt a calling to dive deeply into the community and embrace the incredible sense of growth that has been emerging here. I've been proud to contribute to this growth in the 12 years I've lived here. My path started with the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition (NBCC) where I organized UNITY Youth Programs and the Northern Berkshire Neighbors program. This work inspired me to found Roots Teen Center, where I served as executive director for close to three years. Recently my focus has been on furthering the growth of Common Folk Artist Collective, a project I've been working on since 2011. The collective provides a platform for local and emerging artists to grow and thrive in their creative work. I have also found myself a seat on the board of NBCC as my passion for the organization has not fizzled.

As a City Council member, I will focus my energy on supporting grassroots initiatives, community impact models, youth, and creative community development. I will also support downtown development and exploring opportunities for grassroots economic development.

I'm passionate about this community, and what it looks like to be an equitable, flourishing place for us all to belong. I believe that North Adams is this kind of community, and like every community, has opportunity to strengthen and refine. I look forward to embracing and advancing the incredible work that is happening in North Adams while advocating for those whose challenges go unnoticed and unaddressed.

I look forward to the opportunity to serve North Adams. I hope that we can realize our vision for the community. We all have the opportunity to directly influence our community, our nation and our globe and we can begin with the community in which we live. #votelocal2020

Jessica Sweeney
North Adams, Mass.

Tags: candidates, election 2019, North Adams City Council,

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North Adams Water Line Break Shuts Off Service on Ashland; McCann Dismisses Classes Early

Staff Reports iBerkshires
10:52AM / Friday, October 30, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A water main that broke Friday morning has affected water service south of Main Street along Ashland and Church streets and caused McCann Technical School to close early.

The break occurred shortly before 9 a.m. near the Roots Teen Center; Ashland Street between Summer Street and American Legion Drive was closed to traffic to allow crews to work on repairs.

"The way it was coming out, we were hoping it was a sprinkler line for the old Nassif's, but there's no sprinkler line in there, so it's a main line," said Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau. "We're trying to get it isolated. Once we get isolated, everything's coming back."

This break is causing areas of the city to have little to no water pressure.

McCann Technical posted that its Tea Room would be closed and then announced early dismissal for 11:15 a.m. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has cancelled all classes.

The Water Department was opening connections around the affected area to close off the gates and redirect the flow until the line could be repaired. Water was flowing out of a hydrant past the post office and streaming down American Legion Drive.

American Legion Drive is open but the work crews are now in the intersection of Ashland and Summer Street and traffic will be disrupted. The city is asking that motorists and pedestrians avoid the affected area whenever possible "to allow our crews to work safely and efficiently."

For questions or concerns, contact the Water Department at 413-662-3157. In the event of an emergency, contact the Dispatch Center at 413-664-4944, Ext. 1.

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