Letter: Jennifer Macksey for Mayor

Letter to the Editor07:15PM / Tuesday, October 12, 2021Print Story | Email Story

To the Editor:

I am writing to encourage you to cast your vote for Jennifer Macksey as the next mayor of North Adams. I have worked very closely with Jennifer in matters of the Northern Berkshire School Union. Jennifer's success rate for improving our schools has been 100 percent.

I am the chairperson for the Northern Berkshire School Union's joint school committees. Jennifer was hired as business manager for NBSU with her main goal to write grants for the five town school districts. Jennifer went way above and beyond finding grant money for all of the schools. To Jennifer's position as business manager, assistant superintendent was added to her job description as she was able to receive building grants and then proceeded to oversee the projects from bids to final completion. Jennifer has done an amazing job working with all five towns in the NBSU. Jennifer is always there with answers and suggestions to improve all of the school communities.

On the business manager side of her job, Jennifer has been able to organize all of the individual budgets for each school and was able to set up an account so each of the shared employees did not have to receive five different checks from five different towns that belong to the NBSU. Jennifer's accounting skills have enabled the towns to file end of year reports for their schools. Jennifer has always met all grant deadlines and has made sure that all NBSU bills are paid in a timely fashion.

Leadership and compassion are two words that I would use to describe Jennifer. Jennifer has the ability to evaluate situations and she has incredible skills with which to make professional decisions. Jennifer has strong, effective, decision making skills. Jennifer has a passion for service.

Jennifer has been personally connected to North Adams her entire life. She has been a resident of North Adams, an employee in the City of North Adams, an employee in MCLA, vice president of Southern Vermont College and is currently the assistant superintendent/business manager of the Northern Berkshire School Union, which serves five towns and four schools. Jennifer has the best interests for the City of North Adams in her decision to be mayor of North Adams.

Judith Oleson
Florida, Mass.

Judith Oleson is chair of the Abbott Memorial School Committee and the Northern Berkshire School Union Committee.

Tags: election 2021, letters to the editor,

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Urban Legends and Cryptids Come Alive as North Adams Prepares for Mohawk Theater Haunted House

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:27PM / Thursday, October 22, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A spooky and scary night at the Mohawk Theater is approaching fast after local officials decorated it for their annual haunted house.

For the third year in a row the police department, fire department, City Hall, Northern Berkshire EMS, nbCC, Drury High School, American Legion, and 18 Degrees spent hundreds of hours the past few weeks setting up at the former theater.

This year's theme is Urban Legends and Cryptids, with an emphasis on local lore and giving participating groups room to create their own scenes.

Business Manager for the Department of Public Safety Meghan DeLuca showed iBerkshires the setup and what they have been working on.

When you first enter you'll notice the Hoosac Tunnel welcoming you with a train lit up and smoking. The posters on the wall were made by Drury High's digital marketing and media class will give you a sneak peak of what you may encounter when you enter the tunnel.

All of the departments chose a different theme for their space; MCLA welcomes you in detention, the American Legion is putting a twist on Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs, Drury is hosting aliens and another cryptid.

"We're all in here trying to curate the whole entire space because obviously, this is an undertaking. This building is not open to the public currently. I grew up in North Adams my whole entire life until we had the opportunity three years ago to come in here, and we were trying to find a space that was going to work for the haunted house. I'd never been in here, so I think that a lot of the allure is that this is a place that you're not expecting to be able to come into," she said.

DeLuca said planning begins around April, with organizers choosing a theme, confirming which groups will participate, collecting set ideas, and determining what materials are needed. Then setup begins around mid-August, as donated materials arrive and the team builds and adjusts the layout.

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