Letter: Jennifer Macksey for Mayor

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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. 

 

 

 

 

 


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Police Grant Raises Concerns for North Adams Council

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council postponed action on a federal policing grant until the city solicitor could weigh in on several clauses referring to federal investigations. 
 
A motion to accept the grant failed 4-2; a motion to postpone to the Oct. 13 meeting and refer to the solicitor passed unanimously. 
 
The fiscal 2025 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant is in the amount of $14,231. Mayor Jennifer Macksey explained that this grant is for the construction of an evidence room — not for technology or equipment — but to meet "best practices for secure storage documentation and then long-term holding."
 
Police Chief Mark Bailey said anyone brought into the station is under constant video and audio surveillance and that the goal was to ensure a continuity of evidence from the time it is taken from a suspect until it appears in court. 
 
"This buildout is to actually make our current evidence room into something more efficient for us, and to make sure that we're following the the accreditation process," he said. 
 
The current evidence room is not big enough or secure enough internally for storage of evidence, including drugs and firearms, that might be kept for years as cases work their way through the court system. 
 
"My goal is to eventually get accredited with the state. In order to do that, we have to have certain parameters for our evidence room, not just cameras or locking mechanisms, but within the evidence room as well," the chief said. "So this buildout is to actually make our current evidence room into something more efficient for us, and to make sure that we're following the the accreditation process."
 
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