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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NBSU Committee Open to Discussing Apportionment Changes

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
05:12AM / Friday, January 16, 2026

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Clarksburg's partners in the North Berkshire School Union agreed to take a look at the assessment structure for the union's administration and the union agreement.

Town and school officials have questioned Clarksburg's share of administration costs, which is now more than 50 percent.

Select Board Chair Daniel Haskins presented the "super" NBSU School Committee last week with a proposal of a base contribution of 10 percent for each district except for Monroe, which would be 5 percent, and then a ratio based on enrollment.

"Over my four years on the Select Board, I've observed a steady increase in presented percentage that Clarksburg contributes to the North Berkshire School Union as our student enrollment has grown," he said. "The reason behind this proposed adjustment is straightforward: The North Berkshire School Union provides services for all member towns. These include oversight of the principals, management of school facilities, food services and special education programs."

He also pointed to the state reporting and reviews, preparation of school budgets, and meeting attendance.

"For example, the union is not attending five times as many school committee meetings for Clarksburg as it is for Savoy, nor is it overseeing three additional principals for Florida," he said. "While I fully acknowledge that the NBSU staff does spend more time on Clarksburg-related matters than those of the smaller towns, it is worth asking whether the current ratios accurately reflect the difference."

The five towns of Clarksburg, Florida, Monroe, Rowe and Savoy share the services of central office that includes the superintendent, assistant/special education director, information technology director, business administrator, support staff, supplies and rent and utilities for the space in North Adams.

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