Letter: Macksey Understands How to Manage City

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To the Editor:

As a former administrative officer for the city of North Adams (2001-2008), I write to urge the citizens of North Adams to elect Jennifer Macksey their next mayor. I can attest to Jen's sharp intellect, skilled financial management and good nature during the years we worked together when she was the city's top financial officer. Jen worked tirelessly on behalf of the residents of North Adams and has prepared herself, with her strong municipal background and experience in education administration, to be exceptionally qualified to do this remarkably difficult work.

There is no more difficult or important job than that of a mayor; I say this with confidence based on my own diverse and challenging work experience in both the private and public sectors. Jen Macksey has experienced firsthand the inherent difficulties in managing a city to meet the needs of its citizens while continually struggling to obtain and effectively use limited financial and other resources. She knows how to do this job and do it well.

It's been concerning to observe the current city government difficulties resulting in multiple resignations from incumbent city councilors. Now is not the time for on-the-job learning or training. Experience matters. Jen Macksey knows how to effectively position and utilize key resources on day one, which will be critical to the future success of North Adams. For these reasons, I urge the residents of North Adams to cast their vote for Jen Macksey on Nov. 2.
 

Mary Katherine Eade
North Adams, Mass. 

Mary Katherine Eade is a former administrative office for the city of North Adams.

 

 


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Clarksburg Looking Repair School Front Entrance

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Plans for renovating the bathrooms are on hold, which means the summer camp will again take place at the elementary school. 
 
Assistant Superintendent Tara Barnes informed the School Committee on Thursday that Tom Bona, who's been volunteering as lead on school repairs, said the work to bring the bathrooms up to Americans With Disabilities Act compliance couldn't be scheduled in time. 
 
"I think the concern was, as it kind of pushed towards the end of the school year, that there wasn't enough time to post and hire a contractor to meet the timeline," said Superintendent John Franzoni, participating via Zoom. 
 
He said the Berkshire Regional Planning Board considered the school could use the $30,000 in ADA grant money toward the purchase of the equipment and then schedule the work for summer 2027.
 
The town is expected to move forward with repairs to the front entrance. The concrete pad has cracked and heaved and poses a hazard. 
 
"I think it's important to prioritize that entrance way, which is in pretty bad shape, and the town has already followed through to get some several bids," Franzoni said. "We got good communication from [Road Foreman] Kyle Hurlbut today about the how much he was recommending to the town to request through the stabilization, I think, was $19,500 to cover the high end of the bids and any kind of contingencies."
 
The town had agreed to use any funds from leftover from the school roof project to put toward other repairs and renovations at the school. Town meeting last year authorized a debt exclusion to borrow $500,000 toward the project. The roof came in around $400,000.
 
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