Letter: Disappointing Responses to MCLA Homeless Proposal

To the Editor:

It’s been disappointing, but hardly surprising, to see the knee-jerk reactions to the proposed temporary use of a vacant MCLA dorm for transitional family housing. The stereotypes of homelessness have been alive and well among our local leaders and among the public. The conjured images of filthy drug addicts pushing shopping carts and begging for money have been splattered across social media and whispered over back fences. This is not what family homelessness looks like.

Families are some of the most difficult people to provide shelter for when they lose their housing. When you have families with kids, caregivers, multiple generations, etc.. the public’s stereotype of a homeless shelter simply does not work. The MCLA proposal is not this stereotype, yet that is what people are wrongly being led to believe by some who should know better.

Keeping a family group together is usually imperative and leads to much better outcomes. Kids will go to school. Grandma will get her pills. The family member with mental health issues will keep their home support group. Most revealing of all is that this group is statistically likely to leave transitional housing, and land on their feet, faster than almost any other. They want to work. They want to provide. But in that moment that they have lost their housing, they need a safety net, a roof over their head, and a warm meal. Berkshire Towers can provide that.

Greg Roach
North Adams, Mass.

Bailey Sworn in as North Adams Police Chief

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
03:10PM / Tuesday, July 01, 2025

Police Chief Mark Bailey poses with his family after being sworn in. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Mark Bailey wanted a simple swearing in as the city's police chief. Family, some colleagues and staff. 

 

"This is as small as I get," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey to the room full of officers, staff, family members, other city employees and press in the police station's meeting room. 

 

Bailey, a sergeant, stepped in two years ago as interim when the former police chief was let go. On Tuesday, he took the position permanently. 

 

Both he and the mayor said the interim length was a matter of timing — there was a police contract being negotiated and Bailey was weighing whether he wanted to continue in the job.

 

"I didn't want any cloud over Mark's appointment," said the mayor, who added she didn't want to dwell on the past. "And then we were in the midst of negotiating the police contract, and I wanted to ensure that he got all the benefits that everyone else did."

 

Bailey will get $115,000 in the first year of a three-year contract. 

 

"He's done some really transformative things within the department, from body cams to additional grant writing to additional training of the force, and the force in general," said Macksey. "And he's the right guy. I really support promoting people through the ranks, and he's a true testament of that."