Biography

Currently, I work as the director of development for grants and research for MCLA managing millions of dollars through federal, state and private grant programs. Before this, I worked for the town of Adams in the Community Development Office on two Community Development Block Grants. I managed a streetscape project, a roofing project, and a bridge project while also assisting with a housing rehabilitation project for income-eligible households. I worked as a consultant for the MassHire Workforce Board on a photovoltaic training program during the first year that I moved with my husband to North Adams. We made the decision to move to his hometown and settle into work, playgroups with a newborn and community involvement, which I embraced after living in New York City. My work at Columbia University was focused on a large-scale transformation project merging the services of the bursar, registrar and ID Center into a one-stop service center. During this time, I completed my master's degree in nonprofit management through the Milano Graduate School program. I am quite proud to be the first in my family to go to college. I am also quite proud of my service in the Peace Corps for two years following college. I worked in Honduras, where I served as an economic development volunteer. I worked to form a coffee cooperative and later taught a computer training program for teachers and students. I am married with two children. My husband attended North Adams Public Schools and now works as a P.A. at BMC and our children attend Drury High School and Colegrove Park Elementary School.

Why are you running for mayor?

I can feel this energy and excitement in the city, and I want to lead this effort. I also know there are those that see it differently, but together we can make improvements within our city. We have tremendous opportunities ahead of us, and I am uniquely qualified for this role. I have expertise as a grants administrator and am able to bring people together to tackle major projects. We must create the plans to fund our infrastructure needs, and I know how to secure funding for this work. I am energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate about the future of North Adams and am ready to make the tough decisions to move our community forward not only for us right now, but for decades into the future.

What volunteer or civic service have you done in the community? (Such as serving on boards, volunteering with nonprofits, etc.)

In 2013, I voluntarily led the campaign for the Colegrove Park Elementary School project that set up the City for the maximum reimbursement for a school renovation project by the Massachusetts School Building Authority. I've served on the North Adams Planning Board for nearly eight years. I was a board member and treasurer at Child Care of the Berkshires for six years, and have been a foster parent for the past five years. Our family has hosted collegiate baseball players for the North Adams SteepleCats, and I've been a basketball coach for the North Adams Youth Basketball League.

What experience or perspective would you bring to the corner office?

I worked for the town of Adams on community development block grant programs, and I am currently employed at MCLA as the director of development for grants and research. as an expert in grant management, I understand the funding opportunities available, how to create public-private partnerships, and how to secure those funds to move major projects forward for the city.

If elected, what issue in particular would you consider a priority to tackle?

I will tackle the city's infrastructure needs. This means updates to our water and sewer, securing a site and creating a design for a public safety building so the city can secure funding for the required construction. Finally, I will pursue critical repair funding available through Massachusetts School Building Authority for an updated elementary school building.

The city's infrastructure continues to be a major challenge, particularly the obsolete public safety building. What are your plans to address this?

The first step is to secure a site and design for a new public safety facility. We can set aside a minimum of $100,000 to start this work through COVID relief funds while securing funding through EDA and other grant programs. In addition, I will work with our state representative and state senator to release the $1.2 million as authorized in the 2018 bond bill for engineering and design work as we pursue an updated public safety facility. This must and will be addressed.

How would you keep in contact with constituents?

I will host a monthly coffee hour and encourage constituents to join me for conversation at our local businesses and community centers. In addition, I will post regular updates via social media and through an email listserve. Constituents can also ask for updates to be mailed to them if social media or email is not available. I also look forward to hearing directly from residents and neighborhood groups and welcome the opportunity to hear people's concerns.

Though North Adams has a 'strong mayor' government, City Council support is still required for some actions. How do you envision your relationship with the council?

I am a collaborative person by nature and believe that the best decisions made are those that are arrived at through a deliberative process. I welcome and encourage public participation as well as committee meetings to tackle often complex and nuanced issues.

How would you describe your management style?

My management style is focused on the growth and development of those who work for the city so we can raise the bar in North Adams. I want to encourage my team, our boards and our council to think about the necessary improvements and process efficiencies that have to be made in order to grow and thrive in this new economy. I want to motivate and empower my employees to make the best decisions for the future of our city.

Do you think city government is transparent enough in its processes? Could it be better?

I think the transparency of city government can continually be improved. We can do this by providing more notification and followup to meetings online as well as reaching out to groups to make sure people are aware of issues that may directly affect them or their business. I would also like to explore a hybrid format for public meetings that allow for both in-person and remote participation for our constituents. The city website should also be improved to allow residents to submit concerns and view how those concerns are being resolved. Those concerns may include potholes, blight, services, water, etc. Other communities, such as Pittsfield, use a tracking system like this. Once a concern is logged, updates are provided and it's something North Adams could implement with its new website.

There have been efforts at sharing services between North Berkshire communities. Should this be explored more and are there areas where you think this would work, or not?

Yes, I think there are areas where our North Berkshire communities can share services and we're already seeing this in many areas including our veteran services, youth sports leagues, and part of our water and sewer services. We can further explore shared services within our school districts with food service, administrative services, and curriculum services. Another shared service to examine is our DPW services. A shared services agreement with other communities for equipment and vehicles could reduce our costs.

What is your position on the consolidation of Greylock School with Brayton?

The enrollment among our three elementary schools is at a critical juncture. Just this year, our schools lost over 100 students and enrollment is trending down across Berkshire County. The Massachusetts School Building Authority will be the entity to fund another major renovation or critical repairs of our school buildings, and we've already received notice that they will not fund a new school renovation due to our current enrollment. We will see at the start of school where our numbers land and what decisions will need to be made as we prepare for the feasibility study for a critical repairs needs project for our elementary school(s). As a parent, I do not want to close schools, but we also need to consider what makes financial sense and not burden taxpayers with a school that is half empty and needs costly upgrades.

What immediate challenges do you see for the school system and how would you address them?

The most immediate challenge for the schools is how to provide high quality and equitable education to our North Adams children in buildings that are obsolete and in need of critical repairs. To grow as a community, we have to invest in school facilities in order to see improvements in student achievement. We will address this need by preparing an application to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for funding to fix the critical repairs required at our elementary school(s).

How could the city generate more revenue? Should nonprofits be asked for payments in lieu of taxes?

The city can generate more revenue by encouraging investment and by adopting a smart-growth zoning overlay in the identified downtown and mill districts. Many of our nonprofits were decimated by the pandemic so we need to pursue all sources of revenue, especially those federal and state programs designed to stimulate growth. I would like to introduce a Northern Berkshire CDC. Currently, we use Franklin County CDC for small-businesses development and programs. With the number of new businesses coming to North County, we need to have dedicated CDC programming for our region.

North Adams is expected to get $3.7 million in American Rescue Act funding. Where should these monies be directed?

Most immediately, I will direct at least $100,000 toward the site and design for a Public Safety facility. Water and sewer projects will follow along with a study to look at the creation of an enterprise fund.

The idea of switching water and waste to enterprise funds has been discussed for several years. What is your thinking on this?

I agree that the water and sewer income and expenses should be moved into an enterprise fund, but this would need to be carefully examined in order to determine how this will impact the city's overall finances and how to properly account for this shift.

What is the city's biggest challenge?

The city's biggest challenge is its deferred maintenance. The city's water and sewer and public buildings have not been maintained for several decades and are at a poor if not critical repair condition. We need design plans in place with the expected federal infrastructure bill. Ideally, the city must have shovel-ready projects in order to submit projects that will be competitive for funding. Fortunately applying for this type of funding is my strength and will be beneficial to addressing our city finances. Another major challenge for the city is pay equity within the region. North Adams continues to lose employees and often cannot fill key positions due to low starting salaries and a slow pace of step increases.

What is the city's biggest opportunity?

The city's biggest opportunity is its people, access to nature, and educational opportunities. North Adams has an incredible preK-12 public school, a four-year public institution of higher education (MCLA), and a creative economy that is thriving. We must capitalize on the development and hone in on what makes North Adams so special.

What are two things you would immediately change your first week in office?

I would immediately tackle staffing needs and securing funding for the site and design of a public safety facility. An improved and redesigned public safety building not only benefits our employees; it will satisfy confidentiality for visitors, ADA compliance, and better address appropriate space for those with mental illness and minors who may require counseling or have other unique situations.

Contact information

Website: www.lynettebondformayor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynetteBondForMayor