The debate, which was carried live on PCTV, followed debates for Ward 2 and Ward 7. Those ward elections, along with the mayoral, each have three candidates who will be narrowed down to two in the Sept. 19 preliminary election.
But Macksey, the first woman to lead North Adams, isn't conceding anything to chance and on Thursday she touted the highlights of her administration and promised, well, more of the same.
Karen Kalinowsky pulled the first position on the mayoral ballot for Sept. 19's preliminary election, followed by Peter Marchetti in the two spot and John Krol in third.
There will be no preliminary election in North Adams this year.
But there will definitely be some changes on the City Council with only six incumbents running for re-election in November.
The city is expected to hold a preliminary election on Sept. 19 to trim the candidate fields for mayor, Ward 2 and Ward 7, barring any last-minute withdrawals.
A couple more candidates have taken out papers for the November city election but so far there are not enough names to consider a preliminary election.
Krol, a former City Council vice president, and Marchetti, current City Council president, kept the conversation focused on the issues. Both "cheerleaders" of Pittsfield, their campaign styles were described as a difference of personality.
But their answers at the Tuesday event did reflect some differences on the starting points that each will bring to deliberations that may come before the board in the next three years.
There is some potential for new faces on the City Council and School Committee this year, though it's too early in the election season to make any predictions.
Deanna Morrow, a direct care support worker at the Brien Center's Keenan House North, and recent Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts graduate, announced on March 10 that she will run for a seat on the North Adams City Council.
Offices on this year's municipal ballot in November are a four-year term for mayor and two-year terms each for one city clerk post, four councilor at large seats, seven ward council seats (one for each ward) and six School Committee seats.
A six-term representative of the 2nd Berkshire District, the Democrat was leading his Republican opponent Brendan Phair of Pittsfield by nearly 60 percent with more than a third of precincts reporting on Tuesday night.
More locally, Democrats Paul Mark was elected to the state Senate and state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli to another term in the State House in the new 3rd District. North Adams' own Tara Jacobs was on track to be the first Berkshire resident elected to the Governor's Council.