Lewis Markham Jr. *
Candidate For City Council Ward 1 - PittsfieldLewis Markham, a lifelong resident of Pittsfield, is seeking a third-two
year term as City Councilor, in the hope that he can continue to work on
improving Ward 1 and the city in general.
"Since I've been on the City Council, there have been marked improvements
in the ward and the entire political team has been part of that. We need
to continue to work together to see more of that," Markham said.
A graduate of St. Joseph Central High School, Markham, 66, went on to
become a teacher and coach at Berkshire Community College for 32 years
before retiring in 2003. He received a bachelor's in education at the
University of Tennessee at Martin and a master's in education
administration from the North Adams State College in 1978. A member of the
Morningside Initiative and past president of the Fourth of July parade
committee, Markham believes in strong community involvement and protecting
the interests of every resident of the city.
"Ward-wise, we're working on more infrastructure and continuing work
that’s already begun but it's time to go back into the neighborhoods," he
said.
One of Markham's favorite sayings comes from the wise words of his wife,
Cande.
"Downtown is the heart of Pittsfield but the neighborhoods are its soul."
Markham proves his dedication by taking three yearly "ridealongs" with
police and city engineers so he can be regularly educated about the issues
that concern the ward's citizens.
"Cultural development is not the end all of the City of Pittsfield, it's
just part of the puzzle. If you’re going to have a well-rounded economy,
it’s certainly an integral part but I want to concentrate on working in
the neighborhoods," Markham said.
Markham said his biggest issues going into the November election included
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test scores, job creation
and the PCB-landfill site, Hill 78.
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