John Barrett III
Candidate For Mayor - North Adams John Barrett III has served as mayor of North Adams since January 1984, and is the longest serving mayor in Massachusetts.
He is running unopposed for a record 13th term.
Barrett came into office when the city seemed to be going downhill fast. Over the next decade, the city's industrial economy would disappear. North Adams' largest employer, Sprague Electric, would pull out - taking hundreds of jobs with it.
Barrett laid some of groundwork during those dark days in the 1980s that would see the city's resurgence as an arts enclave and entrepreneurial incubator.
He was instrumental in the development of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, which took 10 years from conception to opening in the former Sprague plant.
The museum has been a catalyst for change, bringing in 100,000 visitors a year, sparking the growth of an arts community in the city and encouraging new development, such as the Porches inn on River Street.
North Adams is often spoken of as a model for the revitalization of mill towns.
Barrett has made infrastructure improvements a priority in his administration. That has included the reconstruction and beautification of Main Street, capping of the old landfill, the construction of a water filtration plant, the renovation and expansion of the North Adams Public Library, the reconstruction of streets and sidewalks, the revamping of the Route 2 corridor and the construction of the new Veterans Memorial.
He also has targeted dilapidated housing, taking down unsafe structures and cracking down on negligent landlords.
The city has stepped in to ensure worthwhile buildings are maintained and developed, such as the Sprague plant for Mass MoCA and, more recently, the Notre Dame Parish property and Clark Biscuit building, both of which will be used for housing. Barrett stepped in to ensure the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Skating Rink, which was facing closure, would continue to operate under the city's auspices. The city has also taken over the North Adams Armory in an attempt to keep it open for public use.
During his tenure, Drury High School was completely renovated and Brayton Elementary School was build. Barrett, who also serves as chairman of the School Committee, has seen state standardized test scores rise over the last few years.
He also welcomed the Berkshire Wireless Laptop Initiative into Conte Middle School. Conte was among the first schools in the state to participate in the pilot program.
He says the city's student-to-teacher ratio is the lowest in the state.
The city also has invested heavily into refurbishing its parks and athletics fields, including the multimillion-dollar Alcombright Athletics Complex.
North Adams continues to have one of the lowest residential tax rates in the state.
Barrett earned both his bachelor's and a master's degree in education from the former North Adams State College. He was an elementary school teacher for nearly 15 years before being elected to office. |
