PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Councilor at Large Kathleen Amuso will not seek re-reelection.

 

Amuso sent out a statement Tuesday morning saying that she believes "it is the right time for me to step away" after 14 years in public office.

 

Amuso was first elected to the School Committee in 2003 and left in 2013 to succesfully run for the City Council. She has served two terms on the council. As she began to think about the next election in the fall, she decided it was the right time to step aside and find other avenues to help the city.

 

"I wanted to step down early enough so if people are thinking about running, they know at least one incumbent is not running," Amuso said on Tuesday. 

 

She plans to finish out her term. One of her largest accomplishments is her work of 12 years on the School Building Needs Commission, a role she said she plans to continue even after her council term is up, which has led to the construction of a brand new Taconic High School.

 

"It has taken us quite a few years to get to where we are," Amuso said, later adding, "I think it's been a great project for the city."

 

That process included a year of looking at regionalionization, lengthy debates about whether the city should have one school or two, working through the Massachusetts School Building Authority's system to get funding, and hundreds of public meetings. She played a role in determining the vocational offerings of the new school and said the committee has "really made excellent choices in our partners" who are heading the construction.

 

"I think we came together as a community," Amuso said.

 

During her time on the School Committee, she said is particularly happy with her efforts to align curriculum throughout schools. She said early in her time as a member different schools and different grades were using disparate curriculum, often leaving gaps. She said she worked to take those several different programs and bring them into a more cohesive curriculum for the entire district.

 

"We spent a few years looking at the continuity of the programs," Amuso said.

 

On the City Council, Amuso had been aggressive in advocating for reductions to the budget, particularly last year. At the same time, she said she was proud to support public safety initiatives to make the city safer.

 

"I really supported safety which we needed to approve and I'm fiscally conscience," Amuso said. "I think I really have been fiscally responsible with how I handled the budget and will continue to do so."

 

While she may not be seeking another term on the council, Amuso says she will still remain active in the community. She'll miss the initiatives she has been a part of to help the city, but says she'll find other ways to fill that niche.

 

She already plans on continuing with the School Building Needs Committee, as a trustee at the Berkshire Athenaeum, and as a committee member for the Children's Holiday Extravaganza at the Colonial Theatre. 

 

"My experience on both the City Council and School Committee has been rewarding and challenging. It has been a privilege to serve the people of Pittsfield as an elected official.  I want to thank everyone, especially my family, for all of the support I have received. I will serve the remainder of my term with the same vigor and energy that the people of Pittsfield deserve," Amuso wrote in the statement she released Tuesday morning. 

 

"I will continue to serve as the co-chair of the School Building Needs Commission and as a trustee at the Berkshire Athenaeum.  I will also investigate other opportunities where I can serve this great community."

 

While she still plans to remain active in city affairs, she says she'll really miss the people she worked with in various capacities the most. 

 

"I'll miss the people I am working with.... It's really been a great experience and it was a difficult decision," she said.