image description — Benjamin Lamb during his term as City Council president. Lamb announced he will not be running for re-election this year.

North Adams Councilor Lamb Not Standing for Re-election

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
04:47PM / Monday, January 11, 2021Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There will definitely be at least one new face on the City Council this time next year.

City Councilor Benjamin Lamb announced via Facebook on Monday that he would not be seeking a fifth term this fall.

"This is a decision long in the making and due to a number of factors, but the reason I am announcing now, relatively early by most standards, is specifically because I want to help others who, for their first time, may be seeking to run for City Council," he wrote.

The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts graduate was first elected in 2013, part of the wave of younger candidates who began populating the council nearly a decade ago. Lamb has consistently placed among the top vote-getters during his runs for office.

During his tenure, he's become involved in numerous community efforts to boost his adopted hometown, including the NAMAzing Initiative that's sought to enhance Eagle and Ashland streets, helping push the city as a finalist in the Small Business Revolution, and bringing TEDx to North Adams.

He also was co-author of a resolution on declaring the city a safe and inclusive community and of the creation of a working group to ensure those principles were included in legislation, as well as being a found of Men Initiating Change In North County as a way to address domestic violence.

"Our work expands far beyond the boundaries of a job description as the 'legislative branch of city government,'" he said when running for his second term in 2015. "We have the opportunity to be the cheerleaders, conversation starters, community outreach facilitators, and motivators for change."

That's in part why he's stepping back, he wrote, so he can support individuals of underrepresented and minority communities within the city to have a voice at the table.

"I greatly look forward to spending what would normally be re-election and campaign time/energy in 2021 differently: pursuing new paths for me to positively impact this community I adore, and helping new and underrepresented voices in navigating and running for seats as elected representatives in our community," he wrote. "More to come in the future, but for now, for those even dancing around the idea of running for this critical role as a public servant in North Adams, message me."

Tags: election2021, North Adams City Council,

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NAHA Board Accepts Director's Resignation, Unlocks Tenants Association Office

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
03:33PM / Friday, October 16, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Housing Authority Board of Commissioners officially accepted the resignation of Executive Director Jennifer Hohn and restored access to the Tenants Association office.

The board held a special meeting Thursday to vote to accept Hohn's resignation and determined that there are currently no plans to replace her.

"We didn't make any final determinations in terms of the executive session so we will schedule another meeting at another time," Chairwoman Leigh Uqdah said after returning from more than an hour session. "Day-to-day operations will continue to be managed as normal by staff."

Per their bylaws, board member Marie Harpin will continue to handle finances, and Uqdah will manage contracts.

Hohn stepped down on Oct. 8 after 24 years leading the agency. Her resignation followed rising tension between her and the NAHA Tenants Association, culminating in the scheduling of a formal grievance hearing between both parties.

The boiling point was the locking of the association's office this summer. Tenants alleged the lockout was retaliation for posting a video on social media depicting improperly functioning door alarms. Hohn claimed the office was locked for tenant safety and to stop the spread of misinformation.

Tenants Association President Corey Fortin asked if Hohn's security access had been removed. Uqdah confirmed her credentials were revoked the day she resigned, meaning she can no longer monitor security cameras remotely.

Jennifer Barbeau, a former city councilor who was liaison to the Housing Authority, asked when the board met to discuss Hohn's severance package. Uqdah stated that Hohn did not have one.

The board also accepted the resignation of Commissioner Richard Lavigne, though they will vote officially on the matter at their next meeting.

The open portion of the meeting was brief, with nearly an hour and a half spent in executive session. Before entering executive session, the board opened the floor to tenants.

"The tenants requested an opportunity to talk to the board," said Uqdah. "It has been quite a while, but we have decided to honor that."

Fortin, who posted the original video to social media, was the first to speak. He was clear in his request: unlock the office door.

"Let's cut straight to the chase tonight. The former resigned Director Jennifer Hohn ordered the office locked," he alleged. "She is gone. The lockout is a direct violation, and the board has a duty to end that tonight."

He cited federal and state laws that mandate the tenants association be provided with office space, including computer and network access.

"We are here with a direct administrative demand. We demand that the board vote tonight to unlock the doors," he said. "Do not let a resigned director's illegal action remain the board's ongoing liability. Open our door tonight, and let us get back to work."

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