North Adams Nomination Papers Due by July 23

Staff Reports04:34PM / Wednesday, July 14, 2021Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — With seven business days left to file papers for city office, North Adams is so far on track to be assured its first woman mayor.

Josh Vallieres, the only man to so far pull papers, announced on his Facebook page on Tuesday that he was pivoting to School Committee.

The city clerk's office confirmed that they were aware of his decision but as of early Wednesday afternoon he had not yet formally withdrawn or picked up nomination papers for School Committee.

The posted on Facebook that he had made the "tough choice'' to suspend his mayoral campaign "after much consideration and consultation."

"I'm very grateful to everyone who has supported and contributed to this campaign," he wrote. "North Adams Public Schools will be well served in having a recent graduate sitting at the table. To everyone who has supported me so far, I want to take the chance to thank you all, and to assure you that this will be the start of real substantive change in North Adams."

The professed progressive candidate is a city native and is entering his senior year at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in the fall. His departure leaves four women vying for the corner office: Lynette Ritland Bond, Rachel Branch, Aprilyn Carsno and Jennifer Macksey.

The will meet in September for a preliminary election to narrow the field to two.

Also withdrawing from nominations is longtime School Committee member Heather Boulger, who has also held the post of vice chairman for more than a decade.

Incumbent Emily Daunis and David Sookey have pulled papers for committee; with the addition of Vallieres, there are so far three candidates for four seats. Incumbents Ian Bergeron and James Holmes have not taken out papers so far. Both Daunis and Sookey ran unsuccessfully in the last election but Daunis was voted in by the committee and City Council a year ago to fill an unexpired term. While the other three terms are for four years, that term is up in 2023 but Daunis must win the seat in the election to complete it.

There is only one candidate for two four-year seats on the McCann School Committee. Gary Rivers, the school's former principal, has taken out papers for a fourth term. Longtime committee member Paul Gigliotti died last month but no has stepped forward to run in his place.

The number of candidates for City Council now stands at 18 for the nine at-large seats. Jason Laforest is the latest incumbent to pull papers, joining Lisa Blackmer, Keith Bona, Marie T. Harpin, Peter Oleskiewicz, Jessica Sweeney and Wayne Wilkinson, and the newest councilor, Bryan K. Sapienza, who was recently sworn in to fill a vacant seat.

The others are Jennifer Barbeau, Roger Eurbin, Raymond A. Moore, Barbara Ellen Murray, Michael I. Obasohan, Jesse Lee Egan Poirier, Ashley M. Shade, Heidi Shartrand-Newell and Ronald Sheldon and Joseph Smith.

The last day to submit nomination papers for certification of signatures is July 23. If there are more than 18 City Council candidates, those offices will be on the ballot with the mayor in the preliminary election to be held on Sept. 21.

Tags: election 2021, municipal election,

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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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