Letter: Vote Bond for Mayor

To the Editor:

I am proud to support Lynette Bond for mayor of the City of North Adams. Lynette has the knowledge and ability to succeed, the spirit and open-mindedness to collaborate and build consensus, the integrity and strength of character to make tough choices with clarity and compassion, and a love for North Adams that will make her a powerful and effective advocate and champion for our city and everyone who lives, learns, and works here.

When I taught in the North Adams Public Schools I assigned "To Kill a Mockingbird" to many of my 8th grade English classes. I've read the book dozens of times and a line that always has stuck with me is "You never really understand a person until you consider things from [their] point of view." It's a lesson in understanding and inclusion I emphasized with my students, and my children. This quality of empathy and consideration — this style of leadership — is something I have seen Lynette l demonstrate, personally and in her campaign. Lynette builds relationships, listens to people's concerns, and truly cares about every person in North Adams, our history, and our potential. She also is pragmatic and won't make promises she can't keep.

Lynette knows that education is a priority. As a former North Adams Public School teacher, I admire the leadership and tenacity that Lynette demonstrated as a champion for the Colegrove Park Elementary School project. I know she will bring the same energy and commitment to serving all North Adams students and educators as mayor and School Committee chair.

Lynette Bond is the right choice for the future of North Adams. She will be a caring, effective, successful mayor for everyone in our city. I encourage you to get to know Lynette, and to support her with your vote in the preliminary election on Sept. 21 and the general election on Nov. 2. Then, when Lynette is sworn in as the first woman mayor of North Adams, you will know we have a leader of whom we all can be proud.

Jane Bernard
North Adams, Mass.

North Adams Unveils Hometown Heroes Banners

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
04:30PM / Friday, May 22, 2026

Carol Ethier-Kipp holds up the first aid kit her father used as an Army medic in World War II. See more photos here. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City of North Adams honored its own on Friday afternoon, unveiling 50 downtown street banners representing local veterans who served — and continue to serve — the community and the country.

 

More than 300 residents packed the front lawn of City Hall as the community took a moment to reflect on its "Hometown Heroes" during the morning unveiling ceremony.

 

"In a city like North Adams, service is personal. The men and women we honor today are not strangers to us. They are our neighbors, our classmates, our parents, our grandparents," Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the crowd. "... These banners are far more than names and pictures hanging along our streets. They are visible reminders of the values that define North Adams: courage, sacrifice, humility, duty, resilience, and the love of country. They remind every person who passes by that this community remembers our veterans."

 

The banner program launched exactly a year ago. Veterans Services Agent Kurtis Durocher opened applications in October and spent the next six months working with families to bring the project to Main Street and over the Hadley Overpass. 

 

"We gather to recognize the brave men and women from our community who have served or who are currently serving in the United States armed forces," Durocher said. "These banners are more than images. They bear a tribute to service, sacrifice, courage, and pride, and they remind us that the freedoms we enjoy every day have been protected by our neighbors, family members, friends, and Hometown Heroes."

 

Each banner features a portrait of a veteran alongside their military branch and dates of service.

 

Durocher noted that the program was something residents clearly wanted, pointing to how fast applications flooded his desk. He praised the volunteers who stepped up to get the banners made and displayed — including city firefighters and Mitchell Meranti of Wire & Alarm Department, who were installing them as late as Thursday night.