NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The two final candidates running to be the first woman mayor of North Adams will debate on Thursday, Oct. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the MCLA Church Street Center.

 

The event is open to the public; face coverings are required. 

 

This debate is being sponsored by iBerkshires.com and the MCLA Political Science Club, and hosted by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Northern Berkshire Community Television will be recording the event for later broadcast. It will also be uploaded to iBerkshires' YouTube channel. 

 

The two candidates, Lynette Bond and Jennifer Macksey, will be asked questions by a panel of journalists from iBerkshires, The Berkshire Eagle, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and the MCLA Beacon. The moderator will be Adams Town Moderator Myra Wilk.

 

We'd also like to hear from the community and incorporate some of your questions into the debate. Please take a couple minutes to fill out this online survey by Friday, Oct. 15.

 

Macksey and Bond were the top vote-getters in the preliminary election held on Sept. 21. Both newcomers in terms of political office, they do have extensive experience in municipal and educational finance and planning. 

 

Macksey is the current assistant superintendent for operations and finance for the Northern Berkshire School Union and the former treasurer for the city of North Adams. She also worked in finance administration at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and, as vice president, at the former Southern Vermont College. She holds a bachelor's in accounting and business management from Trinity College and a master's in higher education administration from Bay Path University.

 

Bond is director of development for grants and research for MCLA and was the grant coordinator and a project manager for the town of Adams, working in the Community Development Office. She also oversaw projects and operations at Columbia University and was a recruiter and economic development volunteer with the Peace Corps. She holds a bachelor of science from Iowa State University and a master's in nonprofit management from New School University.

 

The election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The last day to register to vote in the election is Wednesday, Oct. 13, online or by 8 p.m. in the city clerk's office; and the deadline to request a mail-in ballot is 5 p.m. on Oct. 27.