Letter: Lynette Bond Is My Candidate

To the Editor:

In a recent fund-raising campaign letter to supporters, the Jennifer Macksey for Mayor Committee wrote, "If people are happy with how the city has been run over the past 12 years Jennifer Macksey ISN'T their candidate."

I say ... If you like the way the city has run the past 12 years, Lynette Bond IS your candidate. If you don't like the way the city has run the past 12 years, Lynette Bond IS your candidate. If you liked or disliked any of the past mayors, Lynette Bond IS your candidate.

She will work for all of you despite who you supported, if you were born here or moved here yesterday, knew her in school or just met her. If you are a resident of North Adams, she IS your candidate, as all on the ballot should be, because if elected they should serve all of us instead of just those who supported them or their boss.

Despite having good relations with former and current North Adams mayors, Lynette believes all have pros and cons, and doesn't wish to be a stand-in for any of them, referring to John Barrett III calling Macksey his "alter ego."

Lynette is her own woman with her own style of leadership, never being an apprentice or having a career tied to any former mayor, making her a new face in City Hall with new energy to move old projects forward and develop fresh ideas. Lynette Bond is "for the future of North Adams" unlike being stuck in the past.

We need a mayor who doesn't see this city as those who supported John Barrett III prior to 12 years ago and those who didn't. The "you are with me, or against me" mentality is getting old and needs to stop, and not healthy for our small city even a little. We may not be able to convince everyone but having a leader who looks at us as one community instead of dividing us is a good start.

Keith Bona
North Adams, Mass. 

Keith Bona is a North Adams city councilor. 

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.