Letter: Macksey Is Best Candidate for Mayor

To the Editor:

I am writing this letter in support of Jennifer Macksey for mayor. I have known Jennifer for many years and have followed her career through the years. I saw firsthand the hard work she put in while she worked at City Hall. She was a person that you could go to and ask questions and get answers. When the city was implementing a 401K plan for the first time, Jennifer made sure people had the information they needed to make the proper decisions. She didn't just sit behind her desk at City Hall, she came out to the individual departments and brought the people with the knowledge with her and made sure the members of various departments were informed.

I have followed various letters in support of Jennifer for mayor. It is quite striking that she has received strong support from three different superintendents of schools. These are people of great integrity and all have worked closely with Jennifer. It is clear that they understand that she will work hard to keep our school systems at their best. Education is one of Jennifer's top priorities she will work extremely hard to be sure our schools are the best they can be.

I have also noted the former public safety officials have also thrown their support to Jennifer. I would also like to give my support for Jennifer as a former public safety official. Any time you had a question that needed a answer Jennifer would get you that answer. She was not afraid to step out from behind her desk come to the department and explain whatever you needed answered.

It's clear that the people who really know Jennifer, know the hard work that she has done, and the hard work she is capable of ,are throwing there support to her. These are the people who were in the trenches with Jennifer doing the day-to-day work that needs to be done. People in education, people in public safety, people in municipal government , and people from MCLA. All these individuals have seen the quality person that Jennifer is.

It's clear that with all her knowledge in finance, education, and municipal government that Jennifer is the best candidate for mayor of the city of North Adams. Please join me in voting for Jennifer Macksey for mayor.

Craig W. Millard
North Adams, Mass.

Craig Millard is a retired police director of the city of North Adams. 

North Adams Updated on Schools, Council President Honored With 'Distinction'

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
12:31PM / Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Superintendent Timothy Callahan gives a presentation on the school system at Tuesday's City Council meeting. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council got an update on what's up in the school system and its president was inducted into the mayor's Women's Leadership Hall of Fame.

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey, as the city's first woman mayor, established the Hall of Fame in 2022, during March, Women's History Month, to recognize local women who have had a positive impact on the city. Past inductees have included the council's first woman president Fran Buckley, Gov. Jane Swift and boxing pioneer Gail Grandchamp. 

 

She described President Ashley Shade as a colleague and a friend and a former student. 

 

"Ashley is known not just for her leadership, but for her compassion, her ability to listen, to understand and to stand up for those whose voices are often gone unheard," the mayor said. "She has been a tireless advocate for the LGBTQ plus community and marginalized communities at both the local and national level here in North Adams."

 

Elected in 2021, Shade is the first openly transgender person to hold the role of council president in Massachusetts. She also leads the first-ever woman majority council in the city's history. 

 

The McCann Technical School graduate also has served on boards and commissions, "always working to make our city more inclusive, equitable and welcoming," said the mayor. "Ashley not leads not only with strength, but with a heart, and our community is a much stronger place because of it."

 

Shade, wearing her signature pink suit, was presented with a plaque from the mayor designating her a "woman of distinction."