North Adams Approves New 3-Year Contract With Firefighters

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:33PM / Wednesday, March 09, 2022Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday approved an updated compensation and classification plan for the Fire Department during a meeting that lasted less than a half hour.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey said the new scale is a negotiated contract with North Adams Firefighters Local 1781 that includes a 1.5 percent increase retroactive to July 1, 2021; 1.5 percent for fiscal 2023, and 2 percent for fiscal 2024.

Starting pay for Firefighter 1 is $43,675.94 on this scale; the scale also covers master mechanic (F-2), fire lieutenant (F-4), and fire captain (F-5).

The plan was passed to a second reading and to be published.

Council President Lisa Blackmer had opened the meeting with a statement reminding councilors and the audience that despite the personal concerns they may have over gas prices, health needs and the national political discourse, they weren't "hunkered down in a bomb shelter or public transit system, holding our children and pets and carrying what little we can and shaking as explosions go off all around us."

Blackmer didn't say Ukraine but her comments obviously referred to the conditions of the people under assault there by Russia, and she noted "democracy isn't perfect, but it's better than the alternatives. Sometimes we lose sight of this."

"I want to see this council returned to civil discourse, our issues pale in comparison to what we are seeing in Europe," she said. "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Let's get on with doing the business of the city."

Tensions within the council have been apparent for months, and have prompted calls for professionalism. Councilor Ashley Shade (participating remotely on Tuesday) has been charged with bringing back language on how councilors should comport themselves inside and outside of chambers.

Shade at the last council meeting said a suggestion to the General Government Committee to include the employee handbook into Rules of Order was rejected because elected officials are not employees. Instead, she had motioned for the council to implement a code of conduct.

"I do think it was important to have a discussion with the full council and all of its members on a proposed code of conduct, based on recent history with the council has been made public about different people experiencing different issues. And there being a lot of conflicts, personal attacks and such outside of meetings," she said at the last meeting on Feb. 22. "It is extremely important that we are professional, courteous, and that we do our jobs to represent the people in this city. And I felt that this was something that needed to be discussed further."

Blackmer at that meeting asked Shade to return with language that could be reviewed by the entire council.

The council president on Tuesday also assigned new liaisons to local organizations. Those organizations had been removed over the years from the Rules of Order but Blackmer wished them to be returned, saying the community doesn't get as much coverage as it used to.

Some councilors objected, saying the reports would be out of date and it would be better for representatives of the organizations to report to the council. But the additions passed at the last meeting 5-4, with Councilors Jennifer Barbeau, Keith Bona, Bryan Sapienza and Ashley Shade voting against.

The new assignments are:

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts: Councilor Marie T. Harpin
1Berkshire: Councilor Michael Obasohan
North Adams Chamber of Commerce: Councilor Bryan Sapienza
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition: Councilor Peter Oleskiewicz
Northern Berkshire Regional Emergency Planning Committee: Councilor Lisa Blackmer
North Adams Board of Health: Councilor Wayne Wilkinson

In other business, Wilkinson will replace Barbeau on the Public Services Committee. Barbeau resigned from the committee. Wilkinson will join Harpin and Oleskiewicz.

The council confirmed the appointment of Sara Russell-Scholl to the board of library trustees, for a term to expire Jan. 2, 2025.

Tags: union contract,

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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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