North Adams Set to Elect New Government
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city goes to the polls on Tuesday to elect a new government — mayor, City Council and School Committee.
Polls are open at St. Elizabeth's Parish Center from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for all five wards.
Watch the Conversations with the Candidates under the Election 2023 playlist on our YouTube channel.
Jennifery Macksey is running for a second two-year term as mayor. She said she has listened to her constituents on safety, education and quality of life and that she would continue to supply professional leadership and fiscal accountability. She pointed to her efforts to date in obtaining grants and the number of the projects now underway, including the Greylock School project, the Army Corps of Engineer's study of the Hoosic River and the transfer of the Police Department to temporary quarters until a new public safety building can be had.
Aprilyn Carsno, who was eliminated in 2021's preliminary election, has worked in health care as a certified nursing assistant for many years and holds associate's degrees in business and criminal justice. Her administration would move the city forward with "outside the box" problem-solving and common sense. Her focus would be on cutting excess spending from the budget and moving projects along faster.
There are 11 candidates for the nine City Council seats. Six are incumbents: Lisa Blackmer, Keith Bona, Bryan Sapienza, Ashley Shade, Peter Oleskiewicz and Wayne Wilkinson. The incumbents are running on their track records and newcomers Colin Bain, Peter Breen, Robert Cardimino, Andrew Fitch and Deanna Morrow are hoping to take one of the three open seats or oust an incumbent.
Bain is a recent graduate of McCann Technical School.
Breen has worked in business and as a computer science instructor at Hoosac Valley High School. Now retired, he is a member of the License Board, McCann School Committee and the Hoosic River Revival. One of his goals is to help seniors stay in their homes through property tax exemptions he says can be offset by pushing nonprofits to provide payments in lieu of taxes.
Cardimino has had several unsuccessful runs for City Council and is a frequent attendee and speaker at council meetings. The retiree says he wants to be a voice for the taxpayers of North Adams especially with so many issues like the new school project coming up. He also says some ordinances are "too loose" and that the city has to address trash and blight.
Fitch moved to the city several years ago and became almost immediately involved in community events and organizations such as North Adams Pride and First Friday, and is a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals. He sees lots of potential especially for small businesses, reinvigorating Main Street and investing in the city's housing stock through an affordable housing trust.
Morrow is a recent graduate of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and worked through its volunteer center with the Friendship Center Food Pantry and Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. She would listen to what residents before making decisions and supports investment in housing and mental health/addiction services.
Four candidates are running for three four-year seats on the School Committee: incumbents Tara Jacobs and Alyssa Tomkowicz and newcomers Cody Chamberlain and Eric Wilson.
Chamberlain applied for a vacant seat earlier this year at said he planned to run in the next election. He has taught and tutored in Boston area schools and he saw the School Committee as way to get involved in his new community.
Wilson is a lifelong resident of North County and has advocated for years for people with disabilities and wrote a book about growing up here. He is a member of the city's Commission on Disabilities.
Breen is also running again for McCann School Committee along with William Diamond and George Canales. The three incumbents are running unopposed for three seats.
iBerkshires will be providing updates and elections results on Tuesday night.
Tags: election 2023, municipal election,
