Letter: The Children of North Adams Deserve New Greylock

To the Editor:

The City of North Adams has an incredible opportunity on Oct. 8. As a community, we not only have the chance to say "yes" to being the recipient of the largest grant in the City's history, at over $42 million. We not only have the chance to move forward with building a state-of-the-art energy efficient building that is projected to save the city $100K-plus per year in expenses. We not only have the chance to avoid dumping tens of millions of dollars into Band-Aids on our existing deficient building (Brayton) with systems at the end of their serviceable life, and we not only have the chance to invest in a project that could drive over $100 million in local economic impact.

In fact, right now we have the rare, monumental chance to show the children, educators and families of today's and future North Adams that we are committed to the wellbeing, education, and support that our youngest learners and their educators deserve.

For many of us with children in the city, the choice is crystal clear. For those with infants or that are soon expecting, the chance for their preK to second graders to attend a brand-new school is exciting and inspiring. For those of us with children who have recently gone through the doors of old Greylock or Brayton, the reality of the deficiencies of those schools shines a bright light on why we need this new school. For those who are adults in the community that grew up here and benefited from the generational investments in school infrastructure that came before, the opportunity and duty to pay it forward so that future generations can thrive is immense. In all cases, the weight of this decision is ours to make, and the opportunity is now ours to take hold of, or squander.

As a resident and taxpayer in this City of North Adams, a community I choose to call home and the place I have built my life and family in, I am honored to have the chance to vote YES on Oct. 8 for the debt exclusion to fund the city's share ($19.6 million) of the full $65.4 million new Greylock School Project. Furthermore, I ask and urge my fellow residents, committed to our community's youth and the prospect of a bright future ahead, to please do the same.

Benjamin Lamb
North Adams, Mass.

Ben Lamb is a member of the School Building Committee and a parent of two children currently attending Brayton Elementary School.

Vermont National Guard Members Depart From North Adams

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
04:20PM / Friday, June 05, 2026

About 50 people waved flags to the see the Guardsmen off on their bus. The members were staying in North Adams because of a lack of hotel rooms in Bennington, Vt.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Residents came together Friday to see some Vermont National Guard members off.

 

The American Legion Riders organized a send off for a group of 75 or so Guard members who were staying at Hotel Downstreet.

 

"We are going to escort them to the Bennington Armory," Riders President Mike Lewis said. "They are going to gear up there, and then I am not sure where they are going. I don’t even know if they are all going to the same place."

 

Fifty or so people met in the Hotel Downstreet parking lot to show their appreciation. They waved flags and held signs. A bagpiper was also present.

 

The Riders contacted the Fire Department who helped organize the send off. North Adams Police cruisers and Northern Berkshire EMS were also on site to help see the bus off.

 

Lewis said there was not enough rooms in Bennington for the National Guard members. He added because of the trend to use vacant hotel rooms as low-income housing, the group had to look toward North Adams.

 

It's not clear where these Guard were off to, but about 500 members of 3-172 Infantry Battalion were expected to go to the Middle East with U.S. Central Command. According to Vermont Digger, this deployment was scheduled prior to the strikes on Iran.