Letter: I'm Voting Yes for Greylock School

To the Editor:

I'm voting Yes on Oct. 8 for a new Greylock School.

My kids will be approaching graduation by the time this school is built, so why do I care about this school project? I care because it's a wise investment financially and strategically for the health of our community which impacts all of us.

The commonwealth will be investing over $42.2 million in this project that will otherwise go to another community if we do not support this project. Another $3.6 million will be awarded in energy incentives. That leaves our community investing $19.6 million for a new school.

Without this project, we are on the hook for renovating Brayton School that is estimated to cost $45 million and will likely be completed piecemeal. North Adams has already addressed the declining population concerns by moving from three to two elementary schools, and this project fits seamlessly into this model with community benefits. A new Greylock will positively impact our community because schools are the heart of communities; they are the pillars of a healthy community. They impact the attendance and health of students, teachers, and staff which positively impacts the overall school climate and school achievement measures. This is what our City needs and is what attracts new families to our community.

Please make a plan to vote Yes on Tuesday, Oct. 8, for a new Greylock School.

Lynette Bond
North Adams, Mass. 

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.