North Adams Sees Races for Mayor, School Committee & City Council

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city will see races for mayor, City Council and School Committee in November. 
 
There will be no preliminary election. 
 
Tuesday was the deadline to submit nomination papers with signatures of at minimum 50 registered voters. Candidates do have until Aug. 14 to withdraw before the ballot is set. 
 
Jennifer Macksey is being challenged for a third term in the corner office by Scott Berglund. Both candidates took out papers in April; Macksey had hers back in 19 days while Berglund submitted his June 12. 
 
Richard David Greene took out papers on June 5 but did not return them. 
 
The seven incumbents running for City Council have had their signatures certified: Lisa Blackmer, Keith Bona, Peter Breen, Andrew Fitch, Peter Oleskiewicz, Bryan Sapienza, and Ashley Shade. 
 
Sapienza and Shade were the first to take out papers on March 18; Fitch was the last to submit his on Tuesday at noon. 
 
Incumbents Deanna Morrow and Wayne Wilkinson are not running for re-election. Morrow is finishing up her first term and Wilkinson has served five terms on the council and has also served on the Planning Board and as chair of the Mobile Home Rent Control board. 
 
Newcomers for council are Aprilyn Carsno (a two-time mayoral candidate), CarrieAnne Crews, Alexa MacDonald, Marie McCarron, Virginia Riehl (a member of the Planning Board) and Lillian Zavatsky. 
 
At least two will be seated, and if one more makes it into the top nine vote-getters, the council could have a majority of women for the first time. This would, of course, depend on incumbents Blackmer and Shade retaining their seats.  
 
The last highest number of women on the council was the 2014-2016 term when Blackmer, Jennifer Breen, Kate Merrigan and Nancy Bullett served. 
 
Ronald Sheldon, who has run for office before, did not take out papers until July 17 and did not have enough certified signatures to make the ballot. Joshua Vallieres and Thomas Wallace did not return papers. 
 
The School Committee will see at least one new member as Richard Alcombright did not return his papers. The former mayor was elected to a four-year term in 2021 and also serves on the School Building Committee. 
 
Incumbents Emily Daunis and David Sookey are both running for their second terms. Chelsey Lyn Ciolkowski and Eric Wilson, who ran in the last election, are vying for one of the three seats. 
 
Incumbents Taylor Gibeau and Gary Rivers are running for re-election to the McCann School Committee. Christopher Tremblay, a former councilor, took out papers on July 24 but did not return them.
 
They are currently one incumbent and one challenger for mayor; seven incumbents and six challengers for the nine City Council seats; two incumbents and two challengers for three School Committee seats; and two incumbents for two McCann School Committee seats. 

Tags: election 2025,   municipal election,   

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Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.

Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.

We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.

In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.

Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear. 

The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.

"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."

Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.

In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.

The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.

"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.

They are hoping their display carries on the tradition of the Arnold Family Christmas Lights Display that retired in 2022.

The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.

In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.

"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said. 

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