Letter: Macksey Is a Proven Leader

To the Editor:

I am proud to support the re-election of Mayor Macksey. I have known Mayor Macksey for more than 20 years and I have had the pleasure of working closely with her and seeing firsthand her leadership for North Adams.

Mayor Macksey is special because she truly cares about people. Her values are founded on compassion, and that comes through when you see her supporting local youth sports, rebuilding our senior center, and ensuring that our schools have everything our community can muster. She has remained close to the community as a mayor, but more importantly, as a neighbor, mentor, and friend.

Mayor Macksey does not shy away from big challenges; she confronts them head-on. The rec center revitalization speaks volumes about her resolution. What was once a facility on the brink now serves as a hub for community activity thanks to her leadership, dedication, and coordination.

Mayor Macksey’s time in office has demonstrated her rare combination of strategic vision and personal commitment. She is equally capable of securing funding through state and local grants to improve our city and following through on those projects. Her attention to the issues, great and small, reflects her devotion to those whom she serves.

Not only will you see her greet residents with genuine warmth, but she listens and acts on the needs of her constituents. Her leadership is not about policy, but about people.

Constructive and collaborative leadership is more essential than ever, and Jennifer Macksey has proven herself to be exactly the kind of leader North Adams needs.

On Nov. 4, I will be voting for Mayor Jennifer Macksey. I encourage all my neighbors who want to move our city toward a better future to join me.

Ian Bergeron
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.