image description — Michael Peters is cheers as he takes his retirement ride through the 'car wash' on Thursday.

Clarksburg Custodian Gets Royal Retirement Sendoff

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
11:59AM / Friday, September 11, 2026Print Story | Email Story

Retiring head custodian Michael Peters with School Committee member Mary Giron, a former longtime employee at the school.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Custodian Michael Peters happily went through the "car wash" on his last day at Clarksburg School on Thursday.

It's a tradition at the school to send off their retiring personnel with a hand-waving gauntlet of children and a drive around town in a classy vehicle.

Decked out in a crown and a sash declaring "The Legend Has Retired," Peters stepped into Kevin Gamache's 1966 Chevrolet Impala SS 427 to ride by a line of cheering children.

They stood waving and cheering on both sides of the long driveway to the back of the school, with first-graders holding signs saying "Thank you," "Happy Retirement, and "We Love" Mr. Peters. An older student declared, "I'm going to miss him."

Peters,of North Adams, worked for the school for 19 years, the last 16 as the head custodian, and said he felt pretty but also a "little anxious" as he pondered his next chapter.

"It's been fun. It's been really good. Everybody's been really great," said the Clarksburg native. "I've never had a problem with anybody, and it's been fun. It's been a really good, good time here."

His last two principals paid him high compliments not only on his work but the extra efforts he's put in over the years.

Oh, I think I think he's been amazing," said Principal Kimberly Rougeau. "He stuck out an extra year for me when I became principal last year, knowing that one more change might be a little tricky.

"He's willing to help out. He sees us working on something, and finds where he can jump in. So he's going to be missed."

Tara Barnes, now assistant superintendent, said, "Michael Peters was way more than a custodian for Clarksburg School. He's part of our family. He was reliable, always there for us, and we're going to miss him a lot."

Peters wasn't sure what he would be doing next, but would be taking it day by day.

"We'll find out. Yeah, we'll find out," he said. "We'll keep busy though. We got to keep busy."

Tags: Clarksburg School, retirement,

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North Adams Council OKs New Sustainability Committee

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:13AM / Thursday, September 10, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday night moved the establishment of a Sustainability & Tree Commission to a second reading and publication.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey back in February had presented the council with a list of objectives and how she thought a such a committee could support the administration. Councilor Andrew Fitch had raised the issue the year before, referred it to the mayor's office and pushed through the ordinance.

As the process moved forward, he recommended it merge with the Tree Commission, taking on that committee's objectives as part of the city's sustainability mission. It will make recommendations such as regarding climate change and impact on neighborhoods, and be able to seek grants, partnerships and other resources.

The language provided to the council on Tuesday had been reviewed by several committees and commissions and included changes advised by the city solicitor.

"It's been through a whole bunch of different reviews, and it took different tweaks from each of these committees," said Fitch, acting as president that night. "Each of these committees and commission provided excellent guidance of how to make this a little bit stronger, how to make this a little bit better."

Jenny Dunning, a member of the grassroots North Adams Sustainability Task Force, spoke at the beginning of the meeting to endorse the ordinance.

"I just want to say how much I appreciate that the council and the administration has moved forward to figure out a way to make this happen, and it's up for the vote tonight," said Dunning, who serves on the Windsor Lake Commission. "And we've got five of us who are here to support this change."

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