Letter: Macksey Is the Best Candidate to Lead North Adams

To the Editor:

I'm proud to state my public support for Jennifer Macksey, the one candidate for mayor in North Adams who is truly prepared to lead North Adams starting on Jan. 1 and going forward.

I've known Jen since we were both very much younger and working on Marshall Street in our respective family businesses. I have always admired Jen's ability to listen and talk to everyone she would encounter, as well as her ability to remain focused and calm in all situations. Jen has dedicated her life to being a positive advocate for her family and the people of North Adams. She has worked diligently through a variety of municipal and educational leadership experiences to prepare herself thoroughly for the one position that she has always had as a goal, mayor of North Adams.

Two and a half years ago, the North Berkshire School Union Joint Committee made the decision to hire Jen as the new business administrator for the small, rural districts managed by the superintendent's office. Jen took this opportunity on with a strong advocacy from day one to make positive changes that were certainly needed to improve the budgeting and financial management processes in these school districts.

Jen led school building improvement projects in several of the districts due to her strong municipal background, as well as implementing an improved budgeting process that incorporated much needed transparency and integrity to show the town leaders and residents the full cost of education in their communities. It must also be stated that during Jen's tenure in the NBSU, she has brought in an unprecedented amount of grant funding to benefit all NBSU districts to support upgrades in technology, education, and building safety, especially during the last school year when all four NBSU districts were safely open for in-person learning (while most schools were closed across the county and state).

The true standard of a good leader is to leave a job better than you found it through the positive improvements made during your time spent in the leadership position. Jennifer Macksey will be leaving the NBSU districts in much better condition than she found them almost three years ago, and I have no doubt whatsoever that she will do the same thing as the first female Mayor of North Adams. Please join me in voting for the best and most prepared leader to be our next mayor of North Adams, Jennifer Macksey!

John Franzoni
North Adams, Mass. 

John Franzoni is the superintendent of the Northern Berkshire School Union.

Clarksburg Students Write in Support of Rural School Aid

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
07:25AM / Sunday, March 15, 2026

Mason Langenback calculated that Clarksburg would get almost $1 million if the $60 million was allocated equally.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Eighth-graders at Clarksburg School took a lesson in civic advocacy this week, researching school funding and writing letters to Beacon Hill that call for fulling funding rural school aid. 

 

The students focused on the hardships for small rural schools and their importance to the community — that they struggle with limited funding and teacher shortages, but offer safe and supportive spaces for learning and are a hub for community connections.

 

"They all address the main issue, the funding for rural schools, and how there's a gap, and there's the $4 million gap this year, and then it's about the $40 million next year, and that rural schools need that equitable funding," said social studies teacher Mark Karhan.

 

A rural schools report in 2022 found smaller school districts cost from nearly 17 percent to 23 percent more to operate, and recommended "at least" $60 million be appropriated annually for rural school aid. 

 

Gov. Maura Healey has filed for more Chapter 70 school aid, but that often is little help to small rural schools with declining or static enrollment. For fiscal 2027, she's budgeted $20 million for rural schools, up from around $13 million this year but still far below the hoped for $60 million. 

 

Karhan said the class was broken into four groups and the students were provided a submission letter from Rural Schools Advocacy. The students used the first paragraph, which laid out the funding facts, and then did research and wrote their own letters. 

 

They will submit those with a school picture to the governor.