Letter: Jennifer Macksey for Mayor

To the Editor:

Jennifer Macksey is quite simply the best mayoral candidate for North Adams. As any of Jen's coworkers, current or former, will tell you, Jen is a strong independent woman who has been successful in every position she has held. I have personally seen her incredibly strong work ethic and she puts her whole heart into everything she does — just imagine what she will do for the city she loves.

What an incredible benefit to have our new mayor walk into City Hall with the knowledge of how city government works. She will brainstorm with all the city departments to figure out what needs to be prioritized and get to work on it. There will be no long learning curve.

I find it disturbing that the only reason I hear to not vote for Jen is that she will be our former mayor's "mouthpiece." For those of you who have made that statement, you obviously don't know Jen.

Rebecca Cellana
North Adams, Mass.

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 fully 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.