Letter: Retired Fire Chief Supports Macksey for Mayor

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To the Editor:

I am writing this letter in support of the most qualified candidate for mayor of the city of North Adams. We need a strong yet compassionate leader who will work with the City Council and others to move this city forward. We need a mayor who is open to new ideas and one who will listen to both sides and then make the decision that will best benefit the city. We need a mayor who understands how government works and who will use all resources available and a mayor who will seek out state and federal funding as well as investments from the private sector. We need a mayor who cares about this city and the services that we provide and one who will set expectations and make sure that they are followed. We need Jennifer Macksey as the next mayor of the city of North Adams

I have known Jennifer for over 30 years and have worked with her in the past. Jennifer is all of the above. Because Jennifer has the experience of working in city government and education, she will be ready to start on day one. She is a strong leader that will make decisions based on data. I have observed first hand that Jennifer listens to the concerns of all of the people with whom she speaks. Jennifer will be the mayor who will be out front working for this city. I believe that she will be the mayor that won’t just talk about the need for a solution to the issues with the public safety building, she will be the mayor to use all of the resources at her disposal to actually get this project underway. As many of you know, public safety is very important to me and while I am happy that the hydrant replacement program is underway, it must not stop there. There must be a plan going forward to maintain these hydrants as well as to inspect, maintain, and replace, if necessary, the underground piping throughout the city. Jennifer will be the mayor to give the support needed to carry out this work. Our firefighters should not have to worry about getting water from a hydrant they connect to.

Those who know Jennifer know that she is her own person who makes thoughtful decisions based on all information given. She is a puppet for no one. Anyone with concerns about this should have a conversation with her. I'm sure you will change your mind.

If you are concerned, as I am, about the future of the city of North Adams, please vote for Jennifer Macksey for mayor on Nov. 2.

Steve Meranti
Clarksburg, Mass. 

Stephen Meranti is the retired fire chief of the North Adams Fire Department.

 

 

 


Tags: election 2021,   letters to the editor,   municipal election,   


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Weekend Outlook: Get Outside This Holiday Weekend

iBerkshires Staff

Enjoy the peak of the fall season this weekend before the weather turns frosty!

 

Editor's Pick

Mt. Greylock Ramble/RambleFest
All Around Adams

Oct. 9–12

Massachusetts' highest peak is the centerpiece of a weekend-long celebration of autumn in the Berkshires. A live performance by comedian Jason Salmon on Friday, Oct. 9, and the Big in the Berkshires local music showcase on Saturday, Oct. 10, both will kick off the weekend at The Adams Theater. This year's RambleFest celebration will be held Sunday, Oct. 11, from noon to 5 p.m. p.m. at the Adams Visitor Center, located at 3 Hoosac St. in Adams. This free event will feature live music, food and drink, vendors, children's activities, sight-seeing trains, and more. The 58th annual Mt. Greylock Ramble, a hike along the Cheshire Harbor Trail to the summit of Mount Greylock, will take place Monday, Oct. 12. This 6.6-mile, round-trip hike that is moderately strenuous and can take four to five hours, but the spectacular views at the 3,491-foot summit are worth the effort. The first 2,000 hikers will receive certificates of accomplishment. A free shuttle from the Adams Visitor Center to the trailhead runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. with return shuttle until 4 p.m. Very limited parking will be available near the trailhead, so use of the shuttle is strongly encouraged.

More information here.

 

Multiple Days

'Celebrating Jewish Plays'
Shakespeare & Company, Lenox
Oct. 9–11

"Celebrating Jewish Plays" features three readings presented over three evenings during the holiday weekend. Live poetry, speakers, musical performances, and more have been added to this year's celebration. Multishow weekend passes are also available; tickets are $30 to $100.

Tickets and information here.

 

Thursday

Closing Reception for 'Terra Mater'
Hotel Downstreet, 40 Main St., North Adams
6–8 p.m.

These nature-inspired ink, cyanotype, and mixed-media works by artists Joan Ryan, Livia Linden, Carissa Toomey and Alicia Canary are curated by Anna Salmeron.

More information here.

 

'Goosebumps' Party
Lenox Library, Lenox
3:30–5 p.m.

As part of Banned Books Week, the library invites the public to celebrate the birthday of prolific author R.L. with a Goosebumps Party with crafts, food, and fun. Create neon marker art, slime, and listen to scary stories. Free for all ages.

More information here.

 

Friday

American Stories Curator Talks
Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge
9:30 a.m.

Spend a morning with curators exploring Norman Rockwell Museum's expansive and thought-provoking exhibition commemorating 250 years of America. Each session will focus on a theme drawn from the exhibition. This program occurs before public opening hours, providing a unique opportunity for reflection and enjoyment of the exhibition.

Tickets and information here.

 

Planetarium Show
Milham Planetarium,
Williams College, Williamstown
8–9 p.m.

Weekly planetarium shows are held on Friday nights at the Milham Planetarium to see all that night sky has to offer, from mythology to astrophysics and cosmology.

Registration here.

 

Friday Karaoke
Dalton American Legion
6 p.m.

More information here.

 

Saturday

Geology of Stone Hill

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