Letter: Oleskiewicz Endorses Macksey for Mayor

To the editor:

Please join me in support of Jennifer Macksey for mayor of the City of North Adams.

After working closely with her over the last two terms as a sitting City Council member, I am proud of all that has been accomplished and am very much looking forward to the future and what is yet to be achieved. Her dedication to the city is unwavering. As past chair of Public Services, I like to go out on site to visit our hard-working crews and express my thanks. I am not surprised when I see her there doing the same. Appreciation goes a long way.

The city is in forward motion with many things that have been on the to-do list that have either been checked off or
are in motion. Dating back three mayors, the final stage is complete with the building of a new Greylock School, the Brown Street bridge will be open by early winter, there are two conceptual plans for the Veterans [Memorial] Bridge, belvedere work is being done at the North Adams Public Library, RFP was complete to sell off Sullivan School, our Police Department is in an ADA-compliant space, the list goes on.

She has not sat idly by, as some say. Jennifer is a "Do-er." When Jen first ran for mayor I did support the other candidate, who I still think would have done a fabulous job as well. Over the last four years, a fabulous working relationship was built and I have the fullest confidence in Jennifer running our great city and moving forward on some great future plans.

We may not agree on everything, and have had some yelling matches, but when we are done, we say "next" and move on. So please join me in casting your vote for the future of North Adams: Jennifer Macksey for mayor.

Pete Oleskiewicz
North Adams City Councilor

Berkshires Remember First Responders, Military Personnel Lost at 9/11 and Aftermath

By Jack Guerino & Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
02:30PM / Friday, September 11, 2026

North Adams Mayor Jennifer Macksey, with Fire Chief Brent Lefebvre speaks at Friday's memorial. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The county's two cities held memorials on Friday morning to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. 

Great Barrington was scheduled to hold a dedication of piece of steel from the World Trade Center at 6 p.m.

North Adams held its ceremony in the fire station's side garden starting at exactly 8:46 a.m., the time Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower.

 

The small square of grass was packed with police officers, firefighters, wire and alarm personnel, dispatchers, and Northern Berkshire EMS employees, and city employees, officials and community members. 

 

After the ceremonial tolling of the bell, an honor guard presented the colors.

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey said it felt odd welcoming people to a very solemn event.

 

"What happened 25 years ago put a mark on emergency services. It put additional pressure on police, fire, EMS, and dispatchers," Macksey said. "While we remember those who lost their lives during 9/11, and those who ran to help as many as they could during 9/11, we have to pause and appreciate those who continue to serve despite that awful threat that occurred 25 years ago."

 

She said it was a direct attack on the United States and all of its people.

 

"It was a question of our freedoms and our ability to be safe in our communities," the mayor said. "I can say today that here in North Adams, it could happen to us, but I know with the professionalism of our Fire Department, Police Department, EMS, and our dispatch team, we are a better community; we are a safer community than we were 25 years ago."