Letter: Mayor Macksey Has My Vote on Nov. 4

To the Editor:

As a North Adams city councilor, business owner, and community organizer, I know how essential strong, constructive, and collaborative leadership is for our city's future. My goals on the City Council are focused on setting North Adams up for long-term success. In pursuing these goals, I've collaborated extensively with Mayor Jennifer Macksey, and I believe we share a similar purpose.

Mayor Macksey has been a constructive, hard-working, and deeply caring partner. Whenever I see her around town, she greets people with warmth and a smile. While we don't always see eye to eye, I have faith in her leadership and her commitment to working with me and other community stakeholders to help North Adams truly shine.

I'll be voting for Mayor Jennifer Macksey on Nov. 4, and I encourage others to do the same.

Andrew Fitch
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 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.