Letter: Vote to Re-Elect Macksey as Mayor

To the Editor:

It's that time when voters will again get to make their choice for mayor. This year Scott Berglund is challenging Mayor Jennifer Macksey.

Other than being a political newcomer and a fairly new resident to the city, little is known about Mr. Berglund. I know he's twice defeated cancer and while I sincerely congratulate him on beating the beast, it is not a credential for overseeing a municipality with a $50-plus million budget.

He says if elected there will be "transparency" in his administration. Ironically, his campaign has been anything but transparent. Not once, even in the mayoral debate, did he cite any qualifications to be mayor. What experience does he have? What's he bringing to the table? In fact, what does he even do for work? I've never seen or heard that reported.

Throughout the debate with Mayor Macksey his replies to questions were riddled with "from what I hear", "people tell me," and "it's my understanding that ... ." Not one answer was specific to his personal knowledge of anything nor did he talk about any firsthand experience he has. He recited a wish list of things he'd like to do but not once said how he'd get them done or paid for.

On the flip side, Mayor Macksey has a strong financial and administrative background. Prior to being mayor, she served in several administrative roles in the city including treasurer/tax collector and has administrative backgrounds in education through positions at MCLA, Southern Vermont College and the Northern Berkshire School Union.

As mayor, she is not only the city's chief executive but is also chairman of the School Committee and School Building Committee. Under her leadership, the Police Department is now housed in an ADA-compliant facility; she worked with Berkshire Health Systems to re-open our hospital after 10 years; her administration obtained grant money for work on the Ashland Street corridor (including new sidewalks); the Brown Street bridge is slated to re-open and a new elementary school is being built with the majority of the cost being paid for by the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

Mayor Macksey is a lifelong resident of North Adams who knows its history and cares about its residents. She's not the Johnny-Come-Lately trying to persuade you that after just two years in town, he can fix things without telling you how. I urge everyone to join me on Nov. 4 in voting to re-elect Jennifer Macksey as mayor of North Adams.

Paul J. Moriarty
North Adams, Mass.

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."