Mayor Jennifer Macksey's priorities for North Adams if she's reelected include infrastructure, especially storm preparation

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NORTH ADAMS — Mayor Jennifer Macksey wants to continue on as the city’s mayor. For a while.

“I’m 50 years old. I’d like to at least be here until I’m 62,” Macksey said. “I want to continue working until I’m done, and as we’ve talked about today, I’m far from done.”

Macksey sat down with The Eagle in her City Hall office last week to discuss her tenure thus far, and to outline her priorities if reelected. Blight, a rejected attempt at a homeless shelter at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and the upcoming Hoosic River revitalization project are some of the events and issues Macksey dealt with in her first term. Infrastructure, economic development and public safety are three of her priorities for a possible second term.

North Adams Mayor Jennifer Macksey marches in the 66th annual Fall Foliage in 2022. Macksey prides herself on being visible.

While there will be no preliminary election this year, Macksey will run against Aprilyn Carsno in the general election. In the 2021 mayoral race, Carsno lost decisively in a preliminary election that Macksey won.

Carsno told The Eagle in 2021 that she is a self-identified independent. She said at the time that the condition of the city’s infrastructure and economic issues motivated her to run. She worked as a certified nursing assistant at Berkshire Health Systems before working part-time at Stop & Shop. She did not return a request for comment for this story.

Macksey prides herself on being visible. She said she’s the city’s spokesperson, and she’s unbothered by critics who say she's "trying to get her picture taken."

“The reality is, I like to be out in the community, listening, learning and helping people,” she said.

Before she was elected mayor two years ago, Macksey served as the city’s treasurer. Since coming into office, she said she's sought out strong relationships with state and federal officials. She said she’s displeased with a lack of state and federal aid since flash rain storms damaged the city’s storm water infrastructure this summer.

“Quite frankly, they’re moving too slow,” she said. “We have 45 days until we probably will get snow in October. I have 45 days to do a lot of paving and to fix a lot of streets … Yesterday I told the state, 'Don’t come back for a photo op, just give me a check.'”

The city has increased both police and fire department staff during Macksey’s tenure. She said the opening of a temporary headquarters for the police department “has been huge for morale on the police side.” The city recently completed a public safety needs assessment for a new permanent headquarters.

North Adams Mayor Jennifer Macksey throws one of the first pitches of the game for the 31st annual LaFesta Baseball Exchange between the North Adams Babe Ruth team and Boston’s North End Dodgers at Joe Wolfe Field in North Adams. Saturday, July 23, 2022.

During her previous campaign, Macksey took a hard line on drugs and crime in the city. “It’s not that I’m kicking down doors, it’s because I’m supporting the troops, and when we get a tip, we’re pushing,” she said. “We’re not going to stop drug sales in the community, but we’re sure as hell going to slow it down.”

Macksey said she could not comment on the change in leadership in the police department, except to say that it hasn’t “missed a beat.” In March, former police chief Jason Wood was dismissed from his position, two days after local police were called for a domestic incident involving him and a married couple. While Macksey has said she “lost confidence” in Wood, the full motivation for his dismissal remains unclear. Macksey has expressed confidence in interim chief Mark Bailey.

Macksey said cleaning up a million-dollar deficit of old grant accounts that had been lingering on the books through different administrations was a flagship accomplishment for her first term.

“I like everything in the black, and I don’t like to have rollovers,” Macksey said. “Those were affecting our free cash long term, and while we had money available I wanted to clean it up.”

Macksey said her office has been working to maintain the city’s infrastructure. She listed ongoing projects including the Walnut Street wall collapse, the Galvin Road culvert, the YMCA roof, the Brown Street Bridge, dam inspections and replacing sidewalks.

Top of mind for Macksey last week was the Hoosic River revitalization project. The city on Friday hosted the US Army Corps of Engineers, which has begun a feasibility project on how the city’s flood chutes, repaired, and beautified.

Macksey envisions a more fruitful future for the Mohawk Theater.

“We’re going to restore that marquee and make it shine, which will give us a good launching pad of what to do with the theater,” she said.

Macksey highlighted a tax incentive granted to Tourists hotel to help them develop the Blackinton Mill, as well as continued efforts between Mass MoCA and the city to bring activity downtown and vice versa.

“While we’re working for people to come in, we can’t forget the people who’ve always been here, who need to make an honest living,” Macksey said.

On North Adams Regional Hospital possible reopening:

“There’s more to it than just opening the 18 to 25 beds over time. It’s about having primary care physicians enough social emotional supports, enough recovery supports, enough services for food insecurities and to help our elderly.”

On MCLA’s rejected plan to host a homeless shelter on campus:

“I would welcome something like that if it was better vetted. I pushed back on that, and I was considered anti-homeless, which is not the case. I felt the plans were too vague, and that we didn’t have enough resources, and I always say we help our own first.”

On Greylock Elementary School:

“I’m thrilled about the work the city is doing collaboratively with the school building committee on the Brayton-Greylock feasibility study. If you look back two years ago, it sounded like a done deal to close Greylock school. When I came into office we hit pause….evaluating both sites to make a sound decision.”

On Blight:

“I don’t like demolishing houses, but some of these houses are in disrepair and are dragging down neighborhoods. The abandoned Sullivan School is not forgotten.”

On broadband:

“We’re doing a study to create our own broadband network here in North Adams,” she said. “We think we need to build competition for Spectrum.”

Sten Spinella can be reached at [email protected] or 860-853-0085.

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