New Governor Baker to Visit North Adams, PittsfieldStaff Reports,
05:39PM / Monday, January 05, 2015 | |
 Gov.-elect Charlie Baker, right, will be in North Adams and Pittsfield on Saturday as he makes his first official visit as governor. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Charlie Baker will "spotlight" entities in the two Berkshire cities just days after being sworn in on Thursday as governor.
Baker's Inaugural Committee on Monday released six "Spotlights on Excellence" across the state that the new governor and Lt. Gov.-elect Karyn Polito will highlight as they enter office.
They include the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and Soldier On in Pittsfield.
The Berkshires has been watching the installation of the new governor with some trepidation.
The region often feels forgotten by the center of the universe known as Boston. Gov. Deval Patrick, who leaves office on Thursday, keeps a home in Richmond and was a frequent visitor to the area during his term. Patrick repeatedly declared his pledge "to be governor of the entire state."
Baker dipped into the Berkshires only a few times during the campaign, instead focusing on the more heavily populated and vote-rich eastern Massachusetts. It also likely was an acknowledgment that deep blue Berkshires would back his opponent, native Martha Coakley, which it did.
The visit on Saturday will be the first major event for Baker in the Berkshires, and hopefully a welcome sign of attention as he begins his term.
Baker will recognize Mass MoCA as a "Spotlight on Excellence" in the arts and community at 11 a.m. The massive museum was recently the recipient of a $25 million state grant toward the expansion of its campus. The museum and North Adams also hope to partner on creating a more pedestrian-friendly zone between MoCA and the downtown and on a bike path that will cut through the museum campus. Both will require state money.
At 1 p.m., Baker will visit Soldier On's housing development and veterans services on Housatonic Street in Pittsfield. The project will be highlighted as an example of veterans and community.
Part of the 2015 inaugural celebration, the events are designed to "showcase the innovative solutions to complex issues" and highlight Baker's campaign pledge to focus on jobs, schools and communities.
"Massachusetts is home to great people who work hard everyday to make our commonwealth a better place and our administration wants to celebrate these folks and work to replicate their success across the commonwealth," said Baker in a statement. "Just as we traveled across the commonwealth during the campaign to learn about the innovative ideas and results of these organizations first hand, once in office we will be relying on their experience as we work to build better schools, strengthen our communities and create jobs in Massachusetts."
Baker and Polito visited a number of the venues during the campaign.
Also on the list is Robert Frost Middle School in Lawrence; the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative in Boston; Blackstone Valley Vocational Technical School in Upton; and Worcester Polytech Institute.
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