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North Adams to Decide on Former or Current Mayor
Staff Reports, iBerkshires
12:36AM / Tuesday, November 03, 2015
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — It's unlikely that any voter in North Adams is on the fence in this year's mayoral election.

Most probably made their minds up six years ago when Richard Alcombright and John Barrett III first went head to head for the corner office.

This latest election round has been nearly as divisive, one that's been fought with particular vigor among the candidates' supporters on Facebook.

The themes from that first matchup — and the two elections in between — remain familiar: taxes and fees, jobs, crime, vacant Main Street storefronts and what to do with the Mohawk Theater. They've been joined this year with disagreement over the handling of the North Adams Regional Hospital closure, a proposed skate park at Noel Field and a heroin epidemic that's driving petty crime.

Barrett, who served 26 years as mayor before being ousted by Alcombright in 2009, has pointed to his long experience in public office, which included a more recent stint as a councilor. Still, he's made it clear that his run for 14th term was based on what described as a grassroots recruitment by residents unhappy with the incumbent's direction, and that his focus is to redirect the city's priorities.

Alcombright, a longtime local banker, served on the City Council by first filling the seat of his late father, Daniel Alcombright, who died in 2000. He entered office with the mantra of having an open mind and while leading City Hall into a more open and participatory era, his efforts to reinvigorate the city's economy but had been frustrated in large part by a stubborn budget deficit and devastating loss of state aid of some $2 million a year.

The candidates have parried over the management of the city's budget, with Barrett pointing to rising property taxes and the institution of a sewer fee as burdening the taxpayers; Alcombright has countered that Barrett had raised taxes when the city was getting nearly twice as much aid and hid a deficit by underfunding the employees' health insurance trust.

Alcombright's efforts to close the budget deficit has resulted in a mix of taxes, fees, budget cuts and savings, none of which have made taxpayers happy. An attempt to privatize Western Gateway Heritage State Park collapsed earlier this year.

Alcombright, Barrett Rehash Old Battles, Spar Over Priorities

Barrett, Alcombright Meet in Final Debate Before Election

North Adams Mayoral Candidates Debate Health Care, Hospital Closing

Despite the setbacks, Alcombright has made reductions and consolidations in City Hall, closed the deficit, instituted a solar power purchase agreement expected to net the city some $400,000 in savings, and overseen the renovation of the former middle school into a new elementary school that, while on budget, is several months late. The city also created its first master plan in decades under his watch and is seeing a flurry of recent investments in the West End.

For his part, Barrett has hearkened back to his 26 years that saw the development of the city's biggest investment — Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art — and his experience in municipal government that steered the city through previous tough times. He's also pointed to the three school projects completed under his watch. He's also called for the re-establishment of a code enforcement officer to combat blight and substations to develop community policing as proactive measure.

He says he'd develop a more robust economic development plan and call in the governor in creating a task force for regional employment training opportunities. He's also made promises to work to restore the in-patient services at the former North Adams Regional Hospital, now owned by Berkshire Medical Center.

Some of Barrett's punches have fallen flat though. In the first debate, he alleged that Crane & Co. was not living up to its employment agreement (it has) and that Alcombright had committed the city to a matching grant for a private effort (he had not). At last week's radio debate, he claimed Walmart and its developer had pledged $500,000 to the city, but offered no proof.

A flier mailed late last week with "testimonials" — quotes taken from old articles and speeches — also caused some backlash, with two of the men listed denying they were endorsing Barrett.

Alan Bashevkin, former longtime director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, wrote a letter in support of Alcombright after learning his name was on the flier; Alan Chartock of WAMC said on his radio show Monday that he did not endorse Barrett and had not been asked to use his name. "Frankly I'm a little ticked off," Chartock said.

Barrett supporters are unlikely to be swayed by any of this; angry over tax hikes and the loss of the hospital, they see the former mayor as a champion in keeping rates low and his pugnacious manner as a sign of strong leadership. The former mayor swept all five of the city's wards in the preliminary election that saw candidate Eric Rudd eliminated.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; BCAC is providing free transportation to and from the polls, look for the van at these times:

    Brayton Hill Apartments – 9:00, 12:00 & 5:00
    Corner of Greylock St and Angeli St – 9:10, 12:15 & 5:15
    Wheel Estates – 10:00, 2:00 & 6:00
    Tunnel Brook Apartments – 10:10, 2:10 & 6:10
    Mohawk Forest – 10:20, 2:20 & 6:20
    Berkshire Landings – 10:25, 2:25 & 6:25
    MCLA Library – 10:35, 2:35 & 6:35
    High Rise – 10:45, 2:45 & 6:45
    St.Joe Court – 10:50, 2:50 & 6:50
    First Congregational Church – 1:00

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