North Adams Mayoral Campaign Spending More than $60KStaff Reports, iBerkshires
08:31PM / Wednesday, January 20, 2016 | |
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Last year's mayoral campaign cost more than $60,000.
Both candidates, Mayor Richard Alcombright and opponent John Barrett III spent about $30,000 apiece, with the incumbent edging his challenger by about $1,100.
Barrett, however, took in about $2,000 more in donations at $29,660.77, not including in-kind donations, according to campaign spending reports filed with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
Tuesday, Jan. 20, was the final filing date for campaign spending ending on Dec. 31. Previous deadlines were on Sept. 14 and on Oct. 16.
During both those two reporting periods, Alcombright outspent his competition. Barrett, former mayor of the city for 26 years, apparently stepped up his campaign in the days leading up to the November election, spending the bulk of his war chest beginning in late October.
Barrett spent $21,138.78 mostly during the last two weeks of the campaign on postcards, letters, a website and radio ads. His total spending was $30,171.51, leaving a balance of $24.06.
Alcombright spent $13,124.41, also mostly on mailings, T-shirts, radio ads, website and robocalls. He had, however, outspent Barrett in the first filing period almost 2 to 1. His total spending was $31,286.17, with $27,423 in donations. He began the year with $4,504.45 and ended with $641.28.
His largest expenditure in the last reporting period was $2,673.90 to Bona Marketing for mailers, stickers, shirts and fundraising tickets. He also spent $1,673 on radio advertising and $1,275.16 on robocalls through M.J. Ross Group.
Barrett's spent significantly more on printing and mailers during this period, spending more than $9,000.
Alcombright had 27 contributions in the final reporting period, mostly in the $100 range. Four were at $1,000, from donors William "Bo" Peabody, Katherine Peabody and John Strachan, all of Williamstown, and Richard Morgenthal of Pownal, Vt. The next closest at $500 were Nancy Fitzpatrick of Stockbridge and Sheila Stone of Williamstown.
Of the total donors, nine were from North Adams (one giving twice), and 13 from Williamstown.
Barrett had 38 donations in the final report, ranging between mostly $100 and $200, including former Gov. William Weld. His largest contributors were Frederick Hobart of Adams at $800 in two donations, David Whitney of North Adams at $600, and five at $500 — Brian Lee and Esther Lee, both of Mclean Va., Katherine Kryzanski of Chestnut Hill, Matthew Oneil of Dedham and Aaron Crandall of North Adams (in two donations). Of the total, 14 were from North Adams and two from Williamstown.
Both also received in-kind donations during the campaign: Barrett had $144.46 (pizza provided for a campaign event) and Alcombright had $213.22 (spaghetti supper door prize).
John Barrett III; Final Spending Report 2015
Richard Alcombright; Final Spending Report 2015
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