To the Editor:

As I prepare to leave the City Council after four terms, I have paid very close attention to the historic race for the next mayor of North Adams. After accepting invitations to meet with two of the candidates, and after doing my own due diligence, I am thrilled to give my support and vote to Lynette Bond. There are many reasons for why I believe Lynette is the mayor we need and deserve as a city; below are just a few.

Consistency and authenticity matter to me, and both are key character traits of Lynette's. You don't need to go hunting for Lynette's involvement and passion for this community to understand why she is best suited to lead from the corner office. She already lives the life of an engaged community member and role model, and commits selflessly to supporting the greater good. Whether attending community events with her friends and family, investing time and energy into boards and committees, or volunteering to support local causes, Lynette has been, and remains, an authentically engaged and devoted resident in our city. Just as importantly, she has proven to be the same person since the first time I met her, not just while campaigning for mayor. She is a true leader by example, not for paycheck or ego, but for impact in the place she calls home.

Lynette is a leader in our community, and her experience is diverse and deeply needed at this time. Whether it is her efforts voluntarily spearheading the Colegrove Park Elementary School campaign, identifying, accessing, and activating high-impact grants, or developing the vision and taking action to launch new programs and initiatives in her places of employment, Lynette comes fully prepared to put in the necessary work. She knows how to set realistic expectations, hold herself and others accountable, lead with empathy and ambition, and to earn the buy-in of stakeholders required to make meaningful impact and change.

Lynette has vision. She listens to information and ideas from others, takes the time to understand the challenges and opportunities, and charts a path to achieving great things. Beyond just "fixing the problems," Lynnette works toward "making the great opportunities possible," while actively taking into account the diverse voices and needs of all involved. As we enter a once-in-a-generation period of federal investment, we need Lynette to bring realistic vision, shovel-ready ideas, and data-informed action to the forefront. Her experience in navigating grant pipelines and bureaucratic systems and ability to quickly create relationships for advocacy will help North Adams get the investment we absolutely need.

Lynette gets it. She values our local history and the generations of folks who have built and sustained this city, the industries that have come, gone, innovated, and continue to shape our region, and the new residents and community members who, like her, have chosen to call North Adams home. She won't just be the voice for one segment of our community, she will be the mayor for all of us.

She understands that for us to actually help the taxpayers of this city, we need strategic and realistic growth. Her experience working with businesses and developers lends vital insight, while her background with infrastructure projects provides tactical savvy to leap into an era of business-friendly policy and practice, housing rejuvenation and redevelopment, and educational investment. These pieces are all needed for our local economy to flourish, and when that happens, the tax burden for each of us will be lessened, as business growth is the key to a balanced budget.

Lynette knows that equitable education is of paramount necessity to ensure all our children have the same chance to achieve their dreams. She's ready to work with North Adams Public Schools to improve our district and embrace novel approaches, securing the brightest future possible in a changing population landscape.

These are just some of the most important reasons I am proudly supporting and voting for Lynette Bond for mayor, and I am asking you to do the same. I really do believe that she is the mayor we need for the future of North Adams.

Benjamin Lamb
North Adams, Mass.

Benjamin Lamb is a North Adams city councilor. 

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