Election 2009: Bianchi Challenges Ruberto to Debate on Economic Development

11:04AM / Wednesday, October 28, 2009Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayoral candidate Dan Bianchi has announced that he will challenge the mayor to a roundtable debate on Friday, Oct. 30, at 5 p.m. The roundtable will take place on WBRK 1340-AM on "Talk Berkshires" and PCTV and will include topics on economic development, jobs, crime and education or any topic the mayor would like to discuss.

"We assumed for the past month the chamber debate was off. We offered numerous alternatives but none were accepted. We invited the Chamber to participate in an Oct. 13 debate on WBRK and they declined. I am frustrated by the fact that Berkshire County Chamber showed no flexibility changing the date of their debate to accommodate our scheduling conflict, nor there willingness to participate in a previously scheduled debate," said Bianchi.

"It is important for the voters of Pittsfield to hear from ALL candidates and here each of our messages for moving Pittsfield forward. When my campaign informed the chamber of my schedule, the chamber and Sherman Baldwin of WBRK said that they could not switch the date because of scheduling with PCTV. I received confirmation from PCTV last evening that they were never contacted with any alternative dates to switch the chamber debate even though these dates were presented to the chamber a month in advance. I think this purposeful attempt to mislead the citizens of Pittsfield is inexcusable and I suggest the mayor debates me this Friday," he continued.

"I suggest the mayor debates me on Friday as well as the previously scheduled debate this Thursday. That will make three debates in five days. I believe this whole scheduling issue is just a device to give the mayor yet another opportunity to send this campaign in a negative direction. I am more than happy to discuss my message and my vision for the future of this city with the voters of Pittsfield and the mayor."

Submitted by the Campaign to Elect Dan Bianchi

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North Adams Officials to Revote School Committee Members

Staff reports06:31PM / Friday, October 09, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — City and school officials will meet a second time to vote in two new members of the School Committee.

The joint convention of the City Council and School Committee will be held on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Hall conference room and via Zoom.

Damon Grimes and Paul Moriarty were jointly elected on Monday to fill two seats vacated by resignation. They were two of four candidates standing for election.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey, chair of the School Committee, said she had received in inquiry about the votes, which were done by secret ballot.

"I have been advised that voting by ballot was not permissible in this circumstance," she said, after consulting the School Committee's attorney Adam Dupere and city solicitor KP Law.

To ensure the validity of the votes and conduct of the election, the joint convention will reconvene and formally confirm the selection of Grimes and Moriarty.

"I apologize for the inconvenience of having to reconvene," the mayor said in a statement. "My intention in using a ballot was to address concerns raised following our previous convention, when some members expressed discomfort with publicly voting for or against individual candidates.

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