Staff Reports On: 08:14PM / Sunday October 30, 2011
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There are three forums scheduled this week for candidates running for mayor, City Council and School Committee in the city. All the debates will be hosted by Northern Berkshire Community Television and broadcast on Channel 17.
Mayoral candidates Richard Alcombright and Ronald Boucher will face off in their third and last debate aired live on Tuesday, Nov. 1, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by iBerkshires, the hourlong debate will take place at the studio without an audience. iBerkshires' Editor in Chief Tammy Daniels will be the moderator.
The focus of the debate will be economic growth, management and government/public services.
Voters are encouraged to email questions or issues they would like addressed to info@iberkshires.com with "election questions" in the subject line or tweet us @iberkshires during the debate using hashtag #election2011.
The debate will also air on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 3, at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 4, at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 5, at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 6, at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; and Monday, Nov. 7, at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The 16 City Council candidates will be taped in two 50-minute forums at the studio on Wednesday, Nov. 2, to be aired later. Sponsored by the North Adams Transcript, the candidates will be split into two groups of eight and asked the same three questions in alphabetical order, according to the newspaper.
The first group will be John Barrett III, Lisa Blackmer, Michael Bloom, Keith Bona, David Bond, Eric Buddington, Nancy Bullett and Robert Cardimino.
The second group will be Catherine Chaput, Diane Gallesse-Parsons, Marie Harpin, Michael Hernandez, Jennifer Breen Kirsch, Alan Marden, Greg Roach and Gail Sellers.
The forums will be shown back to back beginning on Thursday, Nov. 3, at 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 4, at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 5, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 6, at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., and Monday, Nov. 7, at 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.
A School Committee debate to be taped on Thursday has been canceled because not enough candidates were able to attend. Invited to participate are Mary Lou Acetta, Lawrence K. Taft, Leonard Giroux Jr., Tara Jacobs and David Lamarre. The five are running for three seats. They have been invited to submit candidate statements to iBerkshires.
The municipal election is Tuesday, Nov. 8, from 9 to 7. The deadline for absentee ballots is Monday, Nov. 7, at noon in the city clerk's office.
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
The article says the mayoral forum will be aired live Tuesday 11/1, and then says it will not air live. Will it be on Tuesday, or taped to air Wednesday?
Editor: That's what I get for copy-pasting. It is live; the School Committee is not. I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)
Tammy I heard that Cardimino gave you some guff for cutting off one of his temper tantrums this morning on WNAW------do you plan to do a summary of the radio conservations??5605.
Editor: Some of my MP3 recordings weren't good so I'm going to see if WNAW can give me copies I can post. We're covering the debates on Wednesday and doing at least some capsules of all the candidates - here and in Pittsfield.
Mr. Cardimino just wanted to get his say in; I know how to handle him. I Agree (5) - I Disagree (1)
Good job Tammy. on the No comments about the former manager of the rink, stop being "Bios" and let the people have a say. you sound like the mayor now.
Editor: We do not allow comments on any crime stories and many of our accident stories. That is our policy. I do not understand what you mean by bios. Are you asking me to no longer be alive? I Agree (3) - I Disagree (1)
The cities of Pittsfield and North Adams will hold municipal elections for mayor, city council and school committee in 2015
You may vote absentee: if you will be absent from your town or city on election day, have a physical disability that prevents you from voting at the polls or cannot vote at the polls because to religious beliefs.