image description
Brent Lefebvre is promoted to lieutenant in 2017 by Fire Chief Stephen Meranti. Lefebvre has been named as the retired Meranti' successor.

North Adams Names New Fire Chief

Print Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city has a new fire chief with the appointment of Lt. Brent Lefebvre.
 
Mayor Thomas Bernard made the announcement on Friday.
 
Lefebvre, a 12-year veteran of the force, will succeed Fire Chief Stephen Meranti who retired in January 2021 after more than 33 years of service. Meranti had continued in the role of chief until his replacement could be named.
 
"Brent Lefebvre is the right choice to serve as the next fire chief for the city of North Adams," Bernard said in a statement. "In speaking with him, the search committee and I found an experienced firefighter with strong community connections who is ready to assume the fire chief’s leadership and command responsibilities, and to follow the collaborative and distinguished example of Chief Meranti."
 
Lefebvre holds an associates' degree in fire science from Mount Wachusett Community College and earned a bachelor of science in fire science from Ana Maria College in 2020. He served as a firefighter, lieutenant, and captain with the Clarksburg Volunteer Fire Department from 2001-2009. He joined the North Adams Fire Department in 2009 and was promoted to lieutenant in 2017.
 
"I would like to thank Mayor Bernard for offering me this opportunity," Lefebvre said. "It's an honor to be chosen as the city's next fire chief and I look forward to serving the community with the same professionalism and dedication as Chief Meranti has for the last 17 years."
 
Chief Lefebvre will be officially sworn in on Monday, March 22, with a public ceremony to follow at a later date.

 

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

North Adams Property Owners to See Tax Rates Fall, Bills Rise

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday voted to maintain the split tax shift, resulting in a drop in the residential and commercial tax rates. 
 
However, higher property values also mean about a $222 higher tax bill.
 
The vote was unanimous with Councilor Deanna Morrow absent. 
 
Mayor Jennifer Macksey recommended keeping a 1.715 shift to the commercial side, the same as last year. This sets the residential rate at $16.71 per $1,000 property valuation, down 43 cents, and the commercial/industrial to $35.22, down $1.12.
 
This is the lowest property tax rate since 2015, when it was $16.69.
 
"My job as the assessor is to assess based on full and fair cash value in an open market, willing buyer, willing seller, arms-length sales," said City Assessor Jessica Lincourt. "So every year, I have to do a sales analysis of everything that comes in."
 
All that documentation also has to be reviewed by the state Department of Revenue. 
 
View Full Story

More North Adams Stories