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.
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North Adams Council Votes Sanctuary for Transgender Community
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Mayor Jennifer Macksey gives Nash MacDonald a hug and a framed proclamation for Transgender Visibility Day at Tuesday's meeting.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council passed a resolution on Tuesday declaring the North Adams a sanctuary for the LGBTQIA-plus community.
The vote was 6-3 with Councilors Peter Oleskeiwicz, Wayne Wilkinson and Bryan Sapienza opposed.
"The LGBTQIA plus community is under attack. It is being persecuted at the national level, not necessarily in North Adams," said Councilor Andrew Fitch, who had spearheaded the resolution. "This is an opportunity for us as city leaders to say that we support the community here."
More than a dozen residents — members and allies of the transgender community — spoke in favor of the resolution, and expressing the fear they've felt in the wake of attacks on the transgender community. Just this weekend, a bomb threat was called into an adult drag story hour in Pittsfield. Several in the packed audience spoke of how they'd left other areas of the country and found safety and support North Adams.
"A statement can be powerful. It can ripple through a community," said Skyler Brooks. "We need to strengthen our community and protect the most vulnerable people from targeted attacks from this current administration.
"I believe that everyone is is owed life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, and that includes transgender people."
A woman said she and her family were "ex-pats" from Texas, and had specifically chosen to come to Massachusetts because they thought it would be safer for their daughters.
Bailey explained that this change will allow police officers more flexibility when responding to non-emergency calls, reducing wait times at the traffic light and reducing potential traffic congestion when emergency vehicles need to pass through.
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