Officers Nicholas Lillie, Steven Wandrei, Nannette Reid and Elizabeth Zipp joined the force as full-time officers; Lillie. Reid and Wandrei graduated last Friday from the Police Academy.
Assistant City Clerk Melissa Kilbride swears in the new officers on Tuesday night.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city swore in four new police officers during Tuesday night's City Council meeting.
Officers Nicholas Lillie, Steven Wandrei, Nannette Reid and Elizabeth Zipp joined the force as full-time officers; Lillie. Reid and Wandrei graduated last Friday from the Police Academy.
Zipp was a full-time officer in her hometown of Hinsdale for five years. The Wahconah Regional High School graduate earned her bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2021 and master's degree in justice administration in 2022, both from Faulkner University.
Zipp, who paid her way through the Police Academy, is a forensic interviewer for Berkshire County Kids' Place and part of the county's Domestic Violence Task Force. She is also an emergency medical technician and a task force officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Lillie lives in Hancock and graduated from McCann Technical School's machine technology program in 2018. He joined the Army National Guard and currently holds the rank of a specialist E4. He looks forward to being a police officer and is interested in becoming a drug recognition expert.
"I'm very proud that Officer Lillie brought home an award to the city of North Adams for being the most proficient member of the class for both the handgun and rifle fire," said the mayor.
Reid grew up in North Adams and Clarksburg, and studied criminal justice at Bay Path College. She moved on to jobs in customer service and finance, and ran a daycare for 11 years in her Adams home, but had always aspired to a law enforcement career
The mayor said she told a story of listening to the scanner with her father, the city's former Water Department chief Richard Boucher, and telling him that one day she wanted to be a police officer.
"Well Officer Reid, today's your day," she said.
Wandrei, of Adams, graduated from the McCann Tech's automotive program. He worked five years for Pete's Automotive and then moved down the road to Bedard Bros., where he's worked since 2008 as a master mechanic.
He is interested in working with domestic violence survivors as a police officer.
The officers were sworn in by Assistant City Clerk Melissa Kilbride and congratulated by interim Police Chief Mark Bailey and Lt. Anthony Beverly as family members watched from the audience.
"I just want to especially thank the family, friends and everyone who's here tonight to support our officers and especially all of those who supported them through their 23-week journey," said the mayor. "It's not easy, not only for the officers but it's a big commitment from their families. And we appreciate your commitment to the city of North Adams."
She asked the new officers to "never betray your integrity, your character and the public trust. I ask that you always have the courage to hold yourselves and others accountable for their actions."
In other business:
The council heard from neighbors on Walnut Street about the safety issues related to the partial road collapse and from representatives of the Higher Education Coalition about legislation on higher education funding. (These will be covered separately.)
The council confirmed the appointments of John Treski to the Commission on Disabilities, filling the unexpired term of Carrie Crews expiring Dec. 1, 2025, and Michael Meaney to the Parks & Recreation Commission for a term expiring April 1, 2029, and the reappointment of Annette M. Guerino to the Windsor Lake Recreation Commission for a term expiring April 1, 2027.
The mayor read a proclamation in support of Transgender Visibility Day on March 31.
The council unanimously approved a resolution in support of the paint stewardship legislation. Thomas Irwin, a member of the Dalton Green Committee, has advocated for the program throughout the Berkshires. President Bryan Sapienza thanked Irwin for his efforts and said he believed North Adams is the 40th community to signal support.
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Colegrove Park Recognized as Top 10 School Statewide in Attendance
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Superintendent Barbara Malkas, left, Colegrove Principal Amy Meehan, Mayor Jennifer Macksey and Dean of Students Jonathan Slocum pose with the Celtics basketball award on Friday.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Boston Celtics gave gold to Colegrove Park Elementary School on Friday for scoring in the top 10 schools for attendance statewide. The school saw its chronic absenteeism numbers drop by 11 percent last year.
Tim Connor, assistant director for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's west and central district, arrived with a gold basketball signed by the champion team to reward the students for their achievement.
"An award like this doesn't come easy. It takes a lot of work from all of you, the students, the parents, and especially Ms. Meehan and her wonderful staff, so a big round of applause," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey, after leading the assembly in the gym to chants of "Colegrove rocks!" "I am so proud of this school and the community that all of you have built. So everyone should be really excited about today, and this is an excellent way to start your school."
Superintendent Barbara Malkas asked last year's fifth-graders at Colegrove to join her at the front of the gym for a special applause.
"When we track attendance of all the students in the whole district, these students have the highest attendance rate, the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the entire district," Malkas said. "While all Colegrove students have been recognized as attendance all-stars, these students led the way in being attendance all-stars, so let's give them one more round of applause."
Colegrove switched this year to house Grades 3 to 6, so some of the younger students who helped earn the award are now at Brayton Elementary. However, all three elementary schools open last year saw improvement in attendance.
Schools statewide have been working to reduce chronic absenteeism — the percentage of students missing 10 percent of the school year, or 18 days — which peaked during the pandemic.
Last week, the nonprofit held a ceremonial groundbreaking for a 900-square-foot wooden structure with a full foundation and a composting toilet. The excavation process began this week, and completion is expected in 2026.
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The Boston Celtics gave gold to Colegrove Park Elementary School on Friday for scoring in the top 10 schools for attendance statewide. The school saw its chronic absenteeism numbers drop by 11 percent last year. click for more