Please check back as schedules will be added and/or updated through the next few weeks.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — iBerkshires is hosting a City Council candidate forum on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Mingo's Sports Bar & Grill at Greylock Bowl & Golf.
At least nine candidates have confirmed their attendance at the forum, which will include opening and closing comments and a conversation on city topics. Editor Tammy Daniels will moderate and those in attendance will be able to submit questions in writing as time allows.
The forum is open to the public and will be recorded for later broadcast on NBCTV.
Candidates running for council are incumbents Lisa Blackmer, Keith Bona, Jennifer Breen and Nancy Bullett and newcomers Eric Buddington, Robert F. Cardimino, Michael J. Hernandez, Benjamin J. Lamb, Kate Hanley Merrigan, Joshua J. Moran, David R. Robbins and Wayne J. Wilkinson.
The forum is the first of a series of debates and sessions planned for the candidates ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Two debates will be held for mayor between candidates Richard Alcombright, who is running for a third term, and Robert M. Moulton Jr., a local businessman and former city councilor.
The first debate is being sponsored by the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at McCann Technical School. Local media, including iBerkshires, will ask questions through the moderator of the candidates, who will have two minutes each to respond with opportunity for rebuttal. The public may bring in questions on note cards and, if time permits, some of those questions may be asked. It will also be taped by NBCTV and televised several times before the election.
The debate will be business-focused and moderated by Paul Hutchinson, retired Adams town clerk. Questions have been developed by the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and representatives from the media, including the North Adams Transcript, iBerkshires, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' student newspaper the Beacon and WNAW.
"The Berkshire Chamber is pleased coordinate and host the only public mayoral debate in North Adams this election season," said Michael Supranowicz, president and CEO of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce. "It is extremely important that the community has a chance to become well informed. We encourage businesses to send representatives from their organizations to this event, as there will be business-specific questions asked."
The second mayoral debate will be held at the WNAW radio station for live broadcast on Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 9 to 10. iBerkshires will also participate in this debate with media partner Berkshire News Network as well as in the half-hour morning forums with council candidates to be aired live beginning Thursday, Oct. 24, at 8:30. The radio sessions are usually rebroadcast the weekend prior to the election.
The schedule for the radio council forums, as of Oct. 16, are as follows:
• Thursday, Oct 24, 8:30 a.m.: Blackmer and Bona
• Friday, Oct 25, 8 a.m.: Breen and Bullet
• Monday, Oct 28, 8:30 a.m.: Buddington and Cardimino
• Tuesday, Oct 29, 8:30 a.m.: Hernandez and Lamb
• Thursday, Oct 31, 8:30 a.m.: Merrigan and Moran
• Friday, Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m.: Wilkinson
A set of candidate forums for councilors may also be in works at Northern Berkshire Community Television; a schedule will be posted as soon as that is confirmed.
Informal meet-and-greets with council candidates have also been held at Luma's Muffin and Mug and other venues around the city.
A final "meet the candidates breakfast" is being sponsored by the North Adams Elks at the hall at 100 Eagle St., on Sunday, Nov. 3, from 8 to 11 a.m.
We have linked to the Facebook fan pages we found and profile pages being used for the campaign; candidates who have FB pages or websites we missed should send us the links at info@iberkshires.com.
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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.
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