NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - North Adams mayor Tom Bernard is speaking out against 1st Berkshire State Representative John Barrett after a phone call last week in which Bernard claims Barrett made a threat towards both him and his family. 

The two were discussing the future of the long-vacant Mohawk Theater, and Bernard said Barrett told him continuing with the city’s plans to pursue a new owner would be ‘bad for [his] livelihood, professional standing, and family’. Bernard took this as ‘a clear, if nonspecific threat.’

“For me, that crossed a bright line, so incandesantly bright, that I felt that it needed to be addressed publicly,” said Bernard.

In a series of emails, Bernard asked the Speaker of the House and other high-ranking members of the legislature to refer the incident to the House’s Committee on Ethics.

Bernard admitted his working relationship with Barrett isn’t the best, and said Barrett has a reported history of heated confrontations. However, he said he’s only responding to this one particular incident, and what happens next is out of his hands.

“If this is simply a conversation between two people where there was a difference of interpretation, then so be it,” said Bernard. “If it is determined by others that this is something that needs to be looked into, then I hope it is looked into seriously and appropriately.”

Barrett said he was concerned about how some of Bernard’s recent decisions would be received, and said he wasn’t making a threat and was only trying to offer him some advice.

“I was concerned about some of the things he was doing, and this was adding more to it,” said Barrett. “I said ‘it will hurt you professionally if you continue with your behavior, and eventually it will hurt the family, who will be on the other side of it. I’ve been on the other side of this issue, and I was speaking to him out of compassion and understanding that I only wanted to help him.”