PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Current School Committee member Sara Hathaway says she’s not done serving — she’s just taking a “side quest.” Now a candidate for Pittsfield City Council At-Large, Hathaway appeared on WTBR’s Morning Drive with Bill Sturgeon to explain her reasons for shifting focus and what she hopes to accomplish if elected.
“My real interest now, my passion, is education,” Hathaway said. “But where schools and the municipal side intertwine — a lot of it’s budget — that’s where I think I can be useful.”
Hathaway pointed to last year’s contentious budget process as a turning point. “I saw what I considered to be people crossing the line and getting into ‘here’s how we want you to run the schools,’” she said, noting that state law clearly designates the school committee as the policymaking body for education. “It’s not appropriate for the City Council to invade that space.”
She hopes to serve as a bridge between the council and the schools, ensuring that communication prevents future overreach while still allowing for transparency and accountability. “If they say, ‘we had 15 people call us and tell us they want us to cut your budget,’ I can be at the table and say, let’s dig into that,” she said.
Hathaway’s resume includes years on the school committee, work as an educator, a former State Senate aide, and two years in Pittsfield’s corner office as mayor. But she also brings specific policy experience in areas she sees as critical to Pittsfield’s future — housing and mental health. “We need special supportive housing for people who are having problems,” she said, referencing her early career as an affordable housing planner. “Pittsfield needs to be at the front of the line to get some of that state help.”
Mental health support is another key concern. Hathaway praised the Brien Center and emphasized the need for more peer response programs and social service staffing. “The schools are having this problem too,” she said. “It’s a nationwide shortage… Maybe we expand that peer network somehow.”
The candidate also called attention to economic challenges stemming from a changing job market and increasing poverty in the city. “The loss of the middle-class jobs here — Beloit Jones, KB Toys, GE — you and I have seen it over the years,” she told Sturgeon. “Now we need to figure out what the job market looks like that we want for ourselves.”
Hathaway encouraged broader thinking about economic development. “Maybe we build on our theater district,” she suggested. “What would it look like to have a wedding destination here? When I was at City Hall, I would always say make it attractive for the people who live here. And then the tourists will find you.”
As federal funding tightens, Hathaway acknowledged difficult budget choices ahead, including the recent loss of $560 million in federal aid to Massachusetts. “We’ve given our employees raises, and they needed them and deserved them. But that means… we’re going to have to make some tough choices,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Hathaway said the rewards of public service are tangible. “When you solve a problem, you know that someone’s life is going to get better,” she said. “You know their day is going to change because you worked it out.”
She concluded the interview with a call for voter support. “I hope people will look at [my record] and say, this is good value for the money,” Hathaway said. “Let’s get Sara’s experience and put that at the City Council on Tuesday nights.”
Editor’s Note: This article is based on the October 15, 2025 broadcast of WTBR’s “Morning Drive” and was written in part using ChatGPT. To view the entire program, visit https://pittsfieldtv.org/program/?id=54131. WTBR’s “Morning Drive” airs weekdays at 7:30 a.m. on 89.7 FM in Pittsfield and 88.1 in Lee; and is simulcast on Access Pittsfield channel 1301. The full interview is available to view through PCTV Select.
