PITTSFIELD — With a background in biology, engineering, and community service, Ward 7 City Council candidate Katherine Moody says her campaign is rooted in data-driven decision-making and grassroots responsiveness.
“I was raised to give back to my community,” Moody said during an interview on Morning Drive with WTBR’s Bill Sturgeon. “Being a public servant is part of that. It’s where I believe my skill set can be useful.”
Moody, a Department of Defense engineer and longtime volunteer at the Giving Garden on Valentine Road, brings both technical expertise and hands-on community engagement to her campaign. Over the past 13 years, the Giving Garden has donated over $145,000 in produce and thousands of dollars’ worth of eggs to local food pantries and meal sites.
But it’s her analytical mindset that Moody sees as essential for Pittsfield’s future. “We have a lot of feelings in politics today — and feelings are valid — but they don’t fix streets or balance budgets,” she said. “I find opportunities to save money. If I see fluff, I cut it. Not based on feelings — based on facts.”
She believes Pittsfield needs a broader view of its challenges and opportunities. “We’re not an island,” Moody said. “There are towns and cities like us all over the country having the same struggles — infrastructure, homelessness, housing, opioid addiction. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Let’s look at what’s working elsewhere.”
Moody identified downtown Pittsfield as one of the city’s most urgent issues, citing concerns about public behavior, cleanliness, and business vitality. “We have to deal with it compassionately, with empathy,” she said. “But also with the understanding that one small group can’t ruin it for the many.”
“We have to support our downtown area,” she added, noting that local businesses “pay a ton of business taxes and deserve our support.”
Moody also expressed concern about the state of the city’s schools — particularly the middle schools — and supported recent efforts to explore restructuring. “What we’re doing right now is not working by any standard,” she said. “Show me why and how this [restructuring plan] will be better. If it is, let’s do it.”
Though she acknowledges the council’s limited role in school governance, she said she would bring a budget-conscious lens to education funding: “I know how to break down complex problems into their subsets and find workable solutions.”
If elected, Moody said she would welcome committee assignments and has a particular interest in the Ordinance and Rules Committee. “I geek out on that stuff,” she said with a laugh. “I love reading laws.”
She also voiced a strong connection to Pittsfield’s natural resources and parklands, having served on the Springside Park Master Plan committee. “Our parks should be for all of us — safe, accessible, and protected,” she said.
In her closing remarks, Moody emphasized communication, honesty, and follow-through. “I’ll answer the calls, the emails, the messages. I’ll do the homework. And I’ll be honest — if I disagree with you, I’ll tell you why. And if I’m wrong, I’ll say I was wrong.”
She added, “This is a job. I take it seriously. And I’ll be at every meeting, ready to work for the people of Ward 7.”
Editor’s Note: This article is based on the October 20, 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=54183. 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.
