“I worry about what happens to our students when their leaders lose sight of whom they serve," said Du Bois Middle School Spanish teacher Mercedes Girona. “I understand that there are budget cuts, but I feel like there needs to be a little bit more humanity."
Much of the discussion [about the hotel proposal] has either lost sight of the real issue or has twisted it into something it is not. I’ve been distressed by the seeming willingness of the participants in this debate to obfuscate what is, in actuality, a fairly simple question.
The proposed 95-room, upscale hotel on the site of the empty Searles School complex would incorporate the brick facades and outlines of the 116-year-old building.
In their letter to the editor, Bobby Houston and Beth Carlson write: "Sometimes it takes guts and commotion to save an authentic small town from super-sizing."
The accountant's report will be submitted to the town at the Selectboard’s Wednesday night public hearing to determine whether to issue a special permit that will allow Vijay and Chrystal Mahida and 79 Bridge Street, LLC to demolish most of the Searles school for construction of an upscale hotel, The Berkshire.
In his letter to the editor, Andy Moro of Housatonic writes: “The naysayers can't stand someone living the American dream proposing to develop an eyesore into something that will benefit the town.”
Retired filmmaker and small-scale redeveloper Bobby Houston has made a competing “full cash offer with no contingencies” for the Searles School property.
Since it was unveiled two weeks ago, the hotel proposal has taken some hits over the design and size, since its historic designation allows it to evade the town’s 45-room hotel limit bylaw.