The selectboard’s bylaw passed by a vote of 207–111. A less stringent competing proposal placed on the warrant via citizen petition failed.
Tag: Community Preservation Act
Skorput defeated in bid to return to West Stockbridge Select Board
Voters also approved by a margin of 263-70 a measure that allows West Stockbridge to adopt the Community Preservation Act, a voluntary state law that allows municipalities to fund projects that support open space preservation, affordable housing, historic preservation and the creation of recreational resources.
Construct, Lenox and GB offer emergency rental assistance during COVID-19 pandemic
Both housing trusts are allocating funds received from the local Community Preservation Act surcharge and granted to the trust in previous annual town meetings.
News Brief: Lenox Affordable Housing Trust, Construct partner for COVID-19 emergency rental assistance
The partnership also ensures that residents will be connected to existing resources as need is demonstrated.
Affordable housing misconceptions addressed
In a letter to the editor, Jonathan Hankin writes, “The Trust has a binding purchase and sale agreement that is contingent upon approval of the funding for the purchase by the May Annual Town Meeting.”
Angry Housatonic residents assail CPC for funding of affordable housing property
It was standing-room only as dozens of angry residents of the Housatonic section of Great Barrington, including a former selectman, vented their feelings about the committee’s consideration of funding a proposal from the town affordable housing trust to acquire land for housing.
It’s Not That Simple: Food doesn’t grow in grocery stores
We thought at the beginning of a new year, we should give thanks for the food we eat, and acknowledge the hard work it takes to produce that food.
Historical Commission issues Phase 1 of historic resources survey in Great Barrington
This survey of a portion of Great Barrington’s rich catalogue of historic buildings was a significant undertaking for the Historical Commission. It provides the town with the first of a series of reports that provide documentation of sites worthy of preserving and those potentially eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Clinton Church restoration turns the page to a new and important chapter
At midday Wednesday, about 50 people gathered at the church on Elm Court to hear speakers give an accounting of the history of the church and the efforts to save it after it closed five years ago.
Bits & Bytes: Clinton Church restoration kickoff; ‘Kohelet’ at the Mahaiwe; ‘Creative Aging’ on Beacon Hill; STEAM Challenge Night; Red Cross blood drives
Close Encounters With Music will kick off its 2019-20 season Sunday, Oct. 27, with the American premiere of Andre Hajdu’s ‘Kohelet’ for four cellos narrated by film, stage and television actor Sam Waterston.
Longtime Housatonic resident thinks closed school should become ‘green’ space
It is time for Housatonic to have our Village Green.
News Briefs: Community Preservation Act applications; Du Bois legacy committee seeks members
The town-sponsored committee holds events throughout the year to commemorate the work of Du Bois, including a W.E.B. Du Bois Day celebration; the annual Du Bois Festival during January and February, and classes, seminars and speakers.
News Briefs: Clinton Church Restoration grant; GB downtown improvement project ‘substantially complete’; man charged with assault to murder
Clinton Church Restoration awarded National Trust for Historic Preservation grant Great Barrington — Clinton Church Restoration Inc. is one of 22 sites and organizations dedicated to preserving African-American history that has received grant support from National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. As part of the second class of Action Fund
As Stockbridge population declines, reach out to millennials
In a letter John Hart writes: “My suggestion is, like Vermont, we have a marketing campaign to announce what we want… more young folks and families.”
Business Briefs: Silver Solutions expansion; Paid Family Medical Leave sessions; Williams Inn to open; grants for the Mahaiwe; Salisbury bank Community Day
The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center recently received grants totaling $114,000 in support of its 2019 community outreach and inclusion efforts.
News Briefs: Lake Mansfield trail work; Mass Pike bridge deck repair; GBPD joins use-of-force database
The GBPD joins hundreds of police departments nationwide in reaffirming their commitment to better data, which can be used to develop policies and procedures and build a stronger understanding of when, why and how officers use force when detaining suspects.
Selectmen frustrated by glacial pace of Housatonic School reuse proposal
The plan, the only one the town has so far received after several requests for proposals, calls for an adaptive reuse of the vacant 110-year-old school on Pleasant Street in the center of the village of Housatonic.
Library trustees letter inaccurate; Karen Smith expects a ‘public retraction and apology’
The accusations came to a head earlier this month when the selectboard held a hearing to consider calls for her removal from the housing authority. Some witnesses vouched for Smith’s integrity and hard work but others accused her of practicing nepotism, creating an environment of “toxicity,” and exhibiting “aggressive and hostile behavior.”
Restoration of dormant school seen as critical to Housatonic village revival
The primary order of business for Conner and Nappo was to get the selectboard to write a letter of endorsement for Grayhouse’s application for $75,000 on an emergency basis from the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s Preservation Projects Fund.
Great Barrington Selectboard: New tax rate lower than expected; bees buzz; DuBois gets a legacy committee; town mulls additional liquor licenses
One by one, those with existing liquor licenses strode to the podium to plead their cases. Unless one is particularly thirsty, it’s uncommon to come across all of these men in one night.
Nonvoters allowed to attend and speak at Monday’s special town meeting
Town moderator Michael Wise said nonvoters (including minors and nonresidents) are allowed to attend the special town meeting and speak if they obtain permission.
Town proposes to pay nearly $300,000 for troublesome O’Brien property
The money for the acquisition would come from a special revenue fund containing proceeds from the sale of town-owned real estate. O’Brien has been in violation of multiple cease-and-desist orders since 2011.
Great Barrington’s pot wars resolved and other tales from the floor
The battle royale involved the planning and select boards. For weeks, the two panels had been at odds over which should be the special-permit-granting authority in regards to the marijuana production and sales facilities, and whether most, if not all, of the facilities should require a special permit.
Of plastic water bottles and the evil weed: A preview of Great Barrington’s 2018 annual town meeting
The challenge for the state’s 351 cities and towns is to revamp their zoning regulations so that they’re not caught flat-footed by applications from cannabis retailers and manufacturers.
Business Briefs: High Peaks Festival moves to Berkshires; housing trust offers assistance loans; Williams College appoints new chaplain; Berkshire Children & Families promotes two; BTCF spring grant deadlines
Less than a year after its formation, the Great Barrington Affordable Housing Trust Fund now has a total of $50,000 to lend to qualified first-time homebuyers.
Housatonic Heritage wins grant for historic Clinton Church
Phase 1 work will focus on areas of the building that most urgently need attention and will include a new wood shingle roof, abatement of mold and mildew, improved drainage, replacement of the basement floor slab, raising the building to make the basement usable, and repair or modification to the parsonage.
TOWN HALL BRIEFS: Selectmen take stand against hate and intolerance
Individual selectmen signed a “Not In Our County” pledge presented to them by Multicultural BRIDGE.
Three recreational trails among 10 projects vying for Community Preservation funding
This year, the CPA application requests from the town of Great Barrington and other organizations totaled more than $1 million.
Taxes should not support historic preservation in Egremont
In his letter to the editor Richard Allen writes: “If something is worth saving, it should be saved through voluntary contributions, not involuntary taxation”
Great Barrington Town Hall briefs
Sean Van Deusen, who heads the Great Barrington Department of Public Works, told the selectmen the sewer rate increase was necessary in order to fund debt incurred because of a mandated sewer system upgrade.
Solar panel regulations, BHRSD and town budgets sail through Great Barrington Town Meeting
Perhaps the surprise of the night was how easily Great Barrington’s share of the Berkshire Hills Regional School District passed.
Immigration, zoning, CPA highlight Great Barrington Annual Town Meeting
The town’s proposed policy says the Police Department will treat undocumented citizens like everyone else and will not be an arm of ICE (the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency).