Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), the inventor of dynamite, was a chemist, engineer, businessman and, most memorably, philanthropist; he was also a scholar, fluent in Russian, French, English and German. Above all, he loved poetry.
Selectboard Chair Steve Bannon agreed that Housing Authority Chair Karen Smith's transgressions do not rise to the standard for removal under state law.
The state sets a quota for the total number of licenses based on year-round population. Census figures set Great Barrington at two all-alcohol licenses and five beer-and-wine licenses. But the town currently has eight total licenses, only one of which is beer-and-wine only.
While the main is being replaced beneath the tracks, traffic will be reduced to one lane, so motorists should expect some delays during peak traffic times. As required by law, a pair of police officers will direct traffic around the clock.
According to the selectmen, the committee's charge will be to "oversee several town-sponsored events and programs honoring Du Bois," including: the Du Bois Day Celebration; the annual Du Bois Festival (from Martin Luther King Day through Feb. 23); banner installations; collaboration with UMass Amherst and local educational institutions and arts, historical and community organizations; and more.
Grayhouse principal Bill Nappo and his financial consultant, Gillette Conner, updated the selectboard Monday night on the progress of the project. They said they are working closely with MassDevelopment on securing financing.
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.
The Planning Board had a frank and often tense discussion with outgoing Selectboard Chairman Sean Stanton over which board should be the special permit-granting authority for marijuana establishments.
If voters approve the Great Barrington bylaw, indoor cultivation of marijuana of the sort envisioned in the mills will be permitted by-right in the light industrial zone that covers much of Housatonic.
Berkshire Hills’ director of operations Steven Soule will once again assess the condition of 50-year-old Monument Mountain Regional High School and draft the statement, which will explain a number of deficiencies including 'building condition, access, health and safety, as well as deficiencies for instructional programs, especially science and career and technical facilities.'
In Great Barrington, it's costing $150,000 annually and is rising at 30 percent per year, to unclog the town sewer system. Reliable estimates put the cost of fixing the wipe clogs nationwide at $1 billion per year.
Great Barrington's assessment will rise a projected 6.7 percent to about $16.4 million, in part because of an increase in the town's state-mandated minimum local contribution, which determines a minimum each town should pay based on the wealth of the community.
In the last few years, Stanton has guided the selectboard through the sale of the old Castle Street firehouse, the reconstruction of Main Street, and the approval for the conversion of the former Searles High School to an upscale 88-room hotel on Bridge Street.
Selectman Steve Bannon then made a motion that, if building inspector Edwin May attends a hearing in front of the Great Barrington Zoning Board of Appeals or goes to court in the Gary J. O'Brien matter, the town will provide an attorney to represent him. It passed unanimously.
Selectman Ed Abrahams said he does like the idea of a public-private partnership because, even if it means the town still owns the building, at least the town would retain some control over its future.
