In her letter to the editor, Suzie Fowle writes: "The Town of Great Barrington just set a dangerous precedent: If a developer starts with an unreasonable, untenable proposal, he or she will be rewarded for scaling it back."
In his letter to the editor, a response to Maia Conty’s letter, Craig Okerstrom-Lange writes: “My family moved to GB in 1990 from NYC (we were originally tourists!). GB has evolved and changed in many positive ways since then."
“It essentially will be the same building with a few modifications — these will go back in time,” and make the renovated Searles “much more historically accurate.”
-- Architect Rolph Biggers
In her letter to the editor, Maia Conty of Great Barrington writes: "Building an economic infrastructure dependent on imported wealth does not actually create a secure and sustainable local economy. It creates a servant/nobility-based economy."
“We are delighted. We feel good about the town. Vijay [Mahida] cares enough that he stepped up in a big way. They’re doing something very brave.”
-- Save Searles School founder Bobby Houston
In a letter to the editor, Dave Carpenter writes: "Tourist spending plays a large role in economically supporting so many of the things we love about the area. Would we have Tanglewood without tourists? Jacobs Pillow? The Mount? The Mahaiwe?"
In his letter to their editor, Bill and Carol Orient write: "People who are contributing time and money to the Save Searles campaign should instead be giving that money ... for renovating Monument Mountain High School."
In a letter to the editor, Patrick Fennell writes: "The free market system works better when there is no competition. And we all know how monopolies are so consumer friendly."
In her letter to the editor, Sharon Gregory writes: "Many people value our year-around economy that anchors Great Barrington. The magnet is our Village Center and its distinctive offerings."
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.
In his letter to the editor, Steve McAlister writes: "The Board needs to determine if saving a token amount of the building really amounts to historic preservation as intended by the bylaw."
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."
In her letter to the editor, Leigh Davis writes: “Let us untangle ourselves from the mire of agendas… and celebrate the fact that Great Barrington is able to attract viable opportunities for economic growth and job creation such as this.”
