For 43 years ago, the family-owned business has "provided a full range of quality men’s apparel, in a comfortable setting with great personal service."
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.
On several occasions during the hearing, Great Barrington Selectboard Chairman Steve Bannon rapped his gavel and warned hecklers that they would be removed from the room if they persisted.
In declining to recommend the permit to the selectboard, which will consider it on Monday night, the health board said it needed more information on noise, odor and possible effects on groundwater.
Kate McCormick, who represents 20 Castle Street LLC and its principal, Tom Borshoff, would not identify the possible buyer of the property because a purchase-and-sales agreement had not yet been signed.
Fulcrum has signed a purchase-and-sales agreement to buy 5.78 undeveloped acres from the Nolan family at 22 Van Deusenville Road to construct and operate a cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility.
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."
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 selectboard announced that, about a year ago, it had commissioned a report by David Prickett of DPC Engineering to gather information on the water systems in the town, what the capital needs are and whether there are redundancies.
"We have mothers putting babies in dirty water for baths. Come on. I'm just furious over this. I'm grinding my teeth over this."
-- Housatonic resident and Housatonic Water Works customer Michelle Loubert
Housatonic Water Works Co-owner Jim Mercer explained that there is no threat to public health. Nor does the unilateral administrative order from DEP state that there is such a threat.
Friday, March 23, is the last day nomination papers can be obtained from the town clerk for candidates who want to be on the ballot for the Tuesday, May 15, nonpartisan municipal elections.
It was a messy night at Town Hall. In the end, Benchmark Development got a green light to proceed with its plans to design a second building planned for a parcel on the historic Searles Castle property.
Housatonic Water Works Company says it needs to raise rates to both help pay its bills amid overhead increases and to fund state-mandated improvements to Housatonic’s aging water system.
The town, apparently, is now considering a more active role in the anomaly, as Town Manager Jennifer Tabakin had declared before the DPU, of “a privately owned company that provides public water.” This report newly updated with statements by Town Counsel David Doneski regarding two executive sessions dealing with the Housatonic Water Works Company.
Castle Street firehouse owner Thomas Borshoff has no incentive to do his promised redevelopment. He is making money by doing nothing, with rent from the town from whom he purchased the property.
