I don’t know how we arrived at a place where we thought everyone would support democracy because it was an intellectually superior form of government. All of human history contradicts that notion.
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.
Town officials have said Sterling Suffolk Racecourse would need at least two special permits: One for commercial amusement and another for floodplain protection, and possibly a third for work in the town’s water quality protection overlay district.
Suffolk needs a change in state law to permit it to hold races in Great Barrington while at the same time allowing it to maintain its simulcasting and betting operations back in East Boston. Racing at the fairgrounds would also require permits from the town.
New zoning bylaws would prevent some cannabis retailers from opening merely by restricting the number of available locations. On the other hand, a policy from the selectboard placing a numerical limit would clearly prevent more retailers from opening.
"I feel like I would like more of guarantee that you can actually move forward with financing it. It doesn't give me a lot of feeling that this could happen."
-- Great Barrington Selectboard member Leigh Davis
Now another movement to rename a different school building in Berkshire Hills is taking shape. Supporters of Du Bois are ramping up an effort to rename Monument Valley Regional Middle School in memory of Du Bois.
The task of hiring a new town clerk will fall to new town manager Mark Pruhenski, who himself was only hired this spring and is currently in his first week on the job.
"I love Great Barrington and it's been a privilege to be here for six years and serve the town," outgoing town manager Jennifer Tabakin said late Thursday afternoon at a farewell party in her honor at 20 Railroad Public House.
The town expects to have the north side of Railroad Street "buttoned up," including the installation of bases for decorative light poles, by the end of this week.
In the end, it was simply too much to ask of the board, especially after receiving several emails from neighbors who complained loudly that allowing the event would be a "slippery slope" and that the neighborhood near the airport was too densely populated.
Though the vote was unanimous to keep the bridge closed, selectboard Chairman Steve Bannon said the board could always change its mind if there was a groundswell of objections from neighbors.
"I have no idea how this election will turn out. I put signs up this weekend. I asked some people to put up signs and they said no. They liked everybody."
-- Great Barrington Selectboard Chair Steve Bannon
"From where I'm standing, it's clear that we don't have enough information. One of the worries everyone has is the community is going to be split on this." --Monument Next Steps member Joshua Shapiro
