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Eric R. Buddington
Candidate For City Council - North Adams NORTH ADAMS - Two years ago, Eric Buddington was one of seven challengers vying for a seat on the City Council. The field's smaller this year, and Buddington is hoping this time the votes will go his way.
The 34-year-old freelance computer programmer and Web designer was born in Glastonbury, Conn., and moved here 10 years ago with a degree in earth science. He's also one-half of the band Poke in the Eye the hosts the cable-access show "Worth Knowing."
Buddington has three issues on his mind: better access to public information about the city, being more proactive on environmental issues and long-term public planning.
Buddington's crusade for easy access to information is based on his philosophy that a community is better if its citizens understand how and why it works. "I don't think government is enough to run a city," he said.
In particular, he would like to see some of the city's major documents - ordinances, assessors' database and the budget - posted online. While some or all of these documents can be reviewed at City Hall, getting copies can be expensive. Buddington said he was told it would cost $150 for a copy of the ordinances.
City officials in the past have said it's a matter of resources and priorities when it comes to copying public documents or offering them online. Buddington disagrees.
"It would be very easy for the city to put these things online because almost all these documents now are produced at one time or another on computer," he said. "It's just a matter of taking a copy and moving it over to the public Web site."
He also thinks the city should take more action on environmental issues - looking ahead for problems rather than waiting for them to appear.
"I have a very good perspective of the environmental issues in the area," said Buddington, adding that the city is good when if finds a problem but that's not enough. "This is our city, it's our responsibility."
He's not saying the community should invest in costly testing, but that it should make itself aware of toxins such as lead paint. He also thinks more attention should be paid to the toxic plume generated from the former Sprague plants. He advocates more hazardous waste collection days.
Buddington is in favor of the city's recent move to act as a catalyst for such development projects as the Clark Biscuit building and Notre Dame Church. Both tie into his vision of a vibrant downtown with heavy foot traffic.
He's not as keen on developments along the Curran Highway corridor. "We need to have a core retail space downtown," he said. Having sprawl along Route 8 is "not the kind of city I'd like to live in."
Buddington said the city should be looking long term and advocates going through the master planning process to distinguish areas for future commercial and residential growth.
However, Buddington approves of the redevelopment of the North Adams Plaza because it is existing commercial space and would contain a big-box retailer that cannot fit into the downtown. But too much development would only hurt Main Street, he said.
"I like the fact that people will actually come from another town to shop at a unique store downtown."
One thing he thinks the city could do to aid new stores opening in the downtown is to create a guide on what is and is not allowed.
"There is far too much uncertainty for a new business owner as to whether they'll be able to get their permits," said Buddington. "The sign issue is notoriously difficult in North Adams because nobody knows whether their sign will be acceptable until they take it to the Planning Board and go through that process."
As for benches in the downtown, he thinks they've become a caricature of an issue; "If it comes to actual benches rather than theoretical ones, I'm all for it."
For more, go to eric.buddington.net |
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