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Williamstown Selectmen Offer Advice to New Pub Manager

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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The Purple Pub is set to open on Spring Street in a few weeks.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Selectmen on Monday welcomed the soon-to-be opened Purple Pub but cautioned the owner and new manager that alcohol control was of prime importance.

The Purple Pub, a mainstay on Spring Street for decades before going up in flames in a devastating fire three years ago, is reopening under new ownership in Mark Paresky's $4 million retail and office development.

The board approved a license for the dual operation of the pub and Spring Street Pizzeria in March. However, the Berkshire Restaurant Group had applied for a change of manager from Molly B. Ferioli to Bryan Segal.

Ferioli is pregnant and not expected to have the time to spend at the restaurant. The board approved the change but not until after sending Segal a warning.

Selectwoman Jane Allen wanted to be assured that Segal was aware of the town's low-tolerance for underage drinking or alcohol-related problems.

"We gave ... a manager, fairly recently, a license for an establishment and he had experience similar to yours," she said, referring to Segal's waitstaff background. "In the first week, there was already an incident at the business and we don't want you to have that."

Segal said he just completed TIPS training; co-owner Thierry Breard, a well-known area chef, said he also had TIPS training and expected his staff of about 25 to also undergo training.

The pub, expected to open at the end of the month, and the pizzeria opening later this fall will share a kitchen and storage area but the dining areas will be completely separate so to maintain control of alcohol on the premises. A patio for the pub will be accessed only through the restaurant and will be a seated dining area; those leaving the pizza place won't be able to sit down at the tables. 

Allen read out some advice provided by another manager who ran into trouble, including working closely with police and making sure everyone is properly trained. "You need to establish a reputation of being tough."

Breard agreed: "I think it's very important to set a reputation and when you get that done, it's easier."

In other business, the board:

► Approved three all-alcoholic licenses for the Clark Art Institute for its "Sunset at Stone Hill" events on Thursdays, Aug. 19 and 26 and Sept. 2, from 5 to 8.

► Approved the 6th annual Hoosic River Ride, which starts in Vermont but has routes that go through Williamstown. The bicycle ride is Saturday, Aug. 21.


Valerie Hall explains why Sts. Patrick and Raphael Parish are asking for a partial road closure in September.
► Approved the closure of Southworth Street from Main to Mission Park to through traffic on Sunday, Sept. 26, from 11:30 to 3 p.m. for a picnic for the Parish of Sts. Patrick and Raphael. Parish member Valerie Hall said the now combined parishes were looking to revive the picnic tradition at the parish hall on Southworth and the rectory across the street. There was a safety concern about people walking back and forth. There will be access to the church property and to neighborhood homes.

► Approved the 2011 tax rate classification for a single rate and confirmed Fohlin's appointment of Barbara McLucas to the Historical Commission.

► Spoke of a tour they'd taken of the former St. Raphael's Church, which is being transformed into affordable housing units as Church Corner LLC. The two apartments in the former rectory are nearly complete and the apartments in the former church building are framed. Allen said developer David Carver is planning an open house in the future "so people will be able to see what we've invested some of our community perservation money in." Town Manager Peter Fohlin said the lottery selection process for the apartments was approved by the state two weeks ago and, when the time comes, will be advertised widely.

► Heard from Fohlin that Morgan Management, which operates The Spruces Mobile Home Park, is asking for a rent increase. The Mobile Home Rent Control Board will meet Wednesday, Aug. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall to hear the application and from park residents.
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Mount Greylock School Committee Votes Slight Increase to Proposed Assessments

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee on Thursday voted unanimously to slightly increase the assessment to the district's member towns from the figures in the draft budget presented by the administration.
 
The School Committee opted to lower the use of Mount Greylock's reserve account by $70,000 and, instead, increase by that amount the share of the fiscal year 2025 operating budget shared proportionally by Lanesborough and Williamstown taxpayers.
 
The budget prepared by the administration and presented to the School Committee at its annual public hearing on Thursday included $665,000 from the district's Excess and Deficiency account, the equivalent of a municipal free cash balance, an accrual of lower-than-anticipated expenses and higher-than-anticipated revenue in any given year.
 
That represented a 90 percent jump from the $350,000 allocated from E&D for fiscal year 2024, which ends on June 30. And, coupled with more robust use of the district's tuition revenue account (7 percent more in FY25) and School Choice revenue (3 percent more), the draw down on E&D is seen as a stopgap measure to mitigate a spike in FY25 expenses and an unsustainable budgeting strategy long term, administrators say.
 
The budget passed by the School Committee on Thursday continues to rely more heavily on reserves than in years past, but to a lesser extent than originally proposed.
 
Specifically, the budget the panel approved includes a total assessment to Williamstown of $13,775,336 (including capital and operating costs) and a total assessment to Lanesborough of $6,425,373.
 
As a percentage increase from the FY24 assessments, that translates to a 3.90 percent increase to Williamstown and a 3.38 percent increase to Lanesborough.
 
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