For those interested in having a unique piece of skiing nostalgia adorn their abode or garden Ski Butternut is offering their 44 year old Granny’s chairlift double chairs for sale for a $100 per chair donation. The lift was manufactured in 1961 by Mueller (a Swiss company that still manufactures chairlifts today).
The lift was powered by a 65 HP motor and was originally installed at Mount Cathalia in Ellenville NY, before being purchased and relocated to Ski Butternut (known then as Butternut Basin). Channing Murdock and the Butternut Basin Lift Maintenance crew sweated through all aspects of the installation of the foreign made lift to get it ready for the coming winters’ guests.
The 1961 Mueller lift carried many an aspiring novice to the top of the Cruiser slope until it was disassembled in May of 2005. Ski Butternut is replacing the aging lift with a new Dopplemayer-CTEC quad.
Fifty percent of the $100 funds collected from each double chairs sale will go toward the ski areas adaptive program. The adaptive program provides both specialized equipment and certified instruction so people with disabilities can experience the joys of skiing. The other half of the funds will be used to help underwrite the cost of bringing back the hourly chimes that Ski Butternut guests enjoyed for many years prior to their being vandalized.
There are only 96 of these wooden slatted chairs available. These are truly remarkable pieces of skiing history that are quickly disappearing. Each lift chair is being sold as is. Chairs will only be available for pickup at the back of the Ski Butternut parking lot on either Saturday June 25 or Sunday June 26. Please be prepared to pay by check or cash. The ski area will have a small staff there from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Advanced reservations for chairs are being accepted provided payment is received prior to June 23rd. Send a check for $100 per chair to Butternut Basin Inc. 380 State Rd. Great Barrington, MA 01230. Or you can call Andrea at 413-528-2000 x112 Mon – Fri 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to place an order using your CC. All chairs are sold on a 1st come first served basis.
Lift chairs do fit in a standard truck or on a roof rack. Chairs are 42†wide by 98†tall by 28†deep and weigh about 35-45 pounds. Please bring tie down cords or other means to firmly attach the chair to your vehicle.
Many Ski Butternut instructors, patrollers and loyal guests have expressed interest in the chairs as a way to incorporate a piece of skiing history into their yard or garden while preserving the many fond memories they have for the mountain.
One lift chair has already been donated to Chairlift.org for their Chairlift Preservation Society Collection.
Ski Butternut is currently offering winter 2005-06 season passes at the following incredibly low prices: $199 Adult, $169 Jr., just $69 for young kids. Unlike other areas there are no blackout dates on these passes, Ski Butternut season passes are valid every day the area is open.
Ski Butternut is committed to making skiing and riding affordable! For a free brochure or to learn more about Ski Butternut call (413) 528-2000 or visit us online at www.SkiButternut.com.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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