Barberry, shown here, is among invasive species being targeted by the Nature Conservancy (USDA photo)
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a funding bill that includes $200,000 for Weed It Now, a conservation initiative to remove invasive species in the tri-state Southern Taconic Mountains in Berkshire County, western New York and northwest Connecticut.
The funding was included in the fiscal year 2007 Agriculture Appropriations bill, according to Congressman John W. Olver, a Democrat from Amherst. Olver is a member of the Appropriations Committee and worked to secure the funding.
"The work of the Nature Conservancy and its partners is so important because this area is one of the healthiest and largest contiguous forests in the northeast," Olver said. "At the start of this project, more than half of the forest was invaded by six different non-native weeds, which, if allowed to proliferate, would repress the regeneration of the forest and reduce the richness of native species. The removal of invasive weeds will help ensure that the forest and its vibrant population of rare species are preserved for future generations."
"We applaud Congressman Olver for his leadership to restore the health of the forests in the Berkshire Taconics," said Wayne Klockner, State Director of the Massachusetts Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. "Thanks to Congressman Olver's continued support over five years, the Conservancy and our partners have successfully turned this priority landscape into a functioning ecosystem. Weed It Now serves as a national model and demonstrates how to combat invasive plants at scale."
Olver has secured $900,000 in federal funding for Weed It Now from FY02 through FY06.
Weed It Now, a program of The Nature Conservancy and its local partners, is an initiative to remove invasive plant species, which threaten native plants and animals, from approximately 9,000 acres of forest.
The Nature Conservancy is working with a broad coalition of public and private forest landowners to remove invasive weeds by pulling, cutting, and where necessary, treating with herbicides. Other community-based programs will enhance this work by providing native plants for private landscaping and by keeping existing weed-free areas clean.
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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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