News & Notes: Show Me the Money
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PITTSFIELD — The City Council will meet tonight at 7:30 with a light schedule but two issues may cause more than a few sparks.
First, the council will take a look at a recommendation from one of its subcommittee to award $250,000 in GE development money to the Berkshire Museum instead of the $500,000 originally proposed by Mayor James Ruberto. The mayor is apparently onboard with the reduction. But the decrease will affect the museum's ability to meet a Kresge Foundation matching grant that was awarded last fall.
The 105-year-old museum has to raise $9.5 million for its "Windows on the World" capital campaign by May 1 to get the grant. Executive Director Stewart Chase told the council last week that $8.9 million has been raised so far. The Berkshire Museum recently completed the first phase of its renovation program and needs $10 million to complete the second phase.
The other major issue is a proposal by Ruberto that asks the City Council to use an additional $1.1 million dollars of GE economic money for the long-awaited Richard Stanley cinema on North Street.
It seems that the price tag for the project is now up to an estimated $22.3 million — roughly twice the last public estimate. If built, the six-screen cinema would be located in the former Kresge building on North Street.
Ruberto says the cinema would be the final major project in the revitalization of the downtown area. During his 2007 campaign, Ruberto said the cinema would be built during this term and there are 20 months left with no construction ready to go.
The GE Economic Development Fund is part of the consent decree hammered out between GE, Pittsfield and state and federal agencies over the cleanup of PCBs that gives the city $1 million a year over 10 years. The fund is in its eighth year.
Cell Phone Ban Hung Up
PITTSFIELD — A lot of local police departments are urging lawmakers to enact a ban on cell phone use while driving but it may not happen this year.
State Sen. Benjamin B. Downing's office in Boston told the Berkshire News Network that the House version of the bill passed by 107–47. It was then sent over the Senate side of Beacon Hill, where nothing has been done with it ... at least so far.
Downing's office said the current chairman of the Transportation Committee, Sen. Steven Baddour of Essex, is questioning the merits of the bill and, as a result, no decision has been made if and when the ban would appear on the Senate's agenda this session.
However, some local stores are already running ads for cell phone "hands-free" devices and urging motorists to get ready for the new law. While using hands-free devices is recommended while driving, there may not be a cell phone ban put into effect this year.
Spring Cleaning: Garage (And House) Sale
PITTSFIELD — Winter is a tough time to sell real estate but with spring finally here, real estate companies are gearing up for what they hope will be an improved sales season.
In fact, on Saturday, May 3, real estate companies in the Berkshires will be holding what they're calling an "open house extravaganza." On any given weekend, hundreds of prospective homebuyers look for open-house ads in the paper to take a look at a property they like. Open houses are a good time to take a leisurely walk through a home with no strings attached, say real estate agents, just sign in and that's that.
Now that spring is here, real estate agents are hoping that the May 3 event will jump-start a sluggish market.
Provided by iBerkshires media partners WNAW and WUPE.
