Readsboro Mulling Ways to Attack Blight

By Jen ThomasiBerkshires Staff
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READSBORO, Vt. — Worried about piles of garbage and diminishing property values, several concerned residents are working together with officials to find a way to eliminate junk and blight.

"For the past couple of years, I've had a lot of people come to concerned about junk and garbage piled up on lawns and things like that. But unless it's a health issue, there's not much we can do to stop the problem," said Select Board Vice Chairwoman Charlotte Clark.

Though the board has dedicated significant time to discussing the issue at its last several meetings, a solution has yet to develop.

"Right now, we're trying to decide whether an ordinance or a zoning bylaw would be the right way to go," said Clark.

At its Tuesday meeting, the board tabled discussion on a potential ordinance until members received an update from the Planning Commission on whether to proceed with preparing an ordinance. If clearing the town of junk and blight becomes a zoning matter, the bylaw will be written by the commission and enforced by the zoning administrator, Clark said.

At the meeting, Lawrence Hopkins expressed incredulity at continuing to investigate tackling the problem from a zoning standpoint.

"How do you zone junk?" Hopkins asked.


If the town decides to create an ordinance, a volunteer committee made up of residents and concerned homeowners will be formed to identify what Clark called "the process and punishment."

Select Board Clerk Theodore "Teddy" Hopkins has said putting the junk/blight issue under the jurisdiction of the Planning Commission will ensure that the proper action is taken.

"The collecting of junk is a cultural problem meaning those that do so really don't have many financial assets and all of the fines in the world associated with a new ordinance are not worth the paper they are printed on. It would cost more taxpayer dollars to chase a violator for collection than the violator's ability to pay," Hopkins wrote in an online forum that Clark hosts.

At a prior meeting, Betty Bolognani suggested viewing the village ordinances from before the merger with the town as she believed a similar ordinance had already existed.

"These places are an eyesore to the neighborhood. This is an effort to keep Readsboro looking nice," said Clark. "Junk and garbage is not the first thing you want people to see when they come into your town."

The issue of developing an ordinance will be discussed at the next meetings of the Planning Commission and the Select Board.
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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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