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North County Notes: Demolition to Start in WilliamstownStaff reports
iBerkshires
04:57AM / Monday, March 30, 2009
Demolition to Begin on Williamstown Buildings
Photo by Paul Guillotte
Hopkins Funeral Home and the back section of the Hopkins Furniture Store are being demolished to make way for new restaurant, retail and office space.
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Spring Street will be partially blocked beginning today as demolition begins on the former Hopkins buildings.
The former funeral home will be demolished and the back section of the funiture building to make way for new office and restaurant space. The $3 million project by owner Mark Paresky will create more 62,000 square feet on the town's main drag and is being planned as a "green" project.
The former Subway and Purple Pub structures, also owned by Paresky, will also be demolished. They were heavily damaged by fire a few years ago and have stood vacant since.
The contractor is Barr & Barr. The demolition is expected to continue all week.
No Election Races in Williamstown
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Unless a write-in candidate appears, there will be no races in this year's town election.
One candidate returned papers for each position, ensuring that no town offices will be left unfilled. Nomination papers were due Tuesday, March 24.
Thomas Sheldon, chairman of the board of library trustees, is running for the three-year selectman seat being vacated by Richard Steege. Steege, a retired elemetary school teacher, has decided not to run for a second term.
Incumbent J. Adam Filson and newcomer Jennifer T. Thompson are running for the two three-year seats on Williamstown Elementary School Committee and Thomas R. Mahar for the three-year seat on the Northern Berkshire Vocational Regional (McCann) School Committee.
Also on the ballot are Marilyn S. Faulkner for a one-year term as library tustee; Marilyn J. Head for a five-year Housing Authority term; and Patrick D. Dunlavey for a five-year term on the Planning Board.
Dunlavey was elected to a one-year term on the Planning Board last year, the first year board candidates stood for election. Voters had decided to change the appointed panel to an elected one after a number of controversial decisions. Proponents said the electing planners would make them more answerable to the people and open the panel to more voices.
All five seats were elected last year in staggered terms; Dunlavey won the one-year seat and will run for a full five-year term this year. While last year saw several challengers, two of whom won, Dunlavey is running unopposed.
The deadline to submit warrant articles for the May 19 annual town meeting is Monday, March 30.
Recession Hits Lanesborough: Collections Down
By Al Hartheimer
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Collections of some taxes are not as anticipated for the current fiscal year 2009, which runs to July 1, 2009.
According to Town Accountant Bruce Durwin, the motor vehicle excise tax was estimated to be $430,000 but is now estimated at $355,000, down $75,000. The decrease has been expected by towns across the state because of the precipitous drop in the purchase of new cars.
Building inspection receipts were estimated to be $32,000; to date the receipts are $7,687. Earnings on investments were estimated to be $40,000 but this is now thought to be unrealistically high, said Durwin.
The actual amount collected in these funds will not be known until the end of the fiscal year on June 30. If there is a deficit in these accounts then, the deficit amount will reduce the free cash for fiscal 2010.
The balance of the free cash account on July 1, 2008, was $435,870. The town has another reserve account, the Stabilization Fund, the balance of which on Feb. 8 was about $265,000. This money can be used for any legal purpose.
A two-thirds vote in favor at a town meeting is necessary to use the money in the Stabilization Fund. However, Durwin said using this money is not anticipated.
Article provided by Lanesborough News; to get the e-letter, contact ahartheimer@yahoo.com. |
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