Billings to Resign North Adams Council Seat

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — City Councilor Clark H. Billings will resign his seat next month.

Billings, who spent nearly 30 years in service to the city, has not attended any council meetings since the end of May. The retired professor moved to Rhode Island at that time but was maintaining his home in the city until it could be sold. He had expected to return to the city during the summer.

The City Council bid him farewell in May in case he was unable to make any more meetings. Council President Alan Marden said at Tuesday's council meeting that he had been in contact with Billings about his "lack of attendance."

In a phone conversation before the meeting, said Marden, "Billings informed me he will be resigning effective Aug. 29, the date of his retirement from MCLA."

Marden said he recommended not filling the position until the November election and that he had discussed the issue with both Billings and Mayor John Barrett III.

Billings had expressed a wish to let the voters replace him rather than the council, which in past circumstances has appointed the 10th-highest vote-getter in the previous election. That would have been Christopher J. Tremblay, who placed 38 votes behind Billings. Tremblay, who returned nomination papers for another run at the council, has since decided he will not stand for election.

Brian Flagg, also a candidate for City Council this year, had planned to ask the council to address Billings' absences. Flagg said he was concerned about comments the councilor had made on local message boards and, while he thought Billings should be appreciated for his service, he should be discouraged from staying on until January.

"I guess this takes care of it," he said afterward.
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Companion Corner Grey Boy at No Paws Left Behind

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There's a cat No Paws Left Behind still waiting for his forever home.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home. He was previously highlighted but he now has new information.

Grey Boy is 10 years old and is a gray and white domestic shorthair and was previously highlighted on Companion Corner.

The shelter's Executive Director Noelle Howland introduced us to him and his long journey to be ready for adoption.

"He's been here a couple months. He was a transfer from a rescue in Bennington. They were out of space, so we had taken him in with a few other cats. So he's been here a couple months. He came in with what we believed was a respiratory infection," she said. "So it took us a little bit to get him ready, and then he also needed a dental. So he has nice, clean teeth. He had some teeth removed, and then he has to go back in and have one more dental. So he'll be all ready to go."

It was previously thought that he has feline herpes but he was recently diagnosed with a palette fracture because of how bad his dental disease was, which is what is causing his sneezing. He can now go home with cats, a cat-savvy dog and children.

"He has had two dentals since being with us. Due to the palate fracture he will be sneezy for the rest of his life, not contagious sneezing, but that doesn’t stop him from living a perfectly happy life. He should be on wet food with chunks due to this and since he has had many teeth removed," Howland said.

Grey Boy loves to play with toys and enjoy treats. He would also love to have a window to lounge or bird-watch in.

"He is not afraid of anything. He's very curious, so I'm sure he'd love if you have windows for him to look out of. He still plays, even though he's 10 it does not stop him. So any home would be a good fit for him."

Now that he is ready to be adopted, he is excited. When you walk into the room with him he will rub up against your leg introducing himself and asking to be pet.

"Usually, I would say, when you're walking, he'll bonk into you so he might catch you off guard a little bit. He constantly is rubbing against you," Howland said. "He really, I would say he's lazy when you want him to be, and he's active when you want him to be. He'll play with toys. He's usually lounging away. And then when he comes out he'll play. He loves it. So, very friendly, easy going cat."

He is now perfectly healthy with his dentals all done and veterinary care up to date and is ready to find his forever family.

"I would say the friendliest, easiest cat you could have. He's just, he's just gonna be a little sneezy sometimes, but that doesn't stop him from doing anything," she said.

Grey Boy's adoption fee is sponsored by Rooted in Balance Counseling LLC.

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