Clarksburg to Offer Administrator Post to Plymouth Candidate

The Selectmen on Wednesday decided to offer the town administrator post to John Sanguinet of Plymouth.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen will offer the town administrator post to John Sanguinet.

The decision wasn't easy, as the two board members immediately butted heads over their selections.

Chairwoman Lily Kuzia advocated for Sanguinet of Plymouth; Selectman Jeffrey Levanos for former Selectman Carl McKinney.

"I feel very strongly that my first candidate would be Sanguinet," said Kuzia. "We need someone to step up to the plate. ... We need someone who knows the Department of Revenue and he does."

Kuzia pointed to Sanguinet's background in finance, including his 14 years at the DOR and certificates in various town fields.

Levanos, however, advocated heavily for McKinney, pointing to his long years in service to the town and his intimate knowledge of Clarksburg issues.

"I think Carl would be the best candidate in my opinion, because he knows everything ... he's a wealth of information," Levanos said. "I think he deserves this position. In my opinion, he would be the best person for the job."

Kuzia said all the candidates had been queried prior to the meeting to see if they were still interested, and all had responded yes.

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.