Pittsfield Board Revokes Unused Liquor License

By Joe DurwinPittsfield Correspondent
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The Licensing Board reluctantly revoked an on-premises license after years of encouraging its sale to keep it operative.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The number of alcohol serving licenses available in the city has shrunk by one, following a unanimous vote by the Licensing Board on Monday to revoke a license held by Willard Curtis, former proprietor of The Tavern on 4th Street.

While The Tavern closed its doors more than four years ago, uncertainty has surrounded the fate of its license, in a saga of postponed sanction that has occupied the board intermittently for nearly two years.

"I think the board has to wash our hands of it," said board member Richard Stockwell, motioning to cancel the latent license following an update on its disposition on Monday.

Under Massachusetts law, a license cannot continue to be held if it remains inactive, a proposition the Licensing Board has struggled with, offering numerous reprieves and postponements to allow the owner to sell it rather than have the city lose the license altogether.

The recurring possibility of an upcoming sale had thus far stayed the board's hand, though repeated attempts by potential buyers have gone without response from Curtis or his attorney.

"We have been actively chasing licenses around the city," said attorney Syd Smithers, representing Main Street Hospitality's upcoming Hotel On North.



Smithers said that after about six months of trying to come to an arrangement for the former Tavern license, the hotel business has just signed a letter of intent for a license transfer from another seller.

"You sure were dogged to try and straighten all that out," said board member Robert Quattrochi

The board's reticence to take the license has been seen at repeated meetings since 2012, and in November 2013 the board issued what it called a "last chance" for the owner to negotiate its sale, which included several years in unpaid licensing fees.

With Smithers announcement on Monday, hope of this occurrence has finally dwindled away.

"I just think the license carries so much baggage that it can't be saved," said Stockwell.


Tags: alcohol license,   license board,   

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Central Berkshire School Officials OK $35M Budget

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved a $35 million budget for fiscal 2025 during its meeting on Thursday.
 
Much of the proposed spending plan is similar to what was predicted in the initial and tentative budget presentations, however, the district did work with the Finance subcommittee to further offset the assessments to the towns, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said. 
 
"What you're going see in this budget is a lower average assessment to the towns than what you saw in the other in the tentative budget that was approved," she said. 
 
The fiscal 2025 budget is $35,428,892, a 5.56 percent or $1,867,649, over this year's $33,561,243.
 
"This is using our operating funds, revolving revenue or grant revenue. So what made up the budget for the tentative budget is pretty much the same," Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino said.
 
"We're just moving around funds … so, we're using more of the FY25 rural aid funds instead of operating funds next year."
 
Increases the district has in the FY25 operating budget are from active employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, special education out-of-district tuition, temporary bond principal and interest payment, pupil transportation, Berkshire County Retirement contributions, and the federal payroll tax. 
 
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