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Berkshire Reps Serve Important Roles at Democratic Convention

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — State Rep. Paul Mark remembers the first time he watched a Democratic National Convention in 1988.
 
He watched the speeches and the celebration of the party and was fascinated. He's watched every single one since and volunteered at the 2004 convention in Boston that nominated Secretary of State John Kerry, then the state's U.S. senator. Now he'll serve an important role this week in Philadelphia — as a delegate. He's the only Berkshire County delegate from either party and either campaign.
 
"I was the first elected official in Massachusetts to endorse Bernie Sanders and I am co-chair of the Massachusetts Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. My other co-chair is Mary Keefe out of Worcester and she was the second official to endorse Bernie. I'm the only delegate to the national convention from Berkshire County for either campaign and from any party," Mark said last week.
 
"I was elected at large. It means first you represent the entire state and that you are elected at the Democratic State Committee meeting. I was the only person from Berkshire County elected."
 
Mark now has the chance not only to cast a vote on the nominee — though he's bound to Bernie Sanders should a roll call vote come up — but also the platform and the vice president. 
 
"I'm pledged to vote for Bernie if there is a roll call on the first ballot. Bernie has endorsed Hillary Clinton at this point. He's going to speak on Monday night and he can release us all or pledge us all to Hillary Clinton or they can move to a voice vote by acclamation like they did in 2008," Mark said. "If there is a roll-call vote and I am not released, then I am pledged to vote for Bernie on the first ballot. We're not like superdelegates who can go wherever they want. We have to stick to the pledge."
 
'Will of the People'
 
It's not likely that it will come to a roll call as Sanders has already endorsed Clinton. But, when it comes to rules and the platform, Mark will have a voice. One of the more contentious issues that may arise is the use of superdelegates. A number of ex-officio delegates such as U.S. Reps. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, are free to vote for whoever. That dynamic has played out heavily during the primary with Clinton significantly outnumbering Sanders in the number of superdelegates.
 
"There is a movement trying to modify the rules relating to superdelegates. When you looked at elected pledged delegates that are determined by the primaries and caucuses in the states, the election was pretty close between Sanders and Clinton. When you threw in the superdelegates, it always looked like the nomination was out of reach for Bernie Sanders," Mark said. 
 
If that comes to a vote, Mark said "I'd like them to be more reflective of the population. I understand why Congressman Neal and Congressman McGovern supported Hillary Clinton. They have had a longtime relationship with her, they served in Congress together, they had a great relationship with Bill Clinton and she was first lady. I understand that and I think there is value in that. But I also think there is a lot of value in following the will of the people you serve, the people you are elected by."
 
Becoming a delegate from Berkshire County isn't an easy task. The delegates are derived from the congressional districts and none of the Berkshire nominees were voted in because the population sector is in the Springfield area. From there, only 20, 10 men and 10 women, are chosen on an at-large basis from the entire state — again where Boston controls most of the population. Despite heading the campaign and speaking at a number of Sanders events, Mark wasn't even the top vote-getter to be a delegate.
 
State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, is going to the convention in a different role. She was chosen by the Clinton campaign to serve as the Massachusetts whip.
 
She worked on Clinton's 2008 campaign as well as this election and the party was "looking for somebody with organization and communication skills. They wanted to be sure Berkshire County was represented at the convention and I've been a leader of the campaign here," Farley-Bouvier said.
 
Building Communications
 
"I am the primary conduit of information between the national campaign and the state Clinton delegation. I have five whips working with me and I am the whip captain. Each of the five whips have 10 to 12 delegates they are responsible for communicating to. A message comes down from the campaign, I get it to my whips, they get it to their delegates. The information comes back up the tree and back out," Farley-Bouvier said. "We've been working on building that communication tree over the last couple of weeks, testing it out. We're hoping to be ready to go for Monday morning."
 
With hundreds of delegates across the country descending on Philadelphia this week for the convention, a lot of coordination is involved. Should a Massachusetts delegate be unable to make it, Farley-Bouvier has to find an alternative. She has to make sure all of the delegates know where to be and when.
 
"Another part of the responsibilities is to do a good job communicating and reaching out to the Sanders delegates because we are stronger together. We want to make sure we have good communication between those two camps so we can come together as one and move on to November," Farley-Bouvier said.
 
This will be Farley-Bouvier's first time at a national convention and she's focused on learning the ins and outs of the event's operations. 
 
"I'm really fascinated with operations of things so understand the operations behind the convention is interesting to me. It's another reason why this is a good role for me. When we see conventions you only see the prime time part of it. What's happening on the floor and during the day, beforehand, are really interesting to me," Farley-Bouvier said.
 
But maybe more importantly for the Berkshires, Farley-Bouvier said the convention provides a lot of networking opportunities to have conversations with Democrats all over the country, where she hopes to take ideas and lessons back here.
 
"There is going to be a lot of time on our hands. It's a lot of hurry up and wait kind of stuff. Sometimes that is the most valuable time with your colleagues, to be able to have important conversations," Farley-Bouvier said.
 
The convention is the place for both primary camps to come together as Democrats. Both Farley-Bouvier and Mark believe while Bernie Sanders isn't going to get the nomination, the Vermont senator made a tremendous impact on the party's platform.
 
"Just because you don't win a primary, doesn't invalidate all of the hard work you've accomplished. The message Bernie Sanders has put forward is about more than one candidate for one office. It is about getting people elected to Congress and the U.S. Senate, governorships, local races, all of that. We need to follow his lead and understand how important it is that Donald Trump does not become the next president," Mark said.
 
Neal will also be at the convention as a superdelegate. Neal has been a longtime Clinton supporter — despite his congressional district voting for Sanders — but he, too, believes Sanders is making a large impact.
 
"Bernie Sanders has had a major impact on the platform already ... He has a prime-time speaking engagement at the convention and he energized millions of people during the course of the primary season. His contribution to the convention will be positive," Neal said.
 
Particularly, the Vermont senator's focus on income inequality and higher education have made influenced to the Democratic platform. 
 
"The Sanders campaign really should be claiming victory right now because Sen. Sanders and his supporters have done a remarkable job in putting forth their agenda and being able to shape the platform for the party. Not only for this year but I think it is something that will last a long time. I hope the campaign and Sanders supporters feel really good about that and then we can move forward together," Farley-Bouvier said.
 
She added, "Both the Clinton delegates on the platform committee and the Sanders delegates have come together so they have a platform that both camps feel really good about. It is putting together a progressive Democratic platform. It is very inclusive of all people. It addresses issues of income inequality. It addresses issues of college affordability and how we can start talking a solid look at the college debt problem."
 
Unifying the Party
 
Now is the time for the party to unified with a common goal: defeating the Republican nominee Donald Trump.
 
"When that convention wraps up Thursday night I am hoping most of us, if not all of us, are going to be unified and working together with the common goal of making sure Donald Trump is not our next president in November," Mark said.
 
 
Neal said, "for the most part conventions are really settled affairs" in that the primaries have essentially determined the nominee and the platforms. There hasn't been a contentious convention since the 1980s. Clinton on Friday announced Timothy Kaine, U.S. senator for Virginia, as her vice presidential running mate. Meanwhile, the Republicans chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to run alongside Trump.
 
"I've know Mike Pence from his time in the House of Representatives. There is no question that he is a doctrinaire conservative. He holds views that are well to the right of mainstream America. And at the same time he is also very careful — he's scripted. I think he probably plays well with the conservative right in American but how he plays with the independent voter in America come November, I think that's a different outcome," Neal said last week.
 
For Mark, a Pence/Trump ticket is a scary thought.
 
"Donald Trump can say anything because he has absolutely no experience in any form of government. Mike Pence has actually done some of these things. He's actually followed through on that message. To hear the way they were talking — a convention is scripted, it is the best of the best of what a party has to offer and if that is what the best of the best of the Republican Party then I am very scared of having them in control over the presidency, the military which comes as commander and chief, or the United States Senate. We're talking about who is going to pick the next Supreme Court justice," Mark said.
 
On a more personal level, both Mark and Farley-Bouvier are excited to have the opportunity to attend and hear from the slate of speakers including President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts' U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sanders, and former President Bill Clinton. 
 
"I'm actually really excited to hear Vice President Biden speak. He's been in government service for a very long time. He has a strong track record on labor and issues I care about. But he's also just a really interesting character. He is prone to talk off the cuff. So I'm really interested to see what he will be saying to rally people," Mark said.

Tags: Berkshire delegation,   convention,   Democratic Party,   election 2016,   


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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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