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Clarksburg town meeting approves a school budget for next year. The 18-article passed with few comments.
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Outgoing Select Board member Linda Reardon attended her last town meeting as an officer. New member Carlyle 'Chip' Chesbro Jr., far left, joined for his first.

Clarksburg OKs Warrant Articles, Passes $4.2M Budget

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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Town Clerk Carol Jammalo swears in officials elected on Tuesday.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Voters approved all 18 articles on the annual town warrant on Wednesday night, including a town budget of $1,434,771.80.

It took about an hour go work through the warrant but all articles passed unanimously or nearly so, with few comments.

The full warrant can be seen here.

The articles included a school budget of $2,448,000; a McCann Technical School assessment of $341,939; and several requiring two-thirds votes — $38,000 from stabilization to lower the tax rate, $26,500 from the Department of Public Works stabilization account to complete the roof replacement on the town garage approved last year, and about $51,000 close out the snow and ice account for this year.

"It's been a challenging budget year and we've had across the board cuts," Town Administrator Carl McKinney said in opening remarks. "This budget is very delicately balanced."

Town officials cut more than $120,000 out of this year's total budget, with about $103,000 of that coming out of the school budget.

McKinney said it was done without cutting staff or critical components. On the town side, it was largely reduced through savings, supplies and putting off projects; the school relied on school-choice funds and the likely layoffs of a few paraprofessionals.  

"We're very close to our Proposition 2 1/2 level and there are a lot of painful cuts to this budget," he said. "I think it is a lean budget and I think it will serve the needs of this community in the coming year."

He did, however, caution that the state is falling some $400 million below revenue estimates that could mean 9C cuts — line item reductions the governor can wield to keep the budget balanced — could hit the town later this year. The recent budget proposal by the White House would also deeply cut into funds that flow to towns through the state.

One hope is that rooms tax will bring in some more revenue, should the State House complete its work on taxing short-term rentals, such as AirBnB. Voters adopted of the local rooms tax and the authority to regulate such rentals in Article 2.

Massachusetts currently levels a 5.7 percent tax on rooms rented for $15 or more a day; municipalities can levy up to 6 percent more on top of that. It is similar to the meals tax, which Clarksburg passed several years ago.


McKinney said regulation would be through the Board of Health and building inspector and relate to such public health and safety standards as smoke alarms, water quality, and egress.

What took up the largest amount of time was questioning over a $311,023 appropriation from the Sewer Entreprise Fund that included a $12,500 allowance for non-payment.

The fund is replenished by payments from those on the sewer system that is connected through North Adams to the Hoosac Water Quality District. The town pays North Adams, budgeted at $180,000 for next year, out of the fund for use of its pipes. The fund also pays for maintenance, capital improvements, the time of town employees related to the system and debt service.

The $12,500 was to cover payments by those sewer users in arrears, said McKinney, and the town will go after delinquents on behalf of the other sewer users. Several years ago, the town was forced to pay $20,000 into the fund by the state because of delinquencies; that money was paid back to the town over three years.

He did warn that the system appeared to be having inflow and infiltration issues and could need work.

"If there is a crack or a break in the sewer line and groundwater is getting into the system, it's driving up our cost for sewer at the Williamstown plant," McKinney said. "We don't want to be cleaning clean water, there's not point to it."

If no I&I is found, then the water was coming from elsewhere and the town will address those abusing the system, said McKinney, such as emptying their pools in the septic lines.

Voters, also by a two-thirds vote, approved taking $25,000 of the DPW Stabilization Fund to purchase a hot box, a piece of equipment that keeps asphalt at a usable temperature.

DPW Foreman Kyle Hurlbut estimated he can lose up 10 to 20 percent a load, depending on the temperatures. The cost is about $80 a ton and the trucks can bring back two to three tons a load. But when temperatures are low, like in the spring, driving from South County or Pittsfield can cause losses.

The town also approved removing late and demand fees on tax bills from the tax collector's compensation. Instead, the collector will continue to be paid a salary and the fees will go into the town's general fund.


Tags: clarksburg_budget,   town meeting 2017,   

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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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