Letter: Williamstown Planning Board Proposals

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To the Editor:

How many citizens voted at the last town election? How many will vote at the town meeting? Town meeting is quaint AND irrevocably broken.

A holistic approach to town zoning is far preferable. Selectively passing one or two of the failed Planning Board's proposed zoning changes amounts to spot zoning. All related articles should be tabled or voted down.

Here is something to consider if you think the GR proposals, at minimum, are harmless. If you own land that can be divided into two or more now buildable parcels, guess what? Your property taxes will be jacked up because now, your property is "more valuable!" Voila!

These ill-thought out zoning changes have actually sucked the life out of any new real ideas as to how to create affordable housing in "The Village Beautiful." Sadly, instead, all our energy has been wasted on debating these ill-advised Planning Board proposals!

Ken Swiatek
Williamstown, Mass. 

 

 

 

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Williamstown Fire District Honors Notsley at Annual Meeting

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — As the town's fire district embarks on a new era, Tuesday it said thank you to a veteran leader who helped make that era possible.
 
At the annual district meeting, the Prudential Committee recognized more than six decades of service by John Notsley, who decided not to run for another term on the elected body.
 
Notsley started as a firefighter in the Fire Department in 1963, following in his father's footsteps.
 
Notsley called the department and the Gale Hose Company his "second home" throughout the 63 years that followed.
 
"When I was 6 years old, I met my first fire chief, Tom Welch, who I'm sure no one here remembers," Notsley said. "Followed by Edward H. McGowan, Gordon Noble, Edward M. McGowan, Craig Pedercini and our current chief, Jeffrey [Dias].
 
"My commitment to the district gave me 13 years as clerk, 42 years on the Prudential Committee and 62 years on the Gale Hose Company, the volunteer arm of the department."
 
For years, Notsley, Ed McGowan and Ed Briggs served as a three-person committee to help manage the department, and in 2006, they began looking at how to replace the Fire Department's aging and cramped home on Water Street. The three eventually expanded the body to five members and, this year, Notsley saw a 20-year project come to fruition with the completion of a new fire station on Main Street.
 
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