Letter: Williamstown Planning Board Proposals

Letter to the Editor05:00PM / Wednesday, June 08, 2022Print Story | Email Story

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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Firefighters Make Progress Against Wildfire on New York/Massachusetts Border

Staff Reports02:24PM / Tuesday, October 27, 2026

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — New York officials Tuesday morning reported significant progress overnight in battling a wildfire on the Massachusetts state line, with hopes of total containment as early as tonight.

"Containment right now is about 70 percent contained," N.Y. Department of Environmental Conservation Lt. Eric Stratton said during a news conference telecast by Springfield, Mass., television station WWLP. "We do anticipate by the end of the day shift today … we should be between 90 and 100 percent contained if all goes according to plan."

Stratton and Rensselaer County (N.Y.) Director of Public Safety Jay Wilson met with the media and fielded questions about the fire, which currently affects 251 acres and has spread over the state line into Williamstown.

"We had a night crew working all night long, and they were able to do a lot of good work," Stratton said. "The [relative humidities] recovered nicely, so that decreased fire behavior.

"We reinforced some [fire] line, put in a new line. We are now at 251 acres."

Stratton explained that the strategy for battling the fire involves establishing a control line around the blaze and setting fire between the control line and the wildfire to consume fuel the wildfire would need to spread.

Stratton said that as of mid-morning Tuesday, 119 fire personnel from New York and Massachusetts were involved with the effort to extinguish the blaze.

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