An elected planning board member tells us that voting on the zoning proposals at town meeting will let the Planning Board know how we "feel." Any zoning changes passed at town meeting will be "forever," and virtually irreversible. Cite the research that indicates what effect these changes will have.
Perhaps the Planning Board should have spent more time reaching out to all the town's citizenry long before any town meeting. These articles were approved by the Planning Board long before this unnecessarily delayed town meeting will be held. Better yet, place the items for a vote at the town election, even if as non-binding questions if legally necessary. Why are major decisions being made by a small number of citizens at the broken town meeting?
How do all and any articles affect property evaluations and property taxes, but only for some landowners if some but not articles are passed?
Why is a town master plan being conducted if it is totally meaningless?
Perhaps all items should be voted down, as a group, rather than tabled so the Planning Board can start from scratch and ready their proposals for the 2024 town meeting. All town households should be mailed paper copies of the new proposals well in advance of the 2024 town meeting.
Finally, who serves to benefit the most from passing any or all of these failed proposals???
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Companion Corner: Priscilla at Second Chance Animal Shelter
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
ARLINGTON, Vt. — There is a sweet girl awaiting her new family at Second Chance Animal Shelter.
iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.
Priscilla is 2 years old and came to the shelter from a hoarding house.
Feline Program Administrator Santana Snyder introduced us to her.
"She came to Second Chance from a hoarding situation, and she had two little kittens with her when she came in. Her kittens have been adopted, but she's still looking for her forever home," she said.
She has been at the shelter for about a year and has not had anyone visit her.
"She came in April of 2025. There was a point in time where she wasn't available on the floor because she was still taking care of her kittens. So that is partially why she's been here this long, but also overlooked for unknown reasons," Snyder said. "She's very sweet. She's very playful. She gets along pretty well with the other cats."
She can go home with respectful kids, other cats, and a respectful dog as well, as she does like her boundaries sometimes as most cats do. She especially loves people and will follow you around.
"She is a bit bossy, so cats that kind of can give her some space, and know that when they get in her space, she will tell them that she's had enough," Snyder said. "Not sure how she would do with dogs. However, she is very confident in herself and not a very timid cat, so I think she would be fine with a feline savvy dog.
"She loves people. She loves to be around people. There's often times where she'll escape out the door from us because she's trying to follow the people that were in here loving on her."
Priscilla enjoys sunbathing and looking out the window at people or birds.
"This is a favorite pastime of hers, sitting and watching out the window. So she loves being up high and watching the cars and the birds."
Priscilla is healthy, litter-box trained, and knows her scratching posts, but does have a sensitive stomach.
"She does, right now, eat a sensitive-stomach diet, but it's not prescription, so easily accessible, not super expensive. She was just having some issues with vomiting up the food that wasn't sensitive stomach," she said.
Priscilla is ready to go to her new home where she can play and lay in the sun all day.
"She's really is a great cat, like I said, not sure why she's been here this long. She just wants to find her people and be loved."
Priscilla is sponsored by someone anonymous.
If you think Priscilla might be the cat for you, reach out to Second Chance Animal Shelter and learn more about him on the website.
Second Chance Animal Shelter is open Tuesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. It is located at 1779 VT Route 7A. Contact the shelter at 802-375-2898 or info@2ndchanceanimalcenter.org.
At issue is a 4.3-acre riverfront parcel owned by the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation off Woodlawn Drive near the site of the town's new fire station.
click for more
The Planning Board this month voted unanimously to recommend that the Select Board ask town meeting to accept the provisions of the provisions of the commonwealth's Seasonal Communities law.
click for more
The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee approved a fiscal year 2027 spending plan on Thursday that officials characterize as a "level services" budget. click for more
The Mount Greylock School Committee on Tuesday decided to bring a fiscal year 2027 budget to Thursday's public hearing that maintains level services while seeking double-digit percentage increases in the assessments to each of the district's member towns. click for more
