Letter: Williamstown Planning Board Proposals

To the Editor:

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???

Ken Swiatek
Williamstown, Mass. 

Performance Team Revived at Christmas Brook Figure Skating Club

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
07:11AM / Sunday, November 01, 2026

The Blitz regularly performs at women's college hockey games at MCLA And Williams College.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Last year, the Christmas Brook Figure Skating Club's Blitz spent the winter sharpening its skills and supporting women's hockey in North County.

 

This year, they've decided to help some men, as well.

 

The Blitz, an 11-member company of skaters aged 7 through 16, have been invited to perform during intermission of a Springfield Thunderbirds minor league men's hockey game at the Mass Mutual Center.

 

The Dec. 30 performance will come during a season that again will include shows at women's college hockey games at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams and Williams College.

 

The club's production team was a staple of the Bay State Figure Skating Show at the annual Bay State Games and the local club's own year-end show but took a hiatus after the COVID-19 pandemic, Michela Juras said.

 

"Coach Nikki [Benson] and I brought it back with a twist: hockey games," Juras said.

 

"I skated on a team when I was younger, and we practiced weekly. I just wanted to provide more opportunities to build their confidence. It helps build leadership, teamwork, sportsmanship, you name it."