Letter: Re-Elect Gordon Hubbard to Lanesborough Select Board

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To the Editor:

I support the re-election of Gordon Hubbard to the Select Board in the town of Lanesborough.

Mr. Hubbard prepares himself well by reading all the agenda materials before the Select Board meetings. He is very transparent, has no personal agenda, has an open mind and the business acumen that has worked well with the fiscal responsibilities of the Board of Selectmen.

Gordon has attended Planning Board, Zoning Board, Finance Committee, Recreation Committee, Board of Health, and Economic Development Committee meetings and every Business-to-Business Event while serving as a selectman in this town. He is very sincere in his desire to continue serving the community and he has always been courteous and a true gentleman when responding to the public at these meetings.

Given my roles in town government serving on the Economic Development Committee as the chair, member of both the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals and having attended just about every Select Board meeting over the past several years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the differences in the candidates in their preparation for the meetings they are involved in. I've also read Mr. Hubbard's platform, goals, experience, and education on www.reelectgordonhubbard.com.

Gordon is by far the more prepared, experienced, and professional of the two candidates in this race.

The town of Lanesborough has some very serious issues that require the best, most qualified person for the job. Transparency and accountability are very important when running for public office at this high level! Gordon Hubbard is by far that person.

I'll cast my vote on Tuesday, June 21, for Gordon Hubbard, Select Board member for three more years! Your vote is important – remember to vote – get the vote out – remember, every vote has an impact on the future of our town.

Barbara Davis-Hassan
Lanesborough, Mass. 

 

 

 

 


Tags: election 2022,   town elections,   

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Pittsfield Council Takes Up $243M Fiscal 2027 Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Peter Marchetti detailed the city's $243 million spending plan during the first budget hearing of the season on Tuesday. 

The proposed operating budget for Pittsfield in fiscal year 2027 is $232,782,090, a 2.9 percent increase from this year. Marchetti compared that to hikes in fixed costs: a 9 percent increase in health insurance, a 7 percent increase in debt service, and more than a 5 percent increase in retirement contributions. 

"We needed to make reductions in other places," he explained. 

The total proposed budget is $243,234,868. It breaks down into $145,927,029 for the municipal operating budget, $86,855,061 for the schools, and $10,452,778 for proposed state assessments and overlay. 

To balance the budget, the administration will not fill several vacant positions, is funding police social workers and co-responders through opioid settlement funds, and reduces the library's Thursday hours. 

"Probably one of our most painful cuts that we have produced: The overall [Department of Public Services] budget has been reduced by $738,000 from fiscal year 26 to 27, with a reduction of five positions that are currently vacant, have been vacant for some time, and we believe the reason that those positions are vacant is based on our salaries," Marchetti explained. 

"So once we are able to successfully negotiate a contract with the teamsters, we will be back looking to be able to fund these positions from a later appropriation. It is not our intent to let them go vacant all year, but it's impossible to budget when we know we can't fill them, and we don't know what salary at this current stage to use." 

The budget includes $2 million in free cash to offset the tax rate, $19,791,219 from water & sewer enterprise funds, $81,959,322 from state aid ($68,855,061 in Chapter 70 School Aid), and $15,388,750 in local receipts. 

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