Dalton Traffic Commission Approves Special Permit for Nicholas Sand and Gravel

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The Traffic Commission approved the renewal of Nichols Sand and Gravel's special permit for earth removal. 
 
The company, located at 190 Cleveland Road, operates a gravel pit there. 
 
The hours of operation will remain 7 to 4 p.m. The commission approved owner Paul Nichols' request to allow his trucks to depart the property in either direction. 
 
Nichols has to apply for renewal of the special permit every year. 
 
The previous permit required the truck to exit the property to the right. Former residents requested this stipulation nearly 16 years ago to reduce the number of trucks using the residential street to avoid disturbing the quality of life and neighborhood. 
 
Since then those residents have relocated and there have not been any other objections to the change, Traffic Commission Chair William Drosehn said. 
 
Traffic in the area is going to be the same as there are the same amount of trucks, Nichols said. The only difference is that the traffic will be dispersed. 
 
The only concern is that the road is narrow and Drosehn questioned whether this would be an issue for emergency personnel. Nichols said the street meets state specifications of 22 feet. 
 
No objections were raised by Commissioners Camillus Cachat Jr., Adelard Nadeau, Highway Superintendent Edward "Bud" Hall, Fire Chief Christian Tobin or Drosehn. 
 
The commission also is organizing a list of Complete Street projects to demonstrate which ones have the highest priority. These projects include sidewalk installations and repairs, pedestrian lighting, bike racks, transit shelters, and more. 

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Pittsfield Council Gives Preliminary OK to $82M School Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, with Superintendent Joseph Curtis, says the Student Opportunity Act if fully funded this year. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council left no stone unturned as it took four hours to preliminarily approve the school budget on Monday. At $82,885,277, the fiscal year 2025 spending plan is a $4,797,262 — or 6.14 percent — increase from this year.

It was a divisive vote, passing 6-4 with one councilor absent, and survived two proposals for significant cuts.  

"I think we have fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of Pittsfield and to have a budget that is responsible, taking into consideration the huge increase in taxes that it had the last couple of years, the last year in particular," said Councilor at Large Kathy Amuso, a former School Committee chair, who unsuccessfully motioned for a $730,000 reduction.

Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren responded with a motion for a $250,000 cut, which failed 5-5.  

The Pittsfield Public School budget is balanced by $1.5 million in cuts and includes about 50 full-time equivalent reductions in staff — about 40 due to the sunsetting of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. With 27 FTE staff additions, there is a net reduction of nearly 23 FTEs.

This plan does not come close to meeting the needs that were expressed throughout the seven-month budget process, Superintendent Joseph Curtis explained, but was brought forward in partnership with all city departments recognizing that each must make sacrifices in financial stewardship.

"With humility, I address the council tonight firmly believing that the budget we unveiled was crafted admits very difficult decisions, struggles, along with some transformative changes," he said.

"It is still important though that it did not even come close to accommodating the urgent requests we received throughout the entire budget process."

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