Parking lot snowplowing was the order of the day on Jan. 23 after a snowstorm dropped 5-7 inches of snow on the Berkshire region.
A quick but intense Jan. 23 snowstorm delivered between five to seven inches of snow to the Berkshire/Southern Vermont region and was deemed the culprit for a spate of morning accidents that kept North Adams police busy.
Police Sgt. James Burdick said that eight minor vehicle accidents occurred between 8 a.m. and noon. Crashes were reported along West Main, Houghton, and State streets as well as Curran Highway and Massachusetts Avenue, Burdick said.
No serious injuries were reported as a result of the accidents, but a traffic sign posted near the Eagles Hall on Curran Highway was struck twice by different vehicles within a 30-minute span, he noted.
“That sign took a beating,†Burdick said.
During the early afternoon, a tractor-trailer truck became stuck on a slick spot near the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts gates on Marshall Street, Burdick said. Sand was brought to the site to get the truck moving again, Burdick said.
“The accidents were all kind of minor,†he said. “People sometimes forget how to drive in this weather."
During snowstorms, drivers should reduce driving speeds, increase braking distance, wear seat belts, and be certain that their vehicle is outfitted with proper tires, Burdick said.
City highway workers who were trying to clear the snow from the streets requested police assistance on numerous occasions, Burdick said. Police were asked to locate the owners of vehicles that had been parked on the street at some point during the morning so that the vehicles could be moved for plowing.
Williamstown police reported no serious incidents during the storm, and Adams police dispatcher Tom Romaniak said that the storm did not cause any serious problems in that town.
“We were lucky with that,†he said.
Massachusetts State Police Sgt. William Blackmer of the Cheshire barracks said that drivers faced some nuisance situations along roadways.
“We had a couple of stuck vehicles and a tractor-trailer jack-knifed on Route 116,†Blackmer said.
There were no injuries reported with those incidents, he said.
A snow emergency is in effect in Pittsfield until further notice. During a snow emergency, parking on city streets is prohibited.
Most Berkshire region and Southern Vermont schools were closed because of the storm, with the exception of the Southern Vermont Supervisory School Union – which had already scheduled the day as a teacher in-service day and a student day off.
Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 802-823-9367.
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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