LENOX DALE — Clifford Oil is about to become the only local outlet for liquid propane storage in the Berkshires.
Now that Berkshire Gas has sold out Berkshire Propane, Jeff Clifford said last week that he will be the only supplier of bulk propane in the Berkshires. He said he is increasing his fuel-oil storage facilities at 40 Willow Creek Road in Lenox Dale and starting a new propane business, Clifford Propane LLC.
The Selectmen awarded Clifford a license to install a liquid propane bulk plant and expand his fuel-storage capacity at a public hearing March 24.
“Jeff runs a first class operation. He keeps the place spotless,†said Selectman Terrence Field, who made the motion to approve Clifford’s license request.
The Selectmen and Fire Department must both approve a license to store hazardous material like fuel, Clifford said. In order to avoid any conflict of interest with his brother, Lenox Fire Chief Daniel Clifford, he said he has worked directly with State Fire Marshal Dave Beaudin on the permitting process.
Clifford Oil is at its capacity, and in months as cold as last January, it has strained at the seams, Clifford said. The storage tanks hold up to 30,000 gallons of fuel oil, and the company has shipped out 35,000 gallons in a single day at the peak of the winter cold, he said.
He plans to increase his storage to 70,000 gallons of fuel oil and 10,000 gallons of low-sulfur diesel. He plans to put a new 40,000-gallon storage tank underground, which will pump into the 30,000-gallon aboveground tank, he said.
In answer to Chairman Timothy Doherty’s environmental concerns, Clifford said the tank would be double-walled and electronically monitored to ensure against spills. It would also be protected by equipment such as an oil/water separator and catch basins. The federal Environmental Protection Agency and the state fire marshal inspect Clifford's equipment every year and have never found a problem with it, according to local officials.
For his propane bulk plant, Clifford has licensing for 100,000 gallons, an amount he said is not as large as it might look on paper. That total covers both storage tanks and trucks on the property. He said he hopes to install two 30,000-gallon propane tanks and keep propane trucks and cylinders inside a chain-link fence on the property. He asked for a small amount of extra capacity, on Beaudin’s recommendation, to allow for growing room.
He added that he had talked to all of his neighbors, who had no objection to his plans, and to the owners of Caligari’s Hardware, a nearby business that supplies propane for gas grills. Clifford does not plan to supply propane in such small amounts, and the Caligaris did not feel that he was stepping on their toes, he said.
The Selectmen also granted Clifford permission to install the new underground tank 25 feet from the neighboring property, a town cemetery. Twenty-five feet is the federal standard for setbacks in industrial zones. Because that is a requirement of federal, not local zoning, the issue will not come before the Lenox Zoning Board, Town Manager Gregory Federspiel said. Federal authorities defer to the local licensing board, the Selectmen in this case.
The board praised Clifford for running a tight business and for rigorously maintaining his equipment and his property. Clifford thanked them for allowing his increased capacity and new business venture. He said his 60,000 gallons of propane storage will allow him to offer a fixed rate, and his 40,000-gallon oil tank will ensure no one in Lenox goes cold the next time the temperature drops below zero.
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Pittsfield Council Adds Funding for Council Education in FY27 Budget
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On the third day of budget hearings, the City Council preliminarily passed all but its own budget, requesting that Mayor Peter Marchetti restore some funds to the education and training line.
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.
Councilor at Large Kathy Amuso's motion to reduce the $3,190 training line by $1,500 failed. Councilors instead asked that the $1,430 cut from reimbursements for the Massachusetts Municipal Association conference be restored.
This would bring the proposed FY27 budget of $107,832 to $109,262, level with FY26. Marchetti has agreed to the addition.
"I can remember having to basically sleep in a windowsill the first year I was councilor because I didn't have enough money in my campaign account, and the job I had at the time, I could not afford nights in Boston," Councilor at Large Pete White remembered.
He and other councilors said the knowledge and networking from the annual weekend-long event in turn allows them to serve Pittsfield residents better.
"I don't think any of us are up here asking for more pay. But I think it's important that we have a council that is educated and has the opportunity to learn more," Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi said.
"And as somebody that has been to the conference multiple times, I've seen myself learn and bring it back to the constituents, and I've also seen colleagues learn new information and bring it back. It's a great resource for veteran councilors. It's a really great resource for new councilors, and I just wouldn't want to take that opportunity away from anybody, and most importantly, from our constituents."
Ward 7 Councilor Katherine Moody said the conference cost her nearly $500, but the knowledge she brought home could be put to immediate use.
Councilor at Large Alisa Costa and Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham said it is important to ensure that city government is accessible to people of all income levels and from all backgrounds.
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