Higher Ground Group Continues Support for Irene Victims

08:11PM / Tuesday, November 15, 2011Print Story | Email Story

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Higher Ground was established as a nonprofit group on Oct. 21 and is dedicated to providing immediate relief for those affected by Tropical Storm Irene, preparing for future disasters, and creating more affordable housing in the area.

Higher Ground is providing services and raising money to meet long-term physical, emotional and spiritual needs associated with the disaster, which is perhaps the greatest in Williamstown's history.

The group currently provides 14 trained caseworkers who are working closely with those affected by the storm. Other volunteers are facilitating communications between the town and affected residents, fund raising to cover families' immediate needs, and networking with regional, national and international resources that can provide guidance and financial support.

Higher Ground's efforts will replace those of the Community Fund and serve to supplement the businesses, organizations and individuals who have been essential in the relief process so far.

The outpouring of financial and volunteer support exhibited since Higher Ground's inception by the Northern Berkshire Interfaith Clergy in the days following the storm has been "phenomenal," said the Rev. Carrie Bail, pastor of First Congregational Church and the organization's chairman. "Many disaster professionals have remarked on how quickly we have built an effective helping organization."

Higher Ground is accepting donations by check, which can be made to Higher Ground and mailed to 906 Main St., Williamstown, MA 01267. Those interested in volunteering should email group coordinator Robin Lenz at nbhigherground@gmail.com. To stay updated on the situation and the group's work, visit nbhigherground.org or sign up for the newsletter at here.

Upcoming events:

• All Saints Episcopal Church is making and delivering a home-cooked turkey dinner with all of the fixings for anyone who is homebound and 55 or older. Call the church at 413-664-9656 to place an order. Those interested in helping with the program should contact Diane Bleau at the same number.

• Monday, Nov. 21: The Berkshire Food Project will host its annual Thanksgiving dinner at 4 p.m. at First Congregational Church in North Adams.

• Wednesday, Nov. 23: Williams College will host a Thanksgiving meal at 11 a.m. in Driscoll Dining Hall.

• Tuesday, Nov. 29: The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce annual meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. will be a fundraiser for Higher Ground. The dinner will be at the Orchards and open to the public at a cost of $30 per person. To sign up: 413-458-9077 or info@williamstownchamber.com.

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Williamstown Fin Comm Hears from Police Department, Library

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
10:10AM / Friday, March 06, 2026

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Police Chief Michael Ziemba last week explained to the Finance Committee why an additional full-time officer needs to be added to the fiscal year 2027 budget.

The 13 officers in the Williamstown Police Department are insufficient to maintain the department's minimal threshold of two officers on patrol per shift without employing overtime and relying on the chief and the WPD's one detective to cover patrol shifts if an officer is sick or using personal time, Ziemba explained.

Some of that coverage was provided in the past by part-time officers, but that option was taken away by the commonwealth's 2020 police reform act.

"We lost two part-timers a couple of years ago," Ziemba told the Fin Comm. "They were part-time officers, but they also worked the desk. So between the desk and the cruiser shifts, they were working 40 hours a week, the two of them. We lost them to police reform.

"We have seen that we're struggling to cover shifts voluntarily now. We're starting to order people to cover time-off requests. … We don't have the flexibility when somebody goes out for a surgery or sickness or maternity leave to cover that without overtime. An additional position, I believe, would alleviate that."

Ziemba bolstered his case by benchmarking the force against like-sized communities in Berkshire County.

Adams, for example, has 19 full-time officers and handled 9,241 calls last year with a population just less than 8,000 and a coverage area of 23 square miles, Ziemba said. By comparison, Williamstown has 13 officers, handled 15,000 calls for service, has a population of about 8,000 (including staff and students at Williams College) and covers 46.9 square miles.

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