Pittsfield Council News in Brief
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council approved two new City Hall hires put forward by Mayor Daniel Bianchi on Tuesday.
The approval fills key positions at City Hall. Douglas C. Clark nows heads the Department of Community Development and John M. DeAngelo will serve as personnel director. Clark fills a vacancy left by the departure of Deanna Ruffer in September, while the appointment of DeAngelo as personnel director is replaces what was previously filled as personnel manager position.
In other business, the council:
- Proposed local zoning regulation for medical marijuana dispensaries drafted by the Community Development Board will be reviewed in more detail at the council's Committee on Ordinance & Rules on June 3. Concerns were raised on whether this would allow enough time to have the zoning ordinance change in place in time for potential dispensary applicants, but City Solicitor Kathleen Degnan indicated that the state approval process through the Department of Health that forms the first phase of application would necessarily take through this summer, following approval just last week of the state's own regulations. At least one entity, the nonprofit Manna Wellness Inc, has already contacted city officials about locating a site to open a Pittsfield dispensary.
- Also referred to the June 3 O&R subcommittee were three communications from the mayor seeking amendments in the city code with respect to sidewalks, sewers and personnel.
- Concurring with a recommendation of its Finance subcommittee, the council voted in favor of making $1.3 million available to undertake a state-mandated design feasibility study for its high school building conundrum, 78.3 percent of which is anticipated to be reimbursed by the Commonwealth. The study is the next step in a years long process expected to ultimately result in either a replaced or significantly renovated Taconic High School.
- The council voted in favor of a traffic order from Bianchi removing parking restrictions from Madison Avenue, restrictions put in place in 2004 when the city acted on a petition from then Councilor Anthony Maffucio to impose a no-parking area on part of the south side of the street.
- A Community Development Block Grant Consolidated Action Plan for the coming fiscal year was approved unanimously. At a prior subcommittee meeting, the Department of Community Development informed the council that anticipated cuts in the CDBG budget will instead amount to a slight increase in 2014 funding.
Tags: appointments, city council, feasibility study, school project,
