WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Several dozen volunteers hit the streets on Saturday morning to help clean up the town.
The inaugural town pickup event was part of a statewide effort under the banner Keep Massachusetts Beautiful.
The first-year Williamstown version brought an army of volunteers to Field Park at the junction of Routes 2 and 7 to sign in and accept assignments at various locations around town.
"I've seen litter to lesser or greater degrees everywhere,” said organizer Anne O'Connor, who serves on the town's Board of Selectmen. "Sometimes, you have to look for it a little bit. From Field Park to Cole Avenue, it's not going to necessarily be laying out on someone's front lawn, but underneath the brush, it's there.”
Being a first-year event, O'Connor said organizers kept things low key, not seeking any kind of corporate sponsorship. The bags were provided by the town of Williamstown, which had a supply on hand from a community pickup held last year in South Williamstown.
Volunteers were asked to leave the bright yellow trash bags at the side of the road for pickup on Monday by the town's Department of Public Works.
Word of the event, which O'Connor hopes to make an annual activity, spread through word of mouth and emails directed to local non-profits like the Williamstown Community Chest. Girls from four different local Girl Scout troops also participated.
By the end of the day, more than 60 volunteers joined in, and about 30 bags of litter were collected.
Overall, participants ranged in age from preschoolers with their parents to retirees. Several Williams College students also were among the initial crews dispatched from the "command center” at Field Park.
O'Connor said some volunteers had expressed interest in being sent to a particular neighborhood. Others were assigned on an as-needed basis.
"Ideally, you want people to feel like they're stewards of their area or their street,” volunteer Shira Wohlberg said.
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Williamstown Fire Committee Talks Station Project Cuts, Truck Replacement
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Prudential Committee on Wednesday signed off on more than $1 million in cost cutting measures for the planned Main Street fire station.
Some of the "value engineering" changes are cosmetic, while at least one pushes off a planned expense into the future.
The committee, which oversees the Fire District, also made plans to hold meetings over the next two Wednesdays to finalize its fiscal year 2025 budget request and other warrant articles for the May 28 annual district meeting. One of those warrant articles could include a request for a new mini rescue truck.
The value engineering changes to the building project originated with the district's Building Committee, which asked the Prudential Committee to review and sign off.
In all, the cuts approved on Wednesday are estimated to trim $1.135 million off the project's price tag.
The biggest ticket items included $250,000 to simplify the exterior masonry, $200,000 to eliminate a side yard shed, $150,000 to switch from a metal roof to asphalt shingles and $75,000 to "white box" certain areas on the second floor of the planned building.
The white boxing means the interior spaces will be built but not finished. So instead of dividing a large space into six bunk rooms and installing two restrooms on the second floor, that space will be left empty and unframed for now.
The Charter Review Committee on Wednesday voted unanimously to endorse an amended version of the compliance provision it drafted to be added to the Town Charter. click for more
Developer David Traggorth asked the trustees to make the contribution from its coffers to help unlock an additional $5.4 million in state funds for the planned 54-unit apartment building at the south end of the Cable Mills site.
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The donors, who wish to remain anonymous, say the gift reflects their desire to not only support Williams but also President Maud S. Mandel's strategic vision and plan for the college.
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Neighbors of a proposed subdivision off Summer Street last week asked the Planning Board to take a critical look at the project, which the residents say is out of scale to the neighborhood. click for more