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Watch the roads if you are out driving tonight ringing in the new year!

Wintry Mix Bids 2018 Farewell; Wind Welcomes 2019

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It looks like 2019 is coming in like a lion.

OK, not a huge, roaring lion. More like a baby lion, only not as cute. Unless you think ringing in the new year with a wintry mix of snow, sleet and ice is cute. To each their own.

The National Weather Services has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the region from 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 1. Mixed precipitation is expected, with a total snow and sleet accumulation of up to 2 inches and ice accumulation of up to one-tenth of an inch expected, particularly in North Berkshire and higher elevations.

Roads could be slippery as New Year's parties wind down tonight, so use caution when driving - and as always, make sure said driver is sober. By early Tuesday morning, it should just be plain rain.



Tuesday, though, will see another issue: wind. The NWS has issued a High Wind Watch from Tuesday morning to Tuesday afternoon here in the Berkshires, predicting the possibility of wind of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. Strong winds may knock down some trees and large tree limbs, and scattered power outages are possible.

So all in all, we're not looking to see a nice end of 2018 and beginning of 2019 here in the Berkshires. But what about New York City, the place to be on a New Year's Eve? Rain. Yuck. Consider yourself lucky to be watching from afar this year.

Stay warm and safe, and have a happy New Year!

 


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Clarksburg Gets 3 Years of Free Cash Certified

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town officials have heaved a sigh of relief with the state's certification of free cash for the first time in more than three years.
 
The town's parade of employees through its financial offices the past few years put it behind on closing out its fiscal years between 2021 and 2023. A new treasurer and two part-time accountants have been working the past year in closing the books and filing with the state.
 
The result is the town will have $571,000 in free cash on hand as it begins budget deliberations. However, town meeting last year voted that any free cash be used to replenish the stabilization account
 
Some $231,000 in stabilization was used last year to reduce the tax rate — draining the account. The town's had minimal reserves for the past nine months.
 
Chairman Robert Norcross said he didn't want residents to think the town was suddenly flush with cash. 
 
"We have to keep in mind that we have no money in the stabilization fund and we now have a free cash, so we have now got to replenish that account," he said. "So it's not like we have this money to spend ... most of it will go into the stabilization fund." 
 
The account's been hit several times over the past few fiscal years in place of free cash, which has normally been used for capital spending, to offset the budget and to refill stabilization. Free cash was last used in fiscal 2020.
 
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