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Williamstown DPW Worker Rescued in Snowplow Accident

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A Department of Public Works employee was treated and released from the hospital Sunday morning after his snow plow went off the road and down an embankment in South Williamstown, police said Sunday afternoon.
 
At about 1:30 Sunday morning, Robert Sweet radioed the garage foreman to tell him he was off the roadway on Roaring Brook Road, Police Lt. Michael Ziemba said.
 
Police, firefighters, Northern Berkshire Emergency Medical Service and another DPW employee arrived to find Sweet trapped upside down inside the cab of his truck down a 15-foot embankment and in a pool of water about 3 feet deep, Ziemba said.
 
"Officers and the DPW employee extricated Sweet from the water and the truck to the river's edge," Ziemba said. "EMS and Fire arrived and stabilized Sweet before performing a rope rescue to bring him up the banking."
 
Sweet was transported to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, where he was treated and released, Ziemba said.
 
Massachusetts State Police and New Ashford Fire and Hancock Fire departments also responded to the scene. The accident happened in the middle of a snowstorm that dropped 3 to 10 inches across the Berkshires.
 
Ziemba said the truck, plow and sander, which were removed by Village Truck Sales of Lanesborough, likely are a total loss.
 
The accident is under investigation by the Williamstown Police Department.

Tags: accident,   DPW equipment,   

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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.
 
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