WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Although several government meetings have been canceled in the last week because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Select Board will convene Monday as scheduled -- but via remote connection.
Town Manager Jason Hoch confirmed Thursday afternoon that the board will meet utilizing the Zoom videoconferencing platform.
The town's community access television station, Willinet, which regularly telecasts meetings from Town Hall, will transmit Monday's virtual meeting live and make it available for later viewing on the Willinet website.
Hoch said that Monday's meeting will be strictly a meeting of the five-member board. The planned joint meeting with the Mount Greylock Regional School Committee and Lanesborough Select Board to appoint someone to fill a vacant seat on the School Committee will be held at a later date.
"I think we're trying to make sure that we work the unanticipated bugs out before convening such a large group," Hoch wrote in response to an email asking about the town's plans.
Meanwhile, Williamstown has this week announced a few other coronavirus-related initiatives.
Starting Thursday, the town is suspending the requirement to use official trash bags at the Williamstown Transfer Station for anyone holding a current sticker. The temporary suspension is meant to eliminate the need to visit town hall or other locations where residents normally acquire the bags.
The Council on Aging is offering early morning rides to the Stop & Shop in North Adams on Tuesdays and Thursdays to take advantage of the store's special 6 to 7:30 a.m. hours for shoppers age 60 and over. Call the COA at 413-458-8250 before 2 p.m. on the Monday or Wednesday before you plan to shop to reserve a place.
Williamstown will be sending out the second installment of its real estate and personal property tax bills as scheduled. But Treasurer/Collector Rachel Vadnais noted in a post on the town website that Town Hall realizes unforeseen circumstances can create hardships for taxpayers.
"I am happy to work with you to find an approach that can help," Vadnais wrote. "It is important, though, that we actually have a conversation prior to the eventual due date. While it is always more pleasant to have these conversations in person, email and telephone are our healthiest options in the near future."
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Williamstown Charter Review Panel OKs Fix to Address 'Separation of Powers' Concern
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — 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.
The committee accepted language designed to meet concerns raised by the Planning Board about separation of powers under the charter.
The committee's original compliance language — Article 32 on the annual town meeting warrant — would have made the Select Board responsible for determining a remedy if any other town board or committee violated the charter.
The Planning Board objected to that notion, pointing out that it would give one elected body in town some authority over another.
On Wednesday, Charter Review Committee co-Chairs Andrew Hogeland and Jeffrey Johnson, both members of the Select Board, brought their colleagues amended language that, in essence, gives authority to enforce charter compliance by a board to its appointing authority.
For example, the Select Board would have authority to determine a remedy if, say, the Community Preservation Committee somehow violated the charter. And the voters, who elect the Planning Board, would have ultimate say if that body violates the charter.
In reality, the charter says very little about what town boards and committees — other than the Select Board — can or cannot do, and the powers of bodies like the Planning Board are regulated by state law.
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