WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Voters on Tuesday unanimously approved the Williamstown Fire District's budget in a brief annual meeting at Williamstown Elementary School.
The Prudential Committee, which governs the district, had asked voters to OK a spending plan that calls for slightly less revenue to be raised from taxes in fiscal year 2021 than the district sought for the current year.
The largest of nine articles on the warrant, Article 5, covers the district's operating expenses for the year ahead. It was up by $7,714, or 1.6 percent, to $495,865.
The second largest appropriation came from the district's stabilization fund, which will pay the $380,000 approved on Tuesday to acquire a 2,600-gallon tanker truck.
As noted in a memo to voters accompanying the warrant for Tuesday's meeting, the tanker will fill a long-standing need for the call-volunteer fire department.
The memo noted that more than 89 percent of the town's 47 square miles is not covered by the town's water district and, therefore, does not have fire hydrants.
Although neighboring town's departments have tankers and do provide mutual aid to the Williamstown firefighters, a truck at the Williamstown fire station will potentially get to the scene of fires faster, the Prudential Committee argued.
"The fire district cannot stress enough the importance of getting as much water to the fire scene as quickly as possible, especially to those residents currently living and building homes in that 89.4 percent unprotected by the water district," the memo read.
Prior to Tuesday's 15-minute meeting, the district conducted its annual election.
Current Prudential Committee Chair John Notsley, the only member of the five-member panel up for re-election, was returned to his seat with all 30 of the votes cast. Moderator Paul Harsch, the only other official up for election, received 25 of 30 votes.
About a dozen voters participated in the meeting, and just one took advantage of the opportunity to ask for more information about the articles.
Jeffrey Thomas asked whether the Prudential Committee felt the $20,000 sought in Article 6 for the district's "Design Fund" for a new fire station was sufficient.
Notsley and Treasurer Corydon Thurston confirmed that the district is carrying about $25,000 in the fund from previous years' appropriations, and the committee feels that $45,000 is sufficient to continue the work of planning for a new station at 562 Main St.
In his opening remarks on Tuesday, Notsley said the station project remains a priority for his committee.
"The district is moving forward at a slow and steady pace to be able to present to the town the district's plan for a new station," Notsley said. "Our current station, built in 1949, has served the town well but is totally inadequate. We will propose a facility that will last for many years into the future.
"Since there may be opportunity to obtain federal funding for a new building, the district must pursue a plan for the project. We will be soliciting proposals for the new station, and a building committee will be selected to provide input before a proposal is presented to the town."
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Summer Street Residents Make Case to Williamstown Planning Board
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — 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.
Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity was at Town Hall last Tuesday to present to the planners a preliminary plan to build five houses on a 1.75 acre lot currently owned by town's Affordable Housing Trust.
The subdivision includes the construction of a road from Summer Street onto the property to provide access to five new building lots of about a quarter-acre apiece.
Several residents addressed the board from the floor of the meeting to share their objections to the proposed subdivision.
"I support the mission of Habitat," Summer Street resident Christopher Bolton told the board. "There's been a lot of concern in the neighborhood. We had a neighborhood meeting [Monday] night, and about half the houses were represented.
"I'm impressed with the generosity of my neighbors wanting to contribute to help with the housing crisis in the town and enthusiastic about a Habitat house on that property or maybe two or even three, if that's the plan. … What I've heard is a lot of concern in the neighborhood about the scale of the development, that in a very small neighborhood of 23 houses, five houses, close together on a plot like this will change the character of the neighborhood dramatically."
Last week's presentation from NBHFH was just the beginning of a process that ultimately would include a definitive subdivision plan for an up or down vote from the board.
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
The Select Board and Planning Board this week clashed over a proposal that would add to the town charter a mechanism to ensure compliance with the foundation of town government. click for more
The Select Board has agreed to remove the town flag a year after town meeting established a bylaw restricting the use of flags on public property.
click for more
Drainage was the chief concern of the residents who turned out for Wednesday's informational meeting about a planned five-home development off Summer Street. click for more