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Mayor Linda Tyer and her husband, Barry Clairmont, at her re-election launch last year. Clairmont has filed a defamation suit against Tyer's mayoral rival Melissa Mazzeo.

Pittsfield Mayor's Husband Files Lawsuit Against Election Rival

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD — Mayor Linda Tyer's husband, Barry Clairmont, filed a lawsuit in Berkshire Superior Court alleging Melissa Mazzeo tried to defame him after the 2019 mayoral election.
 
Clairmont, an accountant, filed the suit earlier this month claiming that former City Councilor and mayoral candidate Mazzeo defamed him and should compensate him for damaging his reputation.  
 
Mazzeo ran against Tyer in 2019 and lost by more than 500 votes.
 
Later in November, Mazzeo called for a recount that resulted in Tyer actually gaining two more votes bringing the final count to 6,185 votes for Tyer and 5,657 for Mazzeo.
 
In Mazzeo's request for a recount and in communications with the secretary of state's Elections Division, Mazzeo had stated an "individual closely related to the Tyer Campaign" had had inappropriate proximity to the ballots.
 
This person was Clairmont, who had been in the city clerk's office during absentee voting. Clairmont was there pick up records he had requested; the city clerk had him wait in her office. The Elections Division dismissed the complaint finding that he had no access to ballots and no interaction with voters. 
 
After the recount, Mazzeo's attorney Andrew Hochberg suggested Mazzeo may still appeal the election citing irregularities in the handling of the ballots from the registrar's office to the City Council Chambers upstairs. That apparently did not happen and Mazzeo has since moved to Dalton.
 
iBerkshires.com reached out to Mazzeo on Friday afternoon, and she said she only recently was served the lawsuit and had no comment at the time. 
 
"I was served with the lawsuit about an hour ago,” she said. "I have not even had time to talk with anyone, especially an attorney so I really can't comment right now.”

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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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