PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Linda Tyer has announced a new relief aid program for Pittsfield restaurants in the wake of the city suspending indoor dining.
The Restaurant Rapid Response Grant program will offer up to $5,000 to eligible restaurants to help with rent, mortgage, utilities, payroll, supplies, and inventory.
Tyer made the announcement during her COVID-19 update Friday on Pittsfield Community Television telling the community that a second surge of the novel coronavirus had hit the city.
"I would love more than to stand before you and share good news but I just can't do that this week," she said. "The number of new COVID-19 cases in our city is beyond alarming, it's frightening.
"We are in a serious crisis."
In the past week, the city had received a daily report of more than 100 positive COVID-19 cases, an accumulation of test results over several days. On Friday, eight new cases were reported.
"What were seeing was completely avoidable," Tyer said. "These cases have been directly attributed to large get-togethers in restaurants and large indoor parties in private homes attended by individuals from multiple households."
These get-togethers caused an explosion of cases in the city, the mayor said. In one instance, a single COVID-19 case generated at least 20 other positives.
The state of Massachusetts encourages using three reporting periods to determine when communities should step back, but Pittsfield is not waiting and stepped back immediately.
"Decisive, aggression action is what is needed right not to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our city," Tyer said.
The city's COVID-19 Task force identified several actions that are effective immediately, one of which included a suspension of indoor dining until further notice.
Tyer said many cases have been linked to indoor dining and large gatherings, so it is necessary to take a pause on these actions.
Though indoor dining is suspended, local eateries are allowed to provide takeout, delivery, and to serve outdoors, which has proved to be very successful during winter spring and summer months, Tyer said.
While these shutdowns are necessary, Tyer said she recognizes the tremendous economic impact it will have on Pittsfield restaurants, and thus the emergency grants.
This grant program is in addition to Pittsfield's COVID-19 Economic Relief and Recovery Small Business Grant program, which has already aided 63 businesses, including 17 restaurants.
Tyer noted that there are still funds available for this program, and the city is accepting more applications. More information on this program can be provided by the city's Office of Community Development at cityofpittsfield.org.
Additionally, a second Board of Health order will be issued to step back the city of Pittsfield to step 1 of phase 3 of the reopening process.
This means that until further notice, the following types of businesses must reduce indoor capacity to 40 percent; outdoor gatherings at event venues and in public settings are limited to 50 people; and
outdoor theater performance venues may operate at 25 percent capacity with no more than 50 people.
Indoor performances are suspended for the time being.
For more sector specific guidelines visit www.mass.gov/reopening
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action.
The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.
"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.
"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature."
Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures.
Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis.
Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.
The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. click for more
Police Chief Thomas Dawley will retire next month after 24 years with the Pittsfield Police Department, and the mayor will appoint his successor.
click for more
Last weekend, LaBeau raced in the Mount Zion Snocross National race in Ironwood, Mich., the first of eight races in the national circuit series.
click for more
Brown hopes to one day work in a lab, feeding their strong interest in scientific research and making a positive difference in the world.
click for more
Prior to the ribbon-cutting, public officials and community resource personnel were able to tour the two new permanent supported housing projects — West Housatonic Apartments and The First Street Apartments and Housing Resource Center.
click for more