Treasurer Makes Appoint to The Massachusetts Gaming Commission

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BOSTON — Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg announced that she will be appointing Nakisha Skinner to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) as of March 21. 
 
The Massachusetts State Treasurer has sole appointment for the one commission member with a background in corporate finance and securities, for a five year term.
 
"I am pleased to appoint Nakisha Skinner to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission," said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. "Her experience and expertise will positively benefit the Commission and ensure the continued integrity of the gaming industry in Massachusetts."
 
A graduate of Suffolk University Law School, Skinner most recently served as the Licensing Division Chief for the MGC, where she managed the planning and operations for the licensing and registration of casinos and gaming vendors and their employees, as well as alcohol beverage licensing, serving as primary point of contact for vendors and casinos' human resources, compliance, and procurement departments.
 
"I appreciate the trust Treasurer Goldberg has shown in me with this appointment and am thrilled to get to work as a commissioner," said Nakisha Skinner. "As Licensing Division Chief, I'm familiar with many of the pending issues and the players, both internal and external. I plan to get right down to the business of engaging, supporting, and protecting the gaming industry in this new capacity."
 
Prior to the working for the MGC, Skinner served as the General Counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance. She also served as General Counsel to the Boston Public Health Commission.
 
"I am delighted to learn of the appointment of our respected colleague, Nakisha Skinner, as Commissioner of the MGC," said MGC Chair Cathy Judd-Stein. "Having worked with Nakisha as our chief of licensing I know the dedication, experience, and passion that she brings to her work. An appointment of a new commissioner so familiar with the issues facing the MGC will allow a seamless transition. I look forward to continuing to serve with Nakisha in her new role and am thankful to the Treasurer for making this appointment." 
 
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission was created after "An Act Establishing Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth" was signed into law on November 22, 2011. The Commission is a five-member independent body that is responsible for developing and managing the process to select, license, oversee, and regulate all expanded gaming facilities in the Commonwealth. The costs associated with operating the state's gaming commission is paid for by the gaming industry and not by Massachusetts tax dollars. 

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Pittsfield ConCom OKs Wahconah Park Demo, Ice Rink

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Conservation Commission has OKed the demolition of Wahconah Park and and the installation of a temporary ice rink on the property. 

The property at 105 Wahconah St. has drawn attention for several years after the grandstand was deemed unsafe in 2022. Planners have determined that starting from square one is the best option, and the park's front lawn is seen as a great place to site the new pop-up ice skating rink while baseball is paused. 

"From a higher level, the project's really two phases, and our goal is that phase one is this demolition phase, and we have a few goals that we want to meet as part of this step, and then the second step is to rehabilitate the park and to build new a new grandstand," James Scalise of SK Design explained on behalf of the city. 

"But we'd like these two phases to happen in series one immediately after the other." 

On Thursday, the ConCom issued orders of conditions for both city projects. 

Mayor Peter Marchetti received a final report from the Wahconah Park Restoration Committee last year recommending a $28.4 million rebuild of the grandstand and parking lot. In July, the Parks Commission voted to demolish the historic, crumbling grandstand and have the project team consider how to retain the electrical elements so that baseball can continue to be played. 

Last year, there was $18 million committed between grant funding and capital borrowing. 

This application approved only the demolition of the more than 100-year-old structure. Scalise explained that it establishes the reuse of the approved flood storage and storage created by the demolition, corrects the elevation benchmark, and corrects the wetland boundary. 

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