Plans for Lanesborough's Tour de Greylock Bike Ride Nearing Finalization

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
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LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Economic Development Committee was updated on the Sept. 24 Tour de Greylock bike ride and plans to finalize details soon and begin registrations.

The ride will take bikers around the entire base of Mount Greylock and back to Lanesborough. The exact bike route, as well as promotional and registration materials, are nearing finalization.

The committee expects to have more information finalized by the next meeting. Recording Secretary Patricia Hubbard briefed the committee on the ride on Tuesday.

"Most of what you updated us on covers just waiting on the hard copy of the logo and all paperwork, the registration, ironing out the location," said board Chair Barbara Davis-Hassan. "And then we'll move things next meeting and have a little bit more information to report on."

The committee expects 50 to 100 riders to register and plans on needing about 20 volunteers to run the event.

In other business, the committee has planned the next business-to-business networking event, set from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 12 at Lanesborough Local. The board also discussed doing more similar throughout the rest of the year.


Davis-Hassan said she is excited to begin holding business-to-business events again, as the COVID-19 pandemic limited the ability to run them.

"It's a meet and greet and networking. It's going to be great to be back to doing this," she said.

In addition to the networking events, the committee is also drafting a letter to send to new businesses when they begin operating in town.

"[It's a] welcome and, 'we'd like you to stay and be successful' and 'what we can do to help you? Feel free to mention anything we can do that makes your business thrive better that we can help with,'" Davis-Hassan said.

The committee also discussed the vacant seat previously held by Joe Prince, who resigned due to schedule conflicts. Davis-Hassan said she has worked to get the word out on the vacancy.

"I was at a Selectmen's meeting during the general public comment period, and I did make an announcement that we did have a vacancy there," she said. "And I also gave the information to the town Secretary so it could be posted online. So if and when they do see any applications, I will make sure to bring them forward to this board."


Tags: economic development,   

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Dalton Redevelopment Authority Seeks to Attract Veterinarian

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Dalton Redevelopment Authority is looking at revamping zoning to make it easier for a veterinarian to open an office. 
 
This was prompted by resident Kevin Herkelman, an animal nutritionist who worked with veterinarians before retiring and moving to the area about a year ago.
 
He and his wife have many animals and found that area vet offices weren't accepting new patients or were booked out for a long time.
 
"When we moved here, we were looking for a vet. We have five dogs and a cat. I used to show dogs and things like that. When we tried to find a vet, we had a hard time even finding people taking new clients. So we ended up going over to Northampton. That's where we still are," he told a recent meeting of the authority.
 
He said it's more difficult to have to travel far, and even if residents have a veterinarian, it's likely in Pittsfield so they have to leave town. 
 
Currently a veterinary office is only allowed in a B1, R1, or I1 zone and must be 100 feet from a boundary.
 
Herkelman and Chair John Boyle have been looking for a suitable location to entice a vet to come to the area but zoning has been an issue as it is very restrictive. 
 
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