Letter: Leigh Davis Is the Right Candidate

To the Editor:

There is not wrong choice in the upcoming election. Absolutely no one steps into a local or state election who does not genuinely want to make a difference. I firmly believe that all candidates running have our best interests at heart, regardless of party or platform.

That being said, there is a RIGHT choice, and that choice can only be Leigh Davis.

Leigh understands small towns and small business alike. Leigh Davis was on the other end of the very first phone call I received after the announcement of the closure of the Division Street bridge, pledging her support and resources to help keep Taft Farms from closing. From the moment of that phone call and throughout the next several years, all the way through the COVID epidemic, Leigh was a constant voice of support to help our small business survive, and I know I am not alone.

I am a lifelong member of Great Barrington and Housatonic. I consider everyone a neighbor and always have. I remember growing up when our well would run dry in the summer, running a hose from the neighbor’s house next door to get us by until the next rain. Which is why when my neighbors in Housatonic needed some water, we stepped in to offer our well.

Leigh has been, and continues to be, the only candidate running who has tried to make this situation better, even touring our farm and artesian well (which has been labeled as a possible future town water source). She is eager to take up that fight at the state level to help bring safe clean water to our neighborhood.

Over the years and her time on the Select Board, Leigh has sought out the opinions of community members and community leaders to address issues like housing, addiction and recovery, and employment levels. Rather than simply stating her opinions, she seeks out voices to be heard and genuinely listens to them before making a decision.

Now, when people disagree, and a decision has to be made, someone will always be left unhappy and the unhappy are always the loudest. But making a decision and taking a stand are what I want in a candidate, in a leader. And those qualities in Leigh are why Leigh is the right choice in this election.

Paul Kenneth Tawczynski
Great Barrington, Mass. 

Lee Breaks Ground on Public Safety Building

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, April 25, 2026

Lee Town Administrator Chris Brittain says the community voted to invest in its future by approving the new $37 million complex. 

LEE, Mass. — Ground was ceremonially broken on the town's new public safety building, something officials see as a gift to the community and future generations. 

When finished, Lee will have a 37,000 square-foot combined public safety facility on Railroad Street where the Airoldi and Department of Public Works buildings once stood. Construction will cost around $24 million, and is planned to be completed in August 2027.

"This is the town of Lee being proactive. This is the town of Lee being thoughtful and considerate and practical and assertive, and this project is not just for us. This project is a gift," Select Board member Bob Jones said. 

"This is a gift to our children, our grandchildren."

State and local officials, including U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, gathered at the site on Friday, clad in hard hats and yellow vests, and shoveled some dirt to kick off the build. 

Town Administrator Chris Brittain explained that officials have planned and reviewed the need for a modern facility for the public safety departments for years, and that the project marks a new chapter, replacing 19th-century infrastructure with a "state-of-the-art" complex.

"The project is not just about concrete and steel, it's a commitment to the safety of our families, the efficiency of our first responders, and the future of our community," he said. 

He said he was grateful to the town's Police, Fire, and Building departments for their dedication while operating out of outdated facilities, and to the Department of Public Works, for coordinating site preparation and relocating its services.