North Adams Panel Advises Traffic Sign Removal, Debates Animal Control Ordinance
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Police officers stuck at Center Street and Holden won't have to flash their lights to get through soon.
Public Safety Committee last week recommended the City Council follow the Traffic Commission's lead to remove the "No Turn on Right" sign next to Public Eat and Drink.
"Most of the officers are saying you're stuck at that intersection," interim Chief Mark Bailey told the committee. "If you have an emergency, but it's not really emergency, you're trying to get to somebody, a call, a citizen or something, and you're not required to turn the blue lights on, you're stuck at that intersection light for a long time."
The police station was relocated to the Berkshire Plaza in 2023, in what had been the juvenile court. That offered plenty of more space for officers and better access for citizens, but also put the cruisers on one-way Center Street.
Cruisers turning left have to put their lights on to make it through the dense crossing but vehicles turning right have to sit through the long light — even if there is no traffic.
Bailey explained that this change will allow police officers more flexibility when responding to non-emergency calls, reducing wait times at the traffic light and reducing potential traffic congestion when emergency vehicles need to pass through.
"If you have other civilians that are stuck at that traffic light waiting for it to turn red to turn right, we have to turn blue lights to move them out of the way in order to get through the intersection, because it's very narrow," he said. "It's not like we can just sneak by."
Committee member Peter Breen wondered if motorists headed east on the artery would be confused if they were trying to make a right turn onto to Holden. Chair Bryan Sapienza pointed out there are other "No Turn on Right" signs directly across from the bridge.
In fact, there's a forest of "No Turn on Red" signs at the intersections at the foot of the Veterans Memorial Bridge, including three facing Route eastbound.
Sapienza asked if officers should just turn on their blue lights but Bailey didn't think it was necessary to disrupt traffic.
"If it's an emergency situation, they'll turn the blue lights on," he said. "I'm just saying, if there's a situation where the officer has to go that's not requiring immediate assistance, it's easier for them to get through the intersection turning right."
The committee also began work on an animal control commission ordinance brought forward by Mayor Jennifer Macksey, who had asked ACO Matthew Reynolds to look into procedures around animal control.
The new five-member board would advise the city's animal control officer after hearing cases regarding concerns or complaints on an as-needed basis.
It also would be empowered to create educational programs, publish statistics on the city's animals and make recommendations to other bodies about a long-range plan to meet the North Adams' "needs in connection with animal control."
Sapienza read from a template that would have the members appointed by the mayor with staggered terms of three years.
Breen said he had looked at ordinances in Pittsfield, Boston and Springfield, which have more extensive and authoritative boards that hold rabies clinics and other preventative actions.
He and Committee member Deanna Morrow discussed if the commission should have members with specific expertise or representation, such as a veterinarian, a city councilor and the ACO, like the larger communities. Some even had a Department of Public Works representative, said Breen, because they often deal with removal of dead animals.
These commissions also often had an animal inspector and Sapienza asked what certifications the North Adams officer had.
"He has all the authority as any animal control officer that we've ever had," said Bailey. "He's taken all the classes. He's certified in it. The one right now that's up for grabs is the animal inspector. That was quasi brought in a few years ago and merged into the animal patrol officer. And I believe the animal inspector for the city is mostly just going out and inspecting a barn."
The city only has one barn with animals adn in the case of wild animals, he said, "We get involved with the [state] Environmental Police to come out and take care of that, especially when you get to bears, moose and your larger animals."
The ACO can work with a veterinarian to get animals tested and has vouchers to help people get their pets rabies shots.
"It's my authority as the chief to deem your animal a dangerous dog," the chief said. "I can say that based on incidents where your dog bites somebody, let's say, or attack and kill another animal, I can say that your dog is deemed dangerous therefore you have to follow these certain parameters, as outlined in Mass General Law."
Bailey didn't it was fair or right for one person to be making those decisions without the opportunity for the owner to appeal.
"I get it that that's that's my job and everything, but there's no hearing authority, no right for you as a citizen to come in and rebuke that," he said. "Also, on the flip side, I can sit here and say, 'I don't think that your dog is dangerous or a nuisance.' Too bad. So sad."
The main issue, he said, is to get more people involved, to make decisions on animals within the city.
The push for a commission was in part the result of a number of dog nuisance issues last summer that had landed in the chief's lap.
"I never heard of any other chiefs or directors dealing with this before, either," he said. "I didn't even think was my authority."
A dangerous dog issue had been sent to the Public Safety Committee five years ago to allow for a hearing despite the city's ordinances placing the authority with the police.
https://www.iberkshires.com/story/62634/North-Adams-Owner-Appealing-Dangerous-Dog-Ruling.html
Morrow and Breen offered to separately go through the proposed ordinance and return with suggestions; Breen said he would also like to hear from the ACO at the next meeting.
Tags: animal control, traffic signage,
