Williamstown Finalizes Torrey Woods Road Utility Pole Plan

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Select Board Monday OK'd a plan for new utility poles on Torrey Woods Road after hearing that the residents who originally raised questions were satisfied with the final configuration.
 
In a special, single-item meeting, the board wrapped up a public hearing that began in July.
 
Last Monday, at the first continuation of the hearing, the board left with a sense that the property owners on both sides of the road that would be impacted were close to an agreement.
 
This week, National Grid's Nicholas DeRosa was back before the board.
 
"At the meeting last week, we discussed a possible third option to shift Pole 2 away from the guard rail and shift Pole 1 further east," DeRosa said. "After looking at that in the field, we determined the first solution, the original plan, would be the best course of action."
 
The new poles are necessary to continue utility service to 88 Torrey Woods Road, a lot where a new home is under construction. The owners of neighboring 150 Torrey Woods Road brought their concern that Pole 1 was set to be installed directly in front of their home.
 
Chair Stephanie Boyd confirmed that the residents of 150 Torrey were part of the site visit DeRosa made last week and mentioned that the agreed upon plan is a little east of the house.
 
"I ran into Kristy Edmunds [one of the 150 Torrey owners], and she told me she was good with this plan," Boyd told her colleagues. "Plan No. 1 in the meeting packet from last week is the one we are going with."
 
Boyd, Peter Beck and Matthew Neely, who attended the special meeting, voted, 3-0, to approve that plan.
 
"I want to thank Nick DeRosa from National grid and all the homeowners who were thoughtful and respectful about their concerns and their neighbors' concerns," Boyd said. "I think the process worked well."
 

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Williamstown Select Board OK's 'Heroes' Banners, Names Skate Park for Max Rothschild

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Select Board Monday voted, 4-1, to allow the Hometown Heroes banners program, joining several other communities around North Berkshire.
 
The vote finalized a conversation that began at the board’s Sept. 14 meeting.
 
As happened two weeks ago, several residents spoke from the floor of the meeting to raise concerns that the banners send the wrong message by glorifying the military and promoting military service to young members of the community.
 
Unlike two weeks ago, however, more people turned out Monday to urge the board to accept the plan to hang the Hometown Hero banners on utility poles around town between Memorial Day and Veterans Day starting in the spring of 2027.
 
One of those supporting the banners was the former chair of the Berkshire Democratic Brigades, who told the board that the banners are one small way communities like Williamstown can help make up for a “blemish” on the nation.
 
Sherwood Guernsey reminded the board members that the thousands of men and women who made the sacrifice to serve in the Vietnam War were not, by and large, honored for their service in their own time.
 
“When soldiers came back after incredibly difficult conditions … what happened in this country?” he asked. “I remember so well that it was extremely quiet when they came back, to say the least. There weren’t any crowds supporting them. There weren’t any parades saying, ‘Yes, you fought for this country.’ Whether I believed in that war or not, and I did disagree with that war.
 
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