PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There weren't any fireworks at Wednesday's debates for Wards 2 and 5 as the candidates seem to agree in general on issues and with the homeless being a major topic.

 

The differences were in the details. 

 

Ward 2 candidates Cameron Cunningham and Corey Walker and Ward 5 candidates Michael Grady and Patrick Kavey met on the stage in separate debates at Berkshire Community College's Boland Theater. 

 

The debates were sponsored by Pittsfield Community Television and iBerkshires.com. iBerkshires' Pittsfield Bureau Chief Brittany Polito moderated the debate. 

 

Walker and Cunningham are vying for the Ward 2 seat being vacated by one-termer Brittany Noto and Grady is challenging Kavey, who is seeking a fourth term. 

 

The problem of homeless was a major topic during both ward debates, with the candidates pointing to more recent efforts in housing but that more needs to be done. 

 

"I feel that our current approach of leading with compassion is helping. We can expand services, and we can ensure that what they need is provided — facilities, not-for-profits, housing," said Cunningham. "But with that compassion also comes the need for accountability, and that's where I feel there are merits in ensuring that there is some sort of diversion program to ensure that people who aren't prepared to accept help, have strong incentives to make sure that they do."

 

Walker said the multi-faceted problems in the system that need reform, to be attacked at different angles such as more foot patrols accompanied by mental health workers. 

 

"We need more mental health workers. We need more outreach workers. We need more community workers," she said. "There has been a lot of discussion around the unhoused population causing disturbances in downtown. 

 

"And I think when you see people that are openly suffering, they don't need to be punished, but they do need to be taken care of in a way that speaks to their suffering."

 

Both said the proposed camping ban and median ordinances weren't the proper tools to address the issue. 

 

"I really think that there is a certain portion of that population that is causing disturbances that should be spoken to, but there's a more significant part of that population that needs help, that needs treatment," said Walker. "I would love to fund mental health workers and community health workers that could get them the treatment that they need." 

 

Cunningham said there's no silver bullet and that the ordinances were short-term solutions that would just move the problem elsewhere. 

 

"We do need to expand the housing market and the housing availability both high-end average and especially affordable," he said. "I think hiring a grant writer could allow us to get good value for our dollar."

 

In the following Ward 5 debate, Grady brought up the homeless problem in his opening statement as an issue the city has to deal with. 

 

"I've taken some heat on the campaign trail for my stance on North Street, but all you have to do is take a good, hard look around and be realistic of what's going on in our city," he said. "We need change."

 

The retired police officer said he had another unpopular opinion: "A lot of the people downtown have made a life choice to live the way that they live." 

 

"I understand that people have problems, but their problems are becoming the taxpayers problem, and I just don't know who's going to pay for this moving forward," Grady said. 

 

Kavey said the city's approach "needs to be compassionate, it needs to be coordinated, it needs to be evidence based, with services that connect with the residents who need help most, and I think we are doing that as a city."

 

But he added, "we also need to enforce our existing laws. So for example, drinking in public disorderly conduct, public defecation, it's all already illegal and it's enforceable by the Pittsfield Police Department."

 

Homelessness, substance abuse and mental health are national problems, Kavey said. The 40 subsidized units will help and get people into pathways to support and workforce development.

 

"I think that we're doing a pretty solid job trying to fix those issues by working upstream," he said. "I think once we see these transitional facilities open, we'll hopefully see more of a solution to the problem we're seeing."

 

Grady said it was damaging North Street and affecting businesses. 

 

"We have to stop the people from urinating and defecating in their front door, or, if you disagree with them, a rock is left through their window. It's fairly pretty much common sense," he said. "Again, I just I am flabbergasted. Sometimes I think people are out of touch. 

 

"All you have to do is be honest with yourself. Park your car and take a walk down North Street and look at it, and then envision back 10, 12, 15, years ago. I know we can't go back in time, but it is a shell of itself. North Street should be the pride and joy of Pittsfield and Berkshire County, and it is far from that."

 

Kavey agreed there were problems but pointed out there are 25 new businesses with the downtown on the question about the North Street economy.

 

"We also have to get on landlords when we give a landlord a TIF (tax increment financing), when they redevelop these buildings," he said. "I mean, some of these buildings are looking absolutely beautiful, but we need to be on them about making sure they're getting a tenant for those spaces."

 

In Ward 2, Cunningham and Walker agreed that the streets need to be made safer in the ward, particularly after an elderly man was killed this summer crossing near Benedict Road.

 

Cunningham advocated for using modern methods and technology to find better ways to create safer roadways. 

 

Walker said Morningisde is high traffic zone and while there is a crossing guard and a speed bump, it's not enough, suggesting flashing LEDs and speed traps. 

 

"We need to create a sort of sense of order ... people treat it like a speedway," she said. 

 

Asked to grade the Department of Public Works, Walker gave it an A-minus for doing the best with what it has and Cunningham a B-minus, saying it's like a student without correct resources to succeed. Both agreed the department needs more resources to do its job. 

 

Both would like to see the peaker plant in the ward be decommissioned but would not back any proposal that would increase energy costs. They also agreed that fiberoptic was critical infrastructure, with Walker seeing the recent kerfuffle over permits as bumps in the road that will smooth out as the project continues but with Cunningham saying "when it comes into my ward I will ensure that it does not hurt my residents."

 

Cunningham saw the role of councilor as a communicator and connector, Walker as a mediator between the people and power. 

 

The Ward 5 candidates were also asked about traffic calming and enforcement. 

 

Kavey said the city has done traffic studies and that Ward 5 has been the pilot for traffic calming.

 

"Ward 5 has gotten more speed bumps than any other ard since I've been in office," he said. "I heard through one of my opponents interviews a specific street that they brought up with people speeding. So the speed study that Lt. Maddalena did on that street showed that the average speed was 26 mph.

 

Grady said residents hate the speed bumps. "The Police Department has a traffic unit. It's up to them to do some work," he said. "I worked there for 28 years. I understand their role. So it'd be up to them to get out and do do some work."

 

Both candidates said no on the city taking over the carousel, then Kavey pivoted to taxes, saying he was one of two sitting city councilors who voted against a budget. 

 

"I've also, six years in a row, voted in favor of tax relief, so giving free cash back to the residents to lower your tax rate. The lowest amount we've given you is $750,000. I negotiated one year up to $1.5 million," he said. "The last two years, we gave you $2.5 million. Back then with water and sewer rates, I voted against the most recent increase for water and sewer rates."

 

Grady said the residents in Ward 5 are "hanging on for dear life with the tax increase and the water and sewer rates increase.

 

"They're wondering how they're going to heat the house this winter. ... so we don't raise the tax rate, but then the value of your house increases, and you get whacked."

 

Grady asked Kavey about his claims of negotiating to bring in businesses and was that the role of a councilor.

 

Kavey said the role of a councilor varies and that, yes, he was at the negotiating table in City Hall and on the street with Lee Bank's $6 million investment in Ward 5 and with Bousquet and Interprint. 

 

As to the possibility of Stearns Elementary School becoming part of the Conte/Crosby consolidation, Kavey said only if the programs available at Stearns continued and Grady that it would need much discussion as some families moved specifically to attend Stearns. 

 

All four candidates said they would support funding the mosquito control project, a new police station (though Cunningham took a long pause before saying yes); Walker and Kavey were a yes on using city funds toward Wahconah Park and Cunningham and Grady no. 

 

The ward debates were followed by School Committee candidate debate that will be covered in another article; debates for Wards 6 and 7 and at-large will be held Thursday, Oct. 16, again in the Boland Theater starting at 6 p.m. These will be broadcast live by PCTV. 

 

Updated on Oct. 20 to correct Cameron Cunningham's grade for the DPW.