Dalton Finance Looks to Form Contracts Subcommittee

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The Finance Committee wants to create a subcommittee to review contracts presented to the town.
 
Chair William Drosehn brought up the idea to help bring focus to the many town contracts and should the committee be aware of them.
 
"This will be to review all of the contracts that are presented to us by the Select Board and our town manager," he said.
 
He noted how the committee had no input on use of the American Rescue Plan Act funds the last three years. 
 
"The Finance Committee was supposed to be involved, and they kept us out of it completely. We had no say or no talk of what was going on with the relationship to ARPA funds," Drosehn said.
 
The committee determined the subcommittee be formed with four members, including Drosehn. 
 
"I was hoping that I was going to be one of the volunteers for the committee, because the size of the job, having the chair seated on that committee is probably going to be a good thing, considering the size and scope of the work that needs to be done," he said.
 
Before voting to establish, the committee did think it needed a better draft of how the subcommittee would deal with contracts, what types of contracts and monetary thresholds, and what the members' roles would be.
 
Dresehn will write up a draft of objectives and policies and invited others on the committee to as well to prepare for a vote at the next meeting.
 

Tags: Finance Committee,   

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Demonstrators Demand Home Depot Condemn ICE Activity

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

A counter-demonstrator showed up with megaphone and a T-shirt that read 'Don't Attack, Don't Resist, Don't Get Shot.' 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Community members want Home Depot's leadership to take a stand against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids around their stores.

On Monday, Presidents Day, dozens of people approached the big-box chain in Berkshire Crossing with "ICE out" signs, chanting "Love not hate makes America great." They took a lap through the aisles and bought symbolic items such as ice scrapers, which they would later return.

Bob Van Olst, of Indivisible Berkshires, said Home Depot's corporate policy has been "very complicit" with masked border patrol agents. Activists say the company removed diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from its website last year, and that ICE agents have been arresting tradespeople without due process in Home Depot parking lots.

"We understand that over 70 percent of these people have no criminal records, have no gang affiliation. They're just hard-working members of the community trying to make a living, being scooped up and sent off to who knows where," Van Olst said.

"So we're asking Home Depot to cease their cooperation with ICE."

Robin O'Herin, of Stand Up Berkshires, said that to protect immigrant employees, workplaces need "employees only" signs for restricted areas so that ICE can't enter.

"They have none of that. They refuse to put them up," she said. "… and their parking lot is private, and they are happy that Home Depots all over the country plan staging to grab hard-working people and disappear them from Home Depot parking lots."
ICE has focused on the home improvement stores because day laborers often gather there to pick up work, particularly in southern or western states. Home Depot has stated it does not cooperate with ICE, but also cannot prohibit federal officers from entering its stores and parking lots. 

Van Olst can hardly believe that, at 78, he is still protesting against the infringement of civil rights.
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