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The vehicle is in fair condition and runs well.

Sayers Donates Cruiser To Pittsfield Police

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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Henry 'Hank' Sayers is donating the 2000 Ford to the Pittsfield Police Department.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After towing two of their vehicles, the owner of Sayers Auto Wrecking thought it was time the Auxiliary Police got a new vehicle.
 
Henry "Hank" Sayers recently purchased a 2000 Crown Victoria at auction and is donating it to the Pittsfield Auxiliary Police. The City Council accepted the donation two weeks ago and the vehicle is awaiting pick up.
 
"I knew they were short [a vehicle] and everybody has tight budgets. They don't have a lot to work with," Sayers said on Tuesday.
 
Sayers knew a new car was needed after towing two of auxiliary vehicles. At auction, he found a series of former Connecticut police cars and purchased them all — selling some to a local taxi company and keeping one to donate to the police.
 
"It has the whole police package," Sayers said of the car. "It is in fair condition. It runs good. It is one of the better riding ones."
 
The vehicle has some life left in it. Sayers will ultimately see it come back to him in a few years, when he'll scrap it and make a few bucks. But for now, the city doesn't have to dip into its capital borrowing to purchase a new cruiser.
 
The Auxiliary Police will use it for patrol, special events and emergencies. The vehicle needs a paint job and some "TLC" but should be fairly easy to get on the road.
 
This is the second time Sayers has donated to the Auxiliary Police. About seven years ago, he passed on a vehicle that he had donated to the town of Lanesborough. Lanesborough's first K-9 unit car was donated by Sayers in a same fashion and when the town bought a new cruiser, it came back to Sayers, who offered it to Pittsfield.
 
"They have one of ours already," Sayers said. 
 
The City Council was grateful for the donation. Vice President Christopher Connell added that it could give the city the opportunity to use the old car as a "decoy," parked in places of high speeding.

Tags: donations,   police cruiser,   

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Pittsfield Council to See 10-Year Charter Review Report

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Following almost two years of work, the Charter Review Committee has made its recommendations to the City Council.

Tuesday's council agenda includes the committee's report dealing with governance items such as the charter objection, term limits, and financial procedures. Every 10 years, a panel reviews the City Charter, which defines the city's structure of government.

"The Charter Review Committee was established by city ordinance in May 2023. Its first meeting took place on August 7, 2023, under the direction of City Solicitor Stephen Pagnotta," Chair Michael McCarthy's executive summary reads.

"Solicitor Pagnotta informed the committee that its mission is to offer recommendations to city government concerning the Charter."

The charter objection was the most discussed issue throughout the preview process.  Members determined "the City's interest in a functioning government is not served well by a Charter' Objection being made by a sole Councilor."

The nearly 50-page report proposes amendments to Article 2 Section 9C, Charter Objection, to allow for discussion, require three supporters, and be prohibited when it pertains to the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

"The Committee felt strongly that the budgetary process should not be held hostage to a Charter Objection. The process of approving a budget under the Charter involves months of hearings with firm calendar restrictions, leading to a budget that must be in place before each fiscal year begins," McCarthy wrote.

"A Charter Objection during this process would have the potential to disrupt and delay the budget being in place on July 1 of each fiscal year."

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