Letter: Comment to Dravis Article on 2022 Year in Williamstown

To the Editor:

I just posted the following as a comment to Mr. Dravis' article on 2022 in Williamstown. Many in Williamstown rely on Mr. Dravis' reporting as their primary source of local news. With that influence comes responsibility.

Below are some quotes from Mr. Dravis' article. They are assertions. If Mr. Dravis has facts to support these assertions, I hope he feels responsibility to share them. The context in which the perpetrator(s) act is important. And, most of all, when investigation yields important information, that information should be given as much print as the initial posting. Sometimes investigation reveals that which seems "racist" is better called by a less judgmental term.

Why?

Once there is even a hint of racism, people, particularly those of color, are hurt. They are made to believe they are "other" in our community. Damage is done. The hurt they feel is real. If these incidents are overblown or misrepresented, people have been hurt for no good reason. A climate of uncertainty must not be encouraged.

Is DIRE, our police department, Williams College or any one keeping a factual list of who? what? when? where? And most important of all: what did an objective investigation reveal about the facts of the "racial" incident? Do we call a bias incident "racist" when the perpetrator was a "person of color?" If we have these lists, and we should, make these lists public. There are ways to share the facts without violating privacy rights. If there is a pervasive undercurrent of racism in this town, it is not seen by many and it certainly is not welcome. Let us both hear the narratives and gather facts.

Below are some of the assertions in the cited article and my comments in capital letters following.
"Hateful messages received"; 2022 had plenty of reminders why the town needs to do all the diversity work mentioned earlier."

Spell out "plenty of reminders."

Instead of pointing fingers, stirring up drama, and causing hurt, can we not work together to see if racism is as prevalent as some people argue. A litany of "lived experiences" is not to be discounted. Nor is a listing of microaggressions. But additional perspective is sorely needed and outcomes need to be shared with the community.

Donna Carlstrom Wied
Williamstown, Mass.

Editor: Year-end reviews are a summary of important events and issues and there are hot links to the original reporting in each case mentioned. 

Williamstown Fire District Inks 3-Year Deal with New Chief

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:38PM / Thursday, April 03, 2025

Jeffrey Dias of the Onset Fire Department has signed a contract to become Williamstown's fire chief. 

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The town's next fire chief says he was "ecstatic" when he heard that he would be offered the post.

 

On Tuesday afternoon, the Prudential Committee ratified a contract to make Jeffrey Dias the successor to Chief Craig Pedercini, who retired from the post on Monday.

 

"It's very sad to leave someplace you've been the better part of three decades," said Dias, currently the deputy chief and a long-time firefighter in the South Shore community of Onset. "But I'm very excited. A lot of big things are going to happen in the future."

 

The five-member Prudential Committee, which oversees the district, selected Dias on March 12 from among three candidates it interviewed earlier in the month.

 

Last week, the committee held an executive session — a rarity for the body — to discuss the negotiation of the contract. And on Tuesday, at a special meeting, the board voted to approve the deal.

 

Dias agreed to a three-year deal with a $125,000 base salary and 3 percent cost-of-living adjustments in years two and three.

 

"We are very excited to have Chief Dias lead the department forward as we look forward to the completion of our new station and the future of the Williamstown Fire Department," Prudential Committee Chair David Moresi said on Thursday.