North Street Three-hour Parking Rule Goes Into effect March 27

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. In the wake of advocacy efforts from the downtown business community, a three-hour limit for paid on-street parking will be in effect on North Street beginning Monday, March 27.
 
Signage reflecting the new parking rule will be installed throughout the downtown corridor.
 
The amended parking regulations were approved by City Council at the June 28, 2022 meeting. The boundary for three-hour metered parking on North Street will be from Park Square to Madison Avenue. The meters will be updated to reflect the time limit. The parking zone, 1012, will remain the same.
 
Commissioner Ricardo Morales, of the city's Department of Public Services and Utilities, said the first phase of implementation will center on education and outreach.
 
"We will be educating customers for the first two weeks. This means if customers stay more than the allotted time, they will not be ticketed, but instead, will be given a warning with an explanation of the three-hour limit," Morales said.
 
David Daunais, of the Cheveux Hair Clinic, is among the downtown business owners who petitioned for the change in 2022.
 
"This three-hour parking time will allow sufficient time for customers and clients to visit their attorney, hairstylist, retailer, accountant, exercise studio, etc., and also allow proper turnover and availability of parking spaces for other customers throughout the business day," Daunais said. "These are the simple needs of the business owners that will allow them to continue in business and allow themselves and their employees to make a living."

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Letter: Is the Select Board Listening to Dalton Voters?

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

A reasonable expectation by the people of a community is that their Select Board rises above personal preference and represents the collective interests of the community. On Tuesday night [Nov. 12], what occurred is reason for concern that might not be true in Dalton.

This all began when a Select Board member submitted his resignation effective Oct. 1 to the Town Clerk. Wishing to fill the vacated Select Board seat, in good faith I followed the state law, prepared a petition, and collected the required 200-plus signatures of which the Town Clerk certified 223. The Town Manager, who already had a copy of the Select Board member's resignation, was notified of the certified petitions the following day. All required steps had been completed.

Or had they? At the Oct. 9 Select Board meeting when Board members discussed the submitted petition, there was no mention about how they were informed of the petition or that they had not seen the resignation letter. Then a month later at the Nov. 12 Select Board meeting we learn that providing the resignation letter and certified petitions to the Town Manager was insufficient. However, by informing the Town Manager back in October the Select Board had been informed. Thus, the contentions raised at the Nov. 12 meeting by John Boyle seem like a thinly veiled attempt to delay a decision until the end of January deadline to have a special election has passed.

If this is happening with the Special Election, can we realistically hope that the present Board will listen to the call by residents to halt the rapid increases in spending and our taxes that have been occurring the last few years and pass a level-funded budget for next year, or to not harness the taxpayers in town with the majority of the cost for a new police station? I am sure these issues are of concern to many in town. However, to make a change many people need to speak up.

Please reach out to a Select Board member and let them know you are concerned and want the Special Election issue addressed and finalized at their Nov. 25 meeting.

Robert E.W. Collins
Dalton, Mass.

 

 

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