Great Barrington CPA Committee Recommends Funds for Housing, Historic Preservation, Conservation

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — If voters vote yes at the Annual Town Meeting in May, $1.17 million in Community Preservation Act funds will be directed to town affordable housing, historic preservation and outdoor recreation and conservation projects around town.
 
The Community Preservation Act Committee has recommended the following:
  • $20,000 for open space restoration work at the McAllister Wildlife Refuge
  • $40,000 for improvements to Three Mile Hill hiking trail
  • $20,000 for historic preservation work at the Brown Mausoleum
  • $225,000 for historic restoration of the manse at First Congregational Church
  • $50,000 for B & B Capital 77 LLC's restoration of The Cove building at 107 Stockbridge Road
  • $400,000 for the Alander Group, for affordable housing and historic restoration costs at the Mahaiwe Block at 322 Main Street
  • $265,000 for the town's Affordable Housing Trust
  • $150,000 for Construct Inc's housing expansion feasibility study
CPA funding is raised through a property tax surcharge and supplemented by State funding. More information can be found on the town website.
 
The Annual Town Meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 1 at 6 p.m. at Monument Mountain Regional High School, with a second date of May 4 if needed for unfinished business.

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Butternut Fire Command Terminated After 2 Weeks

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — After about two weeks of working to contain the Butternut Fire, the incident command has ended.

"I am extremely proud of the leadership and firefighters that put forth such extraordinary work to bring this incident to a close," Town Manager Mark Pruhenski said in a press release issued on Sunday.

"It has been a long time since Great Barrington has seen such an incident, the collaboration between all of the agencies was impressive."

On Sunday around 2 p.m., Fire Chief Scott Turner made the decision because "based on weather changes, fuel conditions, and the monumental work of our firefighters and mutual aid, the fire is clearly under control and not expected to spread any further."

He added that Great Barrington's homes and businesses are safe. The wooded area is expected to remain dangerous for months but should regenerate in the spring.

The fire spread because of the extremely dry conditions over the past few months; some rain the week before followed by snow and sleet over the holiday had helped with containment efforts.

Personnel and apparatuses that had been in place 24/7 since Nov. 18 were released but the department will remain ready to respond to any extension or minor growth.

The fire consumed 1,670 acres, spanning over 3 miles in length with a perimeter of more than 10 miles.  Fire Lt. Brian Mead said the wildfire's potential for devastation far exceeded what firefighters were able to contain and not a single home or structure was damaged nor firefighter injured.

"At the end of an incident of this magnitude that has such risk, that is without a doubt, a victory," he said.

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