Letter: Alex Blumin for City Council

Letter to the Editor02:00PM / Wednesday, September 13, 2023Print Story | Email Story

To the Editor: I am excited to endorse Mr. Alex Blumin for Ward 2 City Council. When we elect Mr. Blumin, we continue Ward 2's tradition of self-governance. We consistently choose the independent voice to represent our interests. We have a tradition of preserving a philosophy of reasonable inquiry of elected officials, and we demand responsible financial governance.

Ward 2 awaits the city's fulfillment of its promises to complete roadwork and fix abandoned homes. Mr. Blumin will push the city to achieve these promises. The mayor aggressively hiked water and sewer rates twice in the last two years, and she promised more increases. Ward 2 residents worry about the ever-expanding city budget they are forced to fund. Alex Blumin shares your worries and will fight for responsible budgets. Mr. Blumin will continue to promote reducing your taxes and reducing water rates by using your tax dollars locked in free cash and the cannabis reserves.

City Hall spending lacks transparency. The next councilor will see the $41 million in ARPA funds spent down. The ARPA Advisory Committee meets in secret and spends money on projects that do not appear to benefit Ward 2. The City Council has not had any input on a single dollar spent. Mr. Blumin would dare to ask the hard questions: What did the ARPA Committee discuss in their secret meetings? Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA) has new funding coming up. Will it support the destitute business environment in Pittsfield and Ward 2? Mr. Blumin will insist that it does.

When Mr. Blumin whispered "corruption" in his debate, he dared to state a fact of our government that many councilors privately discuss. I saw a man display his love and admiration for our legal traditions and institutions. You saw his courage to hold our leaders to high standards and principles.

Mr. Blumin has a long involvement in city politics, and the time is now for him to lead. He has the intelligence and courage to do the job. Ward 2, you must turn out on Sept. 19, and I strongly urge you to vote for Alex Blumin for your councilor.

Charles Kronick
Pittsfield, Mass.

Charles Kronick is the current Ward 2 councilor and is not running for re-election.

Tags: election 2023, endorsement, municipal election,

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Pittsfield Considers Changes to Committee Clerks, Including Pay

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires.com
12:19PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Do you have the experience and will to clerk city meetings?

The Ordinances and Rules subcommittee last M supported code changes that reduce the number of meeting clerks by one and increase pay. Two clerks of committees would be paid $5,000 per year for multiple monthly meetings.

"I think reorganization of this is good. I do worry a little bit that sometimes five committees is a lot, but I think I’m going to vote for this," member Kathy Amuso said.

"I think we kind of left out some of our clerks with the pay raises, and so this was on my radar for next budget season, so I think doing something earlier is better."

The subcommittee unanimously supported Council President Earl Persip III's petition to amend Chapter 16, Human Resources, and Article 6, Clerk of Committees. The aim is to have more consistency.

Clerks are currently paid around $2,800 annually for administrative and organizational support to City Council committees. This includes preparing the meeting agendas, handling documents, ensuring they are posted properly to meet Open Meeting Law, mailing hearing notifications, and taking minutes.

With these changes:

Clerks would be appointed by the City Council biannually, rather than annually.
One clerk is responsible for committees on ordinances and rules, public services and utilities, public buildings and maintenance, and community and economic development.
The second clerk is responsible for committees on public health and safety, the audit, Committee of the Whole (including budget hearings), traffic, finance, and ad hoc committees.

The current code, Section 2-26, has three clerks splitting the committees, appointed yearly in January.

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