Letter: International Women's Day

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To the Editor:

This letter was ignored by the Berkshire Eagle

Friday, March 8, was International Women's Day. Here in the Berkshires, it was celebrated by the Zonta club, an International Women's Leadership organization, by honoring six dynamic women from our community at a special dinner that attracted over 200 attendees.

This diverse group of women has made monumental contributions from coaching young professionals to build careers here to providing over two million diapers to those in need. These women aren't CEOs of big corporations and they didn't develop the latest app. They excelled by giving their time, skills and in most cases their own money for the benefit and betterment of the Berkshires. Their stories are inspirational, serving as powerful testaments of selfless service to guide young girls and women.

On Saturday morning, I sat down with my digital copy of the Berkshire Eagle–our Hometown Newspaper– expecting to read about this event and the special women leaders who are uplifting our community but there was no story or photo. Making headlines was the lead story with photos about “Drag Time Story Hour for our Children.”


I seriously question the Eagle's editorial decision and judgment. How do you ignore this opportunity to illustrate International Women's Day through local coverage of Zonta's six remarkable honorees, from diverse backgrounds and roles, who are leading the Berkshires to build a more equitable, desirable and respectful place to live?

I've met the editor and publisher of the Eagle. He's a smart guy. This wasn't a mistake. I believe this was an intentional effort by our hometown newspaper to advance a political agenda while ignoring real community heroes. Eagle editors have demonstrated irresponsible behavior and a lack of leadership and judgment by propagating a targeted narrative.

Get the focus where it belongs.

Respectfully,

Roger Gibboni
Lanesborough, Mass. 

 

 

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Dalton Capital Planning Committee Members Selected

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The members of the town's Capital Planning Committee have been selected. 
 
In December, the Attorney General's Office approved the Capital Planning Committee bylaw that was approved by voters at the annual town meeting last May, Town Manager Eric Anderson said last week. 
 
The bylaw creates the committee, outlines membership, appointment and term, and highlights the committee's duties, which is to prepare a Capital Improvement Plan financing plan with a five-year forecast of revenues and expenses.
 
The members of the committee are Karen Schmidt and Tom Irwin, representatives of the Finance Committee, and Dennis Croughwell, a representative of the Planning Board. Anderson accepted the Finance and Planning Board's selections for the committee. 
 
Also serving on the committee is Town Planner Janko Tomasic, and Lee Nunez, principal assessor. 
 
Temporarily serving until the town hires a new town accountant and finance director will be Sandra Albano, who retired in October but has stayed on in the role until a replacement can be found. 
 
Anderson appointed the at-large committee members as Daniel Esko, to ensure a Select Board member is involved, and the town's former town manager Kenneth Walto, because of his 19-year experience in the town manager position. 
 
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