Paul Mark Appointed to Cultural Economy Advisory Council

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BOSTON — The Healey Driscoll Administration appointed members of the Cultural Economy Advisory Council.
 
The group is comprised of public and private sector stakeholders charged with exploring policies that support artists and cultural organizations, examining ways to create economic opportunities in the arts and culture sector, and promoting cultural equity in the arts. Governor Healey established the council earlier this year to bolster Massachusetts' creative economy, which adds $27 billion to the state economy each year and supports 135,000 jobs across the state. 
 
"We are excited to kick off this effort to support our cultural economy, particularly as Massachusetts cultural and arts organizations host festivities celebrating the 250th anniversary of America's founding as part of our Massachusetts 250 initiative over the next two years,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Thank you to these council members who will help our administration identify ways to support artists and drive economic opportunity for this important sector." 
 
The council consists of representatives of the creative tourism community, performing arts sector, and state and local government and is co-chaired by Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao and Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism Executive Director Kate Fox. The Council will work in close partnership with the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the state's arts agency charged with bolstering the creative and cultural sector and will present recommendations for cultural development and jobs growth to Governor Healey.  
 
Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council Members: 
  • Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao (Co-Chair) 
  • Kate Fox, Executive Director, Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (Co-Chair) 
  • Michael Bobbitt, Executive Director, Massachusetts Cultural Council 
  • Tiffancy Allecia, Executive Director, Springfield Creative City Collective 
  • Luke Blackadar, Deputy Director, Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston 
  • Representative Mindy Domb, House Chair, Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development 
  • Magie Gaipo-Scott, Senior Director, Government Affairs & Legal Affairs, Museum of Fine Arts Boston 
  • Deborah Hall, Executive Director, YWCA of Central Massachusetts 
  • Candace "Lee" Heald, AHA! New Bedford 
  • Joyce Linehan, Assistant to the President for Special Projects, Massachusetts College of Art and Design 
  • Senator Paul Mark, Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development 
  • Ming Min Hui, Executive Director, Boston Ballet 
  • Lynda Roscoe Hartigan, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Peabody Essex Museum 
  • Emily Ruddock, Executive Director, MassCreative  
  • Lindsey Schmid, Director of Marketing, 1Berkshire 
  • Annis Sengupta, Director of Arts and Culture, Metropolitan Area Planning Council  
  • Chad Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, Boston Symphony Orchestra 
  • Julie Wake, Executive Director at Arts Foundation of Cape Cod 

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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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