Letter: Dalton Board Should Not Stop Special Election

To the Editor:

I would like to comment on the travesty that is taking place in the Town of Dalton. The Selectboard chooses not to set a date for a special election. Even a petition of over 200 voters to have a date scheduled for a special election is not persuading them.

This special election is due to the resignation of a Selectboard member on Oct. 1. This past Tuesday, Nov. 12, the Selectboard voted once again to suppress a date for a special election. In doing so they tried to discredit the procedure used by a dedicated elected public servant, our town clerk. The procedures she followed were through the guidance of a state official and Mass General Laws.

This date should have been set a month ago after the resignation took effect. There should not have been a reason for the petitioners to even have to come forward. This issue should have been the first thing on the agenda for the Selectboard meeting on Oct. 9 that was held prior to the special town meeting. Considering that the letter of resignation was sent in early September.

Please call the Selectboard office, go to the town web site and use contact to reach the Selectboard.

This special election will give us our opportunity to choose our representative. This is a right given to us by the Constitution of the United States of America, bylaws of the town and Mass General Laws.

Peace be with you and God Bless the USA.

William Drosehn
Dalton, Mass.

Pittsfield Firefighters Rescue Ice Fisherman From Onota Lake

04:47PM / Tuesday, January 21, 2025

A fisherman in an ice hut on Onota Lake on Saturday. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A fisherman was hauled of the icy waters of Onota Lake on Tuesday morning. 

 

The Fire Department responded to the report of a fisherman falling through the ice about 7:45 a.m. At first, it was reported he was able to get out of the water but then fell through again trying to make it shore. 

 

The Berkshire County Dive Team was put on standby as firefighters and police arrived at the scene. 

 

Two fishermen were spotted about 100 yards off the boat launch at Burbank Park, with one in the water. 

 

Firefighters donned cold-water rescue suits and set out to rescue the distressed individual. As rescuers neared the fisherman, a section of ice shelf broke off and they entered the water as well on the ice sled.

 

The fisherman was secured to the ice sled and was removed from the water.

 

Deputy Fire Chief Daniel Garner said the rescue was a manpower intensive operation taking place on an unstable and unpredictable ice surface.