Josh Landes

1 week ago | wamc.org | Josh Landes

Residents of Clarksburg, Massachusetts are meeting tonight for their annual town meeting. The town lies on the northern edge of Berkshire County. The community of around 1,650 sits atop North Adams on the border with Vermont. Voters will consider a $5.4 million municipal budget that includes spending plans for the government and school, plus a $500,000 borrowing plan to install a new roof on the Clarksburg Elementary School. The school hosts the meeting at 6.

2 weeks ago | wamc.org | Josh Landes

In the Mount Greylock Regional School gymnasium, voters approved a $10.6 million municipal operating budget – up over 6% from the current year – as well as a nearly $15 million school district budget, up over 7.5%. Over the course of three hours, roughly 300 community members debated and passed all 32 articles on the town meeting warrant – including a zoning bylaw amendment to set a 90-day cap on short-term rentals in the Northern Berkshire town of around 7,500.

2 weeks ago | wamc.org | Josh Landes

Mayor Peter Marchetti’s plan – a roughly 3% increase over the current year – includes a $140 million municipal operating budget and $86.5 million school budget. He told the city council at its committee of the whole meeting Wednesday night that rising fixed costs are behind increased spending.

2 weeks ago | wamc.org | Josh Landes

The major financial decisions ahead of fiscal year 2026 beginning on July 1st concern a $10.6 million operating budget for town hall – up over 6% from the current year – and an almost $15 million Mount Greylock Regional School District budget, up over 7.5%. “Similar to almost all communities, one of the biggest drivers that we're seeing in terms of cost pressures is related to our employee health insurance coverage," Town Manager Robert Menicocci told WAMC.

2 weeks ago | wamc.org | Josh Landes

On Tuesday, incumbent chair Jamie Minacci won a second three-year term on the Stockbridge, Massachusetts select board. She beat challenger Lisa Sauer by just 15 votes of the 461 ballots cast. Minacci, who unsuccessfully ran for state representative in last year’s Democratic primary, won despite her opponent’s endorsement by the Stockbridge Democratic Town Committee.