RICHMOND Quarterly tax bills rolled around again at the beginning of the month, a major reminder that it takes cash to keep a government, large or small, operating smoothly.
PITTSFIELD â After receiving backlash from some and support from others, the School Committee last week formalized its decision to get students back into classrooms by the end of the month.
But first, families will get a breather during February break this week. But while Pittsfield Public Schools pauses for vacation, the effort to find and then whittle down the field of applicants vying to become the districtâs permanent next superintendent continues.
The 23-member Superintendent Search Committee, led by Chairperson Will Singleton, is scheduled to interview candidates three separate executive sessions this week. The task at hand for the group of educators and community members picked to get first pass on the applicants is to develop a list of three to five top candidates for the School Committee to interview, then make their top pick, with the goal of onboarding the next permanent schools chief by July 1.
That is, if the coronavirus pandemic is under control, locally, within three months.
The all-volunteer group is ramping up efforts to secure marching units and get a head start on raising money for the 2022 edition of the Independence Day event.
âThe 2021 parade is already paid for. We estimate the cost will be $80,000,â parade committee President Peter Marchetti told The Eagle on Monday.
He says enough money left over from the 2019 parade and money raised for, but not used, in 2020 will pay for this yearâs parade.
As for the 2022 fundraising goal, Marchetti says it has been set at the standard $85,000 mark, but solicitation will begin later than usual. For example, fundraising letters will go out April 1, instead of March 1.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. Mayor Linda Tyer on Monday outlined a historically difficult year in the city of Pittsfield, as with the rest of the world, in her annual state of the city address. It s hard to believe that next month marks one year of dealing with this global public health crisis, she said. In looking back at the past year, it is easy to become fixated on all of the things that we have done to mitigate COVID-19. Our attention and energy were focused, and rightly so, on doing all that we could to keep our community safe. Circumstances are constantly evolving. It requires us to monitor, assess, and adjust. We are still very much in the midst of protecting ourselves and each other while at the same time, finding ways to sustain our economy, keep people employed, and reopen our schools.
Mayor Tyer Delivers 2021 State Of The City Address
The virtual address was filmed by Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) and broadcast via multiple platforms, including online and radio.
The mayor’s remarks, which spanned a half-hour, included a reflection on the pandemic’s toll on last year’s city agenda, the continued fight against COVID-19, the reopening of schools, economic development and a series of upcoming city initiatives.
The address can be viewed here. A written copy of the address is available on the Office of the Mayor’s page here.
Mayor Tyer’s opening statement reinforced the magnitude of the shift on city affairs from last year to the present.