Tom’s Top 3 for 1/26: Public Meetings Set To Discuss Proposed Toter System

Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer has scheduled four neighborhood meetings to further discuss her proposal to overhaul the city’s curbside trash pickup system by implementing a Toter program. IBerkshires.com reports that Tyer feels that what has been lost during the most recent debate on the issue is the direct impacts the plan will have on residents' day to day lives. The Tyer administration has provided lots of information regarding the costs, the tonnage of solid waste, contracts, and recycling numbers in regards to the proposed toter system over the span of the last 18 months, but city councilors have heard other concerns from residents including that some possibly having issues getting the toters down their driveway. Tyer says she believes that the toters will make it easier for homeowners but residents hadn't really gotten a chance to see and experience that. The first neighborhood meeting will be held on Wednesday next week at the Morningside Community School from 6 to 7:30pm.

Here is the complete schedule of neighborhood meetings from the city's website, cityofpittsfield.org:

6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, Morningside Community School, 100 Burbank St.

1:30-3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, Ralph J. Froio Senior Center, 330 North St.

6-7:30 p.m.  Thursday, Feb. 8, Conte Community School, 200 West Union St.

6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, Herberg Middle School, 501 Pomeroy Ave.

For more information, please call Roberta McCulloch-Dews, Director of Administrative Services, Mayor’s Office, 413-499-9322.

Indigenous Peoples Day Backed By Schools In Pittsfield

Christopher Columbus wasn't just a poor explorer, but also a horrible human being who should never have been honored in the first place. Those were the words of Pittsfield School Committee member Dan Elias on Wednesday. IBerkshires.com reports that Elias joined in a unanimous vote to delete Columbus' name from the school calendar on the second Monday of October and replace it with Indigenous People's Day. The public holiday known as Columbus Day is slowly being replaced throughout the nation. The School Committee unanimously backed the switch, but not without some reservations.

North Adams Mayor Bernard Far Outpaced Opponents Spending

Recently filed campaign finance reports show that North Adams Mayor Thomas Bernard had an enormous financial advantage over his challenger leading up to the November election. The Berkshire Eagle reports that Bernard raised more than five times the campaign funds as Robert Moulton Jr. in the race last year for the corner office. The Bernard campaign made several large expenditures during the final days of the campaign, including amounts of roughly $1,119, $1,040, and $764. Bernard spent more than $1,000 on radio advertisements during this time.