It is axiomatic, and yet, why can’t we fight city hall? Maybe there is a better question: why should we have to fight?

We live in a representative democracy. Democracy means government by the people. In a democracy, from the Athenian Agora to the Stockbridge Town Meeting, the people legislate directly. In a representative democracy we elect representatives (and hire employees) to carry out the people’s wishes and act on our behalf. It was a cooperative process not a process that would create a fight. And yet…

Fifty years ago, the Town of Stockbridge leased property for ninety-nine years from the Austen Riggs Center. Just off the corner of Pine and Main Streets, Stockbridge had public tennis and basketball courts.

Stockbridge’s obligation was to maintain the courts. At the 2021 Town Meeting, Article 29 of the Warrant was approved. It granted $95,000 for the repair and upgrade of the courts, and yet, the Pine Street courts were not repaired. In 2022 a consultant from Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) suggested we create public parking on Pine Street. How? Nullify the lease, pave over the courts, and put up a parking lot? In 2025, Austen Riggs said Stockbridge was not fulfilling the terms of the agreement and called for the Town to comply or return the property to Riggs.

Three choices were offered by Town Administrator: repair the courts at an extremely high price, hold the property for the remaining 44 years but find another use, or return the property to Austen Riggs. He asked for comments from the public; very few responded. However, a private survey attracted 80 responses: only 18% said return the property to Riggs. For lack of compliance, even when Town Meeting voted funds to do the work, Stockbridge lost an asset.

Many folks felt Red Lion Corner was dangerous. The feeling was responded to. On October 17, 2022, there was a Special Town Meeting to discuss a Main Street redesign. A study was conducted to determine what measures would make the intersection safer. A traffic circle was investigated but it was determined the intersection was too small. As an alternative, The Oval (some call it The Egg) was suggested. Much smaller, it worked like a traffic circle. Raised in the center of the intersection, all traffic would be forced to go around it thus reducing the points of possible impact.

Presented at the Special Town Meeting, The Oval was selected as the best choice of three: the circle, the Oval, and doing nothing. Yet it was never raised. It is flat on the pavement so that most cars just drive over it creating points of impact. On the other hand, why are plans marching forward that were never approved? There was an Article on this year’s Warrant for a section of Interlaken Crossroad to be removed from the designated roadway. That would enable Curtisville Bridge to become a walking bridge. It may be a great idea, but the real question is how and by whom was that decision made?

Which brings us to the elephant in the room – cost wise. Why do we assume the future existence of a new firehouse? When was a public hearing held? When did the people vote? Seems if you shout public safety loud enough you get to bypass the public power to approve. Reputedly, the new Lenox Public Safety Complex cost $21,000,000; will ours? That bill will fall on Stockbridge taxpayers at the same time as the approximately $50,000,000 for the new high school – you know – taxation and representation.

Let’s be honest: hopefully we hire folks who know their stuff. The people may have the power but maybe we don’t have as much knowledge on specific topics as the experts or staff we hire. Thing is, if we want to remain a democracy, the people govern, and we just have to do our best to listen, weigh, and decide. Those who work for or represent us must do their best to explain, listen, and remember that we decide. There should be no reason to fight city hall or for city hall to fight us. That’s ideal. Anyone have the GPS coordinates for ideal?