Hi,

Don’t know who needs to know this but yesterday on my walk to grab a matcha [green tea] in between meetings my clogs caught on one of the raised pavement bricks and I fell hard. My lip was severed with a laceration that awarded me 6 stitches. Abby former owner of the coffee shop took me to urgent care. It could have been worse. Our visitors are of a certain age and if I can get caught unexpectedly, they can too. Just thought I would share. I am fine I will be fine. I will be okay but wanted to let you know. Grateful for my community!

I wanted you to know. And to also be careful. I copied you deliberately. Maybe let people know to be cautious while walking. No details about me needed ..

Thanks Carole

Hi Carole,

In response to an earlier SU editorial, I want you to know, if the taxes keep going up, I will have to move. As many remember I used to speak at length at our annual Town meetings. I wanted to be sure voters knew what they actually were voting for. Many spoke up, but then, we ceded control to Town Hall and I gave up. Now I see things I really can’t keep quiet about. They are the Town Hall cupola, the new firehouse, and the bridge to nowhere. I will say I am a tad outraged about the $5million+ bridge to nowhere.

The cupola? Because in 2006 when the Plain School was converted to Town offices the then Select Board was told that the cupola was unstable and needed repair. Their response was it was too expensive. Serious maintenance was delayed so it was needed again in 2013 and again now. They looked good keeping taxes down at the expense of tomorrow. Well, it is tomorrow, and the cupola is a danger and may collapse and fall. Town Offices are unusable and the cost has gone up exponentially. Infrastructure maintenance and repair projects were deferred all over town – bridges, roads, culverts, water and sewer lines, but eventually the bill comes due.

The firehouse: the cost of this project mirrors the cost of converting the school building to Town Hall. At the time the Plain school was estimated (if memory serves) to be just under ten million. Ask Town Accountant what the final cost was. More than twice that figure – I think it was $30million – three times). The cost of the firehouse was originally quoted at $3million and has now ballooned to $13 million and may be closer at completion to the $20million+ spent in Lenox.

Why are we building a new firehouse when the current one is central to the town AND expandable.

Things have gone too far. We will have to pay for the school and all the above. I am suggesting that we all get involved and start asking questions.

This will be the first of two so watch this space.

Regards, John H. Hart

John,

Thank you. It’s food for thought. Gas and groceries, prescriptions and now taxes are becoming a challenge to pay.

No one can doubt my respect and support for Southern Berkshire Ambulance Squad (SBAS). I am president of a nonprofit organization that raised almost $100,000 for SBAS in one night this year. I just wish all the emergency folks (fire and ambulance) would get together and figure out who is paying for what.

Problem is, we Stockbridge taxpayers voted $50,000 for SBAS at Town Meeting in May 2026. Then in August, 2026, the Town Administrator asked permission to transfer $100,000 in funds to cover an additional cost for our Stockbridge new EMT staff members and other overages such as snow removal. This coming tax season, we taxpayers will begin paying an estimated $13,000,000 for the new Stockbridge firehouse and more Stockbridge fire and ambulance staff. In addition, we all just received a flyer in every Stockbridge P. O. Box asking for another donation to SBAS. It recommended an donation of $100 to $5000.

We are all supportive, and we don’t want to feel guilty. We sure want someone to come if we call for help, but it is beginning to feel very hard to find the money.

I remember at Town Meeting, the Finance Committee asked SBAS to give us an accounting of the SBAS operating expenses and capital expenditure needed, and amount raised so far. I hope SBAS does that so we can see how much is still needed. They probably raised some, or hopefully a lot, of what is needed.

Lee, Lenox, and Stockbridge have a cooperative arrangement to cover the three towns with fire and ambulance. I don’t remember that we charge each other for that. Let me know if we do.

Thanks again John for bringing up taxes and spending. My Granny always said, “spend less or earn more.” We have been very fortunate, but now the belt-tightening period may be upon us.

Best Carole