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Dalton Special Town Meeting Postponed

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The special town meeting scheduled for Monday, June 9, has been postponed to a tentative date of June 26. 
 
Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson explained that the rescheduling is because the warrant was not posted within the state-required 14 business days in advance. 
 
There will be a Select Board meeting this Wednesday to sign the warrant so it can be properly posted. 
 
The meeting was to decide on six warrant articles, including the contentious police budget and an article to transfer free cash to fund professional and technical work to ensure Berkshire Concrete Corp.'s compliance with its special permit and town orders. The funding articles must be completed before the end of the fiscal year on June 30
 
According to Select Board member Robert Bishop, the town is working on putting out a CodeRed to alert voters. The post was made on Select Board member Marc Strout's town Facebook page.
 
In a follow-up, Town Clerk Heather Hunt explained that there were several deficiencies surrounding the warrant.
 
One included the Select Board’s delay in approving the warrant because of the discussions surrounding the controversial items.  
 
Hunt said that the town’s efforts in getting the word out about the postponement have been effective, with tonight's cancellation being posted in town and on the town website. 
 
She also highlighted how Finance Committee member Thomas Irwin has volunteered to stand outside of Wahconah Regional High School from 6 to 7 p.m. to inform anyone who may not have seen the update. 
 

 


Tags: special town meeting,   

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Hinsdale OKs Police Department Audit After Fatal Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

HINSDALE, Mass. — The town has approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the police department, more than two months after police fatally shot 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil during a mental health crisis. 

Town Administrator Robert Graves said the shooting on Jan. 7 is not the only focus of the audit, and it will be several months before the Select Board receives a final report. 

During a special town meeting on March 11, an article appropriating $25,000 from free cash for an independent consultant to conduct a professional evaluation and audit of the Town's Police Department was approved. The audit includes a review of the department's policies, protocols, operations, and procedures, and concludes with a written report. 

"The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the shooting, and we await their conclusions.  As we look to move forward, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, our insurance company (MIIA/Cabot Risk), and our legal counsel have recommended that the town hire an independent law enforcement consultant or firm to conduct a comprehensive administrative review of our police operation," Graves wrote in an email to iBerkshires on Friday. 

"This event is not their focus; they will assess the overall operation. We want a written assessment of our police operation's strengths and weaknesses to help Hinsdale make future changes and improvements." 

He said after completing the procurement process and signing a contract with a reputable consultant or business, it will most likely be several months before the Select Board receives the final report. 

"Still, it will help the town and police department move forward," Graves wrote. 

Last weekend, family and friends of Kauvil stood in Park Square asking for justice. A flier for the standout reads "Biagio was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Now, over seven weeks later, authorities have not yet provided any updates.

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