Monday, October 31, 2005
BOO!
Happy Halloween... Today's topic is...Condo or Time Share? From what I have seen most Condo projects that go sour usually end up in the time share market. That would bring the Family tourist to North Adams...Whats your opinion? It's Your Dime!... Be cautious this evening people, there will be a lot of our youngins runnin around tonight...Happy Halloween.
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38 comments:
I am against the major push to market NA as a tourist destination per sa. If that was the only gig in town, then you go with what you have - MoCA served its purpose well. But with energy prices teetering on disaster and the housing bubble ever so close to that same pin, the tourism bus has already left the station.
Now is the time to expand and diversify the base of the economy. Have different sectors of business get their footing before something dire happens and then there is a scramble to re-organize.
Having said that, I do think there is one area of the tourist dollar that isn't being looked at. I believe there is nice niche for NA to mimic some of the small passenger line trains that run in central Vermont. You could capitalize on the history of railroading in this area, bringing tourist from some of the surrounding cities in all directions year-round. You could link the museums in NA, Pittsfield, and Williamstown; Capture some of the fall foliage dollars; Get skiers to possibly stay in town as we are equal distance from most ski areas; and bring people either to or from the attractions that the existing passenger lines serve in central Vermont and NH.
I know POD, NA doesn't own the railroad, but I'm sure someone as intelligent as you can figure out a way to work out some public/private venture.
da snoop...you are right...I didn't mean to sound like that was the magic pill...just another idea...I may not be correct but I believe that they still have ski tours that stay at the Hotel. I have been an advocate of the rail road usage for years. Being that I come from a Rail Road family. In my youth I traveled the rail every saturday to Greenfield, to visit relitives or to Albany shoping.(grandmother had a free pass, grandad and two uncles worked for the RR) Anyway...I don't think people realize the potential. If you could only get Gilford (B & M)RR to help out. If it wasn't for the RR we probibly would just be another Ghost Town.[ :~) ] The main problem that faces our town is you have to provide good paying jobs to intice people to stay here. We keep loosing our young people (and our permenent population keeps getting smaller) because there are no opertunities for them. I don't have the answer I wish I did, tourisium (not just the artsey crowd) at the present time, given all we have to offer, is at least a stopgap solution....southview
Southview I think there two reasonable and attainable short term projects that could help to expand the base of NA. One would be wi-fi/broadband that has been advocated by Wes at Walk in Brain. Many, many possiblities with this. Telecommuting and technology sector jobs to name a few. Two would be to take advantage of the soon to be boom in alternative energy projects in the area. Not getting into the fray of such projects, but to provide outlets for and research facilities in this field. MoCA was always supposed to be Arts & Technology - the technology side has yet to materialize.
Windmill powered electric trains-- now there's the ticket-- chbpod
da snoop...the technology industry is far from dead, as many would lead us to beleave...The downtown wired for wi-fi/broadban I can't comment on, don't know squat about the pros/cons.... Actually at it's opening, MoCa was billed as a self supporting Art Complex/Technology Center...I guess one out of three isn't bad...I would like to see a center for Technology Reserch housed in MoCa. A facility to study and test (within the community) new and inovative energy systems as well as other new technology. MoCa has on staff some extremely compitant Artisans (notice I didn't say Artist) that impress the hell out of this local bearfoot pumpkin...do the same thing with the Technology sector...Bring in the Thinkers and tinkerrs!.....southview
chbpod...hmmmm...worth a thought...a perpetual motion machine...that would put us on the map!...southview
chbpod...the windmills generate the electricity to power the DC Motors and once the train is in motion the wind from the foward motion turns the windmills which in turn powers the DC Motors and on and on...
Only problem is getting it through the Hoosac Tunnel---maybe the blades could fold down- and we could put a bunch of politicians at the other end and have them blow hot air.
I did see two passenger cars and an single engine on the tracks by the Transcript-- yesterday afternoon - have no ideas what it was doing there ---there were several people standing around talking------we have had in the past on a couple of occasions a special train run from Boston---may have had something to do with a by-gone Fall Foliage Festival---but frankly I don;t remember the specifics----Gilford is tough to work with though---The oroginal Heritage Park plan called for a skyway from the Legion parking lot over the tracks to the Park--- Gilford wouldn;t give air rights---
chbpod
I do hope you all are not serious with this. Claiming a perpetual motion machine would surely put the CC on the map - 4th floor of NARH. However you could use the electricity from the windmills to power a maglev train. However a bullet train is probably not what you want with leaf peeping tourists. But other times it might be a great idea.
Hey did anyone tell Mr. Etman we are over at Southview's place now. He might come back from class and wonder where everyone went. That's the problem with college students, the "in" place shifts so quickly it's hard to keep up with.
I don't know anything about trains, but is the track or the train what you would need? Could Amtrack run a few cars from the Pittsfield station Or could the Vermont trains come down here on Gilford tracks?
Sorry da snoop- if the City Council were on the lock down 4th floor - it would probably violate the Open Meeting law---chbpod
chbpod...It is a shame that Gilford is so non-coperative, had some dealings with them also and they were not very cooperative with me eighter...it's to bad... it has a lot of possibilities for the city (town) I cried when they tore down the old depot...actually I cried when they tore down North Adams and put up a parking lot...da snoop...where do you think I live!
I beleve the tracks are owned by Gilford.
chbpod... I'm not sure...I think it reads that only if they are off there meds!
The other day I was invited to a poker game in NA. I showed up played a couple hands and then a City Council meeting broke out right in the middle of the game. Never did get to see the flop or the river.
Well da snoop if candidate Buddington's idea of getting rid of one wall of the flood control chute had been implemented a few weeks ago you would have seen both the flop and the river----chbpod
Excellent one POD. I figured I left something out there for you.
Hey folks. I got out of class and had to endure the banility of getting my minivan inspected. I was there for 1.5 hours....my own fault for waiting until the 31st.
Thanks da snoop-- I needed a quick snack---anyway I have submitted by 2-100 word responses to two questions posed by the Berkshire Eagle-- one asks the question about balance between tourism/art and other types of development---my response- which along with those of the other candidates should appear on Saturday the 5th---anyway--- I called for more diversity----I did dig at the Eagle for asking a "opinion" question rather than a policy question over which the Council has some jurisdiction---second question was about education--again an "opinion" question and not a policy question----I guess some people will vote for you have you have the "right" thoughts---even if there's nothihng you can do to implement them---chbpod
Raise the tunnel...make it a double tilting track...no need for the wind in the tunnel, and the speed from the lower grade would power the windmill as it leaves the tunnel....
or we could load the engine with the bull shit from local politicians and let the train run on methane----chbpod
POD you are an environemtalist after all.
recycling is goo-- chbpod
in this case that's true enough- I meant to say recycling os GOOD--chbpod
This could be close to your perpetual motion machine. The excess heat from burning the methane could be used to heat the digesting chamber and keep the chamber in the anerobic phase of methane production. Much better at producing methane than the lower temp aerobic range.
Now you could put a CC coach car on the train. The CC could hold their meetings as the train traveled the tracks. You would kill two pigeons with one stone. Meetings could still be clandestine and you would provide the locomotion for the tourist's arrival and departure.
Of course I have no idea whether the meetings are in secret or not. I never ventured to a meeting.
They are not supposed to be in "secret" unless the Council goes into executive session to discuss personnel matters. litigation or potential litigation and contracts---other than that all Council meetings are posted and open as are all committee meetings----discussing matters that are before the Council via e-mail are also prohibited-- given a Court ruling in Springfield this past week---chbpod
What about blogs, or, for instance, a local cable access show, like Boucher and Moultons'? What if they discussed council business, or let's say you and Mr. Etman did on a blog?
Good question--- me and Etman?? he's not a City Councilor-- yet---and as far as I know-- no one who is is posting on this board----as for Boucher and Moulton????----since I rarely catch the show-- I really can;t say---- yes they take call ins---and I would assume sometimes there are questions about Council business---so the question is-- do they constitute a quorum of anything????? Ron is on my Public Safety Committee but Moulton is not-----and I don;t have my list of committee members handy-------so I don;t know if Moulton and Boucher are both on another committee together----an issue that is referred to that committee (if the do constitute a committee quorum) should be out of bounds for discussion--------but they can discuss anything else related to the Council- even matters before the council--as long as they do not constitute a quorum---that's my take----there is nothing illegal about discussing an issue-- as long as it does not lead to a determination-----and obviously they are not doing it in private----it is after all "public access"---it's not like phone calls or e-mails in "privato" they are "publico"---blogs-- also open I would think----- but in my case I think I am the only Councilor posting----I did post on Donovan's blog--and he was/is the 3rd member of the Public Safety Committee----bit- I don;t recall posting anything about any issue then before that committee----it is fair to discuss bringing soemthing before the council-- but until that is done -- it is not- legally speaking a "council matter"---- that's my read----chbpod
so would e-mails between chbpod and any office of city government in regards to an issue at hand be considered a violation of the open meeting law?
absolutely not--- the issue is communciation among councilors-- not between councilors and members of the adminsitration such as department heads---that kind of communication is perfectly legit---- the issue of private communciation among councilors-- is not to discuss business CURRENTLY before the Council that could lead to a decision---but inquiries to dept heads and or the Mayor on matters before the Council is NOT covered by the Open Meeting law----chbpod
anyone interested might like to check my comment on Blazerblog's posting of Theo Epstein's resignation--- and who says I don;t have a sense of humor---chbpod
I'm sure Mayor Mike would like to find out that password.
I'm sorry- Anthony Ardillino- Mayor Mike???> what does that mean??-- if that last post was addressed to me- I have no idea what you're talking about--I find no Anthony Ardillino in the phone book-- you could be Anthony Armadillo for all I know--care to come out of the shadows??? naaah-didn't think so---there are so many cowards in this world----chbpod
Boy Southview is going to be mad. 34 posts and not one on his question.
POD perhaps Mayor Mike is Mike Bloom?? I don't know, only connection I can see.
On the secret issue, I believe there two separate issues of concern. One would be having enough members as to constitute a quarum and therefore an illegal meeting. The other being arriving at a pre-determined outcome to an issue that is before a committee or board through non-public discussion of a topic by some number of members that is less than a quarum.
as far as Mike Bloom?? that is a wonder--on the other issues- the email thing is that it ultimately makes the roundto a quaorum ---chbpod
I would agree, an email discussion that leads, or could be interpreted to have led, to an agreement between council members would be illegal. Even if a discussion is public, it still may be illegal if the time period of official public notice of said meeting has not been met.
The tricky thing is that we have 4 standing committees PLus the Fiancne Committee--- and communication between two members of the same committee on an issue then before the council would be illegal as the two constittue a quorum of the three member committee----Another entangling issue would be-- and I don;t know -what constitutes a "matter before the City Council" is it "befoe the City Council" the moment such a "matter" is filed with the City Clerk (of course we don;t know what has been filed until we get our Council papers delivered to us either by the Police or sometimes- in the case of a short agenda- by mail----or is it at such time the the Council meets to adress matters on the agenda--the recent court ruling on this-as far as e-mails are concerned-- focsued in "serail" e-mails that wind up getting to a quorum on an issue before the Council --that indicated they way Councilors were going to vote (this was not a North Adams case) another problem and I don;t know if it fits----is let's say I get my Council Papers Friday night-- and over the weekend contact "my " committee to see if we should have the matter referred to our committee or to another one---- in no case does that constitute leading to a decision on the matter-- it is strictly procedural--and if it is referred to that committee the commiteee hearing is open and public---as for Blogging----no problem so far as I appear to be the only City Councilor that is blogging---and it is public-- whether there are other councilors---"shadow people" checking in I have no idea---but since my positions are public--- my guess is it is OK------we are expanding into new areas of communication---and the open meeting law regs- has not caught up to them---as far as posting meetings- of the full council- they are prescribed by Charter- although for example next week - instead of holding the meeting on the second Tuesday-- we will hold it on Wed becasue of the election--chbpod
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