The Williamstown board of the Affordable Housing Trust on Wednesday talked about how it can reach more potential beneficiaries of its emergency rental assistance program and how it can structure a companion program for homeowners.
Mayor Linda Tyer noted last week that new positive cases had appeared to plateau over recent days, leading her to be hopeful that the city is on the other side of a post-holiday spike.
On the outdoor side, the board's current draft requires native vegetative screening for the security fencing required by state law for cannabis production sites and restricts outdoor lighting to only that required by the Massachusetts Building Code and/or the Cannabis Control Commission.
Polito spoke as she, Gov. Charlie Baker and Larry Andrews of the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corp. announced this week's award of grants totaling $78.6 million to 1,595 small businesses.
"I really hope — and I know this isn't popular — but I really hope that, early on, we are able with the vaccine that is available, to hit the populations for whom life is most at risk and on whom the health-care system relies on and depends to provide care," Baker said.
The Board of Health on Tuesday rejected the idea of putting further restrictions on local eateries despite a cluster of positive COVID-19 cases linked to restaurants.
Baker Tuesday said he saw no evidence that warranted calling out the Massachusetts National Guard to help with security around Beacon Hill or other state facilities, implying that he did not need to mobilize the guard too far in advance without an imminent threat.
During his tenure, he's become involved in numerous community efforts to boost his adopted hometown, including the NAMAzing Initiative that's sought to enhance Eagle and Ashland streets, helping push the city as a finalist in the Small Business Revolution, and bringing TEDx to North Adams.