December 10, 2009

North Adams Council Backs Bottle Bill
By Tammy Daniels

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council unanimously approved a bottle bill resolution, a new sick time for employees and a taxi license during a whirlwind 8-minute meeting on Wednesday.

The council normally meets Tuesdays but pushed this week's meeting a day later so as not to conflict with the Senate primaries.

It gave final approval to a sick-day, buy-back policy passed to a second reading at the last meeting. The policy, which changes compensation to employees not part of any bargaining unit, was referred to the Finance Committee at the same time.

The change had been submitted by Mayor John Barrett III as part of revisions to the employee handbook. He believed the rate of $16 per day buy-back for retirees had not been adjusted since 1982; the change would increase the payment to $20 per day up to 200 days; those working 25 years or more would get another $5 for days past 200 days.

After meeting with the mayor, the committee supported the policy change, said committee Chairman Michael Bloom, after it determined it would have "minimal impact on the budget." Only three to four people are expected to take advantage of the buy-back this year.

The benefit is similar to that already given to union workers and would not apply to the mayor.

The council also endorsed the bottle bills currently in the state House and Senate that would expand deposits currently on required on cans and bottles of carbonated beverages to other beverages, such as sports drinks.

The resolution to support expanding the state's bottle redemption law was brought forward by City Council President Alan Marden. It stated that Northern Berkshire Container Service, operated by Berkshire Family And Individual Resources, would benefit from the penny-per-bottle reimbursement increase. The rate has sat at 2.25 cents a bottle for 19 years.

Passage of the bill would also bring an estimated $20 million into state coffers and take some 1.2 billion plastic bottles off the state's byways and out of its landfills. Marden said he believed the Pittsfield City Council endorsed a similar resolution.

The council also approved a taxi license for David Bushey of Pines Lodge Park, Williamstown, to drive for Lori Smith.

Four nominations for the License Board and the Housing Authority were referred back to the mayor's office at his request.

A tax classification hearing was set for the council's next meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 7:30 p.m.

http://www.iberkshires.com/story/33335/iBerkshire-Briefs-Meeting-Roundups.html