Below is a preview of the major stories the Transcript staff is working on for the weekend edition. The Transcript posts breaking news and updates on Twitter (@natranscript), on Facebook www.facebook.com/natranscript, on our mobile app and here on our homepage. Have a story idea or have something to contribute to a story below? Feel free to reach out to reporters or contact Editor-in-Chief Michael Foster at mfoster@thetranscript.com or 413-663-3741, ext. 223.
Working away on Wheel Estates: NORTH ADAMS -- Members of the Wheel Estates Tenants Association are seeking a $49 rental increase as they try to secure a $3.8 million mortgage to purchase their mobile home community by a March 27 deadline.
The increase would push lot rental fees to $345 a month, allowing the tenants association to satisfy the commitment being sought by their lender, ROC Capital, which includes the $2.73 million purchase price and $1.1 million for required infrastructure repairs.
But to do so, the group must first convince the city's Mobile Home Rent Control Board to grant the increase -- a task that hasn't proved easy under current ordinances and policies, which are geared toward private corporate ownership as opposed to a nonprofit tenants cooperative.
Jennifer Huberdeau is writing this story and can be reached at
BART pitches in for United Way: ADAMS -- Students in a senior seminar at Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School raised $931.75 for Northern Berkshire United Way's annual campaign. Students presented the funds to Executive Director Joseph McGovern this week, and McGovern said that with those funds, the organization has raised just over 79 percent of its goal of $550,000.
Ed Damon is writing this story and can be reached at edamon@thetranscript.com, on Twitter @NAT_DigitalEd, or by phone 413-663-3741, ext. 224.
Counsel costs rise: WILLIAMSTOWN -- Town Counsel and a new police cruiser are two areas of increase in the proposed fiscal year 2014 budget.
At Thursday's meeting of the Finance Committee, Town Manager Peter Fohlin said the proposed budget included $35,000 for the use of Town Counsel, an additional $10,000 from fiscal year 2013.
"We've had a number of unexpected legal adventures in the last few years," Fohlin explained.
The town had utilized the Boston-based law offices of Kopleman and Paige regarding a proposed housing development on Bee Hill Road, a proposed motorcycle gathering in South Williamstown, a biomass energy proposal in neighboring Pownal, Vt., and for litigation with Morgan Management, owner of The Spruces Mobile Home Park, Fohlin said.
Ed Damon is writing this story and can be reached at edamon@thetranscript.com, on Twitter @NAT_DigitalEd, or by phone 413-663-3741, ext. 224.
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