NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — City councilors on Tuesday questioned the use of a $13,000 federal policing grant to buy a vehicle instead of on training. 

 

The city was the recipient of a $12,881 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant can be used to support activities for crime prevention and control. 

 

Mayor Thomas Bernard said the money was targeted for a new vehicle for the detective bureau, "given that the current vehicle for that purpose is past its serviceable life and that's putting in generously." 

 

"Given the whole conversation we've been having about diversity and equity, I guess I would have preferred to see this money used for some training for staff on addressing those issues and all the things that we're talking about," said Councilor Lisa Blackmer, also a member of the council's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Working Group. "Why a vehicle and not training, when that's such an issue right now?"

 

Police Chief Jason Wood said the training is mandated by the state Municipal Police Training Committee and is already allocated in the training line of the department's budget.

 

The vehicle being replaced is a 1998 Honda Accord that was being operated every day, he said. "It wasn't safe to drive. I thought that was a creative way to get the funds without tapping into any of the city's assets."

 

Councilor Jessica Sweeney, also a member of the IDEA Working Group, said she agreed with Blackmer though she understood the Police Department's need for physical resources. 

 

"I would like to see at least in the future when we're applying for this grant pool of maybe applying for more money and including other resources in there," she said.  "I've seen other cities use this to help connect victims with resources that they need. And I think, as we know, with the pandemic increasing our substance abuse challenges or domestic abuse challenges, I think we could have allocated some of this money to helping those, those kind of situations."

 

The grant was accepted with Councilor Marie T. Harpin abstaining; Councilors Benjamin Lamb and Jason Laforest were absent. 

 

The council also debated on where a proposal to take the "Not in My County Pledge" should be referred, finally sending it to the Public Safety Committee.

 

The communication submitted by Sweeney and Lamb said the city had an opportunity to further the efforts it began with the development of the IDEA Working Group. The countywide campaign is being coordinated by BRIDGE, the Berkshire Resources for Integration of Diverse Groups through Education.

 

"The Not In My County pledge was actually launched by BRIDGE back in 2017 to help 'communities throughout

the county to stop hate, address bullying, and build safe, inclusive communities for all,'" Sweeney wrote. 

 

The campaign has three unifiers: a visible logo to express shared values; a commitment not to be silent in the face of intolerance or hate, and a collaborative approach across the county to address these issues.

 

Sweeney made motion to refer matter to the Public Service Committee, saying she and Lamb thought that committee didn't have the "hefty agenda" that General Government and Public Safety had. 

 

"It can be as robust or as simple as we'd like it to be," she said of the pledge. "I don't think we're prepared in this city to to do with a deep dive into a strategic plan for addressing these issues."

 

Councilor Keith Bona, as chairman of Public Services, said he was happy to discuss it but didn't think it really fell within the purview of his committee. But he said when he's tried to move issues to less-busy committees in the past, he's been shutdown because the subject matters haven't matched the jurisdictions.

 

"I'm not opposed to it, but it definitely is not a Public Service issue," he said. "I feel we should be consistent, if we're going to be passing things on to committee, they either go to the committee's that that is their subject, or they don't, but it shouldn't be when we feel like it and when we don't feel like it."

 

Blackmer agreed and thought it should be Community Development or Public Safety. Oleskiewicz thought General Government or Public Safety but was onboard with the latter. Harpin thought General Government would be more appropriate than either Public Service and Public Safety. But Blackmer read out the departments and issues that fall under those Public Safety and Community Development to show either of those was appropriate; General Government, she said, was for legislation and governmental functions. 

 

"This is a very important subject, and we're spending 15 minutes to decide on who's going to take it to what committee," said Councilor Wayne Wilkinson. "Whoever gets it, I'm sure we'll do a good job with it but this is starting to get a little ridiculous."

 

Sweeney felt the work aligned with everything they do in the city so it could go to any committee: "it's really just about getting some folks in the room to discuss what our pledge is and what it, what makes sense for us to do."

 

Harpin said she was fully supportive of a pledge but thought it should wait until the council receives its diversity training (being coordinated by IDEA) early next year. 

 

"It's something I think we still need to work on it's something that you know I've been advocating for quite some time," she said. "I'm certainly you know for anything that has to do with diversity and inclusion and to stop hate in its tracks, when it's when it's seen. And no matter who, or who that hate is directed by or who that hate is directed to."

 

Sweeney said she appreciated the suggestion and offered a return date in March since the training would likely inform their discussions. The council approved the motion to refer to Public Safety with Harpin the only no vote. 

 

In other business: 

 

• The council heard from Lever's Jade Schnauber about the Mohawk Trail Entrepreneur Challenge. 

 

• The council affirmed the appointments of Robin Meyer and Eric Wilson to the Commission on Disabilities, both for terms to expire Dec. 1, 2023, and Justyna Carlson for a term to expires Jan. 2, 2023; and Wayne J. Wilkinson to the Mobile Home Rent Control Board for a term to expire Sept. 1, 2025.

 

• Council President Paul Hopkins appointed Rachel Hailey to the IDEA Working Group.

 

• The council postponed action on an ordinance banning so-called "puppy mills" to the second meeting in February pending the attorney general's approval of similar bylaws enacted by town meetings this year. Blackmer, chairman of the General Government Committee, said the committee had voted to wait to hear the AG's ruling, which is expected by the end of February.