GB Fairgrounds Public auction put off

The fate of the Great Barrington fairgrounds remains undecided: Wednesday's public auction was postponed.

[pat the painter]

Only Great Barrington can not sell wetland without problems.

[brush hill bob]

pat the painter wrote:

Only Great Barrington can not sell wetland without problems.

i can't wait till the endangered species start showing up. anyway, congratulations to mr. jones for writing a story about that dump and not repeating the tornado lie. good job TJ !

[HellerClimateRef ugee]

Is Walter "Buddy" Atwood III a leader or a follower?
As Selectboard chairman, why doesn't Mr. Atwood come forth with an intelligent plan for the Town of Great Barrington to acquire the Fairgrounds property?
It's not exactly rocket science -- a quick call to Town Counsel could set the whole process in motion.
Without action now, Great Barrington's future residents will be scratching their collective heads wondering just where were the movers and shakers in town and what were they thinking at a time when the entire 57-acre parcel could've been picked up by the Town for chump change?

[George]

HellerClimateRefugee wrote:

Is Walter "Buddy" Atwood III a leader or a follower?
As Selectboard chairman, why doesn't Mr. Atwood come forth with an intelligent plan for the Town of Great Barrington to acquire the Fairgrounds property?
It's not exactly rocket science -- a quick call to Town Counsel could set the whole process in motion.
Without action now, Great Barrington's future residents will be scratching their collective heads wondering just where were the movers and shakers in town and what were they thinking at a time when the entire 57-acre parcel could've been picked up by the Town for chump change?

Why wouldn't this parcel better serve Great Barrington in private hands and on the tax rolls?

[pat the painter]

HellerClimateRefugee wrote:

Is Walter "Buddy" Atwood III a leader or a follower?
As Selectboard chairman, why doesn't Mr. Atwood come forth with an intelligent plan for the Town of Great Barrington to acquire the Fairgrounds property?
It's not exactly rocket science -- a quick call to Town Counsel could set the whole process in motion.
Without action now, Great Barrington's future residents will be scratching their collective heads wondering just where were the movers and shakers in town and what were they thinking at a time when the entire 57-acre parcel could've been picked up by the Town for chump change?

As of this morning he is going to allow the bidding process to take place, without the town making any bid.

[HellerClimateRef ugee]

George wrote:

<quoted text>
Why wouldn't this parcel better serve Great Barrington in private hands and on the tax rolls?

George, you're making it ever more plain in every post that you've never been in business, and certainly not in Berkshire County.
Suffice to say, GB would make any private owner jump through so many expensive "permit" hurdles, Conservation Commission restrictions, and environmental impact statements that it might make any private endeavor not worthwhile financially.
Added to those expenses, GB will tax any poor SOB up the kazoo who buys the parcel.
Ask any private businessman in Berkshire County just what he/she has to go through to satisfy all the Liberals' silly demands on all the useless town boards.
Whereas, if the Town owns it, the land can immediately be put to use as parkland, picnic area, agricultural fairgrounds, overflow parking area, etc..
For relatively cheap money, baseball diamonds can be added, and tennis courts, and a football and soccer grid, etc.
Further, space can be leased out for special events (like the aforementioned Aggie Fair) or even weddings.

[pat the painter]

HellerClimateRefugee wrote:

<quoted text>
George, you're making it ever more plain in every post that you've never been in business, and certainly not in Berkshire County.
Suffice to say, GB would make any private owner jump through so many expensive "permit" hurdles, Conservation Commission restrictions, and environmental impact statements that it might make any private endeavor not worthwhile financially.
Added to those expenses, GB will tax any poor SOB up the kazoo who buys the parcel.
Ask any private businessman in Berkshire County just what he/she has to go through to satisfy all the Liberals' silly demands on all the useless town boards.
Whereas, if the Town owns it, the land can immediately be put to use as parkland, picnic area, agricultural fairgrounds, overflow parking area, etc..
For relatively cheap money, baseball diamonds can be added, and tennis courts, and a football and soccer grid, etc.
Further, space can be leased out for special events (like the aforementioned Aggie Fair) or even weddings.

And if worse come to worse, the town can sell the land at a later time.

[Brian in MA - not MN]

It can't be used for residential development - it's too prone to flooding. We have enough recreational spaces. It's prime industrial park space. Everyone's always crying about the lack of good jobs - why not jump start the local economy with light manufacturing, maybe in the renewable energy or tech space. Make solar panels, wind turbines, semiconductor parts, machine tools, bike parts, sporting goods, whatever.

GB needs more entrepreneurs willing to take some risk and reap the rewards. I'm thinking of people like Jane Iredale, who's created scores of decent jobs at varying income levels. Where are they?

[George]

HellerClimateRefugee wrote:

<quoted text>
George, you're making it ever more plain in every post that you've never been in business, and certainly not in Berkshire County.
Suffice to say, GB would make any private owner jump through so many expensive "permit" hurdles, Conservation Commission restrictions, and environmental impact statements that it might make any private endeavor not worthwhile financially.
Added to those expenses, GB will tax any poor SOB up the kazoo who buys the parcel.
Ask any private businessman in Berkshire County just what he/she has to go through to satisfy all the Liberals' silly demands on all the useless town boards.
Whereas, if the Town owns it, the land can immediately be put to use as parkland, picnic area, agricultural fairgrounds, overflow parking area, etc..
For relatively cheap money, baseball diamonds can be added, and tennis courts, and a football and soccer grid, etc.
Further, space can be leased out for special events (like the aforementioned Aggie Fair) or even weddings.

I've never tried to hide the fact that I've never been in business. That's irrelevant. The hoops people have to go through to develop land for business is common knowledge. What I have no idea about is Great Barrington. I suppose you answered my question, in your usual manner.

[HellerClimateRef ugee]

Brian in MA - not MN wrote:

It can't be used for residential development - it's too prone to flooding. We have enough recreational spaces. It's prime industrial park space. Everyone's always crying about the lack of good jobs - why not jump start the local economy with light manufacturing, maybe in the renewable energy or tech space. Make solar panels, wind turbines, semiconductor parts, machine tools, bike parts, sporting goods, whatever.
GB needs more entrepreneurs willing to take some risk and reap the rewards. I'm thinking of people like Jane Iredale, who's created scores of decent jobs at varying income levels. Where are they?

Good point from a Big Talker!
Why don't you put your entrepreneurial time, energies and money where your gaping Socialist mouth is and start one of those businesses you so fervently want to see created in Great Barrington?
It's clear you've never been in business in your life, let alone gone before any of the silly Liberal town boards that all want a big chunk of your time and money.

[HellerClimateRef ugee]

George wrote:

<quoted text>
I've never tried to hide the fact that I've never been in business. That's irrelevant. The hoops people have to go through to develop land for business is common knowledge. What I have no idea about is Great Barrington. I suppose you answered my question, in your usual manner.

You're joking again, of course.
Your personal experience is highly relevant!
The hoops that entrepreneurs are required to jump through in Berkshire County (and Massachusetts) ARE common knowledge -- and that's why fewer and fewer are willing to invest even relatively small sums here.
Why do you think that a business-zoned, 56-acre parcel with all the theoretical possibilities of GB Fairgrounds is even in foreclosure, let alone for want of paying off a bargain-basement priced loan of a million or so bucks?
Who'd be fool enough to invest in Berkshire County and in a state like MA with so many stupid Liberal taxes and silly laws governing what one can do with private property?
Have you any idea how long it will take any entrepreneur just to get through all the permitting processes, and then through all the appeals?
Any idea how much lawyers cost just to shepherd the paperwork?

[brush hill bob]

Brian in MA - not MN wrote:

It can't be used for residential development - it's too prone to flooding. We have enough recreational spaces. It's prime industrial park space. Everyone's always crying about the lack of good jobs - why not jump start the local economy with light manufacturing, maybe in the renewable energy or tech space. Make solar panels, wind turbines, semiconductor parts, machine tools, bike parts, sporting goods, whatever.
GB needs more entrepreneurs willing to take some risk and reap the rewards. I'm thinking of people like Jane Iredale, who's created scores of decent jobs at varying income levels. Where are they?

how is residential flooding different than comercial flooding ?

[go lightly]

HellerClimateRefugee wrote:

Is Walter "Buddy" Atwood III a leader or a follower?
As Selectboard chairman, why doesn't Mr. Atwood come forth with an intelligent plan for the Town of Great Barrington to acquire the Fairgrounds property?
It's not exactly rocket science -- a quick call to Town Counsel could set the whole process in motion.
Without action now, Great Barrington's future residents will be scratching their collective heads wondering just where were the movers and shakers in town and what were they thinking at a time when the entire 57-acre parcel could've been picked up by the Town for chump change?

Okay, so on top of $33 m. for the new schools,$10m. for the fire station,$2m. for the library........the town should pony up $2+m. for the fairgrounds????????? How do you think the taxpayers will take to that? Private investment with solid creative ideas who will pay big taxes to the town is the way to go!

[pat the painter]

brush hill bob wrote:

<quoted text> how is residential flooding different than comercial flooding ?

In Great Barrington if the beautiful people want it it things tend to be overlooked.
Examples;
When the Fair did reopen in the 90s a lot of items were overlooked, or ignored like handicap ramps, parking next to the river etc.

When the Community Center was built, the contractors were allowed to work in wetlands.

[brush hill bob]

pat the painter wrote:

<quoted text>
In Great Barrington if the beautiful people want it it things tend to be overlooked.
Examples;
When the Fair did reopen in the 90s a lot of items were overlooked, or ignored like handicap ramps, parking next to the river etc.
When the Community Center was built, the contractors were allowed to work in wetlands.

thanks for clearing that up ! not being a beautifull person myself, i forgot that point ! lol. brian wants to manufacture wind turbines at the fairgrounds. i wonder where he is thinking of putting them ? i have a suggestion, but he probably wouldn't like it. anyway, i wonder what the great and beautifull minds have in mind for the log homes site ?

[Brian in MA - not MN]

brush hill bob wrote:

<quoted text> how is residential flooding different than comercial flooding ?

I imagine that fewer people are at risk - if you have concrete floored buildings that no one is living in, and production equipment that can be moved quickly, it makes a difference to insurance companies? I remember hearing that when an industrial park was put in near where I used to live.

[go lightly]

Brian in MA - not MN wrote:

<quoted text>
I imagine that fewer people are at risk - if you have concrete floored buildings that no one is living in, and production equipment that can be moved quickly, it makes a difference to insurance companies? I remember hearing that when an industrial park was put in near where I used to live.

Sorry but state and federal regulations will not allow. Only total removal of soil is acceptable. The current owners (the bank) and future owners have on obligation costing millions before any redevelopment can take place. Grants are being sought by the CDC to have the soil removed but the millions are hard to come by at this time. If something could have been done on the quick and easy, it would have been done by now!

[poo boy]

pat the painter wrote:

<quoted text>
As of this morning he is going to allow the bidding process to take place, without the town making any bid.

And this comment from you...one of the most adament against higher taxes!

[HellerClimateRef ugee]

poo boy wrote:

<quoted text>
And this comment from you...one of the most adament against higher taxes!

Acquiring for relatively little money an asset like the 56-acre Fairgrounds would be one of the best and wisest long-term investments of tax dollars that Gt. Barrington could ever make.
It sure beats profligate spending -- like laying out $10 million for a firehouse that fights how many fires annually?