Great Barrington brief: Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Select Board votes to rescind decade-old Searles hotel permit unless developer shows progress by year's end

Select Board votes to rescind decade-old Searles hotel permit unless developer shows progress by year's end.

Select Board moves to rescind Searles hotel permit. Great Barrington's Select Board voted to rescind the decade-old special permit for the stalled Searles School hotel project at 79 Bridge Street, effective Dec. 31, unless the developer shows meaningful progress. The board also weighed the fate of the collapsed former Monument Mills building.Great Barrington News
Planning Board weighs scrapping 45-room hotel cap. Great Barrington's Planning Board is leaning toward striking its 45-room hotel cap, with the vice chair calling the rule a drag on tourism and the clerk countering it has kept national chains out since town meeting adopted it, ahead of an October 8 public hearing.Great Barrington News
Board of Health opens tobacco violation case. Great Barrington's Board of Health took up a compliance case after an August 6 sting found cigarettes sold to a minor at a store identified as Linden Mart, with state rules calling for a fine and license suspension.Great Barrington News
Library trustees call special session on Ramsdell. Great Barrington library trustees called a special Sept. 18 session ahead of a joint meeting with the Select Board and Town Manager, after building committee members raised concerns over Ramsdell renovation renderings and state historic reviewers flagged a preliminary question.Great Barrington News

Monument Mountain volleyball plays Mount Everett. Monument Mountain Regional High School's girls volleyball team met Mount Everett Regional School on Sept. 22 in a match streamed live on NFHS Network, according to the network's event listing.NFHS Network