Select Board grants Oak Street driveway permit after neighbor dispute
Select Board · Meeting of May 13, 2026
Great Barrington Select Board grants a contested Oak Street driveway permit and reorganizes leadership. Vice Chair Eric Gabriel was elected as part of the board's annual reorganization, and the board voted unanimously to permit the Oakdale Foundation's parking area at 16 Oak Street after neighbor Roger McDonald objected that "the increasing use of the prominent front yard" as multi-vehicle parking threatened the historic Hill neighborhood. Foundation representative Rachel Kalin said "our organization does require the space" to serve more than 20 clients.
Town Manager Liz Hartzberg said the fiscal 2027 budget webpage now reflects programs cut after this week's Proposition 2½ override failed. A resident asked about a free cash reserve under 1 percent of the budget, and another, James Garzone, urged the board to seek a seat on the school district's finance oversight board. The board also proclaimed May 2026 Jewish American Heritage Month and voted unanimously to enter executive session.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 1,087 words
Source: the Select Board meeting of May 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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