New Pittsfield town report now available — for 1996> Town plays catch-up under local ordinance

PITTSFIELD — For Pittsfield residents brave enough to venture out Tuesday in yet another ice and sleet storm, copies of the 1996 town report were available at the town office.

Coming soon: the 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1997 reports.

Town Manager D. Dwight Dogherty got a little behind in his reporting and town councilors took him to task, setting deadlines and demanding that the reports be completed. In 1995, with more than four town reports not done, the council enacted an ordinance that required the town report to be completed by the end of the first six months of the year.

Prior to the ordinance, the 1989 report was printed in May 1993, followed several weeks later by the 1990 report. That was the last report printed until the council passed the six-month requirement.

So even though they are getting done a bit out of order, the town is nearly caught up.

The 1996 report, fresh off the presses, is already dated. The picture of the Town Council includes four councilors who are no longer serving. The town clerk has resigned. The treasurer and tax collector retired.

The remainder of the report consists of department reports and the lists of those owing taxes. Financial information and reports from the SAD 53 superintendent of schools also are included.

Dogherty said Monday, “There’s really nothing in there that everybody doesn’t already know.”

The town manager steadfastly has maintained that getting the reports out was not a high priority. He said he could serve the town better by spending time working on grant applications and bringing millions of dollars of state and federal money into Pittsfield’s projects.