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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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BCC Offers Business, Liberal Arts Degrees Online | 08:26AM / Wednesday, June 14, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC) now offers a completely online option for associate degrees and certificates in business and liberal arts. The two programs, which will be available to students this fall, support the MassTransfer program. The online offerings align with the College's vision of providing "equitable, accessible and transformative learning opportunities focused on the current and evolving needs of our diverse community," explained Laurie Gordy, Vice President of Academic Affairs. "Offering these programs online allows BCC to provide the same high-quality and student-centered experience in ways that are more 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Council Approves $205M BudgetBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Wednesday, June 14, 2023 | |
Mayor Linda Tyer presents her budget to the City Council on Tuesday. The budget presentations can be found here: Day 1; Day 2; Day 3; Day 4; and Day 5. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council approved a $205 million operating budget for fiscal 2024 on Tuesday.
The $205,584,497 spending plan is almost $17 million, or 8.9 percent, higher than this year's budget of $188,822,018.
It breaks down into $109,300,895 for city operations, $78,088,016 for the School Department, and $18,195,586 for the enterprise which includes the Department of Public Utilities water treatment, sewer, and wastewater. Included is a $50,000 reduction to the
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Dalton Historical Making Districts One at a TimeBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:17PM / Tuesday, June 13, 2023 | |
DALTON, Mass.—The Historical Commission has lowered the scope for establishing its remaining two historical districts. The commission originally planned on establishing its second district, Dalton Center, and third district, East Main Street, simultaneously but decided it would be easier to establish them one at a time. Commissioners decided to focus on Dalton Center first. This process of getting this second district approved can take up to 10 years. The proposed Dalton Center Historic District runs along Main Street and features a variety of landmarks including Mitchell Tavern, St. Agnes' Church, Zenas Crane Colt's colonial 0 Comments
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Pittsfield City Council Gives Initial OK to Police, Public Services BudgetsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:45PM / Tuesday, June 13, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On the last day of fiscal 2024 budget hearings last week, the City Council preliminarily approved five departmental spending plans and a $205 million city budget. The council is expected to vote on the spending plan at its meeting on Tuesday night.
The $205,584,497 operating budget is almost $17 million, or 8.9 percent, higher than this year's budget of $188,822,018.
It breaks down into $109,300,895 for city operations, $78,088,016 for the School Department, and $18,195,586 for the enterprise which includes the Department of Public Utilities water treatment, sewer, and wastewater.
Included is a $50,000 reduction to the Worker's Compensation
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Lee Bank Opening Pittsfield Location | 10:46AM / Tuesday, June 13, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Lee Bank announced that the doors to their new location at 180 South Street will officially open on Tuesday, June 20. Construction began on the project in April of 2022, although conversations regarding the evolving needs of the downtown Pittsfield community, began several years prior to breaking ground. According to a press release, it became apparent that the bank had outgrown the storefront space they had occupied for nearly a decade and that a ground-up build was needed . The building was designed to enable "relationship building and engagement" with the community. "We sought to create a space that was a living, breathing 0 Comments
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BCC Awards Emeritus Certificates to Two Mathematics Professors | 08:31AM / Tuesday, June 13, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) recently awarded Professor Emeritus certificates to two professors of mathematics, Annette Guertin and Nancy Zuber. The certificates were presented at BCC's commencement ceremonies at Tanglewood on Friday, June 2. The title "Professor Emeritus" is bestowed upon retiring faculty members at the time of their retirement by the BCC Board of Trustees. Candidates for emeritus status must have taught for at least 20 years in higher education, with a minimum of 15 years at BCC; must have achieved full professor rank; and must have retired from the College in good standing. Annette 0 Comments
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Dalton Fire Department in Search of Interim, Permanent ChiefBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:21AM / Tuesday, June 13, 2023 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The leadership of the Fire Department is up in the air after the firing of one chief, the retirement of another and the pending departure of a third. All within a month. Board of Water Commissioners Chair James Driscoll said interim Chief Chris Cachat decided to step down last week following grumblings from firefighters questioning his effectiveness in the position. For his part, Cachat said he was retiring at the age of 66. At this age he'll be past the age limit for a firefighter. These conversations came after an unannounced executive session Monday night that Driscoll described as being "accidentally" 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Council Preliminarily Approves Water, Sewer HikesBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:33PM / Monday, June 12, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council preliminarily approved a 12 percent water rate increase and a 25 percent sewer rate increase on Thursday. For scheduled service, the average two-bathroom household will see a $12.87 increase per month and for metered service, the average four-member household will see a $9.33 increase per month. The effective date is July 1.
In response to the regular pushback on rate hikes, Councilor at Large Earl Persip III asked Finance Director Matthew Kerwood what would happen if the city did not raise them.
Kerwood reported that if the state Department of Revenue doesn't feel that the projected revenues cannot be met, the tax rate will not be
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Pittsfield Cooperative Bank Makes Promotions| 11:23AM / Monday, June 12, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Pittsfield Cooperative Bank (The Co-op) announced at its annual board of directors meeting on May 16 that it had promoted Edward Schumann to Vice President, Compliance and Lisa Lawler to Assistant Vice President, Portfolio Manager. "Ed and Lisa are outstanding employees," stated J. Jay Anderson, president and CEO. "Both of them have been critical to the success and growth of The Co-op this past year plus, and Ed for several years by ensuring the institution remains compliant through managing our regulatory process and procedures." Schumann joined The Co-op in 2012 and served in a variety of branch administration roles until 2017 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Board of Health Considers Looking Into Housing as Public Health IssueBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:27AM / Monday, June 12, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Board of Health is down two members and, when fully staffed, would like to tackle housing conditions as a public health issue.
On Wednesday June 7, the panel discussed its path forward in finding new recruits and in areas of effort.
Members recognized recent discussions about the city's deteriorating housing stock and code noncompliance as an important item to address.
"If people lose this housing or if people are displaced, there are so few opportunities right now to access other housing because it's so incredibly expensive," said board member Brad Gordon, the executive director and staff attorney for Berkshire County Regional Housing
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Lenox Class of 2023 Rich With Good Wishes, NostalgiaBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:54PM / Sunday, June 11, 2023 | |
Valedictorian Maxell Adam addresses the class of 2023. See more photos here. LENOX, Mass. — The Lenox Millionaires were rich in good wishes and nostalgia during the class of 2023 commencement on Sunday.
Sixty-three graduates received diplomas under sunny skies at Tanglewood's Koussevitzky Music Shed.
Lenox's new Superintendent William Collins gave the graduates seven life lessons that he learned on a year-long sailing adventure with his family that recently concluded.
He advised the students that things don't always go as planned, that everyone makes mistakes, serendipity is real, the vast majority of people are decent, to take the road less traveled, to not
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Veteran Spotlight: Army Spc. Fred WexlerBy Wayne Soares, Special to iBerkshires
04:47PM / Sunday, June 11, 2023 | |
 PLYMOUTH, Mass. — Fred Wexler served his country in the Army from 1961 to 1964 as a specialist, 4th grade. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he graduated high school then attended the City College of New York. "I wasn't a good student so I dropped out and joined the Army in '61," he recalled. His basic training brought him right down the road to Fort Dix, N.J. "I was 19 years old. It was typical of what I expected — miserable. I was more of a mental guy than a physical guy. "After basic, they sent me to eight weeks of AIT (Advanced Infantry Training). It was really different, it was more focused on sophisticated equipment. After AIT, 0 Comments
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