BEAT Invites Community To Celebrate 20th Anniversary

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) invites the entire community to join them in celebrating their 20th Anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 1-3 PM, at their Environmental Leadership & Education Center, located at 20 Chapel Street in Pittsfield.
 
According to a press release:
 
BEAT was established in 2003 when a vernal pool at Berkshire Community College (BCC) was being threatened by the development of soccer fields on the campus. Over the past two decades, BEAT has taken on many fights and projects — often leading them and creating a path for environmental change and progress. BEAT's mission has remained the same: to protect the environment for wildlife in support of the natural world that sustains us all. However, their vision and goals have continuously expanded and evolved. 
 
BEAT envisions a world where communities work together to sustain their environmental health and economic vitality; all people recognize their interconnectedness to, and dependence on, the natural world; the air and water are clean; rivers and streams flow naturally; and there is plenty of interconnected, natural land where wildlife thrive. BEAT's goal is to make all of this happen — and their newly renovated Environmental Leadership & Education Center is one of the first steps in reaching that goal.
 
The renovations feature a balcony overlooking the west branch of the Housatonic River, which runs directly behind the building, a fully accessible bathroom, and an accessible sloped walkway that leads to an entryway. Some renovations are still underway, but the building should be fully accessible in time for the celebration.
 
Join them on December 2 to celebrate two decades of accomplishments, see the new renovations, hear about what's to come, and meet members of BEAT's staff and board. Executive Director Jane Winn will lead an optional tour of the building at 1:15 PM, and a stream-table demonstration will start at 2 PM. Finger foods and refreshments will also be served.
 
They ask that people RSVP if they plan to attend; let them know you're coming at this link: tinyurl.com/Celebrate-with-BEAT

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Pittsfield School Committee OKs $82M Budget, $1.5M Cuts

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The school budget is less grim than the original proposal but still requires more than $1.5 million in cuts.

On Thursday, the School Committee approved an $82.8 million spending plan for fiscal year 2025, including a city appropriation of $80.4 million and $2.4 million in Chapter 70 funds.

The cuts made to balance the budget include about 50 staff reductions — some due to the sunsetting of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds.

"The final version does not answer all needs. It will be unacceptable to some or to many but I must say that tonight's final proposal is very different than where we started when we believed we would have a $3,600,000 reduction. I want to assure everyone that every effort has been made to minimize the impact on both students, families, and staff members while also ensuring that our district has the necessary resources to progress forward," Superintendent Joseph Curtis said.

"Nevertheless, there are incredibly passionate, dedicated staff members who will not be with us next year. This pains me as I've been a part of this organization for now 30 years so I want to assure everyone that our team, this has weighed very heavily in our hearts, this entire process. This is not a group of people that is looking at a spreadsheet saying ‘Well that can go and this can go’ and take that lightly."

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Kristen Behnke and other officials worked with the state Department of Secondary and Elementary Education to rectify an error in the Chapter 70 funding formula, recognized 11 more low-income students in the district, and added an additional $2.4 million to the FY25 budget.

Curtis commented that when he first saw the governor’s FY25 budget, he was "rather stunned."

"The extraordinary circumstances we face this budget season by the conclusion of the substantial ESSER federal grant and a significant reduction in Chapter 70 allotment caused challenges for this team and our school principals and our educators and our staff that have been nothing short of all-consuming," he said.

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