image description — The town would have to determine which circuit to tie into if it moves forward with a photovoltaic array. This shows the 18C BERKSHIRE circuit.

Dalton Green Committee Aims to Obtain Data for Town Solar PV Arrays

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:29PM / Saturday, March 30, 2024Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, MASS. — The Green Committee is working to obtain information from Eversource to inform the possibility of developing solar polar photovoltaic arrays in town.

The committee approved using $250 during its meeting last week for a pre-application to Eversource. This application will provide data that will inform how to develop a solar PV array in town.

The efforts to develop PV arrays is supported by the state Department of Energy Resources' Green Communities initiative and has been part of the town's master plan since 2016.

One of the master plan's goals in the infrastructure section is to improve the town's energy efficiency.

To minimize the tax impact of this goal, one of the objectives is to "support the development of solar farms on town property to reduce the cost of electricity for the town."

Upon submitting a pre-application, Eversource is required to send back a range of data within 10 business days otherwise it's free.

The town needs to determine how much it can load the two circuits available. There are two lines that come into Dalton — 18C BERKSHIRE and 19A DOREEN.

According to a Eversource representative, the company cannot provide that information without submitting the pre-application.

Eversource's DC Hosting Capacity map does not have all the information needed to inform future projects and is inaccurate because it represents people who submitted applications but may not have a live PV array, Green Committee member Todd Logan said later.

The Green Committee will use the Senior Center as a mock location for a 375-kilowatt solar array in its pre-application because the two circuits border the center. The 18C BERKSHIRE circuit is located on High Street and 19A DOREEN on Glennon Avenue. Dalton would have to determine which circuit to connect to.

Since the Green Committee is not proposing building a solar array on the land in front of the Senior Center, this gives the town "the opportunity to figure out which circuit would be best suited for an income generating and power generating PV array," Logan said.

The pre-application will provide data, including the substation transformer rating, the substation's circuit voltage and name, the phase available near the site, and the distance from the phase service if it's a single phase.

It also includes standards for the interconnection of distributed generation, including information on aggregate connected facilities that have not yet been interconnected, the interconnecting customer's network types and nearby feeders, and potential system constraints that may impact the proposed facility, among other things.

Tags: green committee, photovoltaic, solar array,

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Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank Officially Become Trailmark Bank

Staff Reports11:20AM / Tuesday, November 03, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank announced the successful legal closing of their merger, marking a milestone in the formation of Trailmark Bank.

The merger officially took effect on Nov. 1, 2026, bringing the two longstanding community banks together as one financial institution under the Trailmark Bank name.

The legal closing follows receipt of all required regulatory and governance approvals, including approvals from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Massachusetts Division of Banks.

"Today marks an exciting new chapter for our employees, customers and communities," said Julie Fallon Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of Trailmark Bank. "Trailmark Bank brings together two community banks with deep roots in the Berkshires, shared values and a longstanding commitment to the people and communities we serve. We are proud of what each bank brings to this partnership and excited about what we can accomplish together."

Trailmark Bank is an independent, community-focused bank with approximately $1.5 billion in assets, nearly 200 employees and full-service banking locations across Berkshire County. The merger combines the resources, expertise, and capabilities of two established community banks while preserving the personalized service, strong relationships and local decision-making customers have long valued, stated a press release.

Beginning Nov. 1, Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank will operate as divisions of Trailmark Bank. The combined bank will officially open for business as Trailmark Bank on Monday, Dec. 7, with customers gaining access to all branch locations across Berkshire County.

Until then, customers should continue banking as usual through their existing Adams Community Bank or Pittsfield Cooperative Bank locations and systems, using their current checks, debit and ATM cards, online and mobile banking, and other banking services. Late fall, customers will receive detailed information outlining important dates, what to expect and any actions they may need to take.

"The legal merger is an important milestone, but it is also another step in a carefully planned transition," said Gregg Levante, President of Trailmark Bank. "Our focus throughout this process has been making the transition as smooth as possible for our customers while building a stronger community bank for the future. Trailmark Bank gives us greater resources and capabilities while preserving something that matters tremendously to us—the ability to make decisions locally and remain deeply connected to the Berkshires."

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