Berkshire Immigrant Center to be Honored at MIRA Thanksgiving Luncheon

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. - The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) will recognize Brooke Mead, Program Coordinator of the Berkshire Immigrant Center, for her outstanding advocacy and leadership in making Massachusetts a better place for immigrants and refugees to live.

She will be one of two distinguished honorees at MIRA’s annual Thanksgiving luncheon on November 17th, 2009 in the Great Hall of the Massachusetts State House in Boston.
 
“The individuals we choose to honor are strong, determined leaders who value our country’s New Americans,” stated Eva Millona, Executive Director of MIRA. “Brooke has shown true commitment and passion for furthering immigrant initiatives and providing outstanding service to the immigrants of Berkshire County.”
 
The MIRA Thanksgiving event is entitled “Celebrate the Immigrant Family” and provides an opportunity for all to remember and rejoice in the immigrant journey. This year’s event will be highlighted by the public release of the New American’s Agenda by Governor Deval Patrick who commissioned the report from the Governor’s Advisory Council for Refugees and Immigrants in joint partnership with the Massachusetts Office of Refugees and Immigrants and MIRA. The report consists of 131 policy recommendations to better integrate immigrants and refugees into the civic and economic life of the Commonwealth. These policy recommendations recognize that immigrant families form a vital cornerstone in our communities, and that their hopes and needs deserve respectful attention and response.
 
Brooke Mead has been employed at the Berkshire Immigrant Center since 2002. The Center, a program of Berkshire Community Action Council, provides citizenship assistance, immigration information, advocacy, referrals and counseling to the growing immigrant communities in Berkshire County. For more information, please call 445-4881 or email info@berkshireic.com.

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Council Passes $232.7M Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council unanimously approved a $232.7 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year. 

It is a modest, almost 2.9 percent increase from FY26. 

"I do want to give the community kind of a heads up as we move forward on budgets. What we see coming out of the federal government that's trickling down to the states, it's going to be harder and harder for us as a community to meet our needs under the Proposition 2 1/2," Councilor at Large Alisa Costa said. 

"We're going to have challenges, as we've seen communities across the state trying to override the Proposition 2 1/2, because we have dwindling amounts of money coming from the state and federal government." 

She pointed out that, at the same time, utility bills are going up for both residents and the city, as are the costs of pavement and other items. 

The amended budget of $232,777,720, down from the $232,782,090 originally proposed, includes cuts to the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the restoration of funds for councilors to attend the annual Massachusetts Municipal Association conference. 

The Pittsfield Public Schools' $86,855,061 budget includes $68,886,061 in state Chapter 70 funding and $18 million from the city. With $345,000 in school choice and Richmond tuition revenues, it totals $87,200,061 and is an approximately $300,000 increase from the Pittsfield Public Schools' FY26 budget of $86.9 million. 

The district's budget will fund 13 schools, as Morningside Community School will retire in the fall, and includes the middle school restructuring. 

Councilors also approved the use of $2 million in certified free cash to reduce the tax rate, and appropriated $450,551 for parking-related expenditures. 

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