Berkshire Creative Names New Board Chairman

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Marketing consultant Cathy Deely has been named chairman of the board for Berkshire Creative, succeeding Kevin Sprague.

"The Berkshires has always been known as a place and economic environment defined by creativity in the arts and business and the public that enjoys and benefits from creative production," said Deely. "I look forward to engaging with our partners and community leadership to promote, support and help invigorate the creative economy through our work with everyone in the Berkshires."

In addition to overseeing the organization's programs and operations, Deely will continue to serve as one of three Berkshire Creative representatives on the board of 1Berkshire.

"Cathy's fresh, experienced leadership will help us ensure that we continue to stimulate new job growth and economic opportunity in the region," said Nancy Fitzpatrick, board chairman emeritus.

Stuart Chase, chief executive officer of 1Berkshire, said her "impressive track record in the ares of economic development and economic development marketing is an invaluable asset."

A graduate of Boston University and Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Business, Deely brings to her post a passion for the arts and a professional experience that crosses the corporate, government and non-profit sectors. She began her career in Washington, D.C. with several members of Congress, including then U.S. Rep. Ed Koch of New York, and has held executive marketing positions at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum in Boston, as Los Angeles' first economic development marketing director and for Citibank's corporate bank in California as vice president of corporate affairs.

She consults on corporate reputation building through community leadership, nonprofit strategic marketing and media training. In 2009, Deely produced "Made in the
USA at Pete's Motors,"public art installation in a vacant auto dealership in Great Barrington.

She also serves on the boards of Berkshire Children & Families and on the marketing committee of Downtown Pittsfield Inc. She also Norman Rockwell Museum, Southern Berkshire Literacy Network, Multiple Sclerosis Societies of Rhode Island and Southern California and the Los Angeles Arts Loan Fund

Deely is a resident of Pittsfield; her family has been active in business and community affairs in Stockbridge and Lee for well over five generations.
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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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