Pittsfield Council Passes 2015 Budget Minus Capital Plan

The City Council adopted a $141.2 million budget but rejected the mayor's capital spending plan.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — By a 9-2 vote on Tuesday, the City Council approved the $141.2 million budget proposed by Mayor Daniel Bianchi for the coming fiscal year.

Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi and Ward 1 Councilor Lisa Tully voted against the FY15 budget, which represents a $4.1 million increase over the previous year. Both councilors cited the increase as too much of a tax burden on lower-income homeowners and local business.

"Over half of my constituents are over 65," said Tully. "I'm getting emails, I'm getting phone calls, begging me to support them.

"We're not increasing our tax base, so that's being passed on to the residential taxpayers of Pittsfield," said Morandi, also voicing concerns about the requisite tax rate increase that will follow from this budget at the end of the calendar year. "Now is the time to send a message, not in December."

Bianchi said that for the council to vote down the budget at this juncture would be "irresponsible, unless you offer some recommendations for cuts, which you haven't done to this point."

"I have to agree with the mayor on this," said Councilor Barry Clairmont. "The time to suggest cuts is during the budget hearings. Talking about it now, having not proposed any cuts, to me that's just sort of lip service."

Other councilors voted to approve the operating budget despite reservations with some aspects.

Councilors Jonathan Lothrop and John Krol voiced disappointment that more positions were not budgeted in the police and fire departments, saying public safety was a major concern of residents

Councilor Kathy Amuso felt that more could be done to fine-tune expenditures and reduce spending through more rigorous reorganization.

"I think we need to start doing things differently," said Amuso.

While the main budget passed, the proposed $9.5 million Capital Improvement Program received only seven votes, one less than the two-thirds majority required, with Clairmont, Lothrop, Krol, Morandi voting in opposition.

While several compromises were brokered between the council and mayor in a previous hearing earlier this month, continued disagreement centered around the purchase of a new fire engine, which though supported by a majority of the council did not make it into the list of capital expenses. 

Bianchi said the purchase is planned for next year, expressing the opinion that the current vehicle capacity is "adequate."

"We'd love to be able to have everything that we ask for, but it's just not possible," said Bianchi

Councilor Anthony Simonelli expressed concern about the failure to pass the capital plan, suggesting that the councilors who voted in opposition should arrange to meet with the mayor soon in order to negotiate their concerns. Others, however, suggested that this is not an immediate necessity to pass the capital project plan, and the city will not suffer by waiting until the council's next meeting in two weeks.

"It's hard for me to see where a delay of a couple of weeks is a major problem,"  said Lothrop.  

"I haven't heard anyone [on the council] that says they don't want the fire truck," agreed Krol.  "My suggestion is, if it's a priority for you, then we make that recommendation, and strongly say that to the mayor."

New Pittsfield Mural Designed With Student Input Unveiled

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
12:10PM / Wednesday, August 12, 2026

The Common Wealth Murals team. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new mural is welcoming the community in the downtown area.

The ribbon cutting was held on First Friday to unveil the mural on the ADLib building at 215 North St.

Designed by Boston-based artist Ruby Rose, it was created in collaboration with AdLib, Common Wealth Murals, Mill Town Foundation, Let It Shine!, Pittsfield Public Schools, and local artists, students, and community members.

"We start by talking with the community about what do you want to see in the mural, what do you want this mural to be about, how do you want to be represented with this piece of public art, and then a designer takes all that input and creates a design," said Common Wealth Murals Executive Director Britt Ruhe.

Ruhe's team went into four schools: Conte Community, Crosby Elementary, Reid Middle, and Herberg Middle. They trained the art teachers, one from each school, in how to gather student input for mural design. 

But not only did the input go into the mural downtown but also back into their school. Each school chose a different designer, so murals for the four schools will all look distinct.

Students provided verbal and written comments and made drawings. Teachers and students then painted panels in class, which are now being detailed and will be installed back in the schools.

Ruhe said the students showed a lot of love for their city.

"It was really striking to me because we work with schools in Springfield and other places. The kids in Pittsfield love their town, love their city," she said. "They name specific parks and specific restaurants and specific places they love to go, and they really talked a lot about being out in community with their families and friends, and so that really comes through." 

Their murals are produced as "paint-by-number" style fabric panels, so community members can physically participate in painting. The community came together for the July First Friday to help.

"Those community gatherings are a place where, when you're standing around a table, working with people you don't know that in the normal course of events you may never speak with, you find yourself just in easy, natural conversation with people because you're all working towards something," said Ruhe. "So we really believe and hope that people can look at something like this and say, look what we made together.

"If we can make this together, what else can we do together? So we hope it's a seed for a community coming together to tell their stories, to plant their hopes for the future, and to really feel grounded in where they live."

Self, an artist and Common Wealth Murals project manager, said they were very welcomed and it was nice to see that the mural reflects the values of the community.

"I think it's beautiful, and I think it's a beautiful reflection of what the Pittsfield community holds value in, and you can just see a lot of community and unity like in this mural," they said. "People of all colors, ages, and styles are included, incorporated, and connected, and like the interconnectedness of the area."  

The team started painting the mural on Monday and finished on Thursday. It was painted next to the entrance for AdLib, a nonprofit organization that serves people with disabilities so that they can live independently in the community.