Brien Center Receives Funding for Drunk Driving Victims

The Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance recently awarded funding to the Brien Center in Pittsfield to increase services available to victims of drunk driving crashes in Berkshire County.

Each year, MOVA awards funding to agencies that provide free services such as counselling, crisis intervention, case management and advocacy to victims, witnesses and families impacted by OUI incidents. The funding comes from the Drunk Driving Trust Fund (DDTF) which collects fines imposed by the courts on offenders convicted of operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“The Brien Center has a long history of working closely with the District Attorney’s office, providing services to victims and their families in Berkshire County,” said M. Christine Macbeth, chief executive officer of the Brien Center. “District Attorney David Capeless has indicated how significant and debilitating the impact of these OUI crimes are on the people involved, their families and the community. Starting in 2015, the Brien Center will have the resources to dispatch trained DDTF staff to respond to requests from the District Attorney’s office to meet victims in the aftermath of an OUI crash, explain resources and to schedule services. The range of services will include free individual and group therapy as well as clinical case management.”

“Crashes caused by impaired drivers leave devastating physical and emotional effects on victims and their families”, said Liam Lowney, MOVA’s Executive Director. “While awareness and prevention campaigns are more commonplace during the holiday season, survivors of these senseless acts require specialized services to assist in their recovery every day. We are thrilled to fund the Brien Center’s work to help those impacted by these traumatic events.”

The Brien Center DDTF program will operate out of their three outpatient clinics in Pittsfield, North Adams and Great Barrington. To learn more about or to access services, call 413-449-0412 or visit www.briencenter.org.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.