Berkshire County Arc Hires Director of Brain Injury Services

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County Arc has hired a new director of Brain Injury Services, Amber Steele.

Steele has been with BCArc since 2011. She has worked in a variety of capacities within BCArc, including as site manager and as a senior site Manager. Most recently, she worked as a residential supervisor in the Brain Injury Services Department. Prior to arriving in the Berkshires, she worked as a residential coordinator at CapeAbilities in Hyannis, Mass.

Amber holds a certificate in Quality Management from the National Graduate School of Quality Management and will be completing her bachelor's degree from Springfield College, School of Human Services this fall.

"This is such an exciting time to be working in the human services field, especially with all the expansion of services for people with brain injury. There are more opportunities now than ever for people to find their new forever homes in the community," Steele said. "Having had the pleasure of working at BCArc for the past six years, as a part of this amazing, highly dedicated team of professionals, I can honestly say that the future for those we support looks very bright."

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.