Berkshire United Way Taps New Director of Development

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire United Way has hired Ilene Marcus as director of development.

Marcus joins the organization with more than 30 years of experience in social service programs, policy development, operations and revenue generation. She holds both her master of science in social work and master of public affairs from Columbia University.

Marcus will be responsible for developing engagement strategies and leading fundraising efforts to increase revenue, ensuring the organization's ability to invest in quality programs to build a stronger community.

Prior to joining Berkshire United Way, Marcus founded Aligned Workplace, where she consulted on creating revenue generating teams. She also served as chief strategy officer of the Met Council, where she grew the organization's major gifts campaign from $3 million to $8 million annually and increased grant revenue by 33 percent.



"We're delighted to have Ilene on board driving our development efforts. These are challenging times for Berkshire United Way and many local nonprofits. We’re fortunate to have hired Ilene who brings a tremendous amount of creativity, energy and experience to the table," said Lee Bank President and Berkshire United Way board member Chuck Leach.

A native of New York City, Marcus resides in Monterey, where she currently serves on the boards of the Council on Aging, and Parks Council and is the fundraising chair of the Friends of the Monterey Library.

She also served a two-year term on the executive board of the NYC Chapter of National Association of Social Workers.


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Dalton Town Hall Lift Solutions in Development

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — Solutions are being sought for the lift in Town Hall that has been out of service since December because of safety concerns. 
 
Building Grounds Superintendent Jeff Burch told the Americans with Disabilities Act Committee meeting on Tuesday night that Hill Engineering has been contracted to come up with a potential option.
 
The lift is in the police station and the only other lift for the town hall is in the library, which is not accessible after library hours. 
 
Previous attempts by Garaventa Lift to repair it have been unsuccessful. 
 
Replacing it in the same location is not an option because the new weight limit requirement went from 400 pounds to 650 pounds. Determining whether the current railings can hold 650 pounds is outside the scope of Garaventa's services to the town. 
 
The first option Hill has proposed is to install a vertical lift in a storage closet to the left of the police entrance, which would go up into the town account's office. 
 
A member of the committee expressed concern that the current office location may not be suitable as it could hinder access to the police station during construction. 
 
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