City Council Subcommittee Endorses Bilingual Compensation

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Ordinance and Rules subcommittee has unanimously approved Mayor Linda Tyer's proposed ordinance to compensate city employees for being bilingual and biliterate.

Director of Human Resources Michael Taylor explained the proposal to the council subcommittee on Monday. 

"I feel this is quite overdue, I am excited this is finally being taken up," Taylor said. "Aside from the obvious of having a method to provide additional pay to our employees, we really just feel this alliance with our organizational pulls to best meet the needs of the community we are serving."

Taylor said this will additionally benefit city employees and encourage more employees to seek out becoming bilingual or biliterate.

Additional rates an employee may be eligible for are $125 a month for either oral or reading/written fluence, or $175 for both oral and written fluency.

These rates would be available to all city departments except for Public Safety, as this department already has language contained in its employment agreements. Additionally, a city employee who does not engage with the public may not qualify for these benefits.  

An example Taylor gave of such a position is a senior accountant clerk whose primary duties are to process vouchers. This individual would not be eligible for bilingual benefits because he or she would have little to no interaction with the public as the office is more of an internal services department.

"Just a thought, I like the idea of all of this and I'm glad we're doing it, but I would like to see it expanded for all of the city because if someone takes time to learn another language it might be very valuable for those few people that speak that language in our city that may need help in City Hall or may run into a city worker on the streets."

The policy will be in effect after the next City Council meeting on Oct. 13 if it is passed at the meeting.

Pittsfield ZBA Member Recognized for 40 Years of Service

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:23PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Albert Ingegni III tells the council about how his father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo who died at age 94 in 2020, enjoyed his many years serving the city and told Ingegni to do the same. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's not every day that a citizen is recognized for decades of service to a local board — except for Tuesday.

Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.

"It's not every day that you get to stand before the City Council in honor of a Pittsfield citizen who has dedicated 40 years of his life serving on a board or commission," he said.

"As we say that, I know that there are many people that want to serve on boards and commissions and this office will take any resume that there is and evaluate each person but tonight, we're here to honor Albert Ingegni."

The honoree is currently chair of the ZBA, which handles applicants who are appealing a decision or asking for a variance.

Ingegni said he was thinking on the ride over about his late father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo, who told him to "enjoy every moment of it because it goes really quickly."

"He was right," he said. "Thank you all."

The council accepted $18,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation and a  $310,060 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program.