BRPC Seeks Input On Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

11:00AM / Wednesday, October 19, 2022Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) is seeking public comment on a draft Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Berkshire County, which will be in effect from 2023 through 2027.

The CEDS is a coordinated regional planning process that documents current economic conditions, identifies priority economic development projects, and sets goals and strategies for the upcoming 5-year period. Two previous CEDS have been published for Berkshire County, in 2011 and 2017. The 2023 edition will include an expanded Resiliency Planning chapter, as well as an overview of COVID-19 impacts on unemployment rates and labor force statistics.

The Berkshire County CEDS is developed by BRPC staff in partnership with a regional CEDS committee, made up of representatives from local government, priority industries, non-profits, and regional agencies involved with economic development. After the public comment period completes on November 12th, 2022, and the CEDS document is endorsed by the BRPC Commission, it will be submitted to the US Economic Development Administration for approval. Implementation occurs over the course of the next five years, with annual progress reports filed each year.

The draft document can be found on BRPC’s website at berkshireplanning.org/initiatives/berkshire-comprehensive-economic-development-strategy-ceds/ or at bit.ly/BerkshireCEDS, along with more information about the initiative and copies of former CEDS documents and annual reports.

The PDF document includes links to online forms for members of the public to suggest additions to the Action Plan and Resiliency Recommendations included in the draft. General comments can be emailed to BRPC Economic Development Program Manager, Laura Brennan, at lbrennan@berkshireplanning.org, with the subject line "CEDS draft."

Tags: BRPC,

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

Greylock Youth SummerFest

Come join in on the wealth building fun! August 3-8. Click for event details. Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Dalton Officials Consider Tool to Navigate Aging Infrastructure Costs

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:14AM / Wednesday, August 19, 2026

DALTON, Mass. — The town's aging infrastructure remains a top concern for many officials, with recent discussions focusing on water, sewer, and stormwater systems as leaders begin evaluating how to tackle the costly work while protecting taxpayers from an overwhelming financial burden.

During the Select Board meeting in July, Capital Planning Committee Chair Thomas Irwin, who also serves as a Finance Committee member, advocated for the purchase of a subscription to Waterworth, a financial planning and modeling tool.

"Their vision was to help municipalities make better long-term infrastructure investment and utility rate decisions by replacing disconnected spreadsheets with a single living financial planning model," he told the board.

The Select Board tabled the discussion and decided to vote on the proposed subscription — whether it's the one-year plan or the discounted three-year plan — during a meeting in August.

The town's drinking water system experiences regular water main breaks, particularly during the winter months, Irwin said.

While the stormwater and sanitary sewer systems are not under pressure, they face their own challenges, including increased infiltration during rainstorms that raises sewer treatment costs and compliance concerns where stormwater lines run beneath sanitary sewer lines, Irwin said.

Waterworth has several subscriptions to choose from but the main two discussed were the three-year and one year models.

View Full Story