PCTV: Healthy Eating Matters

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) has partnered with Berkshire Health System's Operation Better Start and the BHS Berkshire North WIC program to produce a community service television episode of Healthy Eating Matters. 
 
Healthy Eating Matters harnesses the services of Berkshire Health System's Operation Better Start, a pediatric and family nutrition program, with Berkshire North WIC, and Pittsfield Community Television to meet the needs of mothers and infants.  Funded by a grant from Health New England, the Healthy Eating Matters show presents two segments designed to assist WIC families as they shop and prepare meals with WIC-eligible foods. 
 
In the shopping segment, the WIC community coordinator accompanies a current WIC client through the supermarket highlighting healthy foods and how to shop using the Massachusetts WIC app on a smartphone.  In the cooking session, a registered dietitian from Operation Better Start hosts the WIC staff and client as they prepare several quick and healthy breakfast foods using WIC-eligible foods. 
 
PCTV provided their kitchen studio, professional television equipment and expert staff members for pre-production, recording and post-production.  The Healthy Eating Matters show will be broadcast on PCTV and available on demand. Healthy Eating Matters will be posted on the Berkshire Health System's Operation Better Start and WIC websites.

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Restructure

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday. 

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to restructure the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection. 

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data.  Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost." 

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor. 

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