Pittsfield's Affordable Housing Trust Housing Listening Session

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield's Affordable Housing Trust is holding a community meeting to hear from residents about current housing needs.
 
The Affordable Housing Trust is a seven-member board that was formed to provide for the creation and preservation of affordable housing within the City of Pittsfield for the benefit of low to moderate income households and for the funding of community housing.
 
Information gathered from this listening session will be used to guide the work of the Affordable Housing Trust as they look to address the housing needs of Pittsfield residents.
 
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at Conte Community School at 200 West Union Street in Pittsfield.
 
Those attending will be given the opportunity to speak about the housing issues that are important to them and their community.
 
Childcare and light refreshments will be available. Spanish translation services will also be provided. 
 
RSVP to (413) 499-9368 or (413) 442-3181 so a headcount can be calculated for food and childcare.
 
If residents are unable to attend the session, they are welcome to submit their comments to the Pittsfield Department of Community Development, City Hall, 70 Allen Street, Room 205, Pittsfield, MA at (413) 499-9358 or by TTY at (413) 499-9340. Residents may also e-mail your public comments at jdodds@cityofpittsfield.org. 
 
Persons with special needs should contact the Pittsfield Department of Community Development and every effort will be made to accommodate their requests.

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Pittsfield Sees Legal Threats Over PHS Report

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City officials say they have received informal threats of legal action if the redacted Pittsfield High School investigation report is released. 

The report was placed on the March 25 School Committee meeting under executive session, and member Ciara Batory argued that the body already voted to release the report by Feb. 18, not review it privately and vote on it again. 

During the meeting, Mayor Peter Marchetti, committee chair, reported that there were threats of legal action if the redacted report were released.  

On Monday, iBerkshires reached out to the mayor's office to clarify the threats. One of the report's subjects and two school unions have said they would consider legal action. 

"We have received written communication from a lawyer representing an individual who is a subject in this report that they will 'pursue all available legal remedies.' In addition, we have received notice from two of the school unions that have indicated they will consider all appropriate legal actions," Catherine VanBramer, director of administrative services/public information officer, responded via email. 

 "Any decisions to release the report would require a majority vote of the School Committee." 

Five past and present PHS staff members were investigated for alleged misconduct, and allegations were found to be "unsupported," according to executive summaries released by the last term's committee. 

Scheduled for the last School Committee meeting was an executive session to discuss an "item of litigation, release of investigation reports." Before the private session, Batory asked if there was active litigation or a specific legal claim. 

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