Pittsfield Health Board Orders Demo of Charred Multifamily

PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Board of Health on Wednesday voted to demolish a condemned multifamily that was destroyed by a fire last year.

The panel voted to order a demolition for 91 to 93 Orchard Street, which suffered a two-alarm structure fire on July 4, 2022, that charred the front porch and front portion of the home.  It was condemned a few days later.

Director of Public Health Andy Cambi explained that the department identifies properties with code violations that impair health and safety as condemned and after a year, they have the option to bring the property to demolish.

"We do that in most cases where there are no interested parties in the dwelling," he said, adding that it also ordered to be demolished if it becomes a public hazard.

Last month, neighbors came forward with complaints about rats, and the property was cited as a possible source. Upon investigation, there were no active burroughs but it still could have been possible, which caused the department to recommend demolition.

The owner of the property is currently in a large portfolio foreclosure and has not been responsive.

The order provides 90 days to take down the property and if the owner does not comply, it will have to go to court.

"I think we would pursue court action with this specific property," Cambi said. "Just because the owner, we do believe that they have the resources."

There is also a lender that is involved and is included in the order.

"I just think it's helpful for the public to know that because neighbors that are impacted, which is part of the reason the Health Department got involved," member Brad Gordon said. "It’s helpful for them to know that it's not that it's forgotten but there's a timeline in terms of addressing."

In other news, the BOH agreed to form a working group in collaboration with the City Council and the Conservation Commission to have a united front on mosquito control.  Cambi will go to the council and make the request.

The topic has been a back-and-forth disagreement between the council and the board for a couple of years.

Mosquito spraying was discontinued in 2021 and after six mosquitos tested positive for West Nile virus this summer, the board requested that it be resumed and the council did not agree.

"I think it was a relatively close vote. I don't know if that's relevant or not," Gordon said. "But I think what's more relevant is that if we again, go through this process as a board, even with involving the Conservation Commission, my concern is that we'll end up in a similar pattern again and I think that would be unfortunate and it also would be a waste of everyone's time."

The group would be subject to the open meeting law, required to have public meetings, and would get to work on a mosquito control plan for the spring.

Gordon pointed out that the council has the power to decide on funding and accepting the plan and said that they should be involved.

"We should be able to hopefully make a better effort to communicate, which I think was strikingly absent at the council meeting here where people were bringing up issues that I felt we had evaluated very carefully to a completely different conclusion based on the data we were looking at," member Dr. Jeffrey Leppo said.

"Which is not to say people can't disagree, but I think we ought to be able to agree what's good, what's in the public interest."

Gordon hopes that they can have a group together shortly after the new year in preparation for mosquito season.

"To me, that's government at its best when you take advantage of the resources that you have, and those resources work together, educate the public, and also, then come up with solutions based on best practices in science," he said.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.