PITTSFIELD, Mass. — State Sen. Paul Mark and state Sen. Robyn Kennedy of Worcester, chair for the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, recently spent time visiting Berkshire County Arc's programs. Mark is also a member of the joint committee.
During their visit, they spent time discussing short- and long-term plans for human services in Massachusetts.
BCArc offers a broad range of community-based services to individuals with developmental disabilities, brain injuries and autism.
In the photo above, from left: Pam Kight, director of employment and community-based day services; Cybele Kilby, vice president of day & employment services; state Sen. Paul Mark; state Sen. Robyn Kennedy; President & CEO Maryann Hyatt; Erin Manson, Department of Developmental Services residential services director; CFO Blanca Durant; Jessica Russo, director of family support & advocacy; and Scott Barschdorf, director of brain injury services.
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Holiday Inn Remains Closed from Broken Elevator
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It has been almost three weeks since broken elevators temporarily closed the Holiday Inn & Suites, and the hotel is still working to meet code compliance.
The hotel at 1 West Street has been closed since Sept. 25, after its last working elevator of three broke down. The 101 Restaurant & Bar, located within the Holiday Inn, also has temporarily shut its doors while repairs are ongoing.
The day of the shutdown had emergency personnel carrying people who use mobility devices down stairs.
“We were called there a couple of Fridays ago. There was no working elevator. There were EMTs and the fire department there, and they were getting over half a dozen people down the stairs that were in wheelchairs and walkers,” Building Commissioner Rian Dowd told iBerkshires on Wednesday.
“So with the no working elevators, we shut the building down.”
The central downtown, 12-story hotel has nearly 180 guest rooms. Massachusetts requires public multi-level buildings and facilities to have elevator access.
Dowd said the Holiday Inn is still working with the elevator company and state inspectors to be certified and reopen. They were told to provide the City of Pittsfield with a timeline, work orders, and contracts from repairs so that everyone can be on the same page and the hotel can open as quickly as possible, she said.
“We have not heard anything from them yet this week,” she reported.
iBerkshires’ attempts to reach a representative from the Holiday Inn were unsuccessful.
There were no passengers in the elevator when it stopped working; how it broke was not disclosed.
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