Dalton Town Employees Gets ADA Training

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
10:49AM / Saturday, March 16, 2024Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, Mass. — Municipal employees will have the option to participate in Americans with Disabilities Act training.

ADA coordinator Alyssa Maschino informed the ADA Committee on Monday that Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson approved the idea and is currently in the planning process.

The virtual training will cover state ADA requirements, ensuring program accessibility for people with disabilities, and the reasonable modification process.

The training is led by Julia O'Leary, general counsel for Massachusetts Office on Disability. The Office on Disability "provides information, guidance, and training on disability-related civil rights and obligations," the state website says.

A lot of people are used to being able to walk upstairs and being mobile, so they are not thinking about how their surroundings affect people with mobile disabilities, committee member Edward "Bud" Hall said.

This will give town employees a better understanding of what is compliant and what is not,

"A lot of people are just used to the everyday walking upstairs, running into the building, not thinking about, what about the other person that can't do it. So this just will probably give them insight and hopefully helping

Maschino and Hutcheson are considering holding the training during the monthly staff meeting on the third Wednesday of each month.

Although the training is an hour and "I feel like everyone should really take the time to do it" it is unclear if the town can make it mandatory, Maschino said.

In other news, the committee signed a letter recommending the town install sidewalks on Orchard Road.

Tags: ADA,

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Pittsfield Committee Recommends Scanlon for City Audit

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires.com
11:59AM / Sunday, August 02, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— After the bid for a new auditing company came back more than 30 percent higher, Pittsfield will stick with Scanlon and Associates.

On Tuesday, the Auditing Services Evaluation Committee voted, 4-2, to advance Scanlon to the City Council for an independent audit. CliftonLarsonAllen also responded to the bid, but came in costing $120,000 more.

“I have to go with saving money for the city. I mean, the discrepancy is too much of a difference,” committee member Karen Kalinowsky said.

“The city could have used for that difference over the next three years.”

This process was prompted by Rule 40 of the council rules and the City Charter, where in any year the City Council votes to hold a procurement process for an independent certified public accountant or firm to audit Pittsfield's books and accounts, the city must, through its Finance Committee with the assistance of the purchasing department, solicit requests for proposals or invitations for bids before June 1.

The council in March recommended that the purchasing agent draft a request for proposals and put it out to bid.

Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren, who has vocally supported the independent audit for years, said the city doesn’t have to follow a bidding process for the professional service, “We are doing this so the public knows that we're being professional and are looking for other options, looking at what the best options are, and comparing them based on what they can offer and what the cost is.”

Board member Kathy Amuso said both CLA and Scanlon have comparable reviews with high recommendations. Especially considering the budget crisis Pittsfield is in, she moved to recommend Scanlon to the full council.

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