Dalton Town Employees Gets ADA Training

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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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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Police Investigating Car, Pedestrian Accident Near Allendale Shopping Center

Staff Reports

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A pedestrian was hit near the Dalton Avenue and Cheshire Road intersection Saturday evening, and the roadway was closed for a few hours. 

On November 14, around 6:40 PM, the Pittsfield Police Department, Pittsfield Fire Department, and Action Ambulance responded to the area of 16 Cheshire Rd. for a report that a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle. 

Upon arrival, responding officers located a male lying in the northbound lane with "obvious injuries," PPD said. 

"Initial investigation showed that the victim was walking eastbound in the crosswalk in front of 16 Cheshire Rd when he was struck by a 2006 Chevy Malibu, traveling north," PPD wrote on Sunday. 

"The operator of the vehicle was uninjured in the collision, and the victim was transported to Berkshire Medical Center with potentially life-threatening injuries."

Cheshire Road was closed for about four hours between Dalton Avenue and the entrance to Allendale Shopping Center while the accident was investigated and cleared up. The roadway reopened around 10:30 PM. 

The FairBridge Inn Express is located at 16 Cheshire Rd.

The accident remains under investigation by the Pittsfield Police Traffic Unit. Anyone who may have witnessed the accident or may have witnessed this vehicle traveling on Dalton Ave shortly before the accident is asked to contact Sergeant David Hallas at 448-9700 Ext. 560 or Officer Matthew Farnham at Ext. 531.

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