Ward Joins BHS Wellness At Work Team

09:39AM / Friday, February 29, 2008Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD - Berkshire Health Systems has announced the appointment of Jennifer Ward, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, and certified lactation counselor to the Wellness at Work team. Wellness at Work provides Berkshire Health Systems employees with access to wellness programs and initiatives, including health risk analyses, education, nutrition, exercise and stress reduction programs, among others. The program also works with area businesses on worksite wellness programs for their employees.

Ward, who is also a master instructor for Mad Dogg Athletics and Spinning, has more than 11 years of experience as a dietitian and 20 years in the fitness area. Prior to joining Wellness at Work, she served as the senior nutritionist and breastfeeding coordinator for Berkshire North WIC (Women, Infants and Children program). At WIC, Ward was instrumental in piloting the 'Touching Hearts, Touching Minds' project, which was featured client-lead appointments and used emotion-based educational materials to elicit better results. Ward also doubled the number of Berkshire North WIC breastfeeding peer counselors and was successful in sending several staff members to Certified Lactation Counselor training.

Ward was previously employed by Health Fitness Corporation and worked as an Assistant Program Director at the GE Plastics Fitness Center in Pittsfield for six years, where she developed a successful walking and healthy habit weight loss program that featured competitive team events and helped GE employees to achieve personal fitness and health goals. Ward has also certified instructors and provided continuing education sessions for the Spinning program for the past ten years. She initiated the Spinning 8-Week Weight Loss Program, which has been instituted at licensed Spinning facilities nationally.

According to Ward, "I always found the work that I did with the employees at GE the most rewarding and I am thrilled to once again be involved in employee wellness as part of the Wellness at Work team."

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Letter: Board Balance Needed on Dalton Public Safety Advisory Committee

Letter to the Editor02:10PM / Wednesday, September 30, 2026

To the Editor:

I share Dave Martindale's concerns about appointing individuals with actual or perceived conflicts of interest to the newly formed Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee leadership. Several committee members either represent departments that would occupy and directly benefit from the proposed facility or have personal connections to those individuals, raising concerns about the committee's ability to impartially balance a best-in-class facility against a cost-conscious solution.

While their perspectives are valuable, the committee would benefit from a more balanced membership that includes independent residents focused on affordability, long-term planning, and the town's broader financial obligations.

I support the town's decision to explore a combined public safety facility. However, the police station needs assessment should be revisited before the town advances a specific plan. The assessment projects a 32 percent increase in total call volume and a 68 percent increase in staffing by 2045. Those projections are unrealistic based on historical call volume, crime statistics trends and the town's financial outlook — particularly when future budget constraints may require staffing reductions.

The town has already invested considerable time and money pursuing a standalone police station after previously rejecting a combined facility. Now that a joint facility is again under consideration, residents deserve a transparent process based on realistic projections and a cost-conscious evaluation of the town's actual needs.

The town manager and Select Board should consider adding neutral community members to the committee and designating the police chief and interim fire chief as non-voting advisers. They should also revise the needs assessment using supportable staffing, call volume, and population assumptions. A public safety facility is a significant long-term investment, and the town should ensure that the final proposal balances public safety needs with fiscal responsibility.

Amy Lennin
Dalton, Mass.

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