Barrett Appointed As Berkshire Works Director

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
05:08PM / Thursday, May 05, 2011Print Story | Email Story

John Barrett III was the mayor of North Adams for 26 years before being hired by Pittsfield. He will now serve as executive director for Berkshire Works.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — John Barrett III was appointed this week as the interim executive director of Berkshire Works.

Mayor James Ruberto appointed the former North Adams mayor to the position just a week after Barrett's contract as a public works consultant ended.

According to Pittsfield Director of Administration Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Barrett fills the shoes of Michael Herrick, who retired last Monday.

"Mayor Ruberto appointed him on an interim basis so that services can continue while they do an executive search," Farley-Bouvier said on Thursday. "It was nice that he was available."

Barrett began working this week and it is not certain how long he will be in the position. Farley-Bouvier said Barrett has not indicated a desire to remain in the position permanently and Berkshire Works staff will lead the search for a new director.

The employment agency is a collaboration of the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board and the state Division of Career Services.

Berkshire Works is one of 37 career centers throughout the state that is funded through the federal Workforce Investment Act and administered by the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. The Berkshire Training and Employment Program serves as the fiscal agent on behalf of the city.

Heather Boulger, executive director of BCREB, said in an e-mail that the city is the "Lead Elected Official for the workforce system and is responsible for Berkshire Works employees." BCREB oversees the program's operations.

The city appoints an executive director and the rest of the hiring is done through Berkshire Works employees, Farley-Bouvier said. After a new director is found, Ruberto would need to officially appoint the new hire.

The state's dean of mayors was hired by the city as a public works consultant after losing his record 14th bid for mayor.

"I think they were looking for somebody with executive experience," Farley-Bouvier said.

Barrett was "out of the office" Thursday and unable to comment when a call was placed to the Berkshire Works office.

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North Adams' loss has proved to be the Pittsfield area's gain. Here at home, we lost a champion for the North Adams taxpayer and we're left with a mayor who thinks a Proposition 2 and 1/2 property tax override is no big deal.
from: Our loss	on: 05-05-2011 07:37PM I Agree (240) - I Disagree (96)

Like a bad penny.... you can't get rid of him... Pittsfield loses... NA won...He's gone and forgotten
from: In the know	on: 05-05-2011 09:27PM I Agree (88) - I Disagree (118)

That's ironic...the person least capable of the job lands it (temporarily of course) because of who he knows. At least Berkshire Works worked for someone! If it weren't for his buddy Ruberto, Barrett would be panhandling on the streets of Boston! Good riddance!
from: NARez	on: 05-05-2011 11:06PM I Agree (84) - I Disagree (111)

If you want a reason why North Adams is facing a prop 2.5 Override, look no further to the new crowned prince of pittsfield! Barrett did not manage the budget in North Adams, he was reelected multiple times because he mismanaged money, and NEVER raised taxes. NEVER. A city cannot survive on the tax rate in North Adams....his reliance on state aid left the city in a sinkhole. Great job, Barrett! Don't be delusional to think that Barrett was anything, or IS anything, but a self-centered and incapable money manager.
from: North Adams	on: 05-06-2011 05:49AM I Agree (46) - I Disagree (55)

"Like a bad penny.... you can't get rid of him... Pittsfield loses... NA won...He's gone and forgotten" everytime you open your wallet to pay higher taxes, you remember. everytime... current mayor, nice guy w/ no experience (it is shows). JB, harder personality, but a better mayor. facts are facts.
from: never forget	on: 05-06-2011 06:54AM I Agree (58) - I Disagree (47)

Good Luck Mr. Mayor! John kept taxes low, NEVER added fees, ripped down run down homes and kept NA looking good. Have you seen mainstreet lately, its a mess. What happened?
from: Sadly missed in NA!	on: 05-06-2011 09:04AM I Agree (59) - I Disagree (16)

Good Luck John in your new job and THANK YOU for 26 years of hard deticated service to the city of North Adams! How quickly some have turned on you that dont even understaind the process of how fed programs and rules work .I know that these overrides are unnessasary and your offer to help Dick has gone unexcepted! Now there is no light at the end of the tunnel .
from: N.A Taxpayer	on: 05-06-2011 09:09AM I Agree (54) - I Disagree (10)

Barrett was great finding unqualified people jobs in North Adams. He'd call up a restaurant and say hire this person or else. He would hire a construction company for the city work and make them hire a couple buddies kids. He know how to manage city emploees too. If they didn't support him at election time their jobs were threatened and replaced with those who did support him. Just the kind of guy I want in that position.
from: Max	on: 05-06-2011 10:21AM I Agree (11) - I Disagree (44)

How many times have we heard Barrett say this was his last public job? The $60k pension isn't enough or he can't find a job in the private sector?
from:	on: 05-06-2011 10:35AM I Agree (14) - I Disagree (42)

I am just glad to see Mike Herrick gone! Maybe now Berkshire Works can really start to do the job that so many in that office had been trying and wanting to do with out being bullied into going his way or the highway!
from: Pittsfield	on: 05-06-2011 03:55PM I Agree (12) - I Disagree (5)

Seriously. They Barrett Boosters are revving up for something. Either that, or we have two or three old-timers with nothing to do but but click on "agree" or "disagree" all day. And yes, John would call people and "suggest" they employ certain individuals or use certain companies. And if you ever wanted to fire one of those individuals, you would best served to call John first and explain. Good luck, John. You are a very good public works consultant and I think you could make a small fortune doing that for mid-sized cities all over the country (especially in Mass given your knowledge of funding mechanisms.) Why you chose this....?
from: Just me	on: 05-07-2011 12:05PM I Agree (12) - I Disagree (6)

The sign read: "Do You Miss Me Now: Yes John we do please come back.
from: N.A.	on: 05-08-2011 09:31AM I Agree (25) - I Disagree (17)

N A employes dont miss Mr. Barret, hell the christmas lights are just getting taken off the trees on Main St ripping all the buds off, the ropping and lights are all still on the polls on Holden St and Ashland St.
from: really	on: 05-11-2011 07:49AM I Agree (6) - I Disagree (3)

We all know the deal with all the unjust things that he did for people and they never did find the missing video.There are so many differant wrong things that were done you cant list them all.
from: dirtypoliticsforever	on: 05-12-2011 10:03PM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

Pittsfield Council Passes $232.7M Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:15AM / Wednesday, June 10, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council unanimously approved a $232.7 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

It is a modest, almost 2.9 percent increase from FY26.

"I do want to give the community kind of a heads up as we move forward on budgets. What we see coming out of the federal government that's trickling down to the states, it's going to be harder and harder for us as a community to meet our needs under the Proposition 2 1/2," Councilor at Large Alisa Costa said.

"We're going to have challenges, as we've seen communities across the state trying to override the Proposition 2 1/2, because we have dwindling amounts of money coming from the state and federal government."

She pointed out that, at the same time, utility bills are going up for both residents and the city, as are the costs of pavement and other items.

The amended budget of $232,777,720, down from the $232,782,090 originally proposed, includes cuts to the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the restoration of funds for councilors to attend the annual Massachusetts Municipal Association conference.

The Pittsfield Public Schools' $86,855,061 budget includes $68,886,061 in state Chapter 70 funding and $18 million from the city. With $345,000 in school choice and Richmond tuition revenues, it totals $87,200,061 and is an approximately $300,000 increase from the Pittsfield Public Schools' FY26 budget of $86.9 million.

The district's budget will fund 13 schools, as Morningside Community School will retire in the fall, and includes the middle school restructuring.

Councilors also approved the use of $2 million in certified free cash to reduce the tax rate, and appropriated $450,551 for parking-related expenditures.

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