EZ Pass Van Coming to 4-H Youth Fair

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Angelica Paredes of the Berkshire County 4-H Fair Association have collaborated to bring the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s EZ Pass Van to the annual 4-H Youth Fair, set for Saturday, Aug. 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

The fair is at the Berkshire County 4-H Fairgrounds on Utility Drive (Off Holmes Road), and the fair itself will run 9-5 and is free. The free transponders will be distributed for the Massachusetts Turnpike.

After an overwhelming response to the EZ Pass van at the downtown Farmers Market on Aug. 6, Farley-Bouvier was contacted by Angelica Paredes about bringing the EZ pass van to the 4-H Fair. John Naughton from Mass DOT, who was with the van on Aug. 6, said that 430 transponders were given out and agreed to return with the van so additional people can sign up. Paredes noted that having the EZ pass van at the fair is another opportunity to not only draw people to the fair but to offer a community service.

MassDOT is currently in the process of transitioning to All Electronic Tolling (AET) for I-90, both directions. MassDOT intends to test AET software during the summer of 2016 and to activate AET by the end of the year. A previously scheduled “go live” date in the month of October will occur if software testing goes as planned before September.

AET gantries, placed over the road and equipped with sensors, will electronically register tolls from vehicles that pass under any gantry. Drivers will no longer have to stop at a toll plaza and will be able to maintain a safe highway speed.

If a vehicle has an EZ Pass transponder, the toll is automatically charged to the customer’s E-ZPass account that the transponder is registered to. If a vehicle does not have an EZ Pass transponder, cameras mounted on the gantry will capture a photograph of the vehicle’s license plate and the registered owner of the vehicle will be sent an invoice. Pay-by-Plate users will pay a surcharge. EZ-Pass users pay the normal toll. 

Drivers who currently have no EZ Pass transponder are encouraged to obtain one.  Applicants must bring vehicle registration, $20 credit card or check only (no cash please) to open an EZ  Pass account, and photo identification to obtain a transponder. The transponders are issued free and the $20 account will be used to pay charges for Massachusetts Turnpike travel.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.