image description — A feeding female Anopheles funestus mosquito from the Centers for Disease Control Public Health Image Library.

Presence of West Nile Prompts Mosquito Spraying in Pittsfield

Staff Reports04:20PM / Friday, July 13, 2018Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire County Mosquito Control Project will be spraying a one-mile circumference of Williams and Elm streets.

The spraying is in response to the presence of West Nile virus. On July 3, three mosquitoes tested positive for the virus. A truck-mounted adulticide spraying in the area of Elm and Williams from 10 p.m. until midnight on Monday, July 16. If it rains, the spraying will be rescheduled for Wednesday, July 18.

On the same collection date, there was also a positive finding in Stockbridge as well.

The spraying comes right on the heels of the Board of Health approving an update protocol as to when to spray. A group of residents had petitioned against the Berkshire County Mosquito Control Project altogether and that ultimately led to a City Council petition to just remove the adulticide spraying.

The City Council and the Board of Health came to an agreement on certain thresholds that had to be met before spraying.

The city provided the following advice to help residents protect themselves.

When outdoors, wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and socks.
Use a repellent with DEET according to the instructions on the product label.
Keep mosquitos out of your house by repairing holes in screens and making sure screens fit tightly to doors and windows.
Schedule outdoor events to avoid the hours between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
Remove areas of standing water around your home to eliminate sources of mosquito breeding.

Although there are no reported human cases of West Nile virus in Massachusetts this season, protection is important. About 20 percent of infected people will have symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, swollen lymph glands, skin rash on chest, stomach and back. One percent of infected people will develop severe illness but the majority of people who are infected will not have symptoms.

Residents may request to be excluded from pesticide application by submitting an Exclusion Request Form which can be obtained at this link. The form is also available by contacting the Berkshire County Mosquito Control Project at 413-447-9808 or berkmc@bcn.net.

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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.

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