Nonprofit Center Names New Board Director

Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires has elected Erika Allison of 1Berkshire to its board of directors.

Allison is an engineer, educator and entrepreneur.  A recent transplant to the Berkshires, she is currently director of Member Services at 1Berkshire. Previously she was founding director of a STEM education nonprofit startup in New York City leading the launch of east coast operations and programming. She then moved to Maine to became project director for a five-year, $12M National Science Foundation research & implementation program to improve rural STEM education and STEM teacher preparation.

"Erika's entrepreneurial spirit, education background and 'connector' personality make her a great addition to our young nonprofit organization," said Nonprofit Center Founder Liana Toscanini.

The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires was founded in April 2016 to help nonprofits connect, learn and grow. Learn more about NPC workshops, publications, services and events online.

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Dalton Town Hall Lift Solutions in Development

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — Solutions are being sought for the lift in Town Hall that has been out of service since December because of safety concerns. 
 
Building Grounds Superintendent Jeff Burch told the Americans with Disabilities Act Committee meeting on Tuesday night that Hill Engineering has been contracted to come up with a potential option.
 
The lift is in the police station and the only other lift for the town hall is in the library, which is not accessible after library hours. 
 
Previous attempts by Garaventa Lift to repair it have been unsuccessful. 
 
Replacing it in the same location is not an option because the new weight limit requirement went from 400 pounds to 650 pounds. Determining whether the current railings can hold 650 pounds is outside the scope of Garaventa's services to the town. 
 
The first option Hill has proposed is to install a vertical lift in a storage closet to the left of the police entrance, which would go up into the town account's office. 
 
A member of the committee expressed concern that the current office location may not be suitable as it could hinder access to the police station during construction. 
 
View Full Story

More Great Barrington Stories