BWB Presents Workforce Awards

01:13PM / Friday, September 25, 2020Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Bekshire Workforce Boar honored four are leaders at their quarterly meeting.

The MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board (BWB) held its quarterly meeting on Sept. 10, 2020 via zoom and honred Mayor Linda Tyer, Melanie Herzig of the MassHire Berkshire Career Center, BWB Board member Brian Morrison and the 1Berkshire Team.

At their meeting BWB highlighted several accomplishments including pandemic response efforts, career readiness programming, training in healthcare & manufacturing, employer engagement and reemployment activities.

Four leaders were recognized for their efforts:

• Mayor Linda Tyer, City of Pittsfield received the 2020 Workforce Ambassador award for her longstanding support of MassHire activities, engagement in business discussions and for her consistent commitment to supporting workforce programming in the Berkshires.

• Melanie Herzig, Business Services Representative, MassHire Berkshire Career Center received the 2020 Workforce Professional Award. Melanie was recognized for going above and beyond in assisting businesses and organizations through the Berkshires with their workforce needs.

• Brian Morrison, Berkshire Workforce Board Member received the Social Media Superhero award for always supporting workforce development social media campaigns.

• The 1Berkshire Team received the COVID-19 Innovators Award for creating programming and support systems during the pandemic that helped business connect and thrive.

Although the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board and Career Center remain closed to the public, workforce and career readiness services are still being provided virtually to employers, job seekers and youth. During the pandemic, MassHire assisted 435 companies and 1,207 job seekers, with their workforce needs; completed the manufacturing training which trained 56 un/underemployed; provided summer youth program to 37 youth; and connected more than 2,500 youth with career readiness activities. There are a number of new labor market tools on the MassHireBerkshire.com website to help organizations apply for resources.

The Board voted on the Workforce Business Plan for FY2021 which can be found on its website www.MassHireBerkshire.com. The Berkshire Workforce Board is a federally mandated workforce board that creates and sustains powerful connections between businesses, education providers and jobseekers. The Board addresses critical labor market issues and serves the oversight and policy-making body for federally funded employment and training services in the region.

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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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