Berkshire Community College To Celebrate 60th Anniversary Virtually

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In 2020, Berkshire Community College (BCC) turns 60 years old. 
 
To celebrate its 60th anniversary, the College has partnered again with Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) to broadcast an hour-long anniversary special on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 6:00 PM.
 
Founded in 1960, BCC is the first community college established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
 
The 60th celebration video is made up of a compilation of interviews with faculty and staff, a compilation of shorts about various academic programs, spotlights on families that met at BCC, a conversation with Robert Boland for whom the theatre at BCC is named, and a look at the student support services.
 
"When COVID upended all of our plans this year, we knew we had to find a way to reimagine how we were going to celebrate our 60th anniversary," Toni Buckley, director of Alumni Relations at the college said. "We are fortunate to again be able to partner with PCTV, as we did for commencement this year, to share the stories of faculty, students, alumni, and more and create a really amazing hour-long celebration that shows how BCC has helped make this area a better place to live, learn and grow."
 
According to as press release, the celebration will include a look back at the history of the College, from its roots in downtown Pittsfield to moving to the 180-acre campus on West Street, where it continues to support the Berkshires with access to higher education for its residents and so much more.
 
Viewers can watch the 60th anniversary special on PCTV channel 1302, if they have Spectrum in Pittsfield, Dalton and Richmond; on the PCTV Select app, which is available on modern Roku and Apple TV devices; or on Facebook Live on the PCTV or BCC Facebook pages. The video will also be available on the homepage of the BCC website the following day.
 
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Central Berkshire School Officials OK $35M Budget

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved a $35 million budget for fiscal 2025 during its meeting on Thursday.
 
Much of the proposed spending plan is similar to what was predicted in the initial and tentative budget presentations, however, the district did work with the Finance subcommittee to further offset the assessments to the towns, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said. 
 
"What you're going see in this budget is a lower average assessment to the towns than what you saw in the other in the tentative budget that was approved," she said. 
 
The fiscal 2025 budget is $35,428,892, a 5.56 percent or $1,867,649, over this year's $33,561,243.
 
"This is using our operating funds, revolving revenue or grant revenue. So what made up the budget for the tentative budget is pretty much the same," Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino said.
 
"We're just moving around funds … so, we're using more of the FY25 rural aid funds instead of operating funds next year."
 
Increases the district has in the FY25 operating budget are from active employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, special education out-of-district tuition, temporary bond principal and interest payment, pupil transportation, Berkshire County Retirement contributions, and the federal payroll tax. 
 
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