BCC Calls for Submissions For Newly Created Alumni Award

08:09AM / Monday, December 13, 2021Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In remembrance of Daniel Dillon, Berkshire Community College (BCC) and the BCC Alumni Association Board, together with Dillon's family, have created the annual Daniel Dillon '62 Heart of Service Alumni Award.

"Dan was an incredible individual who left a legacy of love, compassion and service to others. We at BCC are fortunate to have been a part of that legacy," said Toni Buckley, Director of Alumni Relations. "He was a fierce advocate for those who needed opportunity, and he strongly believed that education was one way for individuals to enjoy a better quality of life."

The award is designed to honor a BCC alumnus, former student or current student who has shown dedication to and made an impact on the community through service to others. The recipient will have demonstrated volunteer and professional engagement as a means of making Berkshire County a more equitable and inclusive place for all.

"Dan will live on in the memories we have of him, the stories we continue to share and the lasting good he did to make our community better," Buckley said.

According to a press release, Daniel Dillon, a 1962 Berkshire Community College (BCC) graduate, was affectionately known as a gentle giant — and a man who cared deeply for his community. His death in January 2021 was a devastating loss not only to his family and friends, but also to the BCC faculty, staff and students he impacted in so many ways.

After graduating St. Joseph Central High School and BCC, Dillon served two years in the U.S. Army. Upon his return, he became a draftsman at General Electric, where he also served as a union official. In 1977, Dillon was elected to the Pittsfield City Council and served three terms. He went on to serve as president of Berkshire United Way for 12 years and received the Francis X Doyle Award in 2005 for community service. For thirteen years, he coproduced and was master of ceremonies for the local United Cerebral Palsy telethon, and for many years he was vice president of both the Irish American Committee and the Irish Sister City Committee. Dillon also served on the Pittsfield Human Services Commission and the Success By 6 steering committee.

Following his retirement from Berkshire United Way, Dillon joined Greylock Federal Credit Union as relationship director and became instrumental in reviving the BCC Alumni Association. At the time of his death, Dillon served on the board of the BCC Foundation and on the development committee.

Nominations for the award are open December 20 through Feb. 1. To submit a nomination, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/dan-dillon.

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Pittsfield School Committee Sees Budget Calendar, Chapter 70 Concerns

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:28AM / Monday, January 19, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools kicked off its fiscal year 2027 budget calendar, and are again facing uncertainties with state Chapter 70 funding.

During the first meeting of the new term on Wednesday, the School Committee OK'd an FY27 budget calendar that plans the committee's vote in mid-April. Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips stressed the importance of equity in this process.

"It's really important for us through these next couple of months to look at our different schools, our different needs, different student demographics, and really understand, are we just assigning resources equally, or are we really assigning them based on what different groups of students need?" she said.

The district could lose up to $5 million in Chapter 70 funding from declining enrollment, specifically of low-income students. This is a similar issue that PPS saw in 2024, when the discovery of 11 students meeting those income guidelines put the district in the higher funding category and added $2.4 million to the school budget.

"We are in a funding category, Group 11, for a district with a large percentage of low-income students, and that number could fluctuate depending on who exited the district," Phillips explained.

"So we're going to do our best to understand that, but ultimately, these numbers will impact the budget that is proposed to us by the governor."

According to the budget calendar, a draft budget will be presented in March, followed by a hearing in early April, and the School Committee is set to vote on the budget in mid-April. The City Charter requires it to be adopted before May 1, and a meeting with the City Council must occur no later than May 31.

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Bonnie Howland provided an overview of the Chapter 70 funding and budget process. The budget calendar, she said, is designed to really support transparency, coordination, and legal compliance.

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