Berkshire Family YMCA Gets $1.125M in Grants Toward Renovation

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Family YMCA's Full of Possibilities Campaign announced four new grants totaling $1.125 million to aid in the renovation and construction of its North Street facility. 
 
The $12 million renovation will modernize the building and add 25 or more child-care slots, a regulation youth basketball court, and an indoor track. 
 
The local funders are: 
  • The Feigenbaum Foundation, which awarded the Y a new $350,000 grant in addition to fulfilling their existing $400,000 commitment, bringing their total contribution to $750,000.  
  • The Jane & Jack Fitzpatrick Trust, which made a multi-year commitment of $500,000.  
  • Greylock Federal Credit Union announced a $200,000 award over several years.
In addition to these Berkshire County funders, the Amelia Peabody Foundation, which has supported both the Pittsfield and Northern Berkshire branches in the past, awarded the Y a $75,000 grant, bringing the total of recent institutional gifts to $1.125 million. Taken together, these gifts have taken a major bite out of the Y's remaining $4 million fundraising goal. 
 
According to Y executive director and CEO, Jessie Rumlow, the new commitments will be put to work immediately to fund construction.
 
"We are so grateful to these important institutional donors for their confidence and belief in the Y and this capital project," she said. "The Feigenbaum Foundation's continued investment is most welcome and deeply appreciated, and we sincerely thank the Fitzpatrick Trust for their generosity and ongoing philanthropic leadership in Berkshire County. Greylock Federal Credit Union's grant is living proof that our local financial institutions are deeply committed to our community. Together these grants will help the Y to better serve thousands of people each year and we hope they will inspire many others to give generously too." 
 
Throughout 2022, the Y's campaign leadership will be reaching out to community members for gifts and pledges in order to reach the goal. The Y remains open during construction and welcomes inquiries with regard to the campaign. Interested donors can contact Jessie Rumlow, by emailing jrumlow@bfymca.org or phone at 413-499-7650 x112 or 912-467-3488. Interest may also be expressed to the campaign's committee chair, Matthew J. Scarafoni, by emailing mjscarafoni@scarafonifinancial.com. 

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Dalton Special Town Meeting Rejects Land Buy for Police Station

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Voters hold up cards to be counted on a vote to cast secret ballots on purchase of land question. Voters rejected the land purchase but authorized buying electronic devices for future voting.  
DALTON, Mass. — A special town meeting on Monday night authorized 11 of 12 warrant articles, only nixing a contentious proposal to buy land for a police station.
 
After nearly an hour of discussion, 113 voters rejected by secret ballot the purchase of land on West Housatonic Street for $69,700.
 
Article 2 needed two-thirds to pass, and failed 65-48, about 10 votes short. 
 
A motion was made by Robert Collins for the article to be voted on by secret ballot to ensure ballot privacy, which was approved by 72-19. 
 
Town officials have been debating options for a new police station for more than year, focusing on several parcels that could host a new building and, more recently, the possibility of a combined fire and police station. These included the West Housatonic site, another on Main street and the vacant Dalton High lot next to the Senior Center. 
 
Resident Adelard Nadeau Jr., who previously served on the Fire District's Prudential Committee, argued that the town is spending money that it does not have. 
 
He advocated for the lot by the Senior Center which he believed to be cheaper and shovel ready. 
 
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