MassHire Berkshires Hires New Staff

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Heather Boulger, executive director of MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board announced the recent addition of Rebecca Lilley to fill the position of Office Executive and the hire of Paul Mattingly as the Manager of Industry Relations.
 
As the Office Executive, Rebecca Lilley will be managing all aspects of the office and accounting functions of the Board. Lilley will be providing human resources and coordinating staff training. She will also be responsible for database management, document control and regulatory compliance. Lilley was previously the General Manager of 33Main and worked as the assistant town clerk/collector for the Town of Great Barrington.
 
As the Manager of Industry Relations, Paul Mattingly will be engaging employers throughout Berkshire County to define their workforce needs and assist with recruitment and retention strategies. He will be coordinating relevant training grants to bring more skilled-workers into the workforce and develop a pipeline of future workers, expanding the career ladders within the manufacturing, hospitality, and healthcare sectors. Mattingly will be also be overseeing the Berkshire Skill's Cabinet and leading Industry Advisory Committees to identify retention and recruitment strategies, funding strategies, and training opportunities. Additionally he will also be leading the Market Maker initiative for the Berkshires.
 
Mattingly was previously with Berkshire Community College as the Director of Workforce Development: Advanced Manufacturing where he focused on facilitating trainings and workshops to help people gain the needed skills to enter the manufacturing industry, as well as helping to strengthen the existing workforce through upskilling opportunities. In addition to programs offered at BCC he also assisted in facilitating manufacturing training at the Berkshire County House of Corrections. Prior to his time at BCC he spent 13 years in the manufacturing industry working in specially metals distribution and the firearms industry where he gained a wide range of experience in multiple facets of the manufacturing industry. Mr. Mattingly graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a B.A. in Political Science.
 
MassHire Berkshire meets the employment needs of businesses and workers by supporting partnerships with industry, education and workforce organizations. They design and execute workforce development programs across the Berkshires that strengthen the skills of Berkshire youth and adults. They create training programs and pathways to connect people to an array of employment opportunities and career readiness activities while meeting the needs of business.  

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Pittsfield Officials: Unlimited Trash Not Sustainable, Toters Offer Cost-Savings

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Unlimited trash pickup is not sustainable and will lead to higher taxes, city officials say.

Mayor Peter Marchetti began public outreach on Monday on the proposed five-year contract with Casella Waste Management for solid waste and recyclables. Older residents packed into the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center for the first of three community meetings.

On the table is a move to automated pickup utilizing 48-gallon toters, which would be at no cost to residents unless they require additional toters and would save the city $80,000 per year.

The goal is to execute a contract by July 1, the start of the fiscal year.

"Trash collection is not free. You're already paying for it as part of your taxes that you pay. In this administration, in this proposal there is no 'I'm looking to create a trash tax,''' Marchetti said, explaining that trash pickup for fiscal year 2025 is around $5.1 million and has doubled since he first served on the council in 2002.

"So we need to find a way to stem the cost of trash."

Some of the seniors praised the new plan while others had concerns, asking questions like "What is going to happen to the trash cans we have now?" "What if I live in rural Pittsfield and have a long driveway?" and "What happens if my toter is stolen?"

"I've lived in a lot of other places and know this is a big innovation that is taking place over the last 20,30 years," one resident said. "It's worked in most places. It's much better than throwing bags of garbage on the side of the road."

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