Shacktown Residents File Suit Against Pittsfield Over Cell Tower

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Residents of the Shacktown neighborhood have filed litigation against the city after its cease and desist order for the Verizon cell tower at 877 South St. was rescinded.

On Thursday, a civil action suit was filed in Berkshire Superior Court against Mayor Linda Tyer, City Solicitor Stephen Pagnotta, Pittsfield Cellular Telephone Co. (Verizon Wireless) and the Board of Health.

It is an appeal of the board's June decision to rescind the order after the telecommunications company filed a case against the city of Pittsfield in federal court and is a request for declaratory relief.

The document alleges that the decision to rescind the order was in excess of, or in derogation of the Board's authority or jurisdiction; that it was tainted and rendered unlawful by the illicit actions of the mayor, city solicitor and/or others under the mayor’s influence and control; and is not supported by substantial evidence.

There are four counts: an appeal of the decision, the mayor’s refusal to enforce board order, and city solicitor conflicts of interest and improper coercion, and declaratory judgment.

Attorney Scott McCollough emphasized that the complainants had to name the Board of Health in the suit, but added that they are not really complaining about anything that the board but rather "legal complaints about what they were forced to do."

Courtney Gilardi, lead in the suit, said none of the the parties wanted it get to litigation but they want to find a solution for their neighborhood. The goal of the suit is to get back to where the board was urging Verizon to come to the table.

"This Board of Health has been phenomenal, and especially under [Chair Bobbie Orsi's] leadership," she explained.

"They have taken this seriously, they have treated us with dignity and respect, and they have done their due diligence with their investigation and their findings and their conclusions and the board really deserves to have all the practical resources and the legal support that they need to find meaningful solutions for Shacktown."

Citizens Civil Complaint Ag... by iBerkshires.com

orted symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, insomnia, palpitations, fatigue, rashes, tinnitus, memory loss, and concentration issues.

Lenco Celebrates $5M in Capital Investments

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:34AM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Executive Vice President Lenny Light says it's not the equipment but the staff that gives Lenco its competitive advantage. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Lenco Armored Vehicles has embarked on a $5 million capital investment project for faster, better manufacturing. 

 

A ribbon was cut on Monday in front of the company's new Trumpf TruLaser 3080, a machine designed to cut extra-large sheets of metal. This will increase the efficiency of building armored tactical vehicles, such as the BearCat, by about 40 percent. 

 

Executive Vice President Lenny Light recalled the Lenco's beginnings in 1981, when it operated out of 3,000 square feet on Merrill Road with 15 employees.  Today, Lenco has 170,000 square feet of manufacturing space and nearly 150 employees. 

 

"The work that we do here in Pittsfield contributes to millions of dollars being put back into our local economy. We're the largest commercial armored rescue vehicle manufacturer in the United States. We're one of the most respected brands locally. We also now own the largest fiber laser in the United States. It's the only one of its kind in the Northeast," he said, motioning to the massive, modern machinery. 

 

"But the equipment that we have is not our competitive advantage — our welders, our forklifts, our cranes — any company can buy this same exact equipment." 

 

Rather than the equipment, he said, it's the staff who shows up every day with a can-do attitude that gives Lenco its competitive advantage. 

 

Planning for the industrial cutter began 18 months ago, when the company needed to decide if it was the right equipment for the future. Trumpf, named for its founder, is a German-headquartered global manufacturer of high-end metal processing (computer numerical control) machines, including laser technology. The TruLaser 3080 uses a high-intensity laser beam to cut through metals with speed and accuracy.