BCArc Hires New Director and Advances Family Support Manager

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Jessica Russo and Nancy Willey
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County Arc hired new director Jessica Russo and promoted Nancy Willey to Family Support Manager.
 
Jessica Russo has been named BCArc's Director of Family Support & Advocacy. As Director, she will oversee BCArc's Family Support Center, the Adult Family (Foster) Care program, help families navigate the Commonwealth's referral services, advocate for students for their education, and create networking and social opportunities for families.
 
Previously she served as Director of Admissions and Business Office Manager for BaneCare, and before that Director of Admissions, Marketing & Business Office for North Adams Commons. Other posts she held were with Advocacy for Access and the Animal ER of the Berkshires. She holds a B.A. from Mass. College of Liberal Arts.
 
Nancy Willey has been promoted to Family Support Manager from Family Support Advocate. She will oversee family support events, support the Outreach staff, manage intake of the Respite House, and serve as overall point-person for families.     
 
Willey started with Berkshire County Arc in 2010 as a Community Advocate, a Community Health Worker and a Human Rights Officer. She brings a layer of support that assists families to identify their challenges and strengths with visits to each family. A lifelong Berkshire County resident, Willey has more than 30 years in the field of human services.

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Dalton Town Meeting May 6 Preview

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — Voters at the annual town meeting on Monday, May 6, will decide 22 articles, including articles on sidewalks and the authorization of a number of spending articles, including an approximate $22 million budget. 
 
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at Wahconah Regional High School. Town meeting documents can be found here.
 
A little more than a dozen voters attended the nearly two-hour town meeting information session on Monday. 
 
"That budget is going up about 8 percent from what it was last year. Sounds like a lot, it is a lot, the majority of that is coming from increases in insurance, and schools, and other things the town does not have direct control over," Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson said.
 
"So, the actual town increase is a little under 4 percent. Everything else we're at the mercy of outside forces."
 
Of the $22 million budget, $10,537,044 is the assessment for the Central Berkshire Regional School District and about $10 million is the town operating budget.
 
"Last year, that part of the budget went up 10 percent. So, we're going in the right direction. It's not as low as we'd necessarily like to see, but I think both the Select Board and the Finance Committee did a great job this year of trimming away where they could," Hutcheson said. 
 
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