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Photos of recreational area mats that the city of Newton submitted to the Architectural Access Board.

Dalton ADA Committee Considers Playground Mats for Parks

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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The mats are attached to the ground through pins and nubs. 
DALTON, Mass. — The Americans with Disabilities Act Committee is exploring adding playground mats to town parks. 
 
These mats would be laid out to provide accessible routes to playground equipment and swings.
 
ADA coordinator Alyssa Maschino heard about these mats while attending an Advanced Community Access Monitor Training. 
 
"[The state Division of Professional Licensure Office of Public Safety and Inspections Architectural Access Board] brought this up which I thought was very clever," Maschino said. 
 
"It's like a rubber matting system, which is very inexpensive compared to paving a pathway in the parks." 
 
The mats are fixed to the ground using pins and nubs. They are also secured to play equipment and swing sets using plastic stakes and stainless steel pins. The mats are connected to each other using zip ties. The mats are "relatively" quick to install and easy to maintain and repair. 
 
Newton paid approximately $3,000 to cover the costs of the mats at one of its parks but it looks like they did quite a bit, Maschino said. 
 
"Anything we can do to accentuate the beautiful parks we have and to make Dalton a more enjoyable, livable, accessible place," committee member Lyn Clements said. 
 
"It not only makes it easier for those children and adults who already live here. It makes us more attractive to diversify our community more and I think that's a great thing." 
 
These mats could also help in case the town considers investing in an ADA swing so disabled children can also enjoy the town parks, similar to Springside Park, Maschino said. 
 
The Green Committee is going to need something like this because it is putting electric vehicle chargers at Pine Grove Park, committee member David Wasielewski said. Wasielewski also serves as the town's Green Committee chair. 
 
"We're gonna need something to stabilize that area as well and make it accessible," he said. 
 
Maschino is currently in communication with Highway Superintendent Edward "Bud" Hall to gauge his interest. 

Tags: ADA,   playgrounds,   

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Pittsfield School Committee to Again Vote on PHS Report Release

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee will again discuss releasing a redacted version of the PHS report after confusion over a March vote. 

On Wednesday, member Ciara Batory, who has been vocal about releasing last year’s investigation into allegations of staff misconduct at Pittsfield High School, demanded a date for its release to the public.  It was indicated that the item can be put on the next meeting's agenda. 

"I am done playing the game. The public wants a date of when the redacted PHS report will be released, and I will not stop until I get a date," she said before a five-minute recess was called on the meeting. 

Last school year, five past and present PHS staff members were investigated for alleged misconduct, and allegations were found to be "unsupported," according to executive summaries released by the last term's committee. 

The School Committee agenda for its March 25 meeting included a "request by Ciara Batory to release the May 2025 Pittsfield High report with required redactions." It was reported that there were threats of legal action if the redacted report were released. 

Batory on Wednesday said she did not request that agenda item, and that the motion had already passed. Mayor Peter Marchetti, also chair, said they voted in January to review the redacted version, not to release it. 

Batory played the motion that passed in January from her phone: 

"I move the committee vote to release a PHS investigation report in a redacted form by February 18, 2026, and I'd like to add to that the School Committee reviews it before its release to the public, to make sure that there is enough to present to the public."

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