New Pittsfield Councilors Reflect on MMA Conference
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Elected officials and municipal staff traveled to Boston last weekend for the annual Massachusetts Municipal Association's annual meeting and trade show.
Pittsfield had quite a presence at the event with returning and new attendees. Councilor at Large Alisa Costa and Ward 7 Councilor Rhonda Serre attended for the first time after being elected to office in November.
Both gathered insightful information they say will aid them in serving the city.
Serre loved sharing conversations with other councilors and learning and making connections so that "we don't reinvent the wheel every time."
"It's about learning best practices from others," she said.
Costa said she really appreciates the city's investment in allowing councilors and city employees to attend the conference. For fiscal year 2024, $4,620 was allocated for councilors to attend the event.
"Getting outside of our walls here is so important," she said. "The networking opportunities, the ability to network with the department heads and being able to be in workshops with them and ask questions."
Jan. 19 and 20 were packed with speeches, presentations, meetings, and marketing events at the Hynes Convention Center. Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll were guest speakers and Eddie Glaude Jr. and Gina McCarthy were keynote speakers.
Serre found the presenters on the trade floor interesting, as there were consultants from all sectors. More than 200 exhibitors showcased products and services that are of interest to municipalities.
This included Casella Waste Systems, which services Berkshire County and is redeveloping the former trash incinerator on Hubbard Avenue.
"There was somebody there to answer any question on anything," Serre said. "And it was really helpful to just totally immerse yourself in everything that a city councilor will likely come across in a day."
During a presentation, the state Department of Environmental Protection said pay-as-you-throw is the most efficient trash removal method. A few years ago, the City Council said "no" to a PAYT program where residents pay a per-unit fee for disposal of household trash
In the program contracted with WasteZero, residents would have been provided with 104 15-gallon bags free each year at cost and any additional bags would be purchased for $1.50 per 30-gallon bag and $0.80 per 15-gallon bag.
"I think it's going to take a conversation with the residents and with other elected officials in town to find the compromise sweet spot of while the state says pay as you throw decreases the volume of trash well, that could be but does it increase the volume of litter?" she said. "So there's a balance."
Serre formerly served on the city's Resource Recovery Commission and is looking forward to diving into it as a councilor.
Costa's favorite workshop was on housing converts.
"It was all about turning unused municipal buildings into housing and what it takes to do that," she explained.
The topic is highly relevant to Pittsfield as it grapples with the housing crisis and growing need for units. Various churches and former buildings have been converted to housing including the Morningstar Apartments, the Power House Lofts, and the Eastview Apartments.
On Tuesday, the council OK'd two incentives for the redevelopment of a Wendell Avenue commercial building into mixed-income apartments.
Costa said getting a deep dive on the topic and being there with Director of Community Development Justine Dodds to ask further questions was beneficial.
"Plus hearing the bigger picture from the governor, from Senators [Ed Markey] and [Elizabeth Warren,]" she said. "It's really important for us to see where we are in the bigger picture of the state."
The councilor serves on the subcommittee on community and economic development and took value in being able to place these efforts into the context of local projects when they come forward. It will also be important when coming up with her own housing strategies.
Engaging the public is one of her joys and expertise, she said, and one thing for sure is that everyone needs to be engaged equitably.
"I think we're still learning," Costa said about public engagement. "It's always a learning process."
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