image description — The Historical Commission has sold 32 of its first 40 copies of 'Down Memory Lane' and has ordered 20 more.

'Down Memory Lane' Issues a Success in Dalton

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
03:56PM / Saturday, February 10, 2024Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, Mass. — The reissuing of the book "Down Memory Lane" has been a success, Historical Commission members said during its meeting on Wednesday.

At the time of meeting there were only eight more copies left of the 40 reprints. The commission started to accept orders in December.

Commissioners voted to order another 20 copies.

This is the second time they ordered more copies. They initially ordered 20 from Adams Specialty & Printing Co. but voted to order another 20 during their last meeting due to the high demand.

The commission is interested in selling the books at elections where they hope to be able to accept cash. This will be discussed in more detail at a future meeting.

More information on the reissuing of "Down Memory Lane" here.

The commission is also went over the next steps in developing two more historical districts. Co-Chair Deborah Kovacs said it has to gather pictures and the historical district footprint before hiring an expert. This is after speaking with Ben Haley, preservation planner at the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

The commission has to have a contract with an expert by the end of the year, she said. The funding to hire a specialist is coming from a state cultural grant in the amount of $5,000.

In addition, there is funding from a $15,000 matching grant that was approved during a town meeting in May 2022 for the establishment of the second and a third historic district.

During a previous meeting, the commission decided to establish the last two proposed historic districts, Dalton Center and East Main Street, one at a time rather than simultaneously.

Using the $5,000 from the state cultural grant will allow for a matching amount of $5,000 from the town, which will be used to establish the Dalton Center Historic District.

Over the next few months the commission will gather material from its collection and discuss next steps when co-Chair Louisa Hort returns to the area at the end of May.

More information on the establishing of the historic districts here.

In other news:

• The commission is researching the history of Sugar Hill and the surrounding grounds.

Sugar Hill management reached out to the commission a couple years ago to inquire on hosting speakers to inform residents of the building's history.

The commission is working to research not only the history and origins of the building but also the grounds to inform future collaboration opportunities with the assisted living facility.

A majority of the commission's collection was being stored at First Congregational Church while Town Hall was being renovated. Now that it's been moved back, commissioners are rediscovering some items that can inform the research of the facility's building and the surrounding area.

• The town's received its first quote for the project of painting the Fitch Hoose House. The funds will need to be approved during the town meeting in May.

The museum's exterior is starting to peel and weather, and would need to be repainted this year or next year. More information here.

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Pittsfield School Committee Sees Budget Calendar, Chapter 70 Concerns

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:28AM / Monday, January 19, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools kicked off its fiscal year 2027 budget calendar, and are again facing uncertainties with state Chapter 70 funding.

During the first meeting of the new term on Wednesday, the School Committee OK'd an FY27 budget calendar that plans the committee's vote in mid-April. Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips stressed the importance of equity in this process.

"It's really important for us through these next couple of months to look at our different schools, our different needs, different student demographics, and really understand, are we just assigning resources equally, or are we really assigning them based on what different groups of students need?" she said.

The district could lose up to $5 million in Chapter 70 funding from declining enrollment, specifically of low-income students. This is a similar issue that PPS saw in 2024, when the discovery of 11 students meeting those income guidelines put the district in the higher funding category and added $2.4 million to the school budget.

"We are in a funding category, Group 11, for a district with a large percentage of low-income students, and that number could fluctuate depending on who exited the district," Phillips explained.

"So we're going to do our best to understand that, but ultimately, these numbers will impact the budget that is proposed to us by the governor."

According to the budget calendar, a draft budget will be presented in March, followed by a hearing in early April, and the School Committee is set to vote on the budget in mid-April. The City Charter requires it to be adopted before May 1, and a meeting with the City Council must occur no later than May 31.

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Bonnie Howland provided an overview of the Chapter 70 funding and budget process. The budget calendar, she said, is designed to really support transparency, coordination, and legal compliance.

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