Cable Advisory Committee to Hold Public Hearings

08:01AM / Wednesday, February 28, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield's Cable Advisory Committee will be hosting two public hearings.

The first hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 6 at 6:00p.m. and will take place at City Hall in the Council Chambers located at 70 Allen Street, Pittsfield.

The second hearing is scheduled for Friday, March 8 at 10:00 a.m. and will take place via zoom.

To participate in the March 8 meeting, participants will need to register in advance using this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WJPBhDNqRaKd5KgdUMw7ig.

After registering, they will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

At these hearings, the Committee plans to gather insight and feedback from city residents and Charter Spectrum Cable subscribers about the quality of their cable service. The format for these public hearings will be structured to allow residents to share comments to be entered into the record. These hearings will not provide an opportunity for back-and-forth questions and answers with the committee or with the cable company.

The Cable Advisory Committee will use the comments and feedback as part of the upcoming negotiations with the cable company for the next ten-year license, which will start on Oct. 1,

2024.

Those unable to attend either session, the Cable Advisory Committee encourages the public to write letters or email their comments on their cable service and/or Public, Education and Government (PEG) access television in the city. Letters can be mailed to the Cable Advisory Committee, c/o Mayor's Office, 70 Allen Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 and emails can be sent to the Committee Clerk, Heather Grunin at hgrunin@cityofpittsfield.org.

Any comments received via mail or email will be included in the recommendations in the report from the Cable Advisory Committee.

The Cable Advisory Committee is also conducting an online survey to gain even more insight into residents' experience with Spectrum Cable and their viewing habits of PEG Access television, as provided by Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV). The survey is available at: http://bit.ly/4bDtXiA.

Tags: cable television,

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Residents, Officials Say 'No' to Proposed Berkshire Gas Rate Hike

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
07:12AM / Saturday, February 07, 2026

The hearing included representatives from state's rate division, the hearing officer and Department of Public Utilities Commissioners, at right, Chair Jeremy McDiarmid and Liz Anderson

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Local officials and residents argued against Berkshire Gas's proposed 22 percent increase on the average customer's bill during a public hearing on Wednesday evening at Berkshire Community College.

State Sen. Paul Mark and state Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, John Barrett III and Leigh Davis stood before members of the state Department of Public Utilities in "strong opposition" to the rate hike.

The Berkshire delegation joins Gov. Maura Healey, local higher education institutions, and community members who find the increase, estimated to be about $54 a month for residential heating, unaffordable for a vital service.

"While there was a time that this was our hometown Berkshire Gas, in reality, it is not anymore. This is a multinational company. It's a multinational company whose CEO makes $3.23 million a year. That's $62,000 a week," Farley-Bouvier said.

"Now that is more than what most people in Berkshire County make in a year."

The proposed increase has been attributed to capital investments and rising operational costs, and Barrett said a significant driver of those costs is the Gas System Enhancement Program, which "has raised serious concerns for years."

GSEP costs passed down to ratepayers have increased by more than 300 percent without clear evidence of proportional improvements in safety or leak reductions, he added, and the Attorney General's Office is reviewing those concerns as they relate to Berkshire Gas's 2026 GSEP spending.

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