BCC Jazz Ensemble Presents Free Concert

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Community College (BCC) Jazz, under the direction of BCC music instructor Jeffrey Link, presents its semester-end spring concert on Tuesday, May 14 at 2 pm in Room K-111 of the Koussevitzky Arts Center. 
 
The event is free and open to the public. 
 
The ensemble consists of seven BCC music students and Link on piano. The artists will be performing a variety of songs, from Thelonius Monk to Elton John, and one of Link's original songs. 
 
"I'm very proud of all the work they've put in," Link said. "It's going to be a great concert!" 

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Pittsfield FY27 Budget Up Only 2.9%

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— On Tuesday, the City Council will refer the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget of $232,782,090. 

It is about 2.9 percent, or a $6.5 million increase from the previous year. The budget public hearing will be held on May 19.

The FY26 spending plan, which was described as "best that they could," was a nearly 4.8 percent increase from the previous year. 

Budget line items were separated by personnel and non-personnel costs to show the impact of salaries on the operating budget.  For example, $1,335,684 of the finance and administration budget goes to personnel, $207,500 to non-personnel, and $14,565,313 of the police budget is for salaries, $1,874,108 for non-personnel costs. 

The DPU water treatment enterprise has been budgeted $6,738,952, $1,255,584 for the sewer enterprise, and $11,796,683 for the DPU wastewater enterprise. 

Also on the agenda for Tuesday is a request to use $2,000,000 to reduce the Fiscal Year 2027 tax rate, and a 5-year Capital Improvement Plan for Fiscal Years 2027-2031. 

The School Committee has approved an $87,200,061 school budget for FY27 that includes $68,886,061 in state Chapter 70 funding, $18 million from the city, and $345,000 in school choice and Richmond tuition revenues.  It is an approximately $300,000 increase from the Pittsfield Public Schools' FY26 budget of $86.9 million. 

Pittsfield's proposed 5-year improvement plan invests more than $455 million in important capital projects with a focus on roadway quality, parks and recreational opportunities, facility improvements, safe and functional vehicles and equipment for staff, and modern information technology.

"The proposed General Fund (GF) Capital Investment Strategy recommends a commitment of 6.5% of GF revenues for capital projects," the document reads. 

"The plan also includes funds for all water and wastewater capital projects from enterprise fund revenues (i.e. water/sewer rates and retained earnings) and reflects the City's substantial efforts to seek State grant funds and other funding sources for capital projects." 

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