Volunteer to Clean Up the West Branch Housatonic River

08:29AM / Friday, June 07, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Volunteers are invited to help clean up the west branch of the Housatonic River with Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) at one of their annual river cleanups on Sunday, June 9, from 9 AM to noon.

After the cleanup, volunteers will be provided a free lunch from a local restaurant. Volunteers must RSVP in advance to reserve a free lunch.

Participants should meet at Wahconah Park, 105 Wahconah Street, Pittsfield, at 9 AM on June 9. Cleanup teams will disperse to nearby locations, gathering miscellaneous trash from the river banks and bottom. Canoes will be used to transport the trash. Old clothes, a hat, sunscreen, old sneakers or waterproof boots/waders, a full water bottle, and sunglasses are recommended. In the event of pouring rain or lightning, the cleanup will be postponed to Saturday, June 29.

Join BEAT and HVA at a cleanup this summer to see what else may be in the River and make a difference for the environment. Register at www.tinyurl.com/Housatonic-River-Cleanups-2024.

Tags: BEAT,

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Dalton Prepares for Challenging Budget Season

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:48AM / Friday, January 16, 2026

DALTON, Mass. — As the town embarks on a challenging budget season, the new town manager has already put forth cost mitigation options.

It has been demonstrated by both the Finance Committee and Town Manager Eric Anderson that this budget season will be full of obstacles and tough decisions.

During the Select Board meeting on Monday night, Anderson explained that the town is going to be very close to its levy limit with the increases in the school district budget, health-care costs, and cost-of-living increase for employees.

Health insurance costs are projected to increase roughly 16 to 18 percent for next year, which will be a "big hit" to the town, he said.

The town currently pays about $1.2 million total for employee health insurance. Employees are responsible for around 27 percent of the health-care costs, Anderson said.

The board approved setting the cost of living adjustment for town employees to 3 percent for fiscal year 2027.

The board felt that the 2 percent COLA combined with the 1.75 percent step or grade increase was in line with the consumer price index of about 2.7 percent.

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