Mold Found in Wahconah High Auditorium

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:30AM / Monday, August 26, 2024Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School District is investigating what has caused penicillium, a type of mold, to grow on the walls of Wahconah Regional High School's auditorium.

The district filed a claim with its insurance company and anticipated the mold would be completely remediated by the weekend. However, the auditorium will remain closed until the investigation into why the mold grew is complete, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said.

The mold was discovered by a staff member the week before and reported by the school's Principal Aaron Robb.

The mold was "in different places" in the auditorium, but anyone would have to have been "pretty observant" to see it," said Blake-Davis. "It's not something that, if you just walked in, you would see right away."

The school closed off that section of the building and shut down the auditorium's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to contain the mold, she said.

"Right now, we're confident that it's a safe building. We're not sending anyone into that room. We're confident we can get to the bottom of it," she continued.

"Nobody really has a solid why. I think most likely there are a number of reasons why."

Testing has been done throughout the building to ensure the mold has not spread to other areas. It appears not to have but there will be continued testing, the superintendent said.

Penicillium is a common household mold often found in cheesemaking and as the basis for penicillin. The district is coordinating with the project owner's manager of the school project to find the root cause of the mold growth.

They are examining several things that could have contributed to the growth, including the HVAC system, the siding used in the auditorium, the room's humidity, and other factors.

School Committee member Ellen Lattizzori asked whether there is a risk to students with an allergy to penicillin since the mold is found in that antibiotic.

Blake-Davis said there should not be a risk to students because the area has been restricted, and testing shows it has been contained in the auditorium.

However, parents and families have been notified of the mold, and continued testing will be done in multiple areas of the building.

Tags: mold,

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Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action.

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature."

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures.

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis.

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.

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