Letter: Issues & Topics of Upcoming Dalton Special Election

To the Editor:

The focus of the upcoming election, like all elections, is about how best to prepare for the future of our town while minimizing the impact on taxpayers. One of those future issues that is a huge need and we are presently struggling with is a new police station.

If one has seen the videos or read the description of the working conditions our Police Department is working under, I am sure they are at minimum concerned if not completely appalled. I am amazed Chief Strout, her officers and staff manage to perform their jobs so professionally and adequately in light of the space in the Town Hall basement falling short in so many ways that impact running an effective police department of the 21st century.

I think it would be very hard to argue against the need, and I certainly don’t, for a new facility built for the needs of our department.

I commend Chief Strout for bringing these issues to the community's attention and creating the needed momentum toward creating a new complex. This was far from an easy task. We are lucky to have a very capable Safety Building Committee that in a few short months has advanced this project to the point of a feasibility study. And I commend them as well for their aggressive approach of drawing in as many resources as possible to find as much external funding as possible for this building.

I hope they are successful, because I cannot stress enough the importance of finding a way to build a new police station/safety complex without harnessing the majority of the cost on the backs of the taxpayers.

Our police station is not our only vulnerability. Out Town Hall, our DPW garage, our sewer systems, and our fire station all need attention and possibly new structures. To control costs and thereby our taxes, we need to be able to anticipate expenditures related to these needs. Annually updated 5 and 10 year plans that are so comprehensive and well thought and are followed closely will help us do that. Lee has successfully done it with great benefit, why don't we?

Getting input from many community members is important to the ultimate community satisfaction and success of projects. To obtain community engagement, I believe as a Select Board member, I would need to be easily accessible and responsive. With that goal in mind, starting today, I commit to holding weekly office hours where people can drop in to discuss any concern or issue they might have or just for an update on my perspective on the issues presently before the town or just to chat.

I will begin doing so at my campaign headquarters in the Dalton Garage at 385 Main St. every Thursday evening from 5 to 6 p.m. and will continue doing so if elected. Please check my Facebook page for additional times I will be in the office. I look forward to seeing you!
 

Robert EW Collins
Dalton, Mass. 

Collins is a candidate for Dalton Select Board. 

Pittsfield Council Says 'Yes' to Soccer at Crane Park

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:35AM / Saturday, June 13, 2026

The pitch will have the logos of the city and the US. and Massachusetts soccer associations. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is gladly accepting a "mini-pitch" from the U.S. Soccer Foundation to bring games back to Crane Park. 

Fueling excitement around the World Cup, U.S. Soccer has been working with the Massachusetts Youth Soccer League to make these facilities available to 20 communities — one of which will be at the park at the intersection of Benedict Road and Springside Avenue. 

The City Council accepted the gift on Tuesday during its regular meeting. 

A mini pitch is a compact, modular field typically used for soccer, and it can also accommodate inline skates. It has a galvanized steel border with built-in goals and a rubber plastic surface that is clicked together; installed on the existing inline hockey court. 

Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham said he has gone door to door speaking with nearby residents, and they are "really excited" about the upgrade. He also sees it as a great addition. 

"They say that nobody really uses the court a ton now, and they are excited to see kids back on there playing," he said. 

Decades ago, the Crane Park facility was a wading pool. It closed in 1980, and before the turn of the century, it was filled in and marked for hockey. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath explained that the wooden border around the rink is showing its age, has been vandalized and tagged, and the facility is seeing a "real decline" in use. 

"This would seem to be an appropriate spot for us to remove the board system that's in place and install the mini pitch system through this grant," he said.