Dalton Water Crews Fixing Leak on North Street

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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Water Department crews are working on water main leak on North Street.
DALTON, Mass. — It's been a busy couple of days for the Dalton Water Department's four-man crew who have been addressing a couple of water leaks. 
 
Drivers on North Street approaching the bridge will see the crew working with REWC Land Management, Inc. employees to locate a water main and repair the leak. 
 
Water Department Superintendent Bob Benlien emphasized that the leak is minor and does not affect any residents. He does not foresee having to turn the water off and expects it to be repaired by the end of the day. 
 
The leak was so minor that it did not appear in the department's flow chart, so it is less than 100 gallons a minute, he said. 
 
The likely cause is aging infrastructure as the pipe was installed in the 1930s, Benlien explained. 
 
The main thing is finding the pipe and the leak, which they are currently doing. The road has changed over time, and it looks like the pipe was moved when the bridge was built up so the department is searching for the pipe and leak now. 
 
The water main is located on a state road with a gas main within close proximity, so the department opted to contract  REWC because it has a vacuum excavation truck.
 
The repairs will cost about $10,000, but the department has funds budgeted for issues like this. 
 
The department was also called to a private property on Pease Avenue for a water service leak at 7 p.m. last night and was on site until 1 a.m. addressing the issue. 
 
The water was turned off and the owner of the property will be hiring a plumber for further repairs. 

Tags: water department,   water line,   

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Pittsfield Proposes 2.64 Tax Rate Hike

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The proposed tax rate for fiscal year 2027 is less than 40 cents per $1,000 valuation for residential properties and would increase the average property tax bill by about $146 per year. 

On Tuesday's City Council meeting agenda is a request from the mayor and Board of Assessors to use a residential factor of .8245 at a shift of 1.75, resulting in a residential tax rate of $17.88 and a commercial, industrial, and personal property tax rate of $37.95.

These matters are typically referred to the Committee of the Whole for deliberation. The proposed rates for residential and commercial are 38 cents and $1.05 more, respectively, from FY26. 

The average residential home, valued at $316,792 in FY27, has increased by about $1,500 from the previous fiscal year, and would pay $5,664.24 in yearly taxes.

This is a 2.64 percent, or $145.88, increase. 

The average commercial property worth $239,600 saw a $100 increase in value from the previous fiscal year, and would pay $9,092.82 in yearly taxes. This is a $255.27, or 2.89 percent, increase from the previous fiscal year. 

The FY27 tax levy of $124,468,317 is a $5.3 million increase from the previous year, or 4.45 percent. There is about  $388,000 in excess levy capacity, $2.3 million in new growth, and the levy limit is $124,856,412. 

According to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, 11 single-family homes were added to Pittsfield's housing stock this fiscal year, increasing the city's total assessed value by $19,987,600 to $3,592,737,600. 

The city lost five two-family homes in 2027, and that housing type decreased by $3.2 million in assessed value, now worth $384,620,400. 

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