Scholars Day at BCC

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announces that its first annual Scholars Day will be held Tuesday, Feb. 11. 
 
The conference-style event is designed to honor and learn from the scholarly and creative work performed by faculty, staff and students.
 
Scholars Day is a combination of the Undergraduate Scholars Conference, which the College has held for many years, with presentations from the staff and faculty. It aligns with the College's mission and strategic plan in that it fosters lifelong learning, supports a culture of assessment, and showcases student undergraduate research.
 
Faculty and staff will share their scholarly or creative work during the morning breakout sessions.  This allows the BCC faculty and staff to participate in a conference without having to travel and learn from their own colleagues.  In the afternoon, students will present on original scholarly works that go above and beyond classroom assignments. Students may choose to present in a traditional slide format (PowerPoint, video slides, etc.) or an informal tabletop display for a gallery walk.
 

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Dalton Police Facility Report Complete; Station Future Still Uncertain

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee's final report is complete but the future of the station remains uncertain. 
 
Several members of the committee attended the Select Board meeting last week, as co-Chair Craig Wilbur presented four options delineated in the presentation — build on town-owned land, build on private land, renovate or repurpose the existing buildings, and do nothing. The full report can be found here
 
According to the report, addressing the station's needs coincides with the town facing significant financial challenges, with rising fixed costs and declining state aid straining its budget. 
 
These financial pressures restrict the town's ability to fund major capital projects and a new police station has to compete with a backlog of deferred infrastructure needs like water, sewer, roads, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
 
In June 2024, Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the board of the station's dire condition — including issues with plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damaged cells — prompting the board to take action on two fronts. 
 
The board set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the immediately dire issues, including the ventilation, and established the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee to navigate long-term options
 
Very early on it was determined that the current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of a 21st-century Police Facility. This determination was backed up following a space needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects LLC
 
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