Woodlands Partnership Hosts Survey, Listening Sessions on Emergency Response

Print Story | Email Story

WINDSOR, Mass. — The Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts is embarking on a public safety services study of the 21-town region with the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

The Collins Center will focus on municipal services in the Woodlands Partnership region as they relate to increasing tourism, use and accessibility of public forests, diminished tax base, and the ability of first responders to provide emergency services.

Funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the study is intended to provide towns with direction and support in receiving additional funds and identifying strategies for municipal financial sustainability, as well as inform state policy and procedure related to Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) on state-owned land and other programs.
 
Three listening sessions will be held for community members and emergency responders to provide feedback about experiences and suggestions for improvement. The sessions will be held:
  • Thursday, January 30, 2025, 6-7 pm by Zoom (online)
  • Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 6-7 pm by Zoom or at Windsor Town Hall (hybrid)
  • Thursday, February 27, 2025, 6-7 pm by Zoom or at Shelburne Fire Dept (hybrid)
For more information and to learn how to attend, please visit woodlandspartnership.org/events. Can’t make it? Take the surveys here. First Responders: https://tinyurl.com/3vp3eat7; Community Members: https://tinyurl.com/bddvv52x. Email kconlin@newenglandforestry.org for a paper copy.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Affordable Housing Initiatives Shine Light, Hope

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Housing Secretary Edward Augustus cuts the ribbon at The First on Thursday with housing officials and Mayor Peter Marchetti, state Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The holidays are here and several community members are celebrating it with the opening of two affordable housing initiatives. 
 
"This is a day to celebrate," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said during the ribbon-cutting on Thursday. 
 
The celebration was for nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at "The First" located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. A ceremony was held in the new Housing Resource Center on First Street, which was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. 
 
The apartments will be leased out by Hearthway, with ServiceNet as a partner. 
 
Prior to the ribbon-cutting, public officials and community resource personnel were able to tour the two new permanent supported housing projects — West Housatonic Apartments and The First Street Apartments and Housing Resource Center
 
The First Street location has nine studio apartments that are about 300 square feet and has a large community center. The West Housatonic Street location will have 28 studio units that range between 300 to 350 square feet. All units can be adapted to be ADA accessible. 
 
The West Housatonic location is still under construction with the hope to have it completed by the middle of January, said Chris Wilett, Hearthway development associate.
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories