1Berkshire Introduces Newly Elected Board Members and Officers

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire announced its 2025 slate of newly reelected board members and officers, as well as the addition of new board members.
 
These individuals will each help support the work of 1Berkshire as the marketing and economic development organization for the region. All these officers and board members were voted in and welcomed at 1Berkshire's Annual Meeting on Dec. 12, 2024.
 
"I am delighted to welcome such a strong group of new and returning board members, and I'm also very pleased that Lori Gazzillo Kiely will continue to lead the board as our board chair for 2025," said Jonathan Butler, President and CEO of 1Berkshire. "The Board's extensive knowledge and leadership experience will add tremendous value to the organization, and I am excited about the path ahead. I look forward to working with each of them in the coming year."
 
Officers
  • Chair: Lori Gazzillo Kiely - Sr. VP & Director of Berkshire Bank Foundation
  • President: Jonathan Butler - President and CEO of 1Berkshire
  • Vice Chair: Colleen Taylor - Partner, Bay State Hospitality Group
  • Vice Chair: Peter Stasiowski - Director of Communications, Interprint, Inc.
  • Treasurer: Margaret Keller - Executive Director, Community Access to the Arts
  • Clerk: Jesse Cook-Dubin - Partner, Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook
 
New Board of Directors Members
  • Jesse Cook-Dubin - Partner, Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook
  • Ellen Kennedy - President, Berkshire Community College
  • Harry Monti - President, Berkshire Life Insurance Company (Guardian)
  • Yina Moore - Founder and Artistic Director, Adams Theater LLC
  • Gina Puc - Special Assistant to the President, Williams College
 
 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

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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