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Lanesborough Advancing Two Public Safety Building Options

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board has voted to advance two public safety complex options for public review.

A $7.3 million facility could hold police and emergency medical services under one roof and, for $6.5 million, the departments could have their own buildings. 

The final choice will be in the hands of residents at a town meeting.  

In 2023, voters rejected a proposed $5.9 million police/EMS complex 139-214. The committee thought that it was a good proposal and asked that the cost be updated for another try.

The 7,222 square-foot combined police and EMS build would cost about $7,365,868. Alternatively, a 4,814-square-foot police station with a separate two or three-bay EMS facility would $6,509,900.

All options would be constructed at 405 South Main St., the former Skyline Country Club.

The Fire Department was eliminated from designs after the planners found that a station would cost $27 million on its own.

The EMS department is currently housed in the fire station at 180 South Main St. which is owned by the Fire Association. It has been asked to leave because of insufficient space. The Select Board discussed progressing the EMS building first at an estimated cost of $2,851,282.

Before the police/EMS facility was rejected in 2023, Lanesborough was earmarked $1 million in funding through the state bond passed by the Legislature in 2022. With voter approval, the funds can be released for the project and more money can be requested each year.

Last year, the Select Board voted to work with RCAP Solutions as a consultant in the financing application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program.

The USDA's Community Facilities Program can help provide funding for public safety buildings to purchase equipment but typically, the grant funds cannot be used for construction itself. This would require a USDA loan, which requires more financial work to prove that the town can repay the debt.

Berkshire Habitat ReStore Overwhelmed With Unwanted Donations

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
07:21AM / Saturday, March 22, 2025

The lot is under surveillance and the stores is considering cracking down on dumpers.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity ReStore won't be taking any donations on Saturday — because it's already overloaded with items dumped on its property.

 

ReStore on Hubbard Avenue sells donated furniture, building supplies and home improvement materials to help keep bulky items out of landfills and to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

 

But people have been dumping their unwanted items on the property without an appointment and sometimes after hours. That's left a pile of trash for the nonprofit to deal with. 

 

"So people just, you know, came and even if it's closed, I personally catch several people in the camera out of hours," said ReStore general manager Alex Valdivieso.

 

Valdivieso has been the general manager for less than a year but says last summer was a big problem with dumping and with the weather getting nicer, people have started to come again to dump their unwanted items. 

 

To help get rid of the waste, 20 to 25 teens are volunteering from Lenox High School to help fill dumpsters and clean up the lot that's now littered with items needing to be thrown away.

 

Valdivieso says he has two 30-foot-long trash roll-offs that will be filled this weekend.