Pittsfield Receives Over $1.2 Million for Water Resources Management Plan

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PITTSFIELD, Mass.  As part of its May 7, 2025 meeting, the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust Board of Trustees approved funding for water infrastructure projects across the Commonwealth, including a low-interest loan of $1,299,759 for the city of Pittsfield.

This loan, identified as CW-25-06, will support Pittsfield's Integrated Water Resources Management Plan.

The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), facilitates the development of resilient communities by assisting municipalities in upgrading their water infrastructure. This is achieved through low-interest loans and grants, such as the one awarded to Pittsfield, via the State Revolving Funds. These funds are a collaborative effort between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, providing financial support for crucial water infrastructure projects in cities and towns statewide.

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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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