Dalton Special Town Meeting Postponed

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
03:03PM / Monday, June 09, 2025Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, Mass. — The special town meeting scheduled for Monday, June 9, has been postponed to a tentative date of June 26.

Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson explained that the rescheduling is because the warrant was not posted within the state-required 14 business days in advance.

There will be a Select Board meeting this Wednesday to sign the warrant so it can be properly posted.

The meeting was to decide on six warrant articles, including the contentious police budget and an article to transfer free cash to fund professional and technical work to ensure Berkshire Concrete Corp.'s compliance with its special permit and town orders. The funding articles must be completed before the end of the fiscal year on June 30

According to Select Board member Robert Bishop, the town is working on putting out a CodeRed to alert voters. The post was made on Select Board member Marc Strout's town Facebook page.

In a follow-up, Town Clerk Heather Hunt explained that there were several deficiencies surrounding the warrant.

One included the Select Board’s delay in approving the warrant because of the discussions surrounding the controversial items.

Hunt said that the town’s efforts in getting the word out about the postponement have been effective, with tonight's cancellation being posted in town and on the town website.

She also highlighted how Finance Committee member Thomas Irwin has volunteered to stand outside of Wahconah Regional High School from 6 to 7 p.m. to inform anyone who may not have seen the update.

Tags: special town meeting,

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Pittsfield Committee Recommends Scanlon for City Audit

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:30AM / Thursday, August 06, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— After the bid for a new auditing company came back over 30 percent higher, Pittsfield will stick with Scanlon and Associates.

On Tuesday, the Auditing Services Evaluation Committee voted to advance Scanlon to the City Council for an independent audit. CliftonLarsonAllen also responded to the bid, but came in costing $120,000 more.

"I have to go with saving money for the city. I mean, the discrepancy is too much of a difference," committee member Karen Kalinowsky said.

"The city could have use for that difference over the next three years."

This process was prompted by Rule 40 of the council rules and the City Charter, where in any year the City Council votes to hold a procurement process for an independent certified public accountant or firm to audit Pittsfield's books and accounts, the city must, through its Finance Committee with the assistance of the purchasing department, solicit requests for proposals or invitations for bids before June 1.

The council in March recommended that the purchasing agent draft a request for proposals and put it out to bid.

Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren, who has been vocally in favor of the independent audit for years, said the city doesn't have to follow a bidding process for the professional service, "We are doing this so the public knows that we're being professional, and a looking for other options, looking at what the best options are, and comparing them based on what they can offer and what the cost is."

Board member Kathy Amuso said both CLA and Scanlon have equitable reviews with high recommendations. Especially considering the budget crisis Pittsfield is in, she moved to recommend Scanlon to the full council.

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