Pittsfield Sees Certified Candidates, Plans Preliminary Election

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is planning a preliminary election in September to narrow the fields for City Council and School Committee based on the projected number of candidates for several seats. 

As of now, the preliminary will include races for councilor at large, Ward 2 and Ward 6. 

Several potential councilors have had their papers certified, and the School Committee has more than 10 potential candidates. The preliminary election will be on Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 4. 

Incumbent Michele Benjamin had her papers certified for city clerk, and council incumbents Kathleen Amuso, James Conant, Alisa Costa, Patrick Kavey, Kenneth Warren, Peter White and Matthew Wrinn have been certified. Former councilor Karen Kalinowsky has also been certified. 

Nomination papers became available on April 3, and certified papers are due by Aug. 1. 

Tayshialynn Chaloux has taken out papers to challenge Benjamin for the city clerk seat but not yet had them certified.

Nine people have taken out papers for the four councilor-at-large seats: incumbents Amuso, White, Costa, and Earl Persip III, and Lawrence Klein, Alexander Blumin, Kalinowsky, School Committee member Sara Hathaway, and Danielle Munn. 

In 2023, both Mayor Peter Marchetti and Kalinowksy eschewed re-election for councilor at-large to instead run for mayor; Kalinowski did not make it past the preliminary election.

Wrinn is the only candidate for Ward 3 and Conant for Ward 4. In Ward 5, Michael Grady has taken out papers to challenge incumbent Kavey. 

Edward Carmel, incumbent Dina Lampiasi, and Walter Powell have taken out papers for Ward 6. Carmel unsuccessfully ran for the seat in the 2021 election. Lampiasi has been representing Ward 6 since 2020.

Former Ward 7 councilor Anthony Maffuccio is looking to make a return, as he and Katherine Moody took out papers for that seat. Moody has been certified. Rhonda Serre, who won the seat two years ago, indicated she will not run again. 

With a recent staffing scandal and several big changes ahead in the Pittsfield Public Schools, the School Committee has 11 interested parties to fill the six-seat committee. On Wednesday night, the committee took a historic vote on a proposed middle school restructuring, and next school year will see a new superintendent and assistant superintendent. 

Middle School Restructuring Committee members Sarah Muil, Hathaway and Vicky Smith; Carolyn Barry, Ciara Batory, Geoffrey Buerger, incumbent Daniel Elias, Jacob Klein, Kelly Ott, Heather McNiece and Katherine Yon have taken out papers for the School Committee. Yon and Smith are former committee members. Buerger, Hathaway and Smith have had their signatures certified.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.