Dalton to Hold Green Burials Information Sessions

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
10:23AM / Sunday, September 14, 2025Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, Mass. — The Cemetery Trustees will hold two informational sessions surrounding green burials at Ashuelot Cemetery.

These sessions will take place at the Dalton Senior Center on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 1:30 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 18, at 6:30 p.m. with the goal to explain what green burials are, answer questions, and receive suggestions from residents.

During the town meeting in May, voters approved allowing the Cemetery Trustees to create rules and regulations to govern green burials at Ashuelot Cemetery.

According to the nonprofit Green Burial Massachusetts, green burials, or "natural burials," are a way of returning bodies to the earth after death without a metal casket, burial liner or vault, or embalming.

The trustees' proposal is that a body may be placed directly in the ground in a biodegradable casket, such as wood or coffin, or only wearing a biodegradable cloth shroud or clothing.

Green burials would only be allowed in a designated section of Ashuelot Cemetery, Section GB. They will be delineated by barkers or decorative fencing to separate it from the main area.

However, those who want to be buried next to a family member or partner in a separate section of the cemetery will be allowed to have a green burial, if space allows, using a vault with an open bottom.

The next step for the town is determining a prudential care fee of $750 to ensure the area is properly maintained as the ground settles during the decaying process.

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Habitat for Humanity Selling Pittsfield Condos for $1,700/Month

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:21PM / Monday, February 09, 2026

The homes are being offered as condominiums with a homeowners association fee.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is selling two homes to income-eligible families who can afford about $1,700 per month.

On Friday, an open house was held for the newly built condominiums at 21 and 23 Murphy Place, and another will be held on Saturday, Feb. 14, from 10 to noon. The each of the homes offers three bedrooms and one bathroom over 1,200 square feet.

Homebuyers services representative Chris LaPatin reported that there have been "quite a few" applications that are being reviewed.

The condos will be sold to families earning between 50 percent and 65 percent of the area median income, which ranges between $49,150 and $63,895 for a family of two and $66,350 and $86,255 for a family of five. A monthly payment of $1,673 will cover the principal and interest, property taxes, and home insurance. There's a monthly HOA fee on top of that.

Murphy Place is a dead-end street off Upper North Street, and the homes have yard space, parking, laundry, and a crawl space for storage. The washer and dryer are Whirlpool Energy Star, and the homes have energy-saving mini-split heat pumps for cooling and heating.

LaPatin pointed out that one way Habitat connects people to homeownership is through partnership hours. This program provides $2,000 toward a home purchase and an affordable mortgage from a third-party lender for completing financial and homeownership training and build site hours.

For one person, 275 hours are required, and 425 for a couple. Friends and family can help with partnership hours, according to Habitat's website.

Current income eligibility for families earning between 50 percent and 65 percent of the AMI:

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