image description — School Committee candidates drop their names in to the tumbler for the ballot drawing in City Hall.

Pittsfield Draws Ballot Positions for Nov. 4 Election

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:53PM / Sunday, September 28, 2025Print Story | Email Story

City Clerk Michele Benjamin pulls names for ballot positions last week with Assistant Clerk Joshua Munn and Head Clerk Sandra Knight.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In preparation for the Nov. 4 municipal election, candidates for contested seats drew their ballot positions.

City Clerk Michele Benjamin addressed a small crowd in council chambers on Thursday, first congratulating all candidates for their nominations and placement on the ballot.

Positions were drawn for at-large, Ward 2, Ward 5, Ward 6, Ward 7, and School Committee. At-large candidates Lawrence Klein, Earl Persip III, and Sara Hathaway attended.

At-large ballot positions:

Karen Kalinowsky
Lawrence Klein
Kathleen Amuso
Earl Persip III
Peter White
Alisa Costa
Sara Hathaway

The four candidates with the top votes will be selected as councilors.

For Ward 2, Cameron Cunningham attended and drew second position behind Corey Walker.

Both Patrick Kavey and his challenger, Michael Grady attended the drawing. Kavey drew first position. Ward 6 candidate Walter Powell attended and drew first position over incumbent Dina Lampiasi.

For Ward 7, Katherine Moody attended and drew second position, with Anthony Maffuccio appearing first.

Nine candidates are running for a School Committee seat and Vicky Smith, Katherine Yon, and a representative of Jacob Klein attended.

Lawrence Klein, at-large candidate, was able to put his son's name into the drawing wheel.

He explained that his son, Jacob Klein, is a senior at Pittsfield High School, freshly 18, and wanted to give back to the community and run for local politics alongside his father. This is why Klein chose to run for an at-large seat.

"I say whether I win the position or not, I've won because I've done this great, fantastic thing with my son," he said.

"And think about this. How many people can say that in their first election that they got to vote in, they got to vote for themselves and their father or their mother?"

School Committee ballot positions:

Ciara Batory
Sarah Muil
Daniel Elias
Katherine Yon
Jacob Klein
Geoffrey Buerger
Heather McNiece
Vicky Smith
Carolyn Barry

Tags: ballot, election 2025, municipal election,

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The Grand Coming to North Street, Bousquet Under New Food Management

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
01:06PM / Sunday, August 30, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Grand has secured its liquor license, and the McNinch Restaurant Group now operates Bousquet Mountain’s restaurant, its third eatery in the city.

On Monday, the Licensing Board approved the transfer of all alcohol-seven-day liquor licenses for The Grand on North Street and the ski area at 101 Dan Fox Drive.

The former Iztac Mexican Restaurant has given way to a more subdued, moody facade as local Gordon Hebler prepares to open as an oyster bar and piano lounge with seafood options. Its liquor license was transferred to Chesnut Catering doing business as The Grand, owned and managed by Hebler.

He envisions following the theater and music programs in the county, closing for a couple of months at the beginning of each year. Seating was also reduced from accommodating around 100 patrons to 60.

"We're going to be pretty busy. I have that feeling anyway," Hebler said. "…If the foot traffic is any indication of what we're going to see, I'm very excited."

An entertainment license was also approved for The Grand. A piano and vocalist are planned for Wednesday through Sunday evenings; an opening date has not yet been set.

"It’s not just a run in and grab a quick bite and run out," Hebler said. "It's a little bit more involved."

The board also approved an all-alcohol seven-day liquor license transfer from Fresh Powder LLC to the McNinch Restaurant Group for Drifters Bar and Restaurant, located in Bousquet’s ski lodge, and the ski area.

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