BRTA Advisory Board Discusses New Administrator Contract

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority Advisory (BRTA) Board met Thursday to discuss the acceptance of the new administrator and their contract.

The board recently offered the position to Kathleen Lambert, former American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) project manager for Haverhill. Lambert has accepted pending contract negotiations.

The board met to discuss her three-year contract. Lambert is expected to start in December, and work with Malnati until mid-March.

The board discussed a salary range of $145,000 with room to negotiate.

The table also discussed if Lambert would have her own vehicle, which many thought wasn't needed. They also discussed reimbursing mileage or using agency vehicles. Ultimately, they referred to using the existing BRTA travel policy at the end.

During the conversation board member Rene Wood acknowledged she planned to file an open meeting violation complaint due to the contract discussion not being on the agenda.

Administrator Robert Malnati discussed the Link 413 project. The BRTA is expecting two buses. The  retired busses are from Pennsylvania. These buses will help start two new routes: one will go from North Adams to Greenfield and the other will go from Pittsfield to Northampton. 

Malnati also discussed BRTA ridership and said that numbers were higher than last year, also equating the higher number to the fare free program currently running.  July had 67,000 riders, and August had 65,000. The BRTA plans to continue to be fare free through June next year.

Pittsfield's Christian Center Seeks Community Input on Services, Name

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:57PM / Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Worker Dionisio Kelly, left, board member Kenny Warren, Executive Director Jessica Jones, and Food and Services Director Karen Ryan.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's a new year, and The Christian Center is looking at how it can serve the area in 2026 and beyond. 

This includes a possible new name fueled by community forums in late January and early February. 

"We're hoping people will come in and talk about the name, talk about what programs, what services they would like to see from us. What would be most meaningful," Executive Director Jessica Jones said. 

"Because the population in this area has changed quite a bit, and we no longer serve just the West Side. We serve people from other parts of Berkshire County. So the hope is just to make it more inclusive." 

The Christian Center was a stop on Berkshire Community College and NAACP Berkshires' Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

The nonprofit will hold three input sessions at 193 Robbins Ave. to inform future programs and branding, and ensure that West Side voices are heard. 

The sessions will be held on: 

• Saturday, Jan. 31, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. 
• Thursday, Feb. 5, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. 
• Tuesday, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. 

The center dates back to the early 1890s, when it was the Epworth Mission started by the Methodist Church to serve newly arrived immigrants and help them assimilate. The Christian Center was incorporated in 1974. 

Over the decades, it has drifted away from a faith-based organization to a space for anyone who needs a meal, a warm jacket, a place to bring their child, or a meeting place. A space for everyone. 

This is what center officials wanted reflected in the name.