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West Stockbridge held a grand opening for the town's new dog park on Sunday, Oct. 5.
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Berkshire Briefs: Oct. 8

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The dog park is located on 21 State Line Road.

A roundup of municipal and development news across the Berkshires

West Stockbridge Opens Dog Park

West Stockbridge held a grand opening for its new dog park on Oct. 5. Michael Bolognino, chair of the Friends of West Stockbridge Dog Park, estimated that 100 people attended the opening, along with 50 or so dogs.
 
The Berkshire Humane Society attended and offered loose leash training, Irie's Pet Pantry also attended and received donations, and a couple of local businesses sold their dog-related wares.
 
Some funds were also raised to contribute to the ongoing maintenance of the park.
 
The park is located on 21 State Line Road.
 

Fairview Hospital Purchases Neighboring Property

The Berkshire Eagle reports that Fairview Hospital has purchased a neighboring property on 82 West Ave. to be used as a contractor meeting space to facilitate its $70 million renovation plan.
 
The 4,000 square foot property was purchased on Sept. 25, for $1.1 million.
 

Dalton Extends Interim Town Manager's Contract

The Berkshire Eagle also reports that the Dalton Select Board voted to extend interim Town Manager Henry H. "Terry" Williams III's contract until Nov. 21.
 
The town hired Eric Anderson of Connecticut as the new permanent town manager, but with an uncertain start date, the town wants to make sure there is a smooth transition.
 
The town has been looking for a full-time town administrator since earlier summer to replace Thomas Hutcheson, who retired. 
 

Great Barrington Hires New Town Manager

The Berkshire Edge reports that the Great Barrington Selectboard unanimously approved the hiring of Bourne Assistant Town Manager Liz Hartsgrove as the new permanent town manager.
 
The vote came during a brief meeting on Oct. 6.
 
Former Town Manager Mark Pruhenski left his post to take on a position for the town of Middlebury, Vt. Town Planner Chris Rembold has served as the interim town manager.
 

Developers Propose Battery Storage Facility in Lanesborough

The Berkshire Eagle reports that the California developer Mission Clean Energy has proposed installing a 170-megawatt battery storage field for Lanesborough near the Pittsfield line.
 
The $100 million project could provide the town with $10 million in payments to Lanesborough over 20 years.
 
The facility, proposed for a parcel, between the Connector Road and Crane Avenue in Pittsfield, would hold 200 units containing racks of lithium iron phosphate batteries that would connect to Eversource's Partridge Substation in Pittsfield. The facility would store extra energy from the grid during periods of low demand and release it back to the grid when needed.

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Dalton Police Facility Report Complete; Station Future Still Uncertain

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee's final report is complete but the future of the station remains uncertain. 
 
Several members of the committee attended the Select Board meeting last week, as co-Chair Craig Wilbur presented four options delineated in the presentation — build on town-owned land, build on private land, renovate or repurpose the existing buildings, and do nothing. The full report can be found here
 
According to the report, addressing the station's needs coincides with the town facing significant financial challenges, with rising fixed costs and declining state aid straining its budget. 
 
These financial pressures restrict the town's ability to fund major capital projects and a new police station has to compete with a backlog of deferred infrastructure needs like water, sewer, roads, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
 
In June 2024, Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the board of the station's dire condition — including issues with plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damaged cells — prompting the board to take action on two fronts. 
 
The board set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the immediately dire issues, including the ventilation, and established the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee to navigate long-term options
 
Very early on it was determined that the current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of a 21st-century Police Facility. This determination was backed up following a space needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects LLC
 
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