Pittsfield CPA Public Hearing Set for Nov. 3

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Community Preservation Committee will be holding a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025 related to the use of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds and the City of Pittsfield's priorities in relation to the Community Preservation Plan. 
 
The hearing will be held in Room 203 on the second floor of City Hall, 70 Allen Street.
 
Also, the Committee announces that the project eligibility application process for a new year of CPA funding is open through Nov. 15. The Committee will provide an overview of previous allocations of CPA funds and welcomes public participation to understand community priorities as it begins a new year of soliciting potential projects for funding.
 
Eligibility project applications are due by 3 p.m. on Nov. 15. The application process involves two
steps:
  • The first is a determination of whether a project is eligible for CPA funds under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44B. A digital version of the application for this first step is available through the Community Preservation Committee webpage: https://www.pittsfieldma.gov/251/Community-Preservation-Committee
  • Upon confirmed eligibility, projects will then be invited to submit applications for funding in early 2026.
A link to the Community Preservation Plan and eligibility application is available on the Community
 
For more information, call Kevin Rayner, City Planner, at 413-499-9366 or email at krayner@cityofpittsfield.org.

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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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