Dalton Redevelopment Authority Seeks to Attract Veterinarian

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
02:04PM / Monday, March 02, 2026Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, Mass. — The Dalton Redevelopment Authority is looking at revamping zoning to make it easier for a veterinarian to open an office.

This was prompted by resident Kevin Herkelman, an animal nutritionist who worked with veterinarians before retiring and moving to the area about a year ago.

He and his wife have many animals and found that area vet offices weren't accepting new patients or were booked out for a long time.

"When we moved here, we were looking for a vet. We have five dogs and a cat. I used to show dogs and things like that. When we tried to find a vet, we had a hard time even finding people taking new clients. So we ended up going over to Northampton. That's where we still are," he told a recent meeting of the authority.

He said it's more difficult to have to travel far, and even if residents have a veterinarian, it's likely in Pittsfield so they have to leave town.

Currently a veterinary office is only allowed in a B1, R1, or I1 zone and must be 100 feet from a boundary.

Herkelman and Chair John Boyle have been looking for a suitable location to entice a vet to come to the area but zoning has been an issue as it is very restrictive.

The need is not just local, said Herkelman, because animal doctors around the country vets are sparse, which is why he is hoping to have a suitable place ready where a new vet would not have to fight with zoning and bylaws.

Boyle and Herkelman have looked through 10 to 15 places. Most have been in a zone that does not comply with the bylaws for a veterinarian office. They have considered speaking to the Zoning Board about changing the zoning.

"The business community is being stifled. Plenty of businesses in this town are located on residential property," Boyle said.

The old railroad depot at 450 Housatonic St., Ashuelot Park at 401 South St., and a former L.P. Adams building at 484 West Housatonic St. were brought up as potential spaces.

Herkelman is only exploring the idea and is not yet reaching out to any veterinarians.

In other business, the board will also look to appoint Herkelman to the Redevelopment Authority because member Samuel Pascual is not returning to the board.

Tags: redevelopment authority, veterinarian, zoning,

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Recent E. Coli Detection in Pontoosuc Lake Confined to Lanesborough

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:05AM / Tuesday, August 04, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Only Lanesborough's portion of Pontoosuc Lake had a bacterial exceedance last week.

During the Lake Management Commission's second meeting on Thursday, members received an update on the situation.

On July 22, the Lanesborough Board of Health closed the Sunrise Street and Narragansett Avenue beaches due to high E. Coli levels. They have since cleared.

"We didn't have any bacterial exceedance in Pittsfield, so there's no concern at all last week for any E. coli concerns in Pittsfield,” Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath reported.

Regular monitoring for bacterial exceedances at swimming beaches across the Commonwealth is required. Pittsfield's Board of Health tests Pontoosuc and Onota Lake weekly on Wednesdays throughout the summer.

Lanesborough also conducts weekly testing through its Board of Health, and an exceedance was reported to the state at Sunrise Beach, at the very north end of Pontoosuc Lake.

McGrath noted that he did not see Narragansett Beach on the state's dashboard.

"The City of Pittsfield was made aware of the bacterial exceedance and we, of course, were concerned,” he said.

"Our weekly testing happened the next day on Wednesday. Our results were returned Thursday morning. We did not have a bacterial exceedance at Pontoosuc Lake Park, where we test off of the wall on the north side of the channel, and also proximate to the boat ramp, at this point in time.”

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