Cohen Kinne Valicenti Cook LLP Welcomes Partner

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Cohen Kinne Valicenti Cook LLP announced that Jaan Rannik has joined the firm as a partner, effective January 1, 2026.
 
Rannik is an experienced civil and commercial litigator who handles a range of disputes, including contractual matters, business torts, real estate disputes, intellectual property issues, and construction litigation.  He has obtained more than $20 million in judgments and awards for his clients.
 
Prior to joining Cohen Kinne, Rannik practiced in Charleston, South Carolina, where he was a partner in the boutique commercial litigation firm Epting & Rannik.  Over the past decade, he has successfully tried cases in state and federal courts in South Carolina and handled arbitrations and appeals across the country.
 
"We feel incredibly fortunate to welcome Jaan to the firm," said Kevin Kinne, partner at Cohen Kinne. "Not only because Jaan is an outstanding attorney, but also because he is a wonderful person who will fit in well with our firm culture and in the community.  We are pleased our clients will have the opportunity to work with another first-class litigator and trial attorney."
 
Rannik brings with him an established client base and will also support Cohen Kinne existing clients in complex litigation and trial matters.
 
Before pursuing a legal career, Rannik was a performing classical guitarist.  He met his wife, Lydia Chernicoff, while attending music conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland.  Lydia grew up in the Berkshires, and the couple has long hoped to make the region their home. 
 
"It's a dream to be living and working in the Berkshires.  I'm thrilled to have joined such an outstanding group at Cohen Kinne, who are great human beings in addition to being great professionals, and look forward to our work together to serve our clients."
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Pittsfield Council Takes Up $243M Fiscal 2027 Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Peter Marchetti detailed the city's $243 million spending plan during the first budget hearing of the season on Tuesday. 

The proposed operating budget for Pittsfield in fiscal year 2027 is $232,782,090, a 2.9 percent increase from this year. Marchetti compared that to hikes in fixed costs: a 9 percent increase in health insurance, a 7 percent increase in debt service, and more than a 5 percent increase in retirement contributions. 

"We needed to make reductions in other places," he explained. 

The total proposed budget is $243,234,868. It breaks down into $145,927,029 for the municipal operating budget, $86,855,061 for the schools, and $10,452,778 for proposed state assessments and overlay. 

To balance the budget, the administration will not fill several vacant positions, is funding police social workers and co-responders through opioid settlement funds, and reduces the library's Thursday hours. 

"Probably one of our most painful cuts that we have produced: The overall [Department of Public Services] budget has been reduced by $738,000 from fiscal year 26 to 27, with a reduction of five positions that are currently vacant, have been vacant for some time, and we believe the reason that those positions are vacant is based on our salaries," Marchetti explained. 

"So once we are able to successfully negotiate a contract with the teamsters, we will be back looking to be able to fund these positions from a later appropriation. It is not our intent to let them go vacant all year, but it's impossible to budget when we know we can't fill them, and we don't know what salary at this current stage to use." 

The budget includes $2 million in free cash to offset the tax rate, $19,791,219 from water & sewer enterprise funds, $81,959,322 from state aid ($68,855,061 in Chapter 70 School Aid), and $15,388,750 in local receipts. 

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