Franklin First Federal OKs Merger with Greylock Federal

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GREENFIELD, Mass. — Franklin First Federal Credit Union (Franklin First) of Greenfield has received member approval for its proposed merger with Greylock Federal Credit Union (Greylock) headquartered in Pittsfield. 
 
The membership vote, which was subject to the approval of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), occurred at Franklin First's annual meeting held on April 15.
 
Franklin First membership approval completes the requirements for the merger to move forward. With membership and regulatory approval now in place, the merger is expected to close on June 1, 2026, with a systems conversion scheduled for early 2027.
 
On Sept 19, 2025, Franklin First's Board of Directors agreed to merge with Greylock, with Greylock serving as the surviving credit union. Franklin First will merge into Greylock's charter and will continue to operate under the Franklin First brand as a division of Greylock for a period of time after the merger is completed.
 
"Franklin First is thrilled to begin our new chapter as a division of Greylock. The Board of Directors and employees of Franklin First are thankful to our membership for supporting this merger and we look forward to continuing our work for our members and in our community with the strong support from Greylock behind our team here in Franklin County," said Michelle Dwyer, President and CEO of Franklin First.
 
"My deepest thanks to the Franklin First membership for their trust, support, and confidence in this momentous next step for Franklin First and Greylock. We are especially grateful to Michelle Dwyer and the Franklin First Board of Directors for their steadfast leadership through the years. As we move forward together, we will continue to build upon this strong foundation of stewardship and will remain committed to serving the people of Franklin County," said Greylock President and CEO John L. Bissell.
 
Greylock will assume Franklin First's $88 million in assets, giving the continuing credit union approximately $1.7 billion in combined assets. Franklin First has approximately 7,400 members and will continue to operate its branch and two remote ATMs in Greenfield. Franklin First's members will enjoy full use of Greylock branches and ATMs as well as access to Greylock's extensive Business Banking services.
 
Dwyer will continue to manage the Franklin County market. Franklin First employees will continue to have roles with the continuing credit union and will operate from the current office in Greenfield.
 
Greylock currently serves 106,000 members and has full-service branches in branches in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, Lee, Adams, North Adams, Williamstown, Lanesborough, and Lenox, Mass., and Greenport/Hudson, N.Y. As part of Greylock's shared branching network, members have access to a network of 30,000 ATMs and 5,600 branches across the country.

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EPA, GE Conducting Vernal Pool Study on Housatonic River

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A pilot study will determine the best way to remediate PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, from vernal pools in the Housatonic River. 

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric held an open house for the Vernal Pool Pilot Study on Reach 5A, a five-mile stretch between the river's confluence and Lenox border.  Despite the rain, several people attended the event at the Berkshire Athenaeum. 

EPA project manager Josh Fontaine explained that it is an evaluation of which remediation method to use for the remaining vernal pools in Reach 5A. 

"We're going to be testing two different methods. One is an excavation method, which we already know has been very successful with another vernal pool cleaned up much earlier in the project," he said. 

"And then the other is the application of two different carbon amendments. It would be the application of powdered activated carbon and the application of granulated activated carbon." 

Ten vernal pools will be cleaned using these methods: five with excavation and five with active carbon; seven additional vernal pools will be monitored as controls. Construction will be complete around October, but the pools will be left to their natural processes and monitored with surveys and sampling for three years. 

Fontaine said there is no frontrunner for methodology. 

"We know the excavation method is effective, but we would like to see if the less invasive method of using the amendment will be as effective for potential use," he said. 

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