NEW ASHFORD, Mass. — A group of investors who purchased Brodie Mountain three years ago is proposing a $200 million investment to revive the defunct ski area into a "premiere" New England destination.

 

As first reported in The Berkshire Eagle, one of the four partners, Todd Oifer, told the Planning Board on March 24 of Brodie Mountain Development's plans for the 500 acres.

 

Engineer Jeff Fitzgerald and landscape architect Wayne Violette, both from Bohler Engineering, presented renderings for a proposed Alpine village and wellness center. 

 

Fitzgerald, who had skied at Brodie, said the plans are purely conceptual at this point. They would include skiing, hospitality, wellness, vacation rentals and second homes, hotels, events, mountain biking, and a Nordic-style thermal spa.

 

"It will be a classic mountain resort appropriate for the Berkshires," he said. "And have a blend of all these activities ... for a year-round experience for visitors and locals."

 

The purpose of the presentation, he said, was to "take the temperature of the community" on the proposal. 

 

The 60-year-old ski resort closed in 2002 and the snowtubing portion in 2007.

 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A harassment lawsuit against Pittsfield Cooperative Bank by a former bank executive was dismissed in federal court last month after the parties involved agreed to a settlement. 

 

Victoria May, who was vice president of marketing, filed the complaint in 2023 in U.S. District Court in Springfield against the bank, its President Jay Anderson, its former Senior Vice President of Retail Banking Operations Peter Marchetti and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Harry Moore. 

 

She accused the bank and its officers of sex discrimination, creating a hostile work environment, aiding and abetting discriminatory acts, unlawful interference with plaintiff's rights, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

 

The defendants denied the claims and accused May of unprofessional conduct, ignoring advice, and refusing to follow policies and regulations regarding banking advertising and marketing, and added that she "berated and belittled" co-workers. She was fired February 2023. 

 

A trial had been scheduled for May but was dismissed without prejudice.

 

WALTHAM, Mass. — National Grid says it has installed more than 500,000 smart meters across Massachusetts, marking a major milestone in the company's multi?year effort to modernize the electric grid. 

 

The utility is on track to deploy new meters to all 1.4 million electric customers in Massachusetts by the end of 2027. 

 

"Reaching 500,000 installed smart meters is an important achievement for our customers and our company," said Dan Tripp, vice president, customer process and performance, National Grid. "This technology puts customers in control by providing clear, timely insight into their energy use, helping them make informed decisions to manage consumption and costs."

 

Customers can access detailed electricity?use information in 15?minute intervals through their MyAccount portal to better understand daily usage patterns, identify their highest?use days, and manage their electricity use. Smart meters also help the company to deploy resources more efficiently during storms and major outage events.