Dalton Town Elections Monday, Planning Seat Vacant

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The town election is this Monday at the Senior Center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 
 
Unlike recent elections, all open seats are uncontested this year, with one vacancy still remaining on the Planning Board, which will require write-in votes to fill the seat.
 
The Planning Board has two open seats but only one candidate on the ballot — William Striebel III. However, two citizens have stepped forward to run write-in campaigns: Richard Hall and Mary Tresa Devereaux.  Both Hall and Devereaux have been endorsed by the Dalton Clear Air Coalition and Democratic Town Committee. 
 
The Select Board has two open seats for the three-year positions and only two candidates — incumbent John Boyle and newcomer Jeannie Ingram. 
 
Select Board member Daniel Esko has decided not to run again after serving on the board for six years. 
 
Boyle is a longtime public servant, having spent 27 years on the Select Board and six years on the Finance Committee, along with serving on numerous local and regional boards, including currently representing Dalton on the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority and chairing the Dalton Redevelopment Authority.
 
He aims to work with other government officials and bodies to maintain financial stability while supporting education and infrastructure, noting that the town’s biggest challenge is limited funding.
 
Although new to the area, Ingram has jumped right into the Dalton community, attending numerous meetings and taking notes. 
 
She has held a range of leadership and volunteer roles, including chair of the Hingham Historical Commission and Dalton Cultural Council, founding president of the Su Escuela Language Academy Parent Association, and a board member of Pittsfield's Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center.
 
Ingram said she fully supports the Capital Planning Committee to help identify and prioritize projects that will require difficult conversations and multiple perspectives in order to succeed because of the financial challenges facing the town. 
 
She says her experience in fundraising and community engagement will help her support informed, transparent decision-making,
 
Also on the ballot is one seat for moderator with incumbent Anthony Doyle running for re-election, one seat for cemetery trustee with Mary Cherry running, one seat for Finance Committee with Diane Lowe running, and two seats for the library trustees with incumbents Max Ehrlich and Fred Sears running for re-election. 

Tags: election 2026,   town elections,   


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15 People Displaced in Pittsfield Home Fires

Staff Reports

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fifteen people were displaced after 2-alarm home fires this weekend on Springside Avenue and Elaine Drive. 

On Friday evening, the Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 209 Springside Ave., which took a four-hour battle to extinguish and resulted in a partial roof collapse. The next day, on Saturday evening, crews knocked down a fire at 121 Elaine Drive in about an hour. 

The garage and part of the single-family home on Elaine Drive were gutted to the frame, along with a vehicle parked in the driveway. On Springside Avenue, the top level and porch of the multifamily were burned through.  

A GoFundMe has been started for the family of the Elaine Drive home, which includes several young children.  The fundraiser, with a $5,500 goal, explains they lost their home and all of their belongings. (iBerkshires.com does not confirm or endorse fundraisers; they are provided as information only.)

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries, and both incidents are under investigation.  One dog was rescued on Springside Avenue. 

On Oct. 10, around 6:15 p.m., PFD responded to the Springside Avenue home for a reported structure fire and saw a 2 1/2-story wood frame multifamily with a heavy blaze showing from the second-floor front porch, extending out. 

The building suffered a partial roof collapse, which prolonged extinguishment. The fire was brought under control after about four hours.

“An aggressive offensive attack was mounted by first arriving crews stretching hose lines into the building as well as primary searches that proved negative. Ladders were placed around the structure to provide access as well as escape if needed. An off-duty Fire Captain had also been on scene early in the incident to help evacuate the structure and rescue a dog,” PFD wrote in a press release. 

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