Pittsfield Council Takes Up $243M Fiscal 2027 Budget
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.
Pittsfield expects to raise $124,095,577 in property taxes in FY27.
The city recently completed a classification and compensation study. On May 26, the council will receive the study and requests for salary changes to be made through code for July 1.
During the same meeting, the City Council preliminarily approved an $87 million FY27 budget for the Pittsfield Public Schools. It includes the closure of Morningside Community School and the middle school restructuring for the next academic year.
The $86,855,061 budget includes $68,886,061 in state Chapter 70 funding and $18 million from the city. With $345,000 in school choice and Richmond tuition revenues, it totals $87,200,061 and is an approximately $300,000 increase from the Pittsfield Public Schools' FY26 budget of $86.9 million.
"When it comes to the salary study, I think that it's important to point out where we are and how it's impacting the budget. For management, you will see where applicable management staff, if they needed to be brought up to the minimum, according to the salary study, it was done," Marchetti said.
"Employees whose current salary fell within those proposed fiscal year 27 schedule received a 3 percent [Cost of Living Adjustment,] according to the CPI index, plus a merit-based raise, if applicable."
A few additional adjustments were made at Marchetti's recommendation for non-union and non-management staff. He reported that those well below the bottom of the scale will see "substantial" raises as a part of the process.
Pittsfield remains in negotiations for successor contracts and for implementing a new fiscal year 27 salary schedule. Marchetti said departments should have budgeted for at least step increases for eligible staff, and a few departments have budgeted for the updated salaries.
The council also preliminarily approved Pittsfield's 5-year improvement plan for important capital projects with a focus on roadway quality, parks and recreational opportunities, facility improvements, safe and functional vehicles and equipment for staff, and modern information technology.
"What is before you is just a plan, and it's simply the requests from departments," Marchetti said.
"In past years, we would also be providing you with an operating budget and enterprise budget capital expenditure authorizations. We are not submitting those at this time, as there's still more due diligence to do within the requests, and we may return them at a later date to provide a request for such authorizations."
*DAY 2*
During the second night of budget deliberations, the City Council cut funds in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion budget after looking at unexpended funds.
Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren's motions to cut $4,800 from the DEI ambassador line and $1,000 from travel and dues were approved, totaling more than $6,000 in reductions. Both line items had a balance.
The ambassadors work to create DEI and welcoming spaces in other city departments, serving as an extension of the office. It was pointed out that only 66 percent of the DEI ambassador budget has been used and it is near the end of the fiscal year, as there are only two ambassadors although six were budgeted.
Councilor a Large Earl Persip III and Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi opposed cutting the ambassador line, and Councilor at Large Pete White and Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham opposed cutting travel by $1,000.
Michael Obasohan, chief diversity officer, explained that he has been behind on turning in his travel reimbursements, and Marchetti promised they would be turned in by the next day, and reflected in May 30 reports.
Cunningham pushed for artificial intelligence language translation services, but Obasohan countered that the technology isn't quite there for interpersonal communication and dialect. He unsuccessfully motioned to cut $18,900 from the stipends line and $1,000 from travel and dues, and to table the budget until the next meeting so that Obasohan can come back with more information.
Ward 7 Councilor Kathy Moody said the largest employer in Berkshire County, presumably Berkshire Health Systems, has one DEI director member under the Human Resources department. She would like to see Pittsfield follow that lead.
"I think you are talented, and you're clearly good at your job. I don't think this should be a department within our city. I think that this department should be under HR, and it should be one person. To me, we're looking at losing services that directly affect residents in our city, and what I'm hearing from the DEI department is that this department is something that, in the majority, serves the employees of the city, which are also residents, and I get that, but when we are losing highway maintenance folks and and services that directly affect every resident in the city, I cannot see having this entire department stand alone," she said to Obasohan.
"…This is very upsetting for me to have to say, but I think it is the fiscally responsible thing to do."
She was alone in her support of the motion, but Councilor at Large Kathy Amuso said she supports the mayor working with the DEI department and other departments to restructure.
"Considering the fiscal times that we're in, if we have to restructure and move the department, I think that's a conversation for the mayor to have, the mayor's office. I don't think that's appropriate that we have that conversation with a city employee standing in front of us," Lampiasi said.
"I think that's highly inappropriate, and I do think it's disrespectful."
Moody clarified that she meant no disrespect to Obasohan.
"I apologize if that was disrespectful," she added. "My goal here is that we are in a budget meeting, and I, my responsibility is to the constituents, and this doesn't mean that I don't think that you are perfectly capable of running this department and doing your job."
Some councilors also advocated for better lifeguard pay at Burbank Park on Onota Lake, highlighting the importance of water safety, but the request to find additional funds for lifeguards was only supported by Warren, Moody, and White.
Burbank Park was "swim at your own risk" last year, and had a limited schedule the previous year because of the difficulties with hiring lifeguards. This was attributed to changes in qualifications, competition, and a general shortage of certified lifeguards.
Moody said this becomes an equity issue where parents need to pay for water safety at a private pool.
"It's up to the mayor with this recommendation, if he sees fit to find a place in the budget for it, no judgment on anyone given how tight this budget is," White said.
Mayor's Office
The mayor's office budget of $287,104 was preliminarily approved with some discussion about social media. It is an $11,381, or 4.1 percent increase from the previous year.
Berkshire Athenaeum
The Berkshire Athenaeum budget of $1,797,109 was preliminarily approved with little discussion. It is a $69,932, or 4 percent increase from the previous year.
Community Development
The Community Development budget of $834,291 was preliminarily approved with some discussion. It is a $12,480, or 1.5 percent decrease from the previous year.
Airport
The Pittsfield Municipal Airport budget of $391,075 was preliminarily approved with little discussion. It is a $13,582, or 3.6 percent increase from the previous year.
DEI
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion budget of $200,302 was preliminarily approved with conversation and cuts to the DEI ambassador and travel lines. It is a $9,869, or 4.7 percent decrease from the previous year.
Human Resources
The Human Resources Department budget of $279,176 was preliminarily approved with little discussion. It is a $4,220, or 1.5 percent decrease from the previous year.
Council on Aging
The Council on Aging budget of $423,265 was preliminarily approved with little discussion. It is a $4,327, or 1 percent increase from the previous year.
Building Inspector
The Building Inspector Office budget of $718,400 was preliminarily approved with some discussion. It is a $24,133, or 3.5 percent increase from the previous year.
Veterans
The Veterans Services budget of $919,085 was preliminarily approved with little discussion. It is a $107 increase from the previous year.
Cultural Development
The Cultural Development budget of $141,369 was preliminarily approved with little discussion. It is a $1,361, or 1 percent increase from the previous year.
Tags: fiscal 2027, pittsfield_budget,
