PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Council chambers saw another charter objection on Tuesday following a lengthy conversation about renaming and merging the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

The administration has been working to restructure the DEI office into the "Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity"; the Ordinances and Rules subcommittee made some amendments to the proposed ordinance in August before referring it back with a positive recommendation.

"As I've stated here a number of times, I also believe that poverty is the root of all of our evils in the city, and needs to be addressed in some way, shape, or form. And this new revised office will allow us that opportunity," Mayor Peter Marchetti explained to the City Council. 

"It is there to do what we have always done and add the ability to work on poverty issues to improve the quality of life for people of Pittsfield."

Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote through a charter objection to proposed City Code changes. He had unsuccessfully motioned to strike the transition of the DEI director's title and budget, and to remove mandatory staff trainings. 

A charter objection is a formal procedural tool used by a councilor to instantly halt debate and postpone a vote until the next meeting. It has been three years since one was used during Pittsfield City Council. 

Pittsfield Community Television estimated this as the 19th charter objection made in the city's history; the first since June of 2023. This was the sixth straight charter objection to come from a Ward 2 councilor; Charles Kronick called six of them. 

The city's DEI Office was established in 2021, and Obasohan was hired in 2022. During fiscal year 2027 budget hearings, $5,800 was reduced from the department's $200,000 budget — $4,800 from the DEI ambassador line and $1,000 from travel and dues.