“Tyer on shelter tiff: Animals' well-being 'a top priority'”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz , The Berkshire Eagle, April 7, 2018
PITTSFIELD — For the first time since the city terminated its contract with the Friends of Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter last month, Mayor Linda Tyer has addressed the matter in a public statement.
"The focus of this communication is to reassure you that the health and well-being of the animals in the city's care is a top priority," Tyer said in a written statement released late Friday. "As the news of the contract termination has evolved, I know that you and many in our community have questions. The Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter will remain open."
The shelter, a private nonprofit, has been under contract with the city to care for animals that are homeless or detained by the city throughout the mandatory seven-day holding period. The shelter then takes ownership of the animals and attempts to find homes for them.
The city gave the shelter 30 days' notice that it would be ending its contract March 30. That day, when two Pittsfield police officers arrived at the city-owned building, shelter staff refused to hand over the keys.
The staff has continued to operate the shelter as normal, despite the canceled contract.
On Thursday, the city and an attorney for the shelter came to an agreement, allowing the staff to continue working out of the building until April 30, at which point all the animals in possession of Sonsini staff must be removed from the building and the animals that are still in the mandatory seven-day holding period will remain.
"Once the city has taken back possession of the building, our Animal Control Officer will step in and manage the day-to-day operations of the shelter for a temporary period of time while we develop a plan for the long-term," Tyer said.
Until Friday, the city had declined to comment on its dispute with the shelter. The city has not confirmed why the contract was terminated.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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Letter: “Sonsini legacy, animals betrayed by shelter 'friends'”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 10, 2018
To the editor:
Eleanor Sonsini must be rolling in her grave.
Animals were her life, but chances are, the actors in the uber-drama playing out at the "Friends of the Eleanor Sonsini shelter" never got to meet her. Maybe if they had, they would show integrity rather than making a spectacle out of the nonprofit that bears her name. Unfortunately, it's the animals that are the pawns and are paying the price in this shameful reality show.
I witnessed Eleanor's undaunted dedication in the 1980s when I was a veterinary technician in Pittsfield. She would drive around rescuing stray dogs and cats, pay out of her pocket for their spay/neuter and vet care, and then find homes for them. Hers was a gallant mission; naming the shelter after her was befitting. But it now appears that over the last years, Friends of Sonsini's original intentions were superseded by politics, power plays and boards of directors who have spiraled things out of control.
Around 20 years ago, I interned at Pittsfield's municipal animal shelter as part of my BCC studies. Back then, it was a dingy dog pound that essentially warehoused unclaimed dogs and cats and was unknown to the average citizen. Dogs slept on hard plastic pallets, languished in bare cages and rarely got outdoor time; the cats were caged in a windowless broom closet. As in many city/town pounds, the animals' care was at the mercy of the animal control officers, and there were only a handful of volunteers who had to work around the ACO's schedule.
It was a profoundly heartbreaking place to be, as I saw things that bothered me to no end, and too often, my attempts to improve things for the animals were ignored. While the Humane Society across town had an endless array of volunteers and donors, the animals at the city shelter were largely forgotten.
So in 2006, when the city contracted with Friends of Sonsini, things looked promising for the animals, and the comfort of the animals improved greatly. But too many staff changes and a parade of board members with conflicting agendas over the years have undermined the nonprofit's mission.
It's time to remember that the animal shelter belongs to all of us who live here and pay our city taxes. I want to know that qualified people who truly care about the animals will be there to provide food, water, exercise/playtime, and TLC. It should not be left to the ACO, police, or any of the people embroiled in the current fiasco at the shelter. Why not hire the Humane Society to provide the care? Too many Friends of Sonsini staff and volunteers have been hired, and then fired. Too many dedicated volunteers are demoralized and worried about the animals there.
The mayor, city leaders and the embattled Sonsini board need to clean this mess up. They owe it to the memory and legacy of Eleanor Sonsini. But most of all, they owe it to the animals, who are now in the crosshairs.
Yvonne Borsody, Pittsfield
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“City streets gone to pot”
The Berkshire Eagle, Letters, April 10, 2018
To the editor:
Potholes are everywhere in Pittsfield and they are just plain awful. We're like a bunch of drunks weaving all over the place to avoid them. No one seems to care. Our ward councilor lives on one of the worst ones in our neighborhood and has done nothing either.
The tax dollars, which keep going up, that we pay for maintenance haven't produced anything. We've waited too long and need to call for immediate action.
Joe Anello, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Local history lost through art sale”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 10, 2018
To the editor:
Selling the two Norman Rockwell paintings is a travesty. These paintings are local history that can never be replaced. The art world has many paintings that are less localized. There will never be another artist like Norman Rockwell who so represents our community.
This sale of all the artwork is a tremendous loss for the children of Berkshire County who may never be exposed to such a varied collection.
Alice Nathan, Irving Marks, Lee
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Letter: “Museum supporter betrayed by sale”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 10, 2018
To the editor:
Many lengthy and articulate letters have expressed the outrage and incomprehensible shock at the callousness of the trustees of the Berkshire Museum. I can only say this: As a resident of the Berkshires since 1973 who moved to this wondrous area largely because of the plethora of wonderful cultural venues available and who until this time had much appreciation for our small but beautiful Berkshire Museum, I feel utterly betrayed by their fundraising decision to sell so many incredible works of art by renowned artists, especially our own Norman Rockwell. I truly believe it was the intention of the donors to keep these jewels in place right here in the Berkshires.
Maybe the trustees need to set their sights a tad lower, pull back on extending a lovely building, and find new ways to raise the monies necessary to continue to offer the residents and visitors a special glimpse of a variety of art and history.
They can, meanwhile, count me out!
Ann G. Spadafora, Becket
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“Berkshire Museum lists 13 works, including 2nd Rockwell, for May auction”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, April 10, 2018
PITTSFIELD — Trustees of the Berkshire Museum say they hope to retain two-thirds of the works they can legally sell, acknowledging the "strong feelings" of those who oppose their financial rescue plan.
The museum Tuesday identified 13 works that will be offered at four May auctions at Sotheby's in New York City. The move came five days after the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County granted the museum's petition to lift any restrictions and allow it to seek up to $55 million in proceeds under terms worked out with the state Attorney General's Office.
The list of works to be sold next month includes Norman Rockwell's "Shaftsbury Blacksmith Shop," meaning that both of the late Berkshire County artist's heralded scenic paintings — both given by Rockwell to the museum — will leave the Pittsfield museum's collection.
In a private transaction, the museum plans to sell Rockwell's "Shuffleton's Barbershop" to an unidentified nonprofit museum that pledges to keep it on public display.
And in a bid to encourage museums to bid on the 13 works now scheduled to come up at Sotheby's high-profile spring sales, the museum and auction house will allow such buyers special financing terms.
"We recognize the strong feelings of those opposed to any sale," Elizabeth McGraw, the trustees' president, said in a release. "We worked hard, particularly in the case of `Shuffleton's Barbershop,' to address their concerns and keep the painting in public view and even in the Berkshires for a time."
The sale agreement calls for "Shuffleton's" to be exhibited for up to 24 months at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge.
McGraw said the museum hopes that proceeds from the sale of the initial 14 works "will allow us to hold the remaining works that had been approved for deaccession."
For at least one opponent of the sales, that offer rang hollow Tuesday.
Tom Patti, a Pittsfield artist whose work hangs in the museum and in collections around the country, said he no longer trusts the museum to properly care for its collection, which he believes belongs to the public.
"All this work was removed from Pittsfield without the public's consent," he said. "It was unique that those paintings existed in our community."
Patti added, "I have no trust for anything they say — whether they sell one or all of them."
Patti was among nearly 10 plaintiffs in two civil actions who attempted to block the sales, at first with support from the office of Attorney General Maura Healey.
After the plaintiffs were found in November to lack legal standing, Healey's office intensified an investigation into the museum's plan to sell 40 works of art. On Feb. 9, Healey's office and the museum announced they had come to terms allowing the sale of up to 40 works, in several groups.
The museum plans to use most of the money to bulk up its endowment and draw off earnings to counter what it says has been a recurring yearly deficit of more than $1 million. It will also tap proceeds to fund renovations to address problems with its 39 South St. building, and in pursuit of a new approach to exhibits that emphasizes multimedia and interactive presentations.
Freed by ruling
Tuesday's announcement identified the first group of works to be sold, all of which were freed up for sale by Thursday's ruling from Justice David A. Lowy.
Lowy's decision came one day before a deadline to submit marketing materials for the May auctions, the museum said.
The ruling ended a months-long legal battle between the museum and community members, museum industry representatives and Rockwell family members who opposed the sale.
Other artists whose works are now listed for auction at Sotheby's include William Bouguereau, Alexander Calder and Frederic Edwin Church. The museum said it has notified the Attorney General's Office of the identity of the 13 works selected for auction, as required by the agreement reached in early February.
If the May auctions plus the private museum sale of "Shuffleton's" fetch $55 million, the sales would be halted, the museum said Tuesday.
That would mean that 26 other works that had been identified for sale, including Albert Bierstadt's "Giant Redwood Trees of California," Calder's "Dancing Torpedo Shape," and Thomas Moran's "The Last Arrow" would be returned by Sotheby's to Pittsfield.
The artworks headed to May sales include works previously valued by Sotheby's for sales last fall that were canceled when Healey's office won a preliminary injunction from the Massachusetts Appeals Court. That court halted sales that Judge John Agostini of Berkshire Superior Court had sanctioned in a November ruling, setting aside objections raised by the two plaintiff groups as well as Healey's office.
Five months later, with "Shuffleton's" already headed to another museum, Sotheby's and the local museum's trustees are taking steps to see if other works can remain accessible to the public.
To that end, Sotheby's and the museum will offer extended payment terms to public institutions that seek to bid. Sotheby's standard terms require full payment in 30 days.
In this case, it will allow installments over six months or longer to public institutions, the museum said.
In his decision last week, Justice Lowy urged the museum to consider ways to keep the art available to the public.
In her statement, McGraw said board members reviewed all the works that the court had approved for sale.
She said the goal was to retain works that could play a role as it retools its mission to focus on "bringing people together for experiences that spark creativity and innovative thinking by making inspiring educational connections among art, history, and natural science."
Based on initial bid ranges provided by Sotheby's, the 14 works now designated for sale could bring from a low of $42,220,000 to a high of $61,000,000.
While that does not include an additional 26 works first listed for sale, the 14 represent the lion's share of expected auction values.
The entire original group of works had been valued by Sotheby's at a low of $52,615,000 to a high of $76,180,000.
That means that, based on the high-bid range, the value of the 26 works that the museum says it hopes to retain is about $15 million.
David Peter Moser, a member of the Save the Art-Save the Museum group who has worked as a corporate art consultant, said he finds it hard to believe that the museum selected works to sell based on what it needed to retain for its educational mission.
A bigger factor, he said, would be the marketability of particular works and how they fit in with other pieces, from different sellers, on consignment at particular auctions.
The Calder work for sale, "Double Arc and Sphere," was likely chosen because it is "prettier."
"It's something that is more desirable to the public at large than the other piece," Moser said.
The work by Henry Moore that is to be sold, "Three Seated Women," might top its high-bid range of $600,000, he predicted, and Francis Picabia's "Force Comique" might as well.
"They're pretty exceptional works by those artists and are highly desirable," Moser said.
He applauded the steps the museum and Sotheby's have taken to make it easier for museums to finance purchases of the art.
"I think that it's an exceptional idea," Moser said. "It does seem like creative financing."
Like other sale opponents, Lynn Villency Cohen, an art historian, believes the museum should have allowed members of the public to know that financing for its New Vision depended on selling works. For that reason, she said Tuesday, she finds it hard to accept that the museum is acting in the public interest to keep 26 works.
"If a portion of the valuable art can be saved and adequately cared for, it's a start," Cohen said.
Sales plan
One of the works deemed not to be critical to the museum's mission is Picabia's "Force Comique."
Marilyn Patti, who joined her husband, Tom, in opposing any sales from the collection, said Tuesday she regrets that the work will go on the block.
"Picabia is one of the only pieces in the collection from that time period," she said, referring to the 1913 work by the French avant-garde artist. "We don't want any of them sold."
The Picabia will go to auction May 14 at Sotheby's "Impressionist & Modern Art Evening," along with Moore's "Three Seated Women."
Of the remaining works, the sales schedule is as follows:
- May 16, at the "Contemporary Art Evening," the museum will sell Calder's mobile "Double Arc and Sphere."
- May 22, at the "European Art" auction, the museum will sell: Bouguereau's "L'Agneau Nouveau-Ne" and the same artist's "Les deux soeurs (La Bourrique)," along Charles Francois Daubigny's "Paysans allant aux champs (Le Matin),"Adriaen Isenbrant's "The Flight into Egypt" and "The Temptation of Adam and Eve," and Alberto Pasini's "Faubourg de Constantinople."
- May 23, at the "American Art" auction, the museum will sell: Rockwell's "Blacksmith's Boy — Heel and Toe (Shaftsbury Blacksmith Shop)," Rembrandt Peale's "George Washington," Church's "Valley of Santa Isabel, New Granada" and John La Farge's "Magnolia."
'Secret' process
Tom Patti said he remains unsettled by what he sees as a secretive process.
When trustees announced plans to sell art last July, officials at first declined to identify which pieces would leave the collection.
"There was no need to keep that secret," he said. "Knowing that it was wrong, they kept it secret."
But in her statement, McGraw returned to a theme of necessity expressed by the museum repeatedly over the past three seasons.
"We are moving forward to secure the future of the Berkshire Museum," she said. "We now hope we can raise what the museum needs by offering for sale fewer than half of the works originally anticipated. That's good for the museum and the community we serve."
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
On the block ...
The following works are listed for sale in May at Sotheby's:
May 14: Francis Picabia, "Force Comique"
May 14: Norman Rockwell, "Blacksmith's Boy - Heel and Toe (Shaftsbury Blacksmith Shop)"
May 14: Henry Moore, "Three Seated Women"
May 16: Alexander Calder, "Double Arc and Sphere"
May 22: William Bouguereau, "L'Agneau Nouveau-Ne"
May 22: William Bouguereau, "Les deux soeurs (La Bourrique)"
May 22: Charles Francois Daubigny, "Paysans allant aux champs (Le Matin)"
May 22: Adriaen Isenbrant, "The Flight into Egypt"
May 22: Adriaen Isenbrant, "The Temptation of Adam and Eve"
May 22: Alberto Pasini, "Faubourg de Constantinople"
May 23: John La Farge, "Magnolia"
May 23: Rembrandt Peale, "George Washington"
May 23: Frederic Edwin Church, "Valley of Santa Isabel, New Granada"
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The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, currently under construction in Los Angeles, is the buyer of "Shuffleton's Barbershop," one of the Norman Rockwell paintings being sold from the collection of the Berkshire Museum.
Image provided by Mad Architects.
“Lucas museum buys Rockwell's 'Shuffleton's Barbershop'”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, April 11, 2018
PITTSFIELD — The future home of the devoted musicians depicted in "Shuffleton's Barbershop" will be a sleek, 300,000-square-foot museum now rising in Exposition Park in south Los Angeles.
When the Berkshire Museum said in February that an unidentified nonprofit museum would acquire Norman Rockwell's acclaimed painting, the list of prospective buyers was short.
On Wednesday, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art made it official: It has acquired the painting. The museum, which broke ground March 14 and is expected to open in 2022, was co-founded by George Lucas, the famed movie director, and his spouse, Mellody Hobson.
In an interview last month with The New York Times, Don Bacigalupi, president of the Lucas museum, did not rule out his institution's interest in the 1950 Rockwell painting, given by the artist to the Berkshire Museum.
"There's nothing that I can say at this point," Bacigalupi told the newspaper.
That changed Wednesday, when Bacigalupi announced the acquisition, calling Rockwell "one of our nation's most important storytellers" and noting the importance of his work to the Berkshires and Massachusetts as a whole.
The Lucas museum, he said, is honored "to become the public steward of this major work."
"This cultural treasure will continue to be seen and enjoyed by the public in an American museum, where it will be a source of inspiration for generations to come," Bacigalupi said.
The museum did not reveal the sale price. The Pittsfield museum first planned to sell "Shuffleton's" at a Sotheby's auction. The bid range placed on the work at the time was $20 million to $30 million.
The painting will be loaned to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge this year and be exhibited there into 2020, the California museum said. That timetable adheres to an agreement reached between the Pittsfield museum and the state attorney general in February after months of litigation.
The other possible buyer, in what turned out to be a private transaction handled by Sotheby's, was considered by most observers to be the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., founded by Alice L. Walton. Though now working for Lucas as the California museum's founding president, Bacigalupi formerly served with the Arkansas museum.
Crystal Bridges and the new Lucas museum were seen as top candidates because both possess works by Rockwell — and have deep pockets.
"Shuffleton's Barbershop" is considered to be the Berkshire County artist's finest painting, lending another reason for high-profile collections to want to count it among their holdings.
But the Arkansas museum confirmed early Wednesday, before the Lucas museum announcement, that it is not the unnamed buyer.
"You can rule us out. It was not us," said Beth Bobbitt, the museum's public relations manager.
Laurie Norton Moffatt, director and CEO of the Stockbridge museum, expressed appreciation to the Lucas museum for keeping the painting available to the public, including the planned loan to her institution.
"It is especially meaningful for the people of Berkshire County who will have the opportunity to enjoy this masterpiece for a few more years," she said in remarks provided by the Lucas museum.
Rich in Rockwells
The Lucas museum's seed collection, gathered by the filmmaker, includes multiple works by Rockwell, and mentions the artist prominently in its promotional materials.
The collection includes 13 paintings by Rockwell and eight studies. Among the paintings are "The Gossips" (1948), "After the Prom" (1957), "River Pilot" (1940) and "Couple in Rumbleseat" (1935). Lucas was identified as the person who paid $46 million when another Rockwell work, "Saying Grace," came up for sale in 2013. That was the highest price paid to date for a Rockwell work.
According to MAD Architects, the Los Angeles museum's designer, the $1.5 billion project is meant to suggest that "a futuristic spaceship" has landed on its 11-acre site, located near other museums and the University of Southern California campus.
"People from all walks of life are welcome to feel and appreciate this cultural paradise," the architectural firm says of the future museum on its website. "The interior of the building has been designed as a huge bright and open cave."
At the groundbreaking last month, Lucas said his goal is to help spur imagination among museum visitors and "inspire them to dream beyond what is considered possible."
"Narrative art and storytelling stirs our emotions, shapes our aspirations as a society, and is the glue that binds us together around our common beliefs," he said in remarks provided by the museum.
One key to that, the museum says, is to present works where patrons engage "with art forms they may already recognize and love."
"Imagine a place where a fan of Norman Rockwell's familiar art makes a meaningful connection with a cutting edge 21st-century digital animator," the museum says on its website.
The Lucas family expects to provide at least a $400 million endowment for the museum. The collection will present works in three categories — narrative art, the art of the cinema (including outtakes from the filmmaker's projects, including "Star Wars") and digital art.
When the new museum was considering locating in San Francisco, a newspaper's art critic there got an early look at the collection. "The value of these materials goes beyond their rarity as objects ... they are the irreplaceable source of our view, literally, of the world," Charles Desmarais wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Going nonprofit
Opposition to the sale, including by three of the late artist's sons, included concerns that a sale at auction might curtail public access to the painting.
The agreement announced Feb. 9 between the Berkshire Museum and Attorney General Maura Healey addressed that — and was hailed as a breakthrough after months of litigation.
Not only would the work be bought by another museum, rather than a private individual, the parties said, it would be loaned to the Norman Rockwell Museum for up to 24 months after the sale.
That timing led to additional speculation that the Lucas museum would acquire the painting, since it would not be able to show the work until its expected opening in 2022.
One other person known to collect works by Rockwell, the film director and producer Steven Spielberg, recently joined the board of the Lucas museum. The February agreement said the painting would be purchased by another museum, taking Spielberg out of contention.
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
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Letter: “Museum decision frees barbarians to pillage”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 13, 2018
To the editor:
The New Vision at the Berkshire Museum is a victory for the barbarians; their intentions to demolish the interior makes them vandals. Every art collection in every museum in the country is now in play. Mark Gold and Van Shields might as well franchise their product.
Zenas Crane's noble vision means nothing to these ignoble savages because they know nothing about art, and they don't care. The Eagle covered Shields' history thoroughly. Gold provided the ideology for turning art into gold, a pot worth upward of $50 million. Elizabeth McGraw knew how to keep the board members on a tight leash with warnings that "loose lips sink ships." Sotheby's provided the upscale pirate's den where the plan was polished. Then came the astonishing failure of Attorney General Maura Healey to do her job. At first, she seemed to recognize the culpable negligence of the board, but without a word of explanation, she turned and became the museum's best friend in Justice Lowry's courtroom.
The failure of the board to do what every board of a nonprofit organization is required to do — raise money or step aside — was conveniently forgotten. Museums now can stop fundraising and sell their collection to keep the doors open, sell the treasures, which, above all, they have a duty to preserve.
Judge Agostini at least offered a limp apology for approving the sale. Lowry saw no problems anywhere and went into the weeds to invent a dizzy, complicated disposal plan for "Shuffleton's Barbershop," seemingly designed to enable a rich, unnamed individual (we now know it was George Lucas) in California to evade sales taxes by exhibiting the painting in the Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge for a few years (we now know the Lucas museum won't be finished for years).
The looting was legitimized with a stroke of Lowry's pen, just in time for Sotheby's next auction. The barbarians are now free to play their game without interference and the New Vision looks more and more like what it always was, vintage flim-flam updated for the way we live now. One day people will look back on the museum and also recall the Pittsfield train station that was demolished for no good reason and recognize both as victims of the same curse.
Jonas Dovydenas, Lenox
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Letter: “Loss of museum's art conflicts with cultural goals”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 16, 2018
To the editor:
On the front page of the April 15 [2018] edition of The Eagle was a marvelous story from the Sunday New York Times about people moving from New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area to the Berkshires for our unique mixture culture and the nature. No amount of money could buy that advertising. Turn to Page A2, however, and one found a full-page statement signed by more than a hundred Berkshire County residents decrying the sale of the major works of art in the collection of the Berkshire Museum. Young, vigorous, smart people are coming here for our culture, but that culture is fast leaving, at least from Pittsfield. What a sad contrast between forward and backward movement.
North Adams is about to get a new building by Frank Gehry, probably the most creative architect working in the world today. Pittsfield is about to spend a chunk of money from the sale of its paintings on a third-rate — at best — wrecking of its historical architecture. Many thousands will eagerly visit the future Extreme Railroad Museum in North Adams to see the Gehry building. No one will choose to visit the Berkshire Museum for its new "architecture." The new museums on the boards for North Adams will be the products of imagination, as well as skill and hard work at money raising. There is no evidence of any of those qualities from the management or trustees of the Berkshire Museum, whose only success at raising funds so far is the sale of a particularly fine work by Norman Rockwell who gave it to the museum for the people of Berkshire County to enjoy in perpetuity. One wants to weep.
How could those in charge of the Berkshire Museum be so totally out of touch with what is transforming our county into a more prosperous and lively setting for us all? This is not the time to rally around a truly bad plan. This is a time to stop and think hard about what the best, most timely course might be. The future of the Berkshire Museum belongs to all of us. It's not too late.
E. J. Johnson, Adams
The writer is the Amos Lawrence Professor of Art, emeritus, at Williams College.
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Our Opinion: “Fiber optics enhance bet on Berkshires”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, April 16, 2018
Last week, The New York Times, arbiter of all things hip and trendy, bestowed its coveted seal of approval upon Berkshire County in the form of a lengthy article in its Real Estate section titled "Betting on the Berkshires" (reprinted in The Eagle, April 15 [2018]). The piece reported that those at the spear point of public taste have now deemed the Berkshires worthy of investment. It extolled the cultural virtues of North County with its world class cultural attractions and old mill buildings being converted into trendy restaurants and retail establishments, as well as South County's quaintness, charm, scenery, relaxed atmosphere and all the other attributes that make Berkshirites swell with pride.
The Times' rhapsodizing, however, didn't extend to the area in between, describing it as
"the slightly scruffier central part of the county, including Pittsfield," which reduces the Shire City to the status of being a place visitors might wish to drive through to get from one attractive locale to another. Perhaps The Times would deign to advise Pittsfielders on ways to burnish their city's image to be less offensive to Gotham's sensibilities.
As reported in a couple of related stories in the same edition of The Eagle, a team of developers has renovated and repurposed old buildings at 47 Railroad Street in Great Barrington, citing a shortage of housing at all levels of affordability. The complex, which includes 13 high-end apartments along with retail, restaurant and office space, represents a $7.5-million investment in the town that resulted in the employment of approximately 85 mostly local tradespeople and subcontractors. Half the condos are already leased, and there is a waiting list for the rest. Already, the same developers are working on another equally ambitious project in Great Barrington.
It's refreshing to see more outside interest shown in what Berkshires residents have long known about their piece of heaven, but there is one requirement of the modern era that outweighs all the rustic charm, culture, physical beauty and laid-back atmosphere that would make a locale attractive to businesses and new residents — high-speed fiber-optic internet service. Fortunately, Great Barrington has access to this critical amenity. Without it, one of the new businesses setting up shop in offices in the 47 Railroad building never would have given the town a second glance. Warrior Trading, an online company that teaches clients how to trade stocks, relies on the speed of fiber-optic to be an effective player. As the business' owner, Ross Cameron, told The Eagle, "I trade stocks, and even though I'm 150 miles from New York, seconds matter."
Mr. Cameron's company has presences in Vermont and California, and due to the virtual nature of his business, he could have decided to establish his new offices anywhere in the country. Clearly, Great Barrington's attributes attracted him to the area, but he made it clear that fiber-optic internet access clinched the deal. Warrior Trading's occupying of the 47 Railroad office space encourages more investment activity, providing more employment for local construction workers and artisans. In other words, high-speed fiber-optic internet service has become not just a convenience but, when absent, a deterrent to economic development, slowing the expansion of home-grown businesses and discouraging businesses elsewhere from settling here.
Lately, there has been much talk of trains from metropolitan hubs whisking tourists to the county, but ensuring universal fiber-optic access must be an equally important priority if the county is going to develop sustained growth — both locally-generated and attracted from afar — and become truly vibrant. Without it, the Berkshires will remain just a nice place to visit.
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April 12, 2018
Pittsfield politics is a textbook case study of financial mismanagement! Every fiscal year, they raise municipal taxes by 5% and debts by tens of millions of dollars. It is fiscally unsustainable! The lovely Linda Tyer does not live in reality! The average Pittsfield taxpayer is financially constrained by their local tax bill. Pittsfield is one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation! There are no living wage jobs for the average worker in Pittsfield! GE left town, Sabic left town, among other past living wage employers. The only living wage jobs are public and non-profit employment positions. The rub is that you have to politically-connected to obtain and retain a plum or cushy job in Pittsfield. The Good Old Boys run the show! Over the past several decades in Pittsfield, thousands of people have moved out of the area. Moreover, almost all the good jobs vanished, too. The majority of residents who have been left behind in Pittsfield are part of the underclass. To illustrate, all K – 6 Pittsfield public school students are eligible for free school lunches. The Berkshire Eagle only reports propaganda about Pittsfield politics. The local daily rag supports higher local taxes, and the unfunded mandates by the EPA for Pittsfield’s waste-water upgrade. Meanwhile, the Housatonic River is still polluted with cancer-causing toxic/industrial waste chemicals called PCBs! The hypocrisy by the EPA is huge! The April 24th vote for the waste-water upgrade comes before municipal budget deliberations. It is only a matter of time before Pittsfield politics becomes fiscally insolvent and then bankrupt!
– Jonathan Melle
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State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, background, and state Sen. Adam Hinds, foreground, each speak with someone during the 'speed-repping' event held at the Berkshire Athenaeum on Friday afternoon [4/13/2018].
Credit: Caroline Bonnivier Snyder – The Berkshire Eagle
Pittsfield’s Director of Administrative Services Roberta McCulloch-Dews listens during the ‘speed-repping’ event held at the Berkshire Athenaeum on Friday afternoon [4/13/2018].
Credit: Caroline Bonnivier Snyder – The Berkshire Eagle
Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer speaks with someone during the ‘speed-repping’ event held at the Berkshire Athenaeum on Friday afternoon [4/13/2018].
Credit: Caroline Bonnivier Snyder – The Berkshire Eagle
“At 'speed-repping,' citizens engage their representatives on 'more personal' level”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz , The Berkshire Eagle, April 13, 2018
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire residents got the rare opportunity Friday to get up close and personal with their local and state government representatives at the Berkshire Athenaeum first ever "speed-repping" event.
From 2 to 4 p.m. individuals spent five minutes of one-on-one time sharing concerns and ideas on topics like transportation, potholes and how to retain young people, with Mayor Linda Tyer, state Sen. Adam Hinds, state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, City Council President Peter Marchetti, Pittsfield Director of Administrative Services Roberta McCulloch-Dews, and School Committee member Dennis Powell.
"Libraries are the center of civic engagement," said Outreach Librarian Alex Geller, who's been organizing the event since January. "We're just so happy to have representatives that were not only willing, but excited to meet with their constituents in a transparent manner."
Geller got the idea for "speed-repping" through an "urban library" community online. A library in Memphis had pitched the idea and Geller decided to bring it to the Berkshires.
The event gave people an opportunity to meet with several of their representatives at the same time, but also to meet other residents with similar ideas and work together, Geller said.
On Friday, individuals signed up for time slots with the representatives of their choice and were able to chat with them, undisturbed.
Farley-Bouvier said that she heard from a senior citizen who lives downtown and relies on the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority.
The issue of transportation is particularly timely, Farley-Bouvier said, because she is currently advocating for an increased transportation budget at the statehouse.
One penny of every sales tax dollar collected in the Berkshires goes directly to the MBTA in Boston, which equals more than $30 million leaving the Berkshires each year, Farley-Bouvier said.
Most of Farley-Bouvier's constituents have never taken the T, she said.
The woman's comments reinforced the need for an increased transportation budget in the Berkshires, she said.
Transportation is also a way to retain young people in the county, which was also a concern of residents Friday, she said.
At least one resident expressed concern that the city might focus more on recruiting young professionals, but were less interested in other young people in the community.
Powell said that in addition to transportation, in order to maintain a population of young residents, they need to have a lively social scene.
"Young people want more than jobs," he said.
But the afternoon wasn't just about residents airing grievances, some came with fresh ideas for their representatives.
Tyer said she met with a woman who was passionate about recycling and suggested that it may have been "word choice" that deterred people from the city's plan to bring "toters" to the city.
Other regions in the country used phrases like "roller baby" to describe the city-issued 45-gallon tote for trash bins and a 96-gallon tote recycling. The woman also suggested that a blog about what can and can't be recycled could also assist in raising the recycling habits in the city, Tyer said.
Edward Hughes, of Pittsfield, has lived in the city since the 1950s and frequently engages with his representatives either at their office, at city hearings, or when he bumps into them in the community.
On Friday, he took the opportunity to chat with them all at once on a wide range of topics from Spectrum cable to marijuana legalization.
"I didn't come with only one thing in mind," he said. "I was more comfortable. This is more personal that when you see them on the street."
While individuals have the opportunity to drop in and see their government officials at their office, Hinds said events like these may save constituents an entire day of hopping from building to building.
McCulloch-Dews said Friday's event was representative of an average day at the mayor's office, where staff members find themselves addressing a wide array of issues each day.
Not only does her office try to address each individuals concerns, but staff also tries to identify opportunities for residents to become involved in community groups with similar missions, she said.
"We have to adapt on the fly. ... You're always changing hats," McCulloch-Dews said. "It's good. It makes you feel engaged and you're hearing what people really care about."
Geller intends to continue to host "speed-repping" at least annually, and expand it to include representatives from the police and fire departments.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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Letter: “School Committee should restore Columbus Day”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 16, 2018
To the editor:
Our Pittsfield School Committee has always had the students' interests at heart. However, I take exception to the way it has voted to eliminate Columbus Day to make it Indigenous People's Day on the school calendar. Not only will students miss out on the achievements of Columbus, this vote proves to be very insensitive to our community.
It would be to our schools' advantage to have an age-appropriate curriculum on Christopher Columbus that would teach students the power of persistence, and the use of knowledge and intellect with which to pursue their dreams. Columbus was an exceptional navigator and remarkable explorer. He bravely navigated across an unknown "Sea of Darkness" in the Age of Discovery and landed on the island of Hispaniola.
Recorded history of the Americas and Caribbean starts with Columbus which gives historical significance to his voyages. There was no written history about these continents before his arrival in 1492.
Within the curriculum students would be made aware of the power of writing, as Columbus kept a diary, and of his diligence in mapmaking skills and in charting routes across the Atlantic Ocean, which are still in use by sailors today.
Unfortunately, Columbus has been accused of genocide which is untrue since he was in the Americas such a short time. Other facts state the native population died from diseases because they lacked immunity. These diseases were not transmitted deliberately.
Columbus is said to have been a strict governor while ruling the Indies. These and other issues, such as the selling of slaves as prisoners to Spain, was the custom of explorers in 15th century Europe, and can be discussed and explained at appropriate age levels. However, Columbus never owned any slaves or brought any to the Western Hemisphere from Africa.
Our schools should focus on the achievements and accomplishments of Columbus and the fact that he introduced European culture, with its many contributions, to the New World.
I sincerely hope the Pittsfield School Committee will reconsider its vote to change the Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous People's Day on the school calendar and add a more fair and balanced curriculum about him to our schools that would show sensibility, as well as sensitivity, to our community.
Maryann T. Sherman, Pittsfield
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Letter: "City failing responsibility to shelter and its animals"
The Berkshire Eagle, April 20, 2018
To the editor:
Dogs on hard plastic pallets; cats in a windowless broom closet. This partly describes the conditions under which animals existed in the Pittsfield municipal animal shelter 20 years ago, brought to light by Yvonne Borsody in her riveting letter (Eagle, April 11).
Today, Pittsfield's municipal animal shelter is managed by the Friends of Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter, a nonprofit public charity. Staff and many volunteers give homeless, helpless creatures the love and daily care they cannot survive without. But at the end of the month, the city is abandoning its warm, loving home for animals in need. The contract expires, and our tax dollars will no longer support the shelter.
Does the city have a viable alternative? Joseph Chague, the city's animal control officer, said that starting May 1, "I will be feeding, watering and caring for the dogs, as we did years ago." Can he do singlehandedly what is now being accomplished by a number of people? This, in addition to his current duties?
Is this the way we want our homeless animals cared for? The way they were cared for years ago?
Edna Dugas, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Museum trustees, city will lose this war”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 23, 2018
To the editor:
There are many troubling aspects to the sale of art treasures by the Berkshire Museum. Lawsuits, protests and letters from those who care deeply about the sale sadly did not stop the juggernaut of the museum's trustees to do what they want to do with irreplaceable masterpieces. In order to raise what the trustees claim is money needed to maintain the museum and change it into something incompatible with its charter, they are charging full speed ahead with their secretive and dubious objective.
In pursuing their aim, the trustees slandered those who oppose the sale as elitists, while proving that they are the elitists by simultaneously alleging that Berkshire County schools provide a substandard science and technology education to our students. Only the Berkshire Museum can save these children, they said, to the tune of $55 million.
A word of caution is provided by a recent article in The Washington Post, which outlined the qualities that Amazon is looking for when it builds a second headquarters. To attract top-level talent, the company is valuing cultural amenities.
From the article: "Art museums — which these days are much more than just places to look at art — play an outsize role in satisfying (potential employees). Their prestige and prominence make them prime tourist destinations. Their health and quality are also tied up with civic pride, with what makes a city desirable to live in. Just ask the people of Detroit. They almost lost whole chunks of their art museum's world-renowned collection when the city declared bankruptcy a few years ago. The collection, owned by the city, was considered an asset that could be sold off to pay the pensions of city employees. That nightmare scenario was averted, thankfully; the blow to civic pride would have been irreparable, its cascading consequences immeasurable."
The Berkshire Museum trustees' obstinate determination to sell off its assets will not be forgotten. They have already made the museum a pariah in the eyes of other museums and cultural bodies. At least one book will be written about this titanic struggle, and case studies will be taught at graduate schools of law, business and arts administration.
In the end, "Pittsfield" will be linked to an obdurate pursuit of money at the expense of community. The trustees may think they've won a battle, but they've lost in every respect except their bank account.
Sally White, Williamstown
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Letter: “Pittsfield shouldn't return to days of chip seal mess”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 26, 2018
To the editor:
Have you ever met anyone who has fond memories of chip seal? I haven't! I grew up with chip seal, it's a thing of the 1950s and '60s and just maybe the Stone Age too. Chip seal should not be considered for street repair in Pittsfield, as it compromises the quality of life in neighborhoods. Roads are designed for people, not just cars.
I remember when the city chip-sealed Kittredge Road in the '60s and all the kids in the neighborhood got tar all over their legs, hands, shoes and clothes and tracked it into their homes, getting it on the rugs and wood floors. I remember riding our bikes and hitting loose stones to have the wheel slide out from under us, causing us to crash down and have the stones rip up our knees and elbows. I remember tar on my dad's car, chipped paint; cracked windshields and hearing the sound of cars coming that were kicking up stones. I remember hot summer days smelling the melting tar and seeing it ooze through the stones and in the winter the snowplows pushing the stones two feet onto everyone's lawns.
I am so disappointed that Pittsfield is regressing in time and bringing back a process that devalues our homes and our city and compromises the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Once again Kittredge Road is scheduled for chip seal, I say keep it, I'd rather go without than live through the mess of chip seal again.
Christine Yon, Pittsfield
The writer is a former Ward 1 city councilor.
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Our Opinion: “Responsible decision on wastewater treatment plant”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, April 25, 2018
Pittsfield's wastewater treatment plant has been in need of an upgrade for a decade and Mayor Linda Tyer and the City Council can be proud that they are the leaders who have addressed it. With a strong push from the regional Environmental Protection Agency, Pittsfield will now bring a polluting, substandard facility up to speed.
By an 8-3 vote late Tuesday night, the City Council voted to authorize $74 million for the wastewater treatment plant upgrade. The authorization, which required a two-thirds vote in favor, failed by one vote in February, but Ward 5 City Councilor Donna Todd Rivers reversed her vote Tuesday night, stating that the looming EPA fines for non-compliance would burden taxpayers, and that after 10 years, the time for conversation was over. Along with Ms. Rivers, Council President Peter Marchetti, John Krol, Anthony Simonelli, Nicholas Caccamo, Earl Persip, III, Helen Moon and Peter White made difficult but necessary votes enabling Pittsfield to go forward with a compliant treatment plant.
Paying for the plant will result in a tripling of annual sewer bills over the next few years. However, as City Hall officials observed, the average two-toilet home now pays $248 a year in sewer bills, which is the lowest in the state (Eagle, April 25). Pittsfield will be catching up to other communities that have raised rates to address infrastructure needs.
In a recent visit to Pittsfield and The Berkshire Eagle, regional EPA Administrator Alexandra Dunn made it clear that federal EPA head Scott Pruitt wasn't going to personally let Pittsfield off the hook and that fines would be imminent if the city didn't have plans for an upgrade in place by August 1. To further kick the can down the road, exposing taxpayers to fines and the increased construction costs that accompany every delay, would have been irresponsible. It would also have been environmentally irresponsible as the plant is discharging aluminum, phosphorous and nitrogen into the Housatonic River in violation of EPA standards.
The authorization is a triumph for Mayor Tyer and her administration, including Finance Director Matt Kerwood. City Hall built a solid upgrade proposal, was transparent about its impact on residents, and continued to make a good case for the plan following the February City Council vote.
At Monday night's City Council Finance Committee meeting, councilors expressed concern that residents are confusing the two water infrastructure projects, the other being the $56 million upgrade for the city's drinking water plant (Eagle, April 25). The wastewater treatment plant upgrade was facing a deadline and had to be addressed first, but the drinking water plant upgrade is also of critical importance. We trust that city officials will face up to that reality as well.
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April 30, 2018
Re: Pittsfield politics is part of the problem
While I disagree with some of the lovely Linda Tyer's decisions, I still believe she has Pittsfield's best interests at heart.
Pittsfield is a post-industrial northeast community that has serious socioeconomic problems and issues. I believe Pittsfield politics is part of the problem because they don't represent the common people!
Many young adults move out of the Berkshires due to the harsh economy. The people who stay are either well off or are working taxpayer-funded jobs or are on disability/welfare.
When I was in my mid-20's 16-years ago, I looked for a job - any job - in Pittsfield for one whole year of my adult life without success. I came away thinking I had better odds winning the lottery jackpot than finding a job in the community I grew up in.
I understand that Pittsfield politics is ran by the Good Old Boys. They are a group of inbred local families that control the one political party system by fear and economic inequality. If you speak out against the G.O.B., they take away your job. If you continue to speak out against the G.O.B., they blacklist you and spread vicious rumors against you until you move out of Pittsfield.
Pittsfield politics is totally corrupt! Thousands of people have moved out of Pittsfield and the Berkshires. Thousands of jobs have been lost, too. All of the bad news only makes the G.O.B. more powerful! That is the sad reality about Pittsfield!
Good people have tried to make Pittsfield a better place to live and work, but the G.O.B. keeps running Pittsfield into the proverbial ditch!
- Jonathan Melle
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An aerial view of Pittsfield during one of its boom periods; a new group in the city wants growth again.
Berkshire Eagle File Photo
“'Working City Wednesday': Pittsfield nonprofits put their heads together to shrink poverty, grow community”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, April 30, 2018
PITTSFIELD — One Wednesday every month, an intergenerational pool of ambitious residents get together over dinner to discuss their ideas on how to make the city a better, more inclusive, place.
The unique part about these "Working City Wednesday" meetings: those ideas often come to fruition.
"You don't have to have an idea, but you have to be willing to participate in someone else's idea," said Alisa Costa, initiative director of
Working Cities Pittsfield.
In June 2016, the
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston selected Pittsfield as one of eight cities in the state to be awarded $475,000 to pursue neighborhood revitalization, workforce development and improving access to economic opportunity.
The goal for the Pittsfield team, which is made up of representatives from
nearly two dozen nonprofits and agencies, is to ensure that in 10 years the people in the lower tiers of income in Pittsfield will be more healthy, engaged in their community, and socially accepted; and that
the number of people living in poverty will shrink.
As a part of the initiative's "community engagement" component, Costa put together the "Working Cities Wednesdays" meetings, during which members of the public get together at different venues and have two minutes to pitch their ideas for projects that can improve the city.
Individuals then split into groups for about 30 minutes and collaborate on how to make these ideas a reality, putting together a detailed strategy of the next steps to take.
At the end, everyone reconvenes and shares their goals for the next month.
"Everyone in this room is on the same level," Costa told a group of about 30 at the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center on Wednesday, urging them to not introduce themselves with professional titles and to avoid using acronyms.
The results include nonprofits and residents from throughout the city teaming up to provide resources to accomplish common goals.
Projects that have come out of the meetings include the City Street Ride, organized by 25-year-old Nicholas Russo and Kate Lauzon of the Morningside Initiative, and the Rose & Cole's Co-op Transport, a startup focusing on providing affordable transportation in the city.
"Entrepreneurs are starting to come to this space sometimes to test and get ideas," Costa said.
At the most recent meeting, residents discussed how to bolster the city's community gardens and put together the history of the West Side neighborhood of Pittsfield.
Offering dinner and child care at every meeting ensures that all city residents, even those with young children, have an opportunity to be active in their city, Costa said.
When the group began meeting, Costa was using a more traditional meeting style, with a full agenda put together before each event, but the Working Cities team decided to restructure it in a way that encourages more people to become involved, she said.
Today, the Pittsfield meeting style is used as a model for other Working Cities groups in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, according to Colleen Dawicki, Working Cities manager in the Boston Fed's Regional & Community Outreach department.
"One thing that stood out to us about the Pittsfield team was how enthusiastic the team was, but also how learning-oriented," Dawicki said. "The team was really willing to dig in in ways that really went above and beyond what we're looking for."
Dawicki said she is in touch with the Pittsfield team at least once a month to check in on their progress and accomplishments in the city.
One of the most important goals of Working Cities, which Pittsfield is succeeding in, is to
change the culture within city leadership to make it more inclusive and collaborative, Dawicki said.
Costa and Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanities representative Carolyn Valli have been asked to present their work to newer teams in Connecticut and a team from Newport, Rhode Island recently took a bus to Pittsfield to observe a Wednesday meeting, Dawicki said.
"What I'm really excited about is the degree that we've been able to showcase the Pittsfield team as a model," she said.
The funding for Working Cities, including leadership training programs it offers outside of the Wednesday community meetings, spans through September of 2019, but the team is in the process of looking for ways to sustain the work through other means.
A lot of the work currently pursued by the team focuses on the Morning Side and West Side neighborhoods in the city, which currently have
the highest poverty rates and lower rates of employment and civic engagement, Costa said.
Pittsfield and the Berkshires can't thrive unless those neighborhoods are also thriving, she said.
At a civil engagement conference at MCLA on Saturday, Costa spoke about flipping the culture of leadership.
A lot of the time, organizations look at neighborhoods in poverty and decide for them how to fix their problems, without ever reaching out to those communities, Costa said.
"People in poverty know what they need, we just haven't asked them for the most part," she said.
Working Cities is working to change that.
"I really do see the work here is very important because our destinies are all intertwined," Costa said. "All of us need to work together."
The next Working Cities Wednesday meeting will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 23 and The Christian Center on Robbins Avenue.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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Our Opinion: “Working together to combat poverty”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, April 30, 2018
The Working Cities Pittsfield coalition has only been around since June 2016, but it has created enough buzz that its approach to solving the complex and intractable problem of poverty is attracting attention from other cities. The nonprofit organization came to life after Pittsfield was selected by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston as one of eight cities to receive multi-year $475,000 grants to discover and develop ways to eliminate poverty. The motivating philosophy of the Working Cities program is that the overall health of a community depends upon all members participating working together as equals — both those doing the helping and those being helped.
Working Cities Pittsfield has an impressive roster of sponsoring companies and agencies willing to contribute resources — over two dozen, ranging from Berkshire Health Systems to Jacob's Pillow — which is impressive by itself, but what Working Cities Pittsfield does best is listen to people (Eagle, April 30). It meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month, and the meetings are characterized not by their top-down structure, but by their welcoming, cooperative attitude toward those the organization exists to help. It goes out of its way to make those meetings as accessible as possible — providing dinner, childcare and even a $20 stipend to those who take the trouble to attend. This forges a special working relationship precisely because it discards the traditional approach of civic leaders (those who belong to the class of "haves") deciding on their own what is best for the have-nots and imposing these solutions whether or not they are welcome, or even needed. The Working Cities model, wherein participants are discouraged from using titles or any kind of honorific that would distinguish one member from another, presupposes that those caught in the grip of a system that perpetuates poverty know what is required to free themselves.
At the meetings, any good idea is fair game. Participants come to pitch ideas, ranging from a couple of already-successful ride share companies that transport people to important appointments, to a free bus to bring Pittsfield children to Jacob's Pillow, to construction of an LGBTQUIA float for Pittsfield's Fourth of July Parade. Ideas are discussed, working groups developed, and nuts-and-bolts ways are devised to make them happen, along with providing specific goals and detailed strategies to be pursued before the next meeting.
Collaboration is the key to success for this group that now has Working Cities teams from other towns venturing to Pittsfield to learn its methodology. As Colleen Dawicki, Working Cities manager in the Boston Fed's Regional & Community Outreach department told The Eagle, what is really important is that the Pittsfield group has succeeded in changing the culture of city leadership to make it more inclusive and collaborative. Put simply, it's a matter of respect and an acknowledgment that every member of a community is deserving of dignity regardless of their income level. Once this barrier has been surmounted, the societal impediments that encourage generational poverty can be addressed with greater ease. It's what Working Cities Pittsfield is all about as it seeks to create a community whose members look out for each other.
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“Pittsfield City Council petition calls on Berkshire Medical Center to give payment in lieu of taxes”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, May 3, 2018
PITTSFIELD — Two city councilors filed a petition Wednesday calling on the county's largest employer to do more to help the city during trying financial times.
Ward 1 Councilor Helen Moon and Ward 6 Councilor John Krol request Berkshire Medical Center, which is largely tax-exempt, to pay the city $1 million in a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program. Though the hospital does pay some taxes for nonexempt properties, the councilors argue it would serve its mission to give more of its surplus back to the community.
"I don't think this is that controversial," Krol said, adding PILOT agreements exist in Springfield, Northampton, Worcester and Boston. "It's the right thing to do on behalf of the taxpayers."
If the organization were taxed as a commercial entity, the Pittsfield Assessor's Office confirmed, its annual tax bill would land around $4.8 million. BMC currently pays about $600,000 a year, making it the fourth-largest taxpayer in the city.
A spokesman for BMC said in a statement that the city has already explored PILOT programs and decided they weren't a good fit for Pittsfield.
"The Pittsfield PILOT Study Group concluded that such a program would be unwise for the city, in part because of the manner in which local charities already contribute to the city's financial well-being," said Michael Leary, director of media relations for Berkshire Health Systems. "Like other charitable hospitals in Massachusetts, Berkshire Health Systems annually makes substantial community benefit expenditures and publicly reports those expenditures to the Attorney General and the Internal Revenue Service. Each year, these expenditures have averaged in excess of $10 million a year."
From staff time for police and fire to infrastructure, councilors said the city provides BMC with valuable resources. Meantime, health insurance costs eat up an ever-increasing chunk of the municipal budget as the city struggles to cover essential services. This year that portion is about $24 million.
"Berkshire Health Systems is the ultimate recipient of a significant portion of what the City of Pittsfield pays for health insurance," the petition reads.
As the city feels the squeeze, councilors said, BMC enjoys annual revenues in excess of $40 million. And taxpayers are tapped, Moon said.
"BMC has the unique position of being a nonprofit but profiting a lot of money, " said Moon, who works as a nurse employed through BHS. "They are providing a necessary and valuable service, but they're also doing it at a premium."
Moon said she questions whether the city receives $4 million in services to justify the taxes BMC avoids.
"Should we be paying $24 million in health insurance premiums instead of funding school services?" she asked. "There has to be some give somewhere."
Krol and Moon both wanted to clarify that they have no interest in pursuing PILOT programs for other Pittsfield nonprofits. They said large hospitals like BMC are outliers in terms of excess revenues and the amount of city services they require.
"We wanted to make it extraordinarily clear we were not looking to tax a soup kitchen, or the Christian Center," Krol said. "They are completely different animals."
Moon said she makes this request with taxpayers in mind
"We are all part of one community, and can we work together to alleviate some of the burden that's on us as a city?" she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Carole Diehl and Rosemary Starace: “Save the Art's questions for museum”
By Carol Diehl & Rosemary Starace, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, May 3, 2018
PITTSFIELD — Beginning with an agreement signed with Sotheby's auction house before announcing to the public its plans to sell the 40 most-prized artworks in its collection, the Berkshire Museum has operated behind a veil of secrecy not befitting a non-profit institution. While recent legal rulings from the attorney general and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court allow the museum to proceed with its plans to sell up to $55 million of its art, as Linda Kaye-Moses wrote recently in The Eagle, "Judicial approval does not necessarily lead to judicious action."
Indeed, this sale sets a precedent that threatens all art and artifacts in the public trust held not only by museums, but libraries and historical societies as well. Therefore, the citizens' group SAVE THE ART—SAVE THE MUSEUM (STA) continues to ask the museum leadership to halt the sales, take advantage of unprecedented national attention to initiate vigorous fundraising, and embark on a mission that includes full fiscal transparency, community engagement and ethical museum practice.
Everyone desires a healing of the rift this dispute has caused in the community, yet the policy of secrecy that led to the unnecessary division remains. Museum leadership has steadfastly refused all requests from STA to participate in public forums and as recently as mid-April, following their court victory, declined to be interviewed by Carrie Saldo on WGBY Public Television for Western New England.
Community needs answers
Given that these are the community's artworks, the money derived also belongs to the community, which therefore deserves to know how it will be used. If the museum expects to restore any of its former trusted relationship with the public, the following questions must be answered:
— Who is covering the Museum's legal fees, estimated to be at least $1M?
— If Sotheby's is paying the legal fees, to what extent is the Museum beholden to the auction house? Is their agreement with that international corporation the reason the Museum has not responded to community pressure to pull the artworks from auction?
— If the museum is covering its own legal fees, are they drawing from the endowment they have already characterized as insufficient? Is this the kind of expenditure donors were led to believe they were funding when they contributed to the museum? The attorney general's office (AGO) has told STA that even they do not know who is paying the legal fees. If so, we must ask, how thorough was their investigation into the fiscal health of the Museum? Where is the AGO's report that explains its radical change of heart from strong indictment in mid-January to approval only weeks later?
— In place of direct contact with the public, the museum leadership has chosen to speak through professional public relations firms. What are these costs?
— What are the terms of the museum's agreement with George Lucas, whose Museum for Narrative Art is buying Norman Rockwell's painting, Shuffleton's Barbershop? How much did it sell for? Who brokered that sale? What was their fee? What are the net proceeds?
— In July, when the deaccession plans were announced, the museum reported an $8 million endowment. By December, it had been reduced to $6 million. What explains this difference?
Why the huge deficit?
— The museum says it has been operating with a $1 million yearly budget deficit for many years. What are the reasons for this shortfall? (The Albany Institute of History and Art, an institution of similar size and demographic, mounts exhibitions reviewed by the New York Times and employs two curators where the Berkshire Museum has none — on an annual budget of approximately $500,000 less.]
— How does the museum justify its need for a $40 million endowment, nearly 10 times that of other museums of its size and demographic? How, where, and by whom will this endowment be invested?
— What specific plans does the museum have for the proceeds from the sale? Where is the mission statement that informs its strategic plan for the next five years? What does it intend to accomplish and how it will be realized — not just financially but in terms of attendance and service to the community? Beyond the "New Vision," which appears to be geared to children, how will the museum's exhibitions and programming address the rest of the community?
— Has the museum revisited its original controversial architectural plans? How will the community's investment in preserving the historical integrity of the architecture be addressed?
The museum owes the community the answers to these questions.
Carol Diehl of Housatonic and Rosemary Starace of Pittsfield write for SAVE THE ART — SAVE THE MUSEUM.
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“Health care agreement will save Pittsfield $1.5 million”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, May 4, 2018
PITTSFIELD — The city will save about $1.5 million in health insurance costs in the coming fiscal year under an agreement with a coalition of city employees, officials said.
The agreement, which shifts municipal employee costs from 15 percent to 20 percent over six years, was particularly important, given soaring health care costs and the city's tight financial situation, according to Finance Director Matt Kerwood.
Without the savings, he said, "there would have been reductions in other places in order to absorb that."
The Pittsfield Employee Committee represents all benefit-eligible city employees and retirees — 1,138 and 1,475, respectively — and the new contract begins July 1. Mayor Linda Tyer said the agreement is unprecedented, and it offers breathing room as she and her team prepare a budget for fiscal year 2019.
"The impact that that's having on our budget is, it's providing some relief to our levy ceiling constraints," Tyer said Thursday. "It means we are not seeing a reduction in force. It means we are able to implement a couple of new initiatives — a couple of low-cost but high-impact initiatives."
The preliminary budget will be public Friday, in time for an initial City Council review Tuesday. The PEC agreement was an important piece of that puzzle, Tyer said.
"Reaching this agreement reflects the shared responsibility that our employees accept and it signifies the good-faith collaboration that the city has with its employees," she said. "At each step of the way, there was give on both sides."
Brendan Sheran, chairman of the committee, said the union has been working on the agreement for nearly a year, and began formally bargaining in February.
He said six-year agreements are unusual, and this is a first for Pittsfield.
"I think that's a plus for everybody, because having a long-term agreement allows for more details and sustainability," he said. "By making some structural changes along the way, we can sort of mitigate the premium increases over the course of the six years."
The shift will only affect active employees, Kerwood and Sheran said. Retirees and Medicare recipients will continue to pay the same 15 percent cost share. The agreement also adds a low-premium, high-deductible option, accompanied by a tax-free savings account that employees can use to safeguard themselves against costs incurred before reaching the deductible.
"Any time you go into a negotiation, you want to come away with something you all can live with," Sheran said. "We thought the whole package ultimately worked for us."
Sheran called the agreement "a win," while acknowledging that union representatives were willing to take on more of the cost burden given the city's financial situation. He said the union wouldn't want the city to have to lay off more employees in order to get out from under mounting financial pressure.
He hailed the process as a positive one, noting "this isn't all puppies and rainbows in other cities and towns."
That said, swollen health care costs must be addressed at the system level, Sheran said.
"If we had a single-payer system," he said, "cities and towns would be a whole heck of a lot better off."
Kerwood said it's also important to emphasize overall health and personal wellness in light of the national health care debacle.
"If you have a healthier population, you have less claims," he said. "If you're not incurring claims, you're not paying claims."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “State pushing too hard on marijuana sales”
The Berkshire Eagle, May 4, 2018
To the editor:
How many pot-selling and growing establishments do we need? We have a major drug epidemic going on and no one is taking the time to see how this new type of business is going to affect our minds and bodies.
When opioid pain pills were first introduced they also claimed they were not addictive, selling that notion to all the doctors that prescribe them. If pot is is a true medical treatment there is no reason to have all these pot-selling and growing places jumping up all over in every town in our county. They have news stories selling us this stupid notion that pot cures almost everything. The newest one being that it can help with drug addiction. This is a drug, it affects your mind. I would hope that someone limits the number of establishments that can operate in our county.
I smoked pot as a younger person and I am not against anyone smoking a couple of joints. Like everything, it can get out of hand. The government has legalized it for recreational use, but look whose pockets are getting filled with the legalization.
Whether it is used for medical or recreational use, it should be limited till we see the full effects it has on people. It is a drug.
Melissa Hassoun, Dalton
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“Tyer Releases Proposed FY19 Budget”
iBerkshires.com Staff Reports, May 5, 2018
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Linda Tyer has put forth an FY19 budget calling for a 1.8 percent increase in total expenditures.
On Friday, the mayor released her proposed $167.6 million spending plan. That reflects a $2.8 million increase from the current year. The City Council will be asked to raise and appropriate a total of $159.9 million of that.
"In FY19 we continue to be challenged in the form of a levy ceiling constraint. However, the FY19 budget renews our commitment to strategies that will foster increased property values and inspire new growth through private investment. Safe neighborhoods that are free from blighted conditions, competitive public schools that prepare our students for a global economy and engaged citizenship, and streamlining strategies for advancing economic growth are top priorities," Tyer wrote as a preface to the budget.
"The success of these initiatives is one of the key components to overcoming the constraints of the levy ceiling. We have witnessed the beginnings of an upward trend. The FY18 re-valuation showed an overall increase in property values across most categories and the city's real estate market is trending positively."
The proposed operating budget is requested to be $148,465,621, which is $3.4 million more than last year, and the enterprise account budgets are eyed to be $11,531,024, which is a $154,529 increase. Those account for the $159,996,645 the City Council needs to appropriate.
Meanwhile, other expenditures will be dropping from $8,331,641 last year to $7,656,831 this year - a decline of $674,810 or 8.1 percent. The other expenditures line consists of a number of items such as assessments, school choice, and other cherry sheet offsets to state aid. Typically these are items charged against the city's state aid prior to disbursement as well as retained earnings from the enterprise funds.
The city is seeing a $1.4 million boost in state aid, most of which is in the form of Chapter 70 school aid. Some $52.4 million is expected in state support and local receipts are expected to make up just short of $12 million. The mayor is also asking the City Council to use $1 million in free cash to offset the tax rate.
"This proposal includes increases in the following fixed costs: 1) a $525,000 increase in health insurance; 2) a $1,112,324 increase in retirement contribution; 3) a $1,285,809 in long-term debt payments, principal, and interest; and 4) a $94,787 increase is solid waste collection and disposal," the mayor wrote.
The largest driver of the operating budget is $60,492,869 for the School Department. That represents a $426,531 increase, which is specifically eyed to bolster the therapeutic program at the elementary school level and bring back paraprofessionals to the kindergarten classrooms, which were cut last year.
The school had asked for about a $900,000 increase but the mayor opted to shift about a $500,000 payment for school buses from the school budget and into the municipal side - thus equating for at least some of the increase in debt payments.
"This budget proposal supports staffing a full and comprehensive elementary therapeutic program. The therapeutic program of the Pittsfield Public Schools is a specialized program that services students with individualized education plans who will also benefit from specialized, focused social and emotional learning opportunities, both as individuals and within a group setting," Tyer wrote.
"This program will serve students in grades K-5 by providing a safe, personalized learning experience in a setting that includes school adjustment counselor support, licensed academic and special education teachers, paraprofessional support where needed, and an in-house director to case management students and to serve as a direct communication link among the school, outside agencies, and families."
The budget was significantly helped by a recent agreement between the Public Employees Committee and the city regarding health insurance. The city was looking at a $2 million increase in health insurance if no changed had been made to the health insurance plans during negotiations with all of the city's unions. The new six-year agreement is expected to save the city $1.5 million this upcoming year - thus mitigating the expected increase to around $500,000.
"Reaching this agreement reflects the shared responsibility, the deep commitment, and the good faith collaboration between the city and its employees. The anticipated savings over the six-year agreement will be vital to the long-term sustainability of the city's finances by gradually shifting more out-of-pocket costs for direct services, such as co-pays, to the employees," Tyer wrote.
The budget does not call for any reductions in staffing and Tyer said 11 departments are either level-funded or seeing a reduction.
The proposal isn't absent of all new initiatives. The mayor is asking for a new diversity and inclusion initiative in the Personnel Department.
"The mission of this initiative is to ensure that the city's workforce reflects the diversity of the city's citizens with a strategic focus on recruiting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent," Tyer wrote.
"Outstanding service in our citizens depends upon our organization's commitment to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel respected, valued, and empowered to maximize their skills and talents. This initiative includes marketing and advertising, an internship program, training and development, and inclusion practices."
That new line is proposed to be funded at $5,000 and even with that included, the Personnel Department will still be seeing about a $200,000 decrease. The biggest cutback on that departmental budget is $6,500 for assessment centers, which were used during this past year to fill the ranks of top positions in the Police Department. Now that those are filled, the city will need to run fewer assessment centers this coming year.
Looking forward, the mayor said her administration is looking to complete an efficiency study to implement increase operations and develop a home improvement initiative to help residents increase home values.
"I am optimistic that we can survive and thrive beyond these existing fiscal conditions through strategic action. The actions we take today will yield steady returns toward the city's long-term fiscal stability," Tyer wrote.
The City Council will hold a series of meetings throughout the rest of the month to debate the budget. The mayor's budget proposal is available below.
Link: http://www.iberkshires.com/story/57299/Tyer-Releases-Proposed-FY19-Budget.html
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Letter: “This is the reward for 'Crane's Finest'”
The Berkshire Eagle, May 6, 2018
To the editor:
In regard to Frank McDonald's letter (Eagle, May 1), I too am a Crane & Company retiree and also received the letter about termination of our life insurance. This was one of the benefits we planned on for our funeral expenses. I also called the insurance company and was told that, at 90 years old, they would not cover me.
Recently I made arrangements with a local funeral home for my burial. I thank them for their kindness and understanding. Please, God, let me live long enough to finish this commitment.
When you worked at Crane's you were considered part of their family. We worked hard and gave them our best. We were also ready to work overtime on short notice. I think we all helped to make Crane's what it is today.
Now, at a time when we are in our golden years and handicapped, we receive this unacceptable news. Too old to get more life insurance and we cannot expect our families to help. They are struggling to provide for their families and have everyday pressures.
When will the "other shoe" drop? What will be the next termination? Is this our reward for all those loyal years and sacrifice?
"Crane's Finest," we were.
Elaine Fox, Hinsdale
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“Councilors must listen to voters on chip sealing”
The Berkshire Eagle, May 9, 2018
To the editor:
We have been following the recent City Council debate on the petition to stop chip-sealing our city streets. What I find most interesting is that by the councilors' own admission their constituents do not want chip sealing. Councilors are elected to represent the wants and needs of the people. Our taxes continue to rise and what the citizens of Pittsfield are asking for is a very basic quality of life request in return for taxes paid, a decent street to live on, walk on, ride bikes on, and push baby carriages on. A street that gives value to their homes by increasing curb appeal, a street that does not destroy their pristine lawns they work hard to maintain, a street that does not deposit tar all over their cars, shoes and rugs.
People get angry when their taxes continue to rise and their very basic quality of life issues are not met. So I ask, please, councilors, do your job and represent your people.
Bernie and Eleanor Auge, Pittsfield
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"Council bans "chip seal" road work"
By Jonathan Levine, Editor & Publisher of the Pittsfield Gazette, May 10, 2018
Pittsfield is reverting to a policy of not “chip sealing” streets. Councilors voted 6 to 5 during a nearly five-hour meeting Tuesday to prohibit the city from using the low-cost “chip-seal” process on any “accepted” roadway. The action followed a “public microphone” session during which 12 residents voiced their dislike for chip sealing.” I have a big issue with the property being damaged with chip seal,” said Judith Ladd. Paul Durwin called chip sealing “a maintenance con job foisted on the residents.” Cher Eastwood said the practice is pennywise but pound foolish. “Think of the damage you’re doing, not money saving,” he stated. “It’s a very basic quality of life request,” said Chris Yon. The crowd turned out in response to a petition from ward one councilor Helen Moon, who sought a ban on the practice planned for six streets in her district. The full council had amended her petition to call for a prohibition on use of the “chip seal” process of loose stones on all streets. However the public works subcommittee, on which Moon sits, voted 2 to 3 to recommend that the petition not be approved. “I would like to see my streets in ward one milled and paved, not chip sealed,” emphasized Moon. She didn’t want the overall petition to be rejected, suggesting a compromise that would prohibit chip sealing on “accepted streets” or for “routine maintenance.” Moon’s modification caused further angst as the meaning of “routine maintenance” wasn’t clear. The chip seal ban had supportive colleagues. “There’s no doubt in my mind we have to put an end to chip sealing,” said at-large councilor Pete White. Even some opponents of the ban voiced distaste for chip sealing. “I don’t like chip sealing,” said ward 7 councilor Tony Simonelli. However he said for dirt roads and other streets otherwise receiving no service, chip sealing can be popular. There also were concerns that banning chip sealing would cause streets scheduled for work to end up with nothing. “This decision is going to change things,” said ward 5 councilor Donna Todd Rivers. Public works commissioner David Turocy will abide by any policy, but warned that only using pricier pavement work means he’ll ”slide some of that work off.” At-large councilor Melissa Mazzeo echoed that warning, saying “be careful what you wish for.” She said the city can’t afford to boost spending, so a chip seal ban means less roads get funded. Ultimately Moon was joined by Chris Connell, Pete White, John Krol, Peter Marchetti and Nick Caccamo in voting for the modified chip seal ban for accepted streets.
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May 15, 2018
Re: Pittsfield politics' economic inequality problem
The thing that bothers me most about Pittsfield politics is the high level of economic inequality, and that the G.O.B. uses fear and the harsh local economy to their advantage. I have read about Pittsfield's economic inequality in the news media on all levels: locally, statewide, and nationally. The reason why Pittsfield has so many poor or near poverty people is because there are no living wage jobs left. If you want a job in Pittsfield, you have to be politically-connected to the G.O.B., which is made up of inbred, interrelated, multigenerational families. My favorite example is Luciforo, whose late-father was a State Senator and Judge, his uncle as a Pittsfield State Representative, and his late-Aunt was Pittsfield's first woman Mayor, as well as a career BCC Professor. If you are Luciforo, Pittsfield will connect you with whatever you want, from being a political hack on Beacon Hill, to being a bureaucrat at the Pittsfield Registry of Deeds, to being a marijuana seller on Dalton Avenue. But, if you are someone like me, who dislikes Nuciforo and the G.O.B. that runs Pittsfield politics, you get to pound sand at the unemployment office on North Street. Indeed, when I lived in the Pittsfield area as a young man years ago, I had better odds winning the lottery jackpot than finding a living wage job. It is not just me, it is the sad reality for a majority of Pittsfield residents who would like to make $20/hour with benefits, but instead make $12/hour at 3 part-time jobs without benefits. To illustrate my point, it is a fact that all K - 6 Pittsfield public school students receive free school lunches due to the poverty and inequality. It has been over a generation since GE cut its job opportunities in Pittsfield. Since then, Pittsfield has raised taxes and public debts to high per capita levels, while thousands of people and jobs have been lost. The bottom line is that G.O.B. doesn't care and won't address the issues of poverty and inequality facing the people who live in Pittsfield.
- Jonathan Melle
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May 26, 2018
I am a disabled Veteran. Nashua is a nice city, but I live west of there in Amherst, New Hampshire.
My point is that Pittsfield is a place of great economic inequality. Pittsfield uses the excuse that GE left town, but that was over a generation ago. They have done nothing to provide employment opportunities to the working class in 3 decades. Instead, they raise taxes and drive out the middle class. It is a fact that thousands of people have had to move out of Pittsfield. It is also a fact that thousands of jobs have been lost in Pittsfield. Once jobs are lost, they ain't comin' back in our lifetime!
The only people who can afford Pittsfield are the wealthy and the poor. The only people who are well taken care of in Pittsfield are the Good Old Boys and the vested interests group.
I believe Pittsfield and North Adams are run on the economic concept of "perverse incentives"! To be clear, I believe the severe economic inequality in the Berkshires are by the design of the one political party system of G.O.B. political hacks who do nothing to bring living wage jobs to the poor people who could really use them. I detail my ordeal as a then young man living in the Pittsfield area years ago on my blog page:
http://jonathanmelleonpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/11/pittsfields-revitalization-via-perverse.html
I close by asking the following questions: "Why are there no living wage jobs in Pittsfield for the poor people who need them to get out of poverty?" "Why does Pittsfield's unequal economic model of "perverse incentives" continue decade after decade after decade?" "Is the one political party system of political hacks that important to the Good Old Boys' hold on power in an acutely economically unequal community?"
- Jonathan Melle
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June 1, 2018
Imagine a city ran by the Good Old Boys for the past 5 generations that saw thousands of people move away along with thousands of jobs lost, while taxes increased by 5% per fiscal year along with hundreds of millions of dollars in municipal debts, along with an empty business park called PEDA that is polluted with industrial chemicals called PCBs, that has severe rates of economic inequality, high per capita welfare caseloads, and violent crime, drugs, and gangs.
Pittsfield politics has been ran by the “Doyle debacle”, the “Hathaway hack”, the “Ruberto regime”, and the “Bianchi bust”!
I enjoy reading Dan Valenti’s blog about Pittsfield politics! I find it interesting how a dying town is still being ran by the Good Old Boys, while the people suffer with socioeconomic issues of high taxes, no living wage jobs, economic inequality, overpriced public schools, and other hardships. Why do the G.O.B.s still hold political power after Pittsfield ended up in the proverbial ditch? It makes no sense, but at lease Dan Valenti writes about it all.
- Jonathan Melle
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“Pittsfield City Council preliminarily approves $160M budget”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, June 6, 2018
PITTSFIELD — Additional state revenue will likely spare the city from a power struggle that reared its head Tuesday evening between the City Council and Mayor Linda Tyer, she told The Eagle on Wednesday.
The council preliminarily approved a $159.98 million spending plan for the coming fiscal year during its final budget hearing, which stretched late into Tuesday night. The mayor's $1 million free cash appropriation request failed in an 8-3 vote by the council, putting into question whether or not the budget will balance, and in a split vote $4 million in water and sewer maintenance also failed to pass.
The preliminary budget passed by the council also includes $8.83 million in capital spending for projects like a new police station, demolition and resurfacing of the Columbus Avenue parking garage, and roadway resurfacing.
On Tuesday the City Council will make final decisions on the fiscal year 2019 budget, which takes effect July 1. Between now and Tuesday, Tyer said, she'll work to change council minds with regard to borrowing the $4 million in water and sewer funds, as well as track an additional $1 million in state reimbursements that could displace the need for the free cash order bucked by the council.
Though councilors voted to make slight reductions throughout the budget process — a $65,000 line item that would have replaced carpets at Pittsfield High School the largest among them — Tyer said she's happy with the final product.
"I'm really pleased that our budget has remained fairly intact," she said Wednesday. "I think that it is a responsible budget that takes into account our our fiscal constraints and community expectations about what our government should be doing."
Councilor Melissa Mazzeo said she rejected the water and sewer borrowing authorization because $74 million that the city is borrowing for wastewater upgrades, required by the Environmental Protection Agency, is already too much money to spend on wastewater over the next fiscal year. Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell said he couldn't support borrowing more for water and sewer maintenance given his stance that the city should enter a public-private partnership to manage its wastewater operation.
Connell also moved to refer the free cash request back to Tyer, asking she increase the appropriation by $500,000. The increase would mean the city would take $500,000 more out of reserves to balance the budget rather than raising them in property taxes — a move that under a single tax rate would save taxpayers about $14 per $100,000 in property valuation during the next fiscal year, Finance Director Matt Kerwood said.
Connell successfully convinced his colleagues the move would provide some needed relief to taxpayers, in light of increased property valuations, tax rate increases and the promise of rising sewer bills.
"It was a double hit to all the taxpayers here in Pittsfield," Connell said Wednesday of property tax bills. "We've been hitting them too hard."
Connell, Mazzeo, Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Simonelli and Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi argued for more cuts throughout the process but were not always successful.
"It was the best I could do," Connell said. "There were only of a few of us trying to make any changes in the budget."
Tyer said the free cash debate "was quite a surprise to me." She said councilors and auditors alike have in previous years pushed to store more free cash and stop relying on it to balance the budget.
"We've got to build our reserves," she said. "It's precisely why we built a budget around only using $1 million in free cash."
Still, she said, the debate may not need to continue given an additional $1 million in school reimbursements likely heading to Pittsfield, if state numbers hold. She said the additional revenue would reduce the amount of funds the city would need to raise to balance the budget.
If those funds fall through, she said, she could again ask the council to appropriate free cash funds at any time in order to make ends meet.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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June 7, 2018
Pittsfield politics is in frustration mode concerning the fiscal year 2019 municipal budget, which will be voted on at the City Council meeting on Tuesday evening, June 12th, 2018. Only the lovely Linda Tyer disagrees with the frustration that the City Councilors and hard-hit taxpayers feel. What is worse, City Council Prez Peter Marchetti wants to limit the time of the budget hearings by having editorial powers over City Councilors speech. Who the hell does Peter Marchetti think he is? The government belongs to the people who pay the tax bills for the government!
...."I am going to start a process of undertaking looking at how long each councilor has spoken and try to find a way to limit the amount of speaking that can take place at the meeting".... - Peter Marchetti
http://wamc.org/post/pittsfield-city-council-expresses-frustration-budget-hearings
- Jonathan Melle
Here is a follow-up news story on Peter Marchetti’s pledge to shorten City Council meetings.
http://wamc.org/post/pittsfield-city-council-president-pledges-shorten-meetings
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“Look Ahead, Pittsfield: Budget battle unfolds Tuesday night”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, June 10, 2018
Keeping tabs on everything happening in Pittsfield is a full-time job. Mine, in fact.
From looming projects like the $74 million wastewater upgrade, to roadway chip sealing, mosquito spray and other important City Council considerations, this city in the woods can keep us all guessing. I like to keep a running notebook packed with Pittsfield issues so that I'm not caught off-guard — or less likely to be, anyway. Here's an inside look at things I have my eye on this week.
Budget battles
The budget is a big one. Approving the final product is arguably the most important municipal decision of the year, and it's happening this week during the City Council meeting, at 7 p.m. in the library of Pittsfield High School.
The budget process to date was wrought with power struggles between councilors and Mayor Linda Tyer, as in tight times, leaders worked to track a line between tightening our belts and holding the line on city services. Last week, the council rejected a $4 million borrowing plan for water and sewer maintenance, and they bucked a request from the mayor to appropriate $1 million in free cash to balance the budget for the coming fiscal year. If the council and the mayor do not resolve their differences on the free cash front, it's possible they will be voting on a deficit budget for the year beginning July 1.
The budget includes funds for a new police station, road resurfacing, and demolition of the Columbus Avenue parking garage.
Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day?
During the last City Council meeting, we heard from several members of Italian heritage groups in Pittsfield angered by the School Committee's decision in January to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day in the school calendar. Ward 7 Councilor Tony Simonelli has filed a petition calling on his colleagues to join him and local Italians in opposing the School Committee's decision. That item also appears on Tuesday's meeting agenda.
PPD promotion
In a shift in command staffing at the Pittsfield Police Department, Michael Grady will be promoted to captain this week. He is a 23-year veteran of the department.
Marijuana outreach meeting
More marijuana movement is coming our way this week as another cultivation operation, which has not yet applied for city approvals, will host a community outreach meeting Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Berkshire Athenaeum.
So far, the city approved four special permits for retail shops — Berkshire Roots on Dalton Avenue, Temescal Wellness on Callahan Drive, Kryppies on East Street and Colonial Cannabis on South Street — and OK'd two cultivation operations — Mass Yield behind the East Street shop and Commonwealth Cultivation on Downing Industrial Parkway. City planners say they've heard from interested parties who could soon apply for permits, including two marijuana manufacturers and a marijuana testing lab.
Utility info in the mail
Residents could also start seeing mailers this week reminding folks about another enrollment period in the residential aggregation program, which City Hall reports saved residents a combined total of $384,000 in utility costs over the first six months of the program.
Through this program, the city's electricity supply is locked in at a fixed rate of 0.09976 cents per kilowatt-hour through December 2020. Residents have until mid-July to opt out.
It's getting Chili's
And those eager for new dining options may be pleased to hear construction of a new Chili's Grill & Bar is scheduled to begin this week in place of the recently demolished Old Country Buffet at Berkshire Crossing, and the new restaurant is expected to open in October.
Keep an eye toward cultural calendars, too, because it's a hot month for downtown happenings. And don't forget to wish all your dads and fatherly figures a happy Fathers Day!
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via
email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter, @amandadrane
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“Pittsfield council OKs $160 million budget”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, June 12, 2018
PITTSFIELD — The City Council approved a balanced budget Tuesday and rejected a petition that would have opposed the School Committee's controversial decision to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.
The City Council unanimously approved the mayor's $160 million budget, as well as $8.8 million in borrowing toward capital projects like roadwork and resurfacing of the Columbus Avenue parking garage. It also reversed two of its preliminary votes, approving the mayor's request for $1 million in free cash appropriation, and a $1.6 million borrowing authorization for water and sewer maintenance.
Councilors had voted previously to leave room for an approximately $20 annual reduction in the average residential property tax bill, calling for the mayor to put forward a larger free cash request to reduce the tax burden. Mayor Linda Tyer said it's possible the city could get additional state reimbursements, and she would reconsider the free cash appropriation once state numbers firm up.
That promise won support with councilors, who voted 9-2 in favor of the appropriation, with Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell and Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Simonelli in opposition.
Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers said she decided to reverse her vote on the free cash issue to maintain the integrity of council requests from previous years to reduce the city's reliance on free cash — which, according to best practices, should be used as a reserve — to balance the budget.
"This administration has done a great job," she said. "This is the moment when we can all begin moving in the same direction."
Dozens of people again showed for the meeting to voice support and opposition for the School Committee's decision in January to rename Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day, urging councilors to act on the issue. On the agenda was a petition from Simonelli calling on his colleagues to go on record opposing the School Committee decision.
Councilors turned down the petition on a 6-5 vote, with council President Peter Marchetti, Councilor At Large Melissa Mazzeo, Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi, Todd Rivers and Simonelli voting in favor.
"People need to know about Columbus' achievements," Simonelli said. "He was a man living in different times than we are today."
But Ward 3 Councilor Nick Caccamo said Columbus can't be defended by saying many historical figures were guilty of atrocities.
"They all did the same thing, and it was all reprehensible," he said.
Councilors also noted how inaccurately they were taught in school that Christopher Columbus "discovered" America. Ward 1 Councilor Helen Moon said it's not about rewriting history, but about correcting it.
"History is oftentimes written by the people who are in power," she said. "I think that this is a moment where we can lead from the seat."
Councilor At Large Earl Persip III asked people in the community to stop drawing comparisons between Columbus and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., noting that hearing the names together "irks me."
"That creates a divide," he said. "We need to work together to come up with something that works for everybody."
School Committee Chairwoman Katherine Yon said the body would reconsider its previous decision during its July meeting.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Look ahead, Pittsfield: Closing chapters and deficits this week”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, June 24, 2018
Pittsfield — The fiscal year winds to a close this week, bringing with it City Council decisions on deficit accounts, settling of contract negotiations with city teachers and important goodbyes at Taconic High School.
Halls of the existing school on Valentine Road hold many memories, which is why Superintendent Jason McCandless is offering public walkthroughs Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. He calls it a chance for alumni to see spaces they knew and loved before they give way to new athletic fields.
Contractors are busily putting final touches on the new $120 million Taconic High School, while the familiar one will be demolished this fall. And so another goodbye is in order: WTBR signs off for the final time Monday before its move to Pittsfield Community Television.
Taconic students launched the station, which broadcasts at 89.7 FM, out of a library closet in 1974. For decades the student-run station offered city youth an early window into the media world, as well as a sense of community and responsibility. But in recent decades, attention paid to the station dwindled amid shrinking school budgets.
PCTV is adopting the so-called "little station that could," relaunching it this fall as a full-fledged community radio station. John Krol will host the send-off edition of "Good Morning, Pittsfield," Monday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., which will include visits from dignitaries and popular personalities.
Mosquitoes and deficits
On Tuesday, the City Council will again tackle mosquito control spray, as well as budgetary line items in the red as the fiscal year closes. The City Council Committee on Public Health and Safety decided earlier this month to amend a petition banning the spray to say instead that the program spray only when there's a demonstrated public health risk.
If the City Council and Board of Health OK the measure, the city may no longer honor requests from residents to spray their properties.
Notable city accounts in the red are those for snow and ice and police overtime, which the City Council will look to balance Tuesday. Those accounts are $1.2 million and $400,000 in the hole, respectively. The council will consider moving money from other areas to close the gaps.
Watch out for ...
On Wednesday the School Committee looks to approve a settlement agreement between the district and United Educators of Pittsfield and the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
Interested in an inside look at all things city government? The mayor's office is offering a first-ever Citizens Academy, a 10-week workshop that begins Sept. 6. The deadline to apply with mayoral aide Catherine VanBramer is this Friday.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com or by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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The Berkshire Museum has announced plans to sell nine more artworks, including seven in private transactions and two in auctions. All of the newly listed items were included in the original list of 40 artworks the museum said it would sell last year.
Eagle File
“Berkshire Museum plans to sell 9 more works, bringing total to 22”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, June 25, 2018
PITTSFIELD — Nine more Berkshire Museum works will be sold in coming months, the institution said Monday, in a drive to reach the full $55 million in proceeds allowed by an April court ruling.
Seven of the works will be sold in private transactions rather than auctions in an attempt to place them with new owners who will preserve public access.
Two other pieces will be offered for sale at a September auction at Sotheby's in New York City, the museum said. All of the newly listed items were included in the original body of 40 artworks the museum announced it would sell to close a recurring budget deficit and help fund a building project.
The museum faced blowback nationally and locally over its plan. It fought off legal challenges and a monthslong inquiry by the state Attorney General's Office, eventually securing consent from Attorney General Maura Healey and authorization from a justice with the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County.
To date, the museum has netted $47 million from sales in April and May. That means the nine additional works are expected to bring $8 million in net proceeds.
In earlier estimates of sale prices at auction, Sotheby's calculated that eight of the nine works would bring a low of $5,010,000 and a high of $7,670,000.
Those values were included in court papers filed during litigation brought by three sons of the late artist Norman Rockwell and a group of Berkshire County residents.
Those estimates do not include any estimated auction values for Alexander Calder's "Dancing Torpedo Shape," a mobile sculpture that the museum said it will sell. It sold the same artist's "Double Arc and Sphere" in May.
By selling through private transactions, the museum gains a measure of control over prices, but loses the possible high end, should competing bidders at auction drive values over estimates.
The citizens group Save the Art-Save the Museum criticized the works chosen for a second sale.
"In light of the Museum's recent call for healing and promises of transparency, it is distressing that they have chosen to sell the most important of the remaining art," the group said in a statement Monday night.
"This reflects the Board's disregard of a substantial segment of the community who respect the integrity of the Museum's original mission — the study of art, natural sciences and the culture of mankind. This is clearly a violation of the public trust."
The group called for people who disagree with the decision to sell additional artworks to speak out "and to continue to voice their objections."
The sale of a second group of works will leave 17 of the original 40 items that were listed for sale in the museum's collection.
If the second round of sales does not allow the museum to reach its $55 million goal, it has authority to put a third round of works on the market.
"The agreement between the museum and the AGO called for the museum to offer works for sale in groups or tranches, until raising the $55 million determined to be needed to secure the museum's future, including funding the endowment, needed repairs to the museum building and the interpretive approach to the collection," the statement said. As required by its February agreement with Healey, the museum said it has notified the Attorney General's Office June 15 of its plan for the second group of sales.
While the museum said it "aims" to place seven of the artworks with owners who will keep them on view, the statement did not say it will decline to sell to a private buyer, if that is the only option.
Carol Bosco Baumann, the museum's spokeswoman, said the institution hopes to keep as many works as possible accessible to the public.
"But our primary and fiduciary duty is to do what is best for Berkshire Museum," she said.
When asked how the nine works were chosen, Bosco Baumann said some were identified for sale because of the monetary value to ensure, she said, "that the Museum has sufficient funds to secure its future, provide necessary repairs to our facilities, and update our interpretive plan to be relevant to a 21st century audience."
Other works were selected for sale because their interpretive value was considered low for the museum's needs, including the Asian pieces.
"Also, many of these works were identified based on their relative likelihood of ending up in the public domain," she said, in response to questions from The Eagle.
Of the 17 works the museum will retain, none was valued in pre-auction estimates at more than $800,000.Two sculptures by Giulio Tadolini and Franklin Simmons were not valued. Of the 15 others, as a group they received total auction bid estimates ranging from $2,315,000 to $3,410,000, according to the court papers that contained Sotheby's calculations.
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
Sale list
The new works to be sold privately include:
- Albert Bierstadt, "Giant Redwood Trees of California." The work, circa 1874, had been scheduled for auction last November, but the sale was canceled after an appeals court judge issued an injunction at the request of Healey's office. It was valued for that sale at $1.5 million to $2.5 million.
The oil-on-canvas painting was a gift from museum founder Zenas Crane. According to a 1903 press account about the museum's opening, the work was on display then.
- Alexander Calder, "Dancing Torpedo Shape" (a mobile sculpture). This 1932 wood, wire and aluminum piece was bought by Laura Bragg, a former museum director, in 1933, reportedly the first by the artist to be acquired by a museum. The work was featured in museums around the world, according to the court papers.
Photo from Archive.org
- Thomas Wilmer Dewing, "Two Ladies in a Drawing Room/The White Dress." This 1921 oil-on-canvas work was a gift to the museum by Louise Crane and was to be sold at the November auction, at which time it had sale estimates of $600,000 to $800,000.
- George Henry Durrie, "Hunter in Winter Wood." This 1860 oil-on-canvas scene, believed to be the largest of the artist's paintings, was given to the museum in 1947 by the W. Murray Crane family and had been scheduled for the November sale. It was valued then at $400,000 to $600,000.
- Thomas Moran, "The Last Arrow." This 1867 oil-on-canvas work was given to the museum in 1915 by its founder. It had been listed for sale at the November auction but was pulled due to the injunction.
At the time, it carried sales estimates of $2 million to $3 million. The 1916 annual report of the Berkshire Athenaeum and Museum said it was one of 22 paintings on display in the gallery that year.
- Charles Wilson Peale, "Portrait of General David Forman." Painted around 1784, this oil-on-canvas portrait of the Revolutionary War military figure had been listed for the November sale and was valued before that date as carrying an auction range of $200,000 to $300,000.
Forman, a close ally of Gen. George Washington, was nicknamed "Devil David." The work was donated by Zenas Crane.
- Benjamin West, "Daniel Interpreting to Belshazzar the Handwriting on the Wall." The oldest work listed for sale, this 1775 oil-on-canvas painting was a gift from Zenas Crarne. The museum had planned to sell it in February, but litigation blocked that. An article in Antiques magazine in November 1982 notes that it departed from the "strict neoclassical style" of the artist's early works. It carried an auction sale range of $200,000 to $300,000.
The two works to be sold at Sotheby's "Asia Week" auction in September are:
- "A Ten-Panel Coromandel `Birthday' Screen, Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period, Dated Jisi Year, Corresponding to 1689." It had been schedule for sale in March and carried an estimated bid range of $80,000 to $120,000.
- "A Large Blue and White `Dragon' Vase, Qing Dynasty, 18th / Early 19th Century." This work had also been scheduled for sale in March, with bids expected to fall between $30,000 and $50,000.
Note: Most Photos Provided by Sotheby's.
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“Berkshire Museum Seeks Private Sales in Next Round”
iBerkshires.com Staff Reports, June 25, 2018
Pittsfield, Mass. — The Berkshire Museum has selected nine more works of art to be sold toward its goal of $55 million that museum officials say is required to secure the institution's future.
Thirteen pieces have been sold by auction or private sale. Sotheby's will be working with the museum to find private sales for seven more works and will auction two in September.
The century-old museum's decision to deaccession parts of its 40,000-piece collection was announced almost a year ago to fund a $60 million plan to modernize and update the aging institution and develop an endowment to continue its operations. Without the funds, officials say the venerable museum is facing a financial catastrophe.
The announcement set off a firestorm of controversy that led to protests, lawsuits, condemnation from museum leaders across the nation and sanctions by the Association of Art Museum Directors. Working with the Office of the Attorney General, an agreement was reached and approved by the Supreme Judicial Court to set a goal of $55 million by selling 40 works in sections — once the top limit was reached, no further works would be deaccessioned.
So far, the museum has netted an estimated $13 million at auction, and more than $42 million total (not including Frederic Edwin Church's "Valley of Santa Isabel"), according to officials. The price for Norman Rockwell's "Shuffleton's Barbershop," acquired privately by George Lucas' Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, has not been disclosed although the work is estimated to be worth between $20 million and $30 million. The museum states on its website that it had "agreed to accept a significantly lower price through a private sale that keeps this important work in the public eye."
"Shuffleton's Barbershop" is currently on exhibit at the Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge as part of the sale agreement. "Valley of Santa Isabel" was acquired by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts after failing to find a buyer at auction. The price is not being disclosed.
A second Rockwell, "Blacksmith's Boy, Heel and Toe," brought in the most at auction with a sale of $8.1 million at Sotheby's in May. Out of the 13 works auctioned, many underperformed and two failed to find immediate buyers.
Private sales are being pursued for Albert Bierstadt, "Giant Redwood Trees of California"; Alexander Calder, "Dancing Torpedo Shape"; Thomas Wilmer Dewing, "Two Ladies in a Drawing Room/The White Dress"; George Henry Durrie, "Hunter in Winter Wood"; Thomas Moran, "The Last Arrow"; Charles Wilson Peale, "Portrait of General David Forman"; Benjamin West, "Daniel Interpreting to Belshazzar the Handwriting on the Wall."
The hope is that agreements can be reached to keep these works on public display.
Sotheby's will offer two Qing Dynasty pieces during Asia Week auctions in September: A 10-panel coromandel "birthday" screen from the Kangxi Period, dated Jisi year, corresponding to 1689; and a large blue and white "dragon" vase from the 18th century or early 19th century.
Sold at auction by Sotheby's so far have been:
Impressionist & Modern Art Evening, May 14: Henry Moore, "Three Seated Women" ($300,000); Francis Picabia, "Force Comique" ($1,119,000).
Contemporary Art Evening, May 16: Alexander Calder, "Double Arc and Sphere" ($1,215,000).
European Art, May 22: William Bouguereau's "L'Agneau Nouveau-Né" ($975,000) and "Les deux soeurs (La Bourrique)" ($1,755,000); Charles François Daubigny, "Paysans allant aux champs (Le Matin)" ($68,750); Alberto Pasini, "Faubourg de Constantinople" (not sold, est. $700k-$1M);
Master Paintings, May 22: Adriaen Isenbrant's "The Flight into Egypt" ($759,000) and "The Temptation of Adam and Eve" ($325,000).
American Art, May 23: Frederic Edwin Church, "Valley of Santa Isabel, New Granada" (est. at $5-$7M, was sold privately); John La Farge, "Magnolia" ($262,500); Rembrandt Peale, "George Washington" ($225,000); Norman Rockwell, "Blacksmith's Boy – Heel and Toe" ($8,131,000).
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Van Shields, shown in February, has stepped down as executive director of the Berkshire Museum. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Van Shields, shown in 2013, has stepped down as executive director of the Berkshire Museum. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
David W. Ellis has been named interim executive director of the Berkshire Museum. Van Shields, who headed the museum since September 2011, resigned effective Thursday, the museum said. Photo provided by The Berkshire Museum
“Van Shields, proponent of controversial art sales, bows out at Berkshire Museum”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, June 28, 2018
PITTSFIELD — After taking the helm at the Berkshire Museum in 2011, Van Shields surprised his new colleagues by talking about "monetizing" the Pittsfield institution's collection.
It took six years, but talk brought results: The museum holds $47 million in proceeds from recent art sales, with another $8 million expected. It seems a "mission accomplished" moment for Shields — and on that note he'll bow out.
The museum's board president on Thursday said Shields has retired, and she thanked him for helping to "chart a course to secure the museum's future, true to our mission and responsible to our community."
Trustees named a consultant to run the museum on an interim basis. They plan a national search for a full-time replacement. Shields' resignation became effective Thursday and he is no longer listed on the museum's website.
Shields, who was paid $138,571 a year as executive director in 2017, declined to comment when reached by telephone.
"The news release speaks for itself and that's all I want to say," he told The Eagle.
Carol Bosco Baumann, the museum's spokeswoman, said Shields decided on his own to leave, not at the request of the board. She declined to say whether he received a retirement incentive package.
"The museum does not and will not discuss personnel matters," she said.
After announcing plans on July 12, 2017, to sell up to 40 works of art, Shields became a polarizing figure in the local and national museum community.
He's been lauded by some for taking bold steps to mend the museum's balance sheet, but pilloried by others who feel he and trustees looted the institution's heritage and violated ethical practices on collection management.
In a statement released by the museum, Shields, who lives in Pittsfield, thanked staff and trustees and praised "community partners who share our belief in the museum's power to transform lives."
"We have charted a course that will well serve the museum and this community," Shields said in the statement.
The museum said it has tapped consultant David W. Ellis of Cambridge, a trained chemist, to fill in as leader during the search. He will be assisted by Nina Garlington, the museum's current chief engagement officer, who will take a new position as chief of staff.
Garlington and Craig Langlois, the museum's chief experience officer, filled in as co-executive directors for two months last fall when Shields was on medical leave for treatment of a heart condition. An online directory lists his age as 68.
Legal fights
For much of the past year, the museum has been on the defensive, overcoming two lawsuits and responding to a blizzard of document and interview requests from the office of Attorney General Maura Healey.
While the museum eventually came to terms with Healey's office about art sales, Shields' critics had continued to call in published statements for his removal from the position.
The citizens group Save the Art-Save the Museum issued a statement Thursday asking trustees to postpone further art sales until a new permanent director is hired. The board said this week it plans to sell nine more works, seven in private transactions and two in a September auction at Sotheby's. The sales aim to bring total net proceeds from sales to the $55 million allowed in a Supreme Judicial Court ruling in April.
Save the Art said it welcomed word of Shields' retirement.
"This provides the museum with a new opportunity to engage the entire public and proceed with greater transparency as it seeks new leadership for this important regional institution," the statement said.
"Our grassroots efforts have successfully drawn attention to the mismanagement of the museum," the group said. "We continue to urge the museum to open up its planning process and to respect the substantial proportion of the community who wish to restore its original role as a multi-disciplinary cultural institution of art, science, and history."
Shields joined the museum Sept. 12, 2011, after spending 14 years running the Culture & Heritage Museums in Rock Hill, S.C.
County officials in South Carolina fired Shields that August. In a 2011 interview with The Eagle, Shields blamed conservative political opponents for not embracing his vision for a new $60 million museum project that had faltered.
Shannon A. Wiley, deputy general counsel for the South Carolina secretary of state, referred issues related to the museum project to that state's attorney general, citing various concerns. One was the fact that "a lot of money" had been spent without results," Wiley said in her referral letter. She also flagged possible conflicts of interest.
The AG's office closed the case without taking action.
Shields' leadership
The museum's plan to sell art from its collection received international attention even before two groups of plaintiffs and Healey's office stepped in to block it.
The museum maintained it was not legally bound to apply proceeds from art sales to the care of its collection. Nine months after announcing its plan, it secured permission from the Supreme Judicial Court to beef up its endowment so it could cover a deficit and to use other proceeds to pursue a "New Vision."
That programming shift is said to involve more interdisciplinary exhibits, a change the museum attributes in part to leadership by Shields.
In its statement Thursday, the museum said Shields notched successes in his tenure, including gains to make the museum more relevant to its community. He also introduced an early childhood education program called WeeMuse and expanded the museum's work with area schools.
"He played a key leadership role in developing the museum's master plan announced in July of 2017," the museum statement said. That proposal, developed over several years, called for creation of new exhibit space and a new emphasis on multimedia and interactive displays.
Through the course of litigation since October, the museum amplified the message that the loss of reliable large donors had left it financially vulnerable and that is was running a roughly $1 million-a-year deficit.
Unless its endowment grew by some $40 million, trustees said, the museum risked closing.
But Shields' critics continued to question whether the museum's financial situation was as dire as it claimed. They hold him responsible for the loss of some of the most prized works in the Pittsfield collection, including two paintings by Norman Rockwell that had been donated by the artist himself.
Lynn Villency Cohen, a part-time resident of Berkshire County with museum experience, said directors of institutions like the Berkshire Museum come and go and should be judged on how they embrace the past and care for collections.
"For over a hundred years of Berkshire Museum directors, the leadership and staff exhibited, protected, and cared for the art — the highly regarded, beautiful works — 22 of which are sold or are in the process of being sold," she said Thursday.
"Van Shields should be looked upon as an accomplice to the board and its destruction of a community's historical treasures," Cohen said. "His face will forever be the poster boy for the destruction of the art collection. That is his legacy in the Berkshires."
Carol Diehl, of Great Barrington, another critic of the art sales, takes Shields to task for what she views as flawed financial oversight, noting that in 2015 he was quoted in a news article as saying the museum was "in a good financial position."
Instead, Diehl argues, Shields pressed with board support for the art sales, in defiance of museum norms.
That quest, she said Thursday, "sold off its most tangible resources while dividing the community in a rift that will take decades to heal — a disaster that has made national and international headlines."
Attorney Mark S. Gold advised museum trustees on their ability to sell works from the collection. He contributed a chapter called "Monetizing the Collection: The Intersection of Law, Ethics, and Trustee Prerogative" to a 2015 book.
Shields provided a blurb comment for the back of the book, writing: "At last we have a practical and accessible resource to understand current and critical issues at the intersection of law and museums today, authored by thought leaders in the field."
Interim chief
Ellis, the museum consultant who will act as interim leader, said he welcomes the chance to bring stability to the South Street institution.
"I hopefully can help. I really care about these institutions," said Ellis, who at 82 is a veteran of other fill-in assignments and served as president of the Boston Museum of Science from 1990 to 2002. "I like people and challenges and putting it all together."
Bosco Baumann said Ellis is studying the museum's issues and meeting with staff and trustees.
Ellis said he plans to begin work in July by spending a day or several days at a time in Pittsfield, while consulting with Garlington, the new chief of staff. He said he expects to step up his involvement in August, though he advised trustees he has commitments for parts of September and October.
"I'll be fitting it around those," he said of his new assignment.
Though Ellis said trustees have not estimated how long their search for a new full-time director will take, he believes from his experience it could be six to nine months. Ellis has served as interim leader of the Boston Children's Museum and the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
In the next six months, trustees have said they will fine-tune how they will implement the New Vision plan regarding a new approach to exhibits.
Trustees have said they are considering whether that will include creation of atrium space through a major remodeling project.
"I think the board does have a lot on its plate," Ellis said in a phone interview Thursday.
Meantime, he said he is working his way through a stack of materials related to the museum's master plan, the process that resulted in the art sales approved by the SJC in April, in spite of community opposition.
Ellis said he has not been briefed by Shields on pending issues. When asked if he expected to meet the former director, he answered: "I would hope so, but I don't know when."
Ellis said he followed news reports about the museum's art sale, including the sanctions it received from museum groups. Ellis is a member of one trade group critical of the museum deaccession, the American Alliance of Museums.
"One has to be sensitive to the kinds of questions that have been asked," he said, when asked about any risk that the museum may become isolated from the wider arts community. "I'm not going to point fingers. I'm just going to look ahead."
Though he trained as a scientist, earning a doctorate in chemistry in 1962 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ellis said his parents often took him to museums and taught him to appreciate culture and ideas.
Today, he believes museums play an important role in community-building.
"Museums have something really important to offer," he said. "Big medium or small I think these institutions provide very real services."
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
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Members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association local voted Thursday to ratify a new pay pact with Berkshire Medical Center that runs through September 2021. The vote was 97 percent in favor of approving contract terms that cut short a planned second strike this month.
Eagle File Photo
“Pittsfield RNs approve contract with Berkshire Medical Center”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, June 28, 2018
Pittsfield — Registered nurses who bargained for 22 months on a new Berkshire Medical Center contract, and walked off the job last October, like their new offer.
Members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association local voted Thursday to ratify a new pay pact that runs through September 2021.
The vote was 97 percent in favor of approving contract terms that cut short a planned second strike this month.
In a statement Thursday night, the MNA called the contract "a huge success for patients, nurses and the community by improving staffing and patient care conditions."
The contract provides assurances from the hospital that workloads for RNs will not grow worse.
Though the MNA retreated from early calls for specific staffing grids, the new pact includes terms that, in certain cases, will keep supervisory "charge" nurses from patient assignments so they can assist other RNs when patient needs intensify.
The agreement also includes wage gains, as well as concessions by the union. The RNs agreed to pay higher premiums for individual health policies as of Jan. 1, bringing their costs up to those already paid by other hospital employees.
The contract also includes a pledge by BMC not to weaken the staffing levels already set in current grids, according to the union.
The union and hospital agreed to make the pact retroactive to Oct. 1, 2016, when the old contract lapsed.
The MNA represents about 800 RNs at the hospital, some of whom work at satellite facilities, including North Adams.
The two sides reached terms early June 15, after three days of intense bargaining, including 16 hours the final day. The breakthrough came three days before a planned one-day walkout by nurses that would have been followed by a four-day lockout that would have cost BMC $3 million to $4 million.
At the time of the agreement, BMC representatives called the agreement "fair and reasonable."
In the end, both sides gave up ground from initial bargaining positions to reach agreement, ending one of the most protracted recent health care labor disputes in Massachusetts.
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
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I would go to this event wearing white and standing proudly with the lovely Linda Tyer to resist the Trump regime's mistreatment of immigrant women and children!
- Jonathan Melle
News Article -
“Hundreds expected at Pittsfield Families Belong Together march”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, June 29, 2018
Pittsfield — Hundreds of people, including local politicians and advocates, are expected to descend on Park Square at noon Saturday [June 30, 2018] to call for swift reunification of families separated at the Mexico border. The Families Belong Together march is in solidarity with more than 700 other events across the country, with the anchor event in Washington.
"We want to welcome everyone of every political affiliation. The standout is for decency and respect for human life," Four Freedoms organizer Frank Farkas said. "This is not the vision of America that we all cherish. We should not be demonizing immigrants; when they enter the country, they are as hardworking and law-abiding as anyone else, maybe even more so."
While the Trump administration recently has reversed it's "zero-tolerance" policy, which had separated thousands of children from adults who crossed the border illegally, and a federal judge issued an order to reunite immigrant families within a month, it has done little to snuff the outrage.
"Personally, for me, I think about the effect this has on those kids," march organizer Toni Buckley said. "If they were detained, in a situation like that, together with their family who can comfort them, it would be still awful, but the lasting effect on those kids would be totally different."
Buckley, of Pittsfield, grew up in Germany, but a majority of her family were native Syrians who fled as refugees.
"My cousins worked really hard on improving the lives of young refugees. The trauma they experienced, we don't know what it's going to mean for them," Buckley said.
"I see with my family how important it is. When you're asked to leave your home because your home isn't safe, your family is all you have."
Scheduled speaker Sopheap Nhim, who came to the United States as a refugee from Cambodia when she was 18 months old, will share the experience of her family.
At 5 and 6 years old, her brother and sister had been separated from the rest of the family to be put in Cambodian labor camps.
She was born in a labor camp, and her family underwent treacherous weeks of fleeing from the Cambodian countryside to a refugee camp in Thailand before being accepted as refugees to the U.S.
Despite being welcomed by the country, her traumatized siblings were met with extensive bullying within the community, she said in a recent interview.
"I think our family is a really good example of when you let refugees in," she said in the interview. "We all work. We all contribute to our community."
Nhim believes that what most refugees need when they enter the United States, which isn't often provided, is mental health counseling.
Other speakers will include Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer, the Rev. Joel Huntington of South Congregational Church, immigration attorney Donna Morelli, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and retired pediatrician Eli Newberger.
Buckley said that a Spanish translator will be at the event and immigrants are encouraged to attend.
Buckley said she is not too concerned that a large presence of immigrants in the city center will draw Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
"We didn't get any kind of impression that anyone would show up," she said. "Of course, we have to be aware of that risk, but I have not experienced anything like that in Pittsfield."
Those who attend are encouraged to wear white, in solidarity with other events across the country, and bring water in preparation for the extreme heat.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
If you go:
What: Families Belong Together march
Where: Park Square, Pittsfield
When: Noon Saturday [June 30, 2018]
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Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer emphatically chants "Vote" after speaking to hundreds gathered Saturday in Pittsfield who rallied in solidarity with the Families Belong Together march in Washington. Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
Carolyn Newberger draws images from the Pittsfield rally Saturday at Park Square held in solidarity with the Families Belong Together march in Washington. Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
Surrounded by family, Sopheap Nhim, a childhood refugee from Cambodia, speaks about her experience as an immigrant, during a rally Saturday in Pittsfield in solidarity with the Families Belong Together march in Washington. Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
Spencer-Mathias Reed sits among the hundreds gathered Saturday at Park Square in Pittsfield, during the rally showing solidarity with the Families Belong Together march in Washington. Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
“At Pittsfield Families Belong Together rally, anger, frustration and hope”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, June 30, 2018
Pittsfield — With temperatures in the 90s, a scent of sunscreen drifted through Park Square on Saturday, where hundreds of men, women and children had gathered to call for the reunification of families at the Mexico border.
Young parents placed hats on the heads of infants strapped to their chests, seniors supported themselves on canes while sweat beads dripped like tears down their face, and a small boy sat at a woman's feet with a sign that read "I wouldn't want to be taken from my mommy."
"We are saying, 'Down with hate. Remove those kids from cages,'" community activist and cultural competence coach Shirley Edgerton shouted at the crowd at the start of the event, which was held in solidarity with the Families Belong Together march in Washington. "Children are our most precious possessions; I don't care what country you're in."
The Trump administration recently has reversed its separation policy, which had taken thousands of children from adults who crossed the border illegally, and a federal judge issued an order to reunite immigrant families within a month. Many continue to be concerned about whether the government will be able to successfully reunite the children with their parents, what effects the separation will have on the children's mental health, and what is next for families who might be seeking asylum at the border.
The city park was one of more than 700 sites across the country where those opposed to the separation of children from their guardians at the border gathered this weekend to protest the administration's "zero-tolerance" policy.
While anger and frustration were evident among many at the public greenspace Saturday, it was the hopeful sing-alongs and supporting honks from passing motorists that drowned out the few disparaging remarks and cuss words screamed at the crowd from passers-by.
"To me, it was important to be here, because it's 2018 and the administration brought back an executive order from 1946," said Leah Reed, vice president of the NAACP Berkshire County chapter, referring to the use of Japanese internment camps. "I would hope we can appeal to the humanity of the administration, but since we can't, we should appeal to the financial ramifications."
Reed expects that the long-term trauma done to the children of immigrants seeking asylum is something that will eventually be an expense to the United States.
An impassioned Mayor Linda Tyer welcomed residents from across the county and neighboring states to the "heart of the Berkshires."
"This is not a place where we do this to people. ... We do not separate families. We do not put children in cages," Tyer said of the policy. "This is a moment in American history where we will not be quiet. Quiet is consent, and I do not give consent."
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, state Sen. Adams Hinds, immigration attorney Donna Morelli, the Rev. Joel Huntington of South Congregational Church and retired pediatrician Eli Newberger all spoke in support of immigrant families and the need for reform at the border.
Sopheap Nhim, who arrived in the U.S. as an 18-month-old refugee from Cambodia in 1979, said her family is an example of the good that can come out of being welcoming to families fleeing violence.
Flanked by her four children, husband and extended family, the board-certified behavior analyst told the story of how, after four years in labor camps, her family was able to reunite and come to America.
While they were met with racism and bullying from the community, they worked hard and were grateful for the second chance at life.
"If my family was turned around and sent back to Cambodia, we would be dead," she said. "Life was not always easy for us, but it was easier than (it is for) the refugees today. I know we are better off because of the opportunities we were given."
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
related link: http://www.iberkshires.com/story/57727/Hundreds-Gather-in-Pittsfield-to-Protest-Trump-s-Immigration-Policies.html
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“Hot topics on Pittsfield's burner in busy week at City Hall”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, July 8, 2018
Pittsfield — Vacation calendars may be brimming but the City Hall docket is full this week with hot topics like the Police Department shooting range, a new police review board and the Columbus Day controversy.
The City Council and School Committee both meet this week for the only time this month, after all, meaning they'll attend to some important business before gearing up for getaways of their own.
Residents living along the southern stretch of Holmes Road got fired up in recent weeks as the Pittsfield Police Department completed a round of firearms training on city-owned land in their neighborhood. The controversy sparked a City Hall review, which found the shooting range violated city zoning, and led Police Chief Michael Wynn to close the range.
Mayor Linda Tyer said the department has used the property near the city's wastewater treatment plant for training since 1999. During Tuesday's meeting city councilors are scheduled to hear from Wynn on the matter, as well as Building Commissioner Gerald Garner and Rich Dohoney, the city's attorney.
Issues like the one surrounding the shooting range might find a new forum in a Police Advisory and Review Board, outlined in an ordinance Tyer filed last week. The City Council gets a first look Tuesday at the proposed board, whose members would serve as liaisons between the Police Department and the public. The board would also review complaints filed against the department, but only after the department's internal affairs investigation is complete — a point of contention between proponents of the board and the administration.
On Wednesday the School Committee will reconsider its January decision to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day in the school calendar in light of recent backlash from Italian-American groups in the area.
These meetings will resume their rightful place in City Hall — council chambers — as the elevator is up and running again at last.
Get outside
The Marilyn Hamilton Sports and Literacy Program, a free camp for city children based at Durant Park, begins Monday. Manny and Vannessa Slaughter started the program over 20 years ago, and this year are working to pass management off to the Christian Center.
The city's playground program also starts this week, offering free daytime activities for kids ages 6 to 13 at Clapp Park, The Common and Springside Park.
In business
Another hopeful marijuana retailer will host a community outreach meeting at 3 p.m. Monday in the Berkshire Athenaeum. Ken Crowley, of Herbal Pathways, looks to set up shop at 1317 East St.
The city has also landed $30,000 from MassDevelopment to help several Tyler Street businesses with an exterior facelift. The grant requires a City Hall match, for a project total of $60,000. Businesses applying funds include Hot Harry's, Panda Garden, Goodwill Industries, Quillard Brothers Garage, and a property at 147-149 Tyler St.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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Letter: “Questions of conflict at Berkshire Museum”
The Berkshire Eagle, July 12, 2018
To the editor:
The Berkshire Eagle and Larry Parnass have done a great job covering the debacle going on at the Berkshire Museum. With each story, more facts are revealed. And with each day, more questions arise. For example:
Why is a trustee making money for legal services at the Berkshire Museum while he is serving on the board? Is that a conflict of interest? Also, wasn't that same trustee an associate in a Pittsfield law firm with the monetizing lawyer who has been representing the museum? Does his vote for things like selling the art help his former law associate make money handling the transactions? Is that a conflict of interest? Have both been making money as attorneys off the museum as appears to be the case? Is that a conflict of interest?
What about the Berkshire Museum trustee who is also a trustee at The Norman Rockwell Museum. Is his loyalty to the Berkshire Museum or The Norman Rockwell Museum? Was his vote on the sale of Shuffleton's Barbershop, for example, and its subsequent display at the Rockwell Museum a conflict of interest? A requirement of a trustee of a non-profit in Massachusetts is absolute loyalty to the organization. Which one is his loyalty to when the two loyalties conflict?
Another possible conflict involves one of the trustees and a member of the staff whose husband appears to be an employee at a local company under said trustee. Does said trustee hold power over both their paychecks-husband's and wife's? Is this a conflict? I believe there is a question about this type of situation that is asked on the yearly filings. Did the museum disclose this relationship?
And what about the trustee who continues to make money for his company, hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last few years, while serving as a trustee? How is this not a gross conflict of interest?
Merriam-Webster defines the term conflict of interest as "1: a conflict between the private interests and the official or professional responsibilities of a person in a position of trust" and "2: a conflict between competing duties (as in an attorney's representation of clients with adverse interests)."
Berkshire Eagle and Mr. Parnass, maybe you can ask the Massachusetts attorney general and the head of the nonprofits division why this behavior is being tolerated and seems to continue unabated.
Linda Lykkebak, Orlando, Florida
The writer was born and grew up in the Berkshires.
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Letter: “City shouldn't stop with Columbus name change”
The Berkshire Eagle, July 13, 2018
To the editor:
In a city that is plagued by declining population, loss of businesses, increasing taxes and no new jobs, I am glad to see that Pittsfield city government has been able to find time to pass judgment on Columbus versus Indigenous Peoples Day.
Now that the holiday is being renamed the city needs to rename Columbus Avenue to Indigenous Peoples Avenue, and should adopt a resolution urging Columbia County in New York and the country of Colombia to change their names as well. Pittsfield should also adopt new names for Clinton Avenue (same name as a president accused of being a sexual predator), Oswald Avenue (a presidential assassin) and in particular North Street (the president of an organization that encourages the proliferation of guns despite concerns for school safety). Let's also ban the use of one- and two-dollar bills, quarters and nickels within the city as they depict presidents who were slave owners.
City Council and School Committee, keep up the good work, there's a long way to go!
C.J. Dziengiel, Pittsfield
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Photographer Gregory Crewdson pauses his crew while a test photograph is taken in Pittsfield, one of 16 photographs Crewdson plans to take over the summer in Pittsfield. Crewdson, head of graduate photography for Yale University whose art is displayed in some of the most prestigious art museums in the country, built a career on his Berkshires-based photography. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Pittsfield's postindustrial vibe clicks with noted cinematic photographer Crewdson”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, July 14, 2018
Pittsfield — Norman Rockwell meets Norman Bates.
That's how Gregory Crewdson describes his cinematic photography in the Berkshires. He borrowed the line from a friend, he said, smiling.
While Crewdson's fictional realities strike a darker tone than Rockwell's, Crewdson said he feels a kinship with the iconic artist's desire to "make ordinary life beautiful."
Crewdson, head of graduate photography for Yale University whose art is displayed in some of the most prestigious art museums in the country, built a career on his Berkshires-based photography. He creates eerily beautiful images of spots he has driven by perhaps a thousand times since his family straddled Brooklyn and Becket in the 1960s and '70s.
Now a full-time Berkshires resident, Crewdson takes his work to Pittsfield this summer for a fresh series of shoots. If you find a road closed at twilight or what appears to be a movie set in the area of Silver Lake, Crewdson is likely to blame.
Keep an eye out for road closures on Kellogg Street on Tuesday, on Silver Lake Boulevard on Friday, and Fourth and Fenn streets July 22.
Mayor Linda Tyer said she's happy to work with artists like Crewdson, because "art leaves legacy." She said there's a sense of pride that comes with knowing that Pittsfield has a place in the international art scene.
"I think he creates magic," she said. "It's good for Pittsfield, because Crewdson photos have been exhibited all over the world in the most acclaimed museums."
The current series might be his darkest yet, he said. It's the first time he has photographed in the city since 2008, when he shot "Beneath the Roses." He long has been drawn to the city for the way it enjoins nature with industry, he says, and for the postindustrial vibe left in the wake of General Electric Co.
"GE stands as this blight," he said. "It motored this city and now stands as this monument in the background."
Plus, he said, "I love Silver Lake."
"There's some dark element to it because of its history," he said, alluding to PCB contamination at the lake near GE's former compound.
The city cleared the lake for recreation in 2014, after GE cleaned it.
Even though he lived in Brooklyn during the week as a kid, he considered the Berkshires home.
Crewdson's photos have an outside-of-time quality, which "probably has something to do with the coming of age in a small city."
The photos aren't period pieces, he said, but they simply lack token modernities that could serve to ground a viewer in the present day. For that reason, he doesn't use cellphones or modern vehicles in his shoots.
"It's supposed to feel just outside of time," he said, "but at the same time still relevant to the time we're in."
Some scenes, like an old taxi depot near Pleasant Street that he calls his "ground zero," tell a story all their own.
"There's a whole world, there," he said.
Crewdson remembers watching "Jaws" as a kid at the Capitol Theatre on North Street, and said time spent here growing up was enough to touch him to the core.
"For whatever reason, it became my aesthetic universe," he said.
Other photographers travel the world taking pictures, he said, "but I'm just interested in one place."
He said the architecture of the place, the natural beauty, continue to stir in him an urge to create scenes based on curious corners of the county.
Crewdson starts his artistic process with solo drives around the Berkshires. Like a mushroom hunter "has their spots," he said he has locations he'll regularly visit. While listening to cultural podcasts, he'll park and stare and begin visualizing the scene, sometimes getting out to take photos with his phone.
"I have these spots all over town that I check in on," he said.
He said certain locations just come to feel like there's something there, "and then I just sit with it for a while."
"It's all about the place to start with, and then it all becomes about art and color," he said.
Crewdson said he likes to cast local people for his shoots because they offer a sense of connection to the Berkshires and to the scene.
He also spends weeks preparing a scene.
For one Pittsfield photo, Crewdson recalls, "we literally had to wait for a snowstorm, close down North Street and get them not to plow."
Then, Crewdson makes heavy use of outside lighting to create a scene.
"In many ways, it's like making a movie," he said.
In fact, the series he is working on this summer spins off a movie he hopes to film with a star-studded cast.
"I'm actually going to use a lot of the locations I was going to use in the movie," he said.
He said the movie fell through because of budget disagreements, but he said he hoped that producers could come to terms with his stipulations.
Among them: The movie must be filmed in Pittsfield.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
The current series of photographs being taken by Gregory Crewdson in Pittsfield might be his darkest yet, he said. It's the first time he has photographed in the city since 2008, when he shot "Beneath the Roses," above. "We literally had to wait for a snowstorm, close down North Street and get them not to plow," he said. Gregory Crewdon - courtesy Gagosian
A crew works around a motor home on a set off Oak Street in Pittsfield for a photograph by Gregory Crewdson, who works at dusk on much of his work. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Gregory Crewdson examines the lighting on a monitor on the set of a photograph he is making in Pittsfield. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Mike Bedard blows dust onto a motor home used in a photograph being made by Gregory Crewdson in Pittsfield. The sets are complex productions, like a movie set, lit with precision and planned with a strong narrative. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
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July 16, 2018
Re: Post-industrial Pittsfield viewpoints
If the Pittsfield area still had living wage, full-time jobs for the average workers, there would not be severe economic inequality! Pittsfield is a post-industrial community that still blames GE and the like former employers for its decreasing population, job loss, and ever-increasing municipal taxes. I know that I, Jonathan Melle, has and will never find a living wage, full-time job in Pittsfield! I believe I had and still have better odds winning the state lottery jackpot than earning an equitable living in Pittsfield. Those are terrible odds! Jimmy Ruberto said he had a "rolodex". The lovely Linda Tyer said young people are more interested in living in Pittsfield than earning a living where there are a scarcity of jobs. Gregory Crewdson has been exhibiting his large photographs of Pittsfield to the people of London, Manhattan, and L.A. This summer, he is doing another photo shoot of G.E.'s decaying buildings as a symbol of blight. Here is his recent quote: "GE stands as this blight," Crewdson said. "It motored this city and now stands as this monument in the background." Crewdson is not complimenting Pittsfield, but rather, he is showing the city in a Dickensian light. Blogger Dan Valenti bitches and moans about the low-life appeal of Pittsfield, such as the Pittsfield parade on Independence Day and the Dalton Circus. Myself, I dislike the China-like one political party rule of a rigged city government ran by the Good Old Boys club, who are made up of interrelated, multi-generational, inbred families, such as Luciforo, who is selling pot on Dalton Ave.
- Jonathan Melle
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Valerie Hamilton
Amanda Drane | Look ahead, Pittsfield: “Pittsfield loses passionate youth advocate; marijuana shops advance; spraying for West Nile”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, July 15, 2018
The city lost a fiery voice in Valerie Hamilton, and many in the community will feel that loss this week and for many weeks to come.
Hamilton, 61, passed away after a brief illness during a time of the year she normally spends hosting a summer basketball league for city teens.
The West Side native made fighting for Pittsfield youths her life's work. She was a lead organizer of the Stop the Violence walk, and founded the Dunk Out Violence program for children.
Most recently, she was behind a growing movement to place a youth center in the city's West Side.
"We have to get involved," she once said to a crowd just before a march against violence. "It only takes a raindrop to start a waterfall."
Marijuana front
Three marijuana shops are going for city approvals this week. The hopeful retailers — Bloom Brothers of Merrill Road, Berkshire Cannabis Co. of Bank Row and Temescal Wellness of Callahan Drive — plan to seek site plan approvals from the Community Development Board on Tuesday and special permit approvals from the Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday.
Temescal Wellness already has a medical license.
Berkshire Roots on Dalton Avenue, Kryppies of East Street and Green Biz of South Street got municipal green lights and await state approvals for recreational sale.
Ken Crowley, of Herbal Pathways, filed an application last week with City Hall for another shop on East Street. It remains unclear when the Berkshires will see its first recreational marijuana sales.
Mosquito spray
To the dismay of many and to the delight of others, the Berkshire Mosquito Control Project will spray from 10 p.m. to midnight Monday in the area of Elm and Williams streets. The mosquito-mitigation measure comes because West Nile showed up in regular sampling of mosquitoes in the area.
It will be the first spray since a vocal contingent rallied against it this spring, voicing concern for the effects that chemicals in the fog might have on children, wildlife and bees. The city discontinued its residential spray-upon-request program as a result of the outcry, but maintained that spraying is necessary in times of demonstrated health risk.
Got tech?
City residents with old electronics kicking around can register this week to dispose of them through the Electronics Recycling and Sustainability Fair. Registration is free for everything except cathode ray tube televisions and monitors, which carry a $15 fee. Register online via the city website, at the Department of Public Utilities at 10 Fenn St., or on Saturday at the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market.
Pittsfield also has Third Thursday to look forward to this week, and on Saturday the Pittsfield Piston Poppers will host a car show on The Common.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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July 20, 2018
Re: Pittsfield politics’ G.O.B.s
In response to Thomas Marini’s letter about Pittsfield politics’ Good Old Boys club, I believe Pittsfield has it in spades compared to other areas or locales. In Pittsfield, you have a group of interrelated families who go back generations who run the show. If you are not part of this insider group, you are disadvantaged in running for political office or finding a public sector position in Pittsfield. If you are part of the G.O.B., you are given the red carpet treatment!
I have been criticized for speaking out against Pittsfield politician’s with Italian-American last names, despite the fact that I am from Pittsfield and I have an Italian-American last name. I, along with my family, have been mistreated by Nuciforo and Carmen Massimiano, Jr. They expect loyalty, obedience and silence no matter what they do or who they hurt. If you speak out against top-down political hacks like Nuciforo and Carmen Massimiano, they will retaliate against you by blacklisting you from employment, intimidating you, and spreading vicious rumors against you. Despite the unfair stereotype against Italian-Americans, it is almost like the Good Old Boys run Pittsfield politics like their own mafia!
The sad reality of the Good Old Boys dominance in Pittsfield politics over the past couple of generations is that Pittsfield is in a downward-spiral of population loss, job loss, and one political party rule where a majority of residents don't vote in state and local “elections”. I believe that the worse the outcomes for Pittsfield, the more powerful the Good Old Boys club has over the local political system. I also believe that Pittsfield politics will never change!
- Jonathan Melle
Letter: “'Good old boys club' and the race for DA”
The Berkshire Eagle, July 20, 2018
To the editor:
Those of you who are interested know there is a Democratic primary coming up at the beginning of September. Let's talk about the race for district attorney. Let us suppose there is a political power machine in this town. Let's call it the "good old boys' club."
We all know there are good old boys' clubs/political power machines all over the nation. It is the nature of politics. Those people have power to do whatever they want. They want to keep that power. They want more power. The more power they get, the less power we have. What about the democratic process? That's irrelevant to them. Did the Berkshire good old boys club tell Gov. Baker to appoint its candidate as acting DA way back in March?
Some people of Italian heritage seem to be loyal to the good old boys' club. Does having an Italian last name qualify a candidate to be a good district attorney? Does voting for the candidate with the Italian last name give more power to the good old boys' club? Never mind what the people want.
As you can see, the author of this letter has an Italian last name. He has Italian heritage on both sides of his family. The author would never vote for a candidate just because he or she has an Italian last name.
It is up to you. No matter what candidate you vote for, go out and vote Sept. 4. Make sure you are registered to vote now! If you want our democratic process to work, you have to work with the process. you have to participate. By voting, you are using your power. If you don't vote, you lose your power.
Thomas Marini, Pittsfield
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“Distressed Berkshires tracts may be in line for Trump tax bump”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, July 21, 2018
The legislative grab bag that became the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 contains an obscure provision that might spur investment in Berkshire County's poorest areas.
No money is flowing yet, but economic development advocates in the region are hopeful that a law panned by some as a giveaway to rich Republican donors might, in time, bring benefits to distressed communities.
The law allows investors to avoid paying capital gains taxes for 10 years or longer if they steer money into new "opportunity zones." Capital gains are taxable profits captured from sales of investments like stocks or other properties, including real estate.
States were able under the law to nominate zones to the Treasury Department. In Massachusetts, 138 were accepted, including six from Berkshire County: two each in Adams, North Adams and Pittsfield.
"On the surface, it seems like it could be a pretty good way to bring money into these opportunity zones for economic development," said Thomas Matuszko, executive director of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.
But planners are waiting for the Treasury Department to issue guidelines that go beyond the "frequently asked questions" on its website.
Deanna L. Ruffer, Pittsfield's director of community development, said the zones could attract investment into areas marked by high rates of poverty and joblessness.
"We're very hopeful about it," she said in an interview. "We've been very intrigued by and excited by the opportunity that may come."
But she cautioned that the preferential tax treatment offered under the new law still must prove attractive to investors.
"How that all happens and who becomes interested in setting up funds is in the evolutionary phase," Ruffer said.
Little notice
A statement on the White House website says that the creation of the incentive zone is the first of its kind since the Clinton administration.
The measure, it said, provides "an opportunity for mainstream private investors to support businesses and distressed communities with the creation of Opportunity Zones."
The inclusion of the zones won little notice in coverage of the act, which passed without any Democratic Party backing in Congress amid concerns by congressional budget analysts that the law would add $1 trillion to the federal deficit over 10 years. The law reduced the maximum corporate tax rate to 21 percent and doubled the estate tax exemption from $5.6 million to $11.2 million — among many other features.
The roughly 500-page document passed with amendments drafted by lobbyists, according to press accounts.
President Donald Trump said after the measure's passage Dec. 22 that the law would likely hurt him personally, declaring, "This is going to cost me a fortune, this thing, believe me."
An analysis by The New York Times found that, if passed in 2005, the year for which a partial Trump income tax return is available, the current president would have saved $11 million in taxes.
The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, a venture of the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution, said that in general under the new law, "higher income households receive larger average tax cuts as a percentage of after-tax income, with the largest cuts as a share of income going to taxpayers in the 95th to 99th percentiles of the income distribution."
A separate Brookings report June 14 concluded that the law will cut federal revenues by "significant amounts, even after allowing for the impact on economic growth. It will make the distribution of after-tax income more unequal."
When it comes to the new opportunity zones, people of wealth gain a new way to shelter capital gains earnings from taxation.
Steering investment
But at the same time, that tax avoidance becomes a means of steering investment into poor areas.
The eligible zones are census tracts that are home to stubborn economic disadvantage. Each of the three communities eligible for tax-sheltered investment lead the county in rates of poverty. For the 2011-15 period, the Census Bureau's American Community Survey data show overall poverty rates in Adams of 9.8 percent; in North Adams of 18.5 percent; and in Pittsfield of 17.2 percent.
Poverty rates in the specific census tracts accepted as opportunity zones are higher locally and nationally: over 32 percent, compared with an average of 17 percent. Median family incomes in qualified tracts are 37 percent below area or state averages, according to the Treasury Department.
In his first State of the City address in February, North Adams Mayor Thomas Bernard said he planned to seek an opportunity zone designation. He got two.
"This new federal program promotes investment in low-income communities by providing tax incentives for the reinvestment of capital gains in housing and economic development projects," Bernard said at the time.
Investor action
Investors can create partnerships or corporations for the purpose of steering untaxed capital gains into the new zones, the first of which were listed in April.
Such investments must be reported on tax returns as having been made in a "qualified opportunity fund."
No approval or action is needed by the IRS, according to the Treasury Department.
An investor "self certifies" that the untaxed gain was channeled into a business venture in one of the allowed zones, Treasury rules say.
In a statement on the Treasury Department website, Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin suggests that opportunity zones were not an afterthought in the legislation.
Instead, he called them one of the "most significant" provisions of the law.
Investments kept in place for the 10-year life of the zones are eligible for further tax savings.
Ruffer, the Pittsfield director of community development, said the zones affected in her city include parts of downtown and the Tyler Street area. Projects that could benefit from the incentive include community developments as well as strictly private efforts.
"We're poised to help investors consider real estate and business investments in those two zones," Ruffer said.
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
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Letter: “Pittsfield needs to hear from EPA chief Dunn”
The Berkshire Eagle, July 22, 2018
To the editor:
I frequently write letters to the editor to inform city residents of what is going on in city government, and in many instances what is not going on but should be.
City councilors Melissa Mazzeo, Kevin Morandi, Chris Connell and I have sent a letter to EPA Regional Director Alexandra Dunn requesting that she come to Pittsfield to answer questions from the full City Council and the concerned public regarding the $74 million upgrade to Pittsfield's sewage treatment plant. In April, Mayor Linda Tyer and Council President Peter Marchetti met with Ms. Dunn. The meeting should have included the full City Council and the public, and this is what I and Councilors Mazzeo, Morandi and Connell want to occur ASAP. The other councilors are all rubber-stamps for the mayor.
The Clean Water Act was suspended by the EPA in January and new standards for private industry and municipalities like Pittsfield will be drawn up. Two years from now, Pittsfield will know what standards must be met. Given this fact, it is financially irresponsible by Tyer and her council allies to have approved the $74 million expenditure.
I saved the city over $100 million when I and my partners Dr. Milos Krofta and Lawrence K. Wang build the cit's two water plants in the 1980s. I know that as much as $40 to $50 million in savings can now be realized. Unfortunately, the mayor and the incompetent eight city councilors will not do the right thing on their own and we must all put maximum pressure on them to put on ice the $74 million in unnecessary upgrades to the water plant.
Our city could be one of the best small cities in America. The quickest way to achieve this goal would be to elect competent people to every elected position. The city is rife with political hacks, good old boy networks and special interest groups which are breaking the backs of taxpayers.
I follow politics carefully and participate fully and I can tell you what the major problem is in Pittsfield politics — the passivity of the voting public. When you do not participate, the government that we have today is what you get.
Craig Gaetani, Pittsfield
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Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer has posted to Facebook that she married Barry Clairmont, a certified public accountant and former city councilor, on Sunday, July 22, 2018. Credit: The lovely Linda Tyer’s Facebook page.
“Pittsfield’s Mayor Linda Tyer gets married”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, July 24, 2018
Pittsfield — Mayor Linda Tyer has married her "sweetheart."
Tyer posted to Facebook that she married Barry Clairmont, a certified public accountant and former city councilor. He also serves on the board of the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority.
Tyer, who also has served as city clerk and as a city councilor, has found someone who shares her flair for public service. The two married Sunday, at The Mount, Tyer told The Eagle, "surrounded by the love of our dearest family and friends."
Tyer said in the post that they took a two-day honeymoon enjoying “the all-star cast of the Berkshires.” The couple bought their wedding attire at Deidre’s and Steven Valenti’s, and followed up the ceremony with trips to The Clark and Barrington Stage.
"Barry and I spent time in Lenox, Pittsfield, North Adams, and Williamstown," she wrote in her Facebook Post. "It has been magical filled with happy memories that we will cherish forever."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Working Cities Pittsfield celebrated its two-year anniversary Wednesday [July 25, 2018] with a community cookout in the Christian Center. Participants ate and talked about what they've accomplished, and looked to the future.
Credit: Gillian Jones - The Berkshire Eagle
“'We're all just Pittsfielders': Working Cities Pittsfield celebrates two years”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, July 25, 2018
Pittsfield — Hop on any local online comment board and you'll find no shortage of people bashing the city of Pittsfield.
For these people, Alisa Costa has a message: Come to Working Cities Wednesdays.
Every fourth Wednesday, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., community members gather to brainstorm solutions to city problems and ways to realize them. Tearing down Pittsfield on Facebook isn't the best way to fix things, Costa said.
"We're not communicating in ways that are productive for the city," she said. "Everyone has gifts to give. We all care about the places we live."
Working Cities Pittsfield is a platform for community aspirations, said Costa, the initiative's director. It's geared to bolstering Pittsfield, especially the
West Side and Morningside neighborhoods, with money from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The initiative celebrated its two-year anniversary Wednesday.
Costa said the grant program stems from research suggesting that of postindustrial cities across the country, the ones that most successfully "bounced back" were those with stronger community connections.
Costa said residents participating in Working Cities have created several projects, such as a Pittsfield bike-ride program, a Berkshire flash mob and a group working together to tackle street safety issues in West Side.
The initiative also launched a program called Getting Ahead, an eight-week course on financial literacy and understanding how certain systems perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
Sherrie McGregor said the program changed the way she thought about her finances.
"I just wanted to find a way to get myself back on track again," she said. "I learned how to budget. I got more creative with my finances. It helped me a lot."
McGregor said she learned how stay on top of her finances, and has since been able to improve her credit. She said she learned "I didn't have to be stuck in my situation." She said she had gotten sick, and her finances went into a downward spiral.
"I had gotten into such a rut," she said.
Now, McGregor is working for Working Cities as a community navigator.
Costa said the idea behind Working Cities is to break down barriers for people, and connect those in the city who have needs with resources that are in place to help them.
"Poverty can be isolating," she said. "When you don't have enough resources, you need a lot more people in your sphere."
Carolyn Valli, executive director of Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, said the initial grant for Working Cities Pittsfield was for $480,000 over three years, which the initiative has used to hire community navigators like McGregor and to support residents in their pursuit of a better quality of life. She said Working Cities just landed an additional $280,000 from Habitat for Humanity International to continue the work.
She said the community navigators are going door to door and asking neighbors what they'd like to see, and helping them connect with resources.
"There's a whole lot of things happening in the Berkshires," Valli said. "Not everybody knows about it."
Valli said her organization is in no way leading this effort, but rather providing peripheral support.
"It's really important that the community owns this work and not any agency," she said.
People from all types of organizations and walks of life participate in the monthly brainstorming sessions, but Costa said there are no titles allowed.
Here, she said, "we're all just Pittsfielders."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter,and 413-496-6296.
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“DA debate, money management and business developments this week in Pittsfield”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, July 29, 2018
Candidates for Berkshire District Attorney mulled for months over their plans for the office, and now they'll square off this week in a debate hosted by the NAACP.
The event happens at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Conte Community School, and it offers a chance for the public to push past rhetoric and rumor and hear from candidates directly, in real time. They're vying for a singularly important job, and they deserve our careful attention as they do so.
We're not all lucky enough to have jobs, and even those of who do could use some expert advice from time to time when it comes to managing money. Greylock Federal Credit Union will offer a free budget-building workshop at the Berkshire Athenaeum at 11 a.m. Thursday, directed by one of its financial counselors, Lynn Wallace. She'll help participants track spending, devise a strategy and prepare for unexpected hardships.
The event will be followed by a financial literacy program, which runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays from Aug. 7 through Aug. 21. Job-readiness trainers will be on-hand at the library to offer skills for landing and keeping jobs. The series is free and open to the public. To register, call the library's reference desk at 413-499-9480, ext. 202.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTS
Restaurant plans will come into view this week as several appear before the city's Licensing Board. Otto's owner Luke Marion aims to take over the former Regions space in the Crawford Square building, and during the meeting at 3:30 p.m. Monday he's applying for the wine and malt liquor license for the premises. In late June, he and Lindsay Marion filed a new corporation for the space, Uncorked Wine and Beer Lounge.
The board is also asking for an update from Jae's Grille management regarding the 7 Winter St. premises, from Barcelona Tapas regarding their all-alcohol liquor license at 87 Wahconah St. and also management from Methuselah and Hangar Pub & Grill to discuss possible violations.
A large-scale solar project proposed for Pecks Road at Onota Street by C-TEC Solar makes its first public appearance this week in a Conservation Commission meeting at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers. The planned 1.69 megawatt facility, slated to have 6 acres of paneling, requires approval from the Conservation Commission and Zoning Board of Appeal because of surrounding wetlands.
Another proposed marijuana cultivation facility at 370 Cloverdale St., West County Collective, makes a public debut during a community outreach meeting at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Berkshire Athenaeum. The city is also processing a new proposal from Heka, which wants to demolish the old Kentucky Fried Chicken building at 1745 East St. and put in a marijuana retail operation. Heka previously had plans for a medical dispensary on Dalton Avenue before going back to the drawing board.
STAY TUNED
The School Department is busily preparing the new Taconic High School for students, and public officials plan to scope out what needs to happen over the coming month in a Monday tour.
Cinematic photographer Gregory Crewdson is still staging photoshoots in Pittsfield into August, so if you see what looks like a movie set, that's likely what's happening. You can stay on top of Crewdson-related road closures via the city's Facebook page.
Pittsfield residents with old electronic items to get rid of can still register with the mayor's office or via the city's website for the Electronics Recycling and Sustainability Fair on Saturday. The event features two components: electronics collection at from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Guardian Life headquarters, 700 South St., and an educational fair at the Pittsfield Farmers Market on The First Street Common.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, and by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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July 29, 2018
Here are some topics the Eagle could cover:
* Pittsfield's economic inequality! Pittsfield and the Berkshires are one of the most economically unequal community/region in the state and nation because there are no living wage jobs for the average worker. Pittsfield has neighborhoods (West-side and Morning-side) with acute poverty that has even attracted the attention of the Federal Reserve in Boston. At one point in time, teen pregnancies and welfare caseloads in Pittsfield doubled the statewide average.
* Pittsfield's loss of population! Thousands of people have had to move away from Pittsfield/Berkshires due to job loss.
* Pittsfield's one political party domination of government. If you are not a Good Old Boy "Democrat" political hack, you have no real voice in Pittsfield politics. Moreover, a majority of residents do not bother to vote in "elections". If you speak out about Pittsfield's issues/problems, you lose your job and get blacklisted from employment. If you really speak out, you are targeted by vicious rumors.
* Pittsfield's PCBs! The Consent Decree capped most of the industrial chemicals in Pittsfield. The problem is that caps are finite and become ineffective as time passes by. That means local residents, such as Hill 78 abutting Allendale Elementary School will spread PCBs in a matter of time.
* Pittsfield's unsustainable public finances! Pittsfield politics raises local taxes by 5% per year for decades, it has hundreds of millions of dollars in debts, and it has major projects such as the new Taconic High School and Waste-water treatment plant
- Jonathan Melle
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August 14, 2018
It is a shakedown and everyone knows it! The Berkshire Museum unethically sells its most valuable art pieces for tens of millions of dollars, and the usual politically connected interests are licking their chops and salivating over the big bucks they want to get their corrupt hands on. Please call every financial done deal by Pittsfield politics one big smelly $hakedown!
I understand the pure ideals of politics is to collect taxpayer dollars to invest in the people, who are the most valuable asset in a community. BUT, in Pittsfield politics, the people get screwed every which way be the Good Old Boys and other Oligarchs! In fact, Pittsfield is one of the most economically unequal communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Nation. The gap between the Haves and Have Nots in Pittsfield grows wider and wider every year. The G.O.B.'s blame "GE", but that was 28.5-years ago! The real reason why the Berkshire Museum and the G.O.B.'s do the public business of Pittsfield politics is the shakedown whoever they can to fill their own coffers! In closing, Pittsfield politics is totally corrupt, and everyone knows it!
- Jonathan Melle
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August 14, 2018
Tricia Farley Bouvier is a political pawn of the Good Old Boy network who empowered the WHEN group 15 years ago in 2003. Back then, Mayor Sara Hathaway beat Jimmy Ruberto in 2001, after the Gerry Doyle debacle. The G.O.B. found a group of women who swore their political loyalty to Ruberto's quest to run Pittsfield politics. Two of these "WHEN" political hacks were Tricia Farley Bouvier and the lovely Linda Tyer. As time passed, Mayor Ruberto named Linda Tyer as the City Clerk and groomed her for Mayor after he retired. Also, Ruberto made Tricia Farley Bouvier his Chief of Staff. One hand scratched the other's back, and after Ruberto, Linda Tyer, and Tricia Farley Bouvier won, "WHEN" was disbanded. After "WHEN", the new political group was the "Berkshire Brigades". The outcome was the Ruberto and his G.O.B. group get to run Pittsfield politics, while the "Berkshire Brigades" get the rest of Berkshire County's political spoils. That means that the average citizen has no say in state and local politics if they don't ascribe to Jimmy Ruberto's G.O.B.'s and the "Berkshire Brigades". In the D.A. race, Ruberto's G.O.B.'s support Andrea Harrington, while the "Berkshire Brigades" support Judith Knight. I predict Andrea Harrington will receive the most votes in Pittsfield, but not in the other 31 municipalities the make up Berkshire County.
- Jonathan Melle
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Nala spends her time in an outdoor pen at the former Sonsini Animal Shelter. The city took over caring for stray animals at its municipal shelter on the Downing Industrial Parkway after ending its contract with Sonsini earlier this year. The city is now being criticized for its upkeep at the municipal shelter.
Eagle File Photo
“Tyer defends treatment of dogs at city-run shelter”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz , The Berkshire Eagle, August 22, 2018
Pittsfield — In response to a video blog criticizing the care of impounded dogs at the city-run shelter, Mayor Linda Tyer took to Facebook on Monday to "set the record straight" on the issue.
"Regardless of the duration of time spent at the shelter, all dogs are appropriately and thoughtfully cared for," Tyer wrote in her Facebook post. "State law requires that the City of Pittsfield have an animal shelter, and we are conducting our shelter in accordance with state law."
The city took control of the municipal shelter on Downing Industrial Parkway in May after ending its contract with the Friends of Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter, a nonprofit group that had been operating it for years.
Since then, stray dogs found in the Pittsfield or detained by the city have been in the care of the city's animal control officer, Joseph Chague. State law requires that stray dogs be held by a municipality for seven days before they are free to rehome them.
Over the weekend, a group of volunteers, including two city councilors, went to the city shelter to remove fencing owned by the nonprofit group, which is now temporarily located in its own facility on Crane Avenue.
Mike Daly, of a local video blog "It's Pittsfield Tonight," posted back-to-back video commentary, critiquing the care of the animals being held at the shelter and maintenance of the city property.
Those videos, which alleged infrequent care of the animals, fueled ongoing online discourse that began during the monthslong dispute between the city and their former tenants, the Eleanor Sonsini nonprofit group.
Until her public Facebook post on Monday, Tyer has remained mostly silent about the city's new day-to-day care of the animals. In the post, however, she outlined the care that the 32 dogs that have been impounded since May have received.
"The hours of operation for the animal shelter are 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday," Tyer wrote. "During this time, the Animal Control Officer (ACO) goes into the shelter to clean, feed, water, and exercise the animals at least two to three times a day, with the latter depending on the call volume of the day."
Pittsfield has recently hired a second animal control officer to assist with the care of impounds, Tyer said. The officer will take on a 4 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday shift once she completes her training, she said.
Tyer also acknowledged that on weekends, holidays or scheduled days off, the animal control officer stops in to the shelter only twice a day — once in the morning and then in the afternoon. When Chague is not available, other officers will check on the animals.
"It should be noted that the city averages one to two dogs a day at the shelter," she wrote. "Currently, we have three dogs, two of which we are currently waiting for the owners to claim."
Of those dogs, 13 spent less than 24 hours at the shelter, 11 dogs less than 48 hours, three dogs stayed two days, and one dog stayed for three days, Tyer said. Four dogs stayed for the complete seven days and were then transferred to the Berkshire Humane Society, she said.
The recent accusations against the shelter prompted Chague to reach out to the state's Department of Agricultural Resources, which has jurisdiction over shelters, to request a visit, but the agency declined, Tyer said.
Cleaning up the property
Addressing criticism about the exterior conditions of the shelter, which appears unkempt, Tyer attributed the visible debris to property that the Eleanor Sonsini group left behind.
"City staff is conducting a cleanup of the property that includes mowing, raking and trash removal," she said.
Pittsfield City Councilor Christopher Connell, one of the volunteers removing fencing this weekend, refuted the mayor's claim that the former tenants were responsible for the condition of the property.
"The outside of the building is deplorable ... There is no way that all that growth occurred before they moved out," he said. "I'm 6 feet, 1 inch, and the weeds were almost as tall as me out in the run. It's obvious that (the dogs) weren't out in the runs."
The shelter isn't in Connell's ward, but he heard about the volunteer effort to remove the fencing and, being a "dog person," decided to assist.
Connell said he is concerned about the heat inside the building where the animals are kept. "It looked like an abandoned building," he said.
Berkshire Humane Society Director John Perreault said the handful of dogs that have been turned over to his shelter since the city took control of it have been in good condition.
"He's brought me in a few very nice dogs, and we've found homes for them," he said.
Perreault said he doesn't know how long that Chague is spending at the city shelter during his visits, but that the visits should be about "quality over quantity."
If the dogs have to be left alone for long periods of time, it is better for their caretaker to spend two- or three-hour visits with them, then several more very short visits, Perreault said.
"I'm not saying I don't support what the city is doing, or that I do support it," he made clear.
As for the conditions of the city shelter, Perreault echoed Tyer's statement that the conditions can, at least partly, be attributed to the Eleanor Sonsini group's departure.
The group turned over kennels and damaged property that Perreault believes was vindictive toward the city.
"They totally trashed the place," he said, adding that he was in the building shortly after the organization staff was made to leave. "I was appalled at the condition the building was left in."
The most recent accusations against the city's treatment of its impounds comes only a few weeks after people took to Facebook to criticize the Sonsini group for having dogs outside in hot, humid weather.
The president of the nonprofit and its attorney responded to the allegations of neglect by saying the animals are rotated in and outside throughout the day, allowing staff to sanitize indoor kennels and dogs to go to relieve themselves.
Friends of Sonsini board Chairwoman and President Krista Wroldson-Miller was one of several people who responded to Tyer's post on Monday.
"Only one question Linda M. Tyer, IF your story is true, why have we not seen ANYONE down there caring for the animals this weekend?" Wroldson-Miller wrote in a Facebook post. "Perhaps your INTENT was to provide care two-three times a day (not that I believe that's enough), but that DID NOT happen this weekend."
When reached by phone Tuesday, Wroldson-Miller declined to comment on the issue.
"The City's priority is, and will continue to be, the animals who find their way to the shelter," Tyer said in her post.
The city's animal control office is assembling a volunteer program to assist at the shelter. Those who would like to volunteer are encouraged to call animal control at 413-448-9750.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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August 24, 2018
I am not a gob-sig! I detest the way public business is done in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. In order to be a gob-sig in Pittsfield, you have to be politically connected. When I was a then young man living in the Pittsfield area many years ago, I could not find a job for one whole year of my adult life. I felt I had better odds winning the state lottery jackpot than earning a low-wage job in Pittsfield. I felt that the gob-sig mocked and laughed at me when I lived in Pittsfield.
I have a Master of Public Administration, and the one thing I learned above all else is that the people are the most valuable resource in a community. Why? Because they own homes/rent, work, live, and pay taxes. A healthy community would treat its people as very valuable customers who receive prime-rate public investments so they will in turn invest in their homes, local businesses, and government.
Pittsfield politics does the opposite with its people! The long-list of lousy Mayors have done nothing but raised taxes, increased debts, and saw thousands of people move out of the area, hundreds of living wage jobs disappear, and countless businesses shutter their doors. All that matters in Pittsfield politics is the shakedown of taxpayers! To be clear, Pittsfield has been a place of divestment instead of investment!
If I was a gob-sig, would I write my criticisms of Pittsfield politics?
- Jonathan Melle
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Letter: “Won't be intimidated from seeking police accountability”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 24, 2018
To the editor:
Pittsfield police union officials are right about one thing: victims of police misconduct do have a personal agenda and a bias. ("Letter: Critic of Pittsfield PD shows clear bias," Aug. 20.) The personal agenda is to make sure that what happened to us won't happen to someone else, and the bias is knowing how easily it can, based on our experiences with the Pittsfield Police Department.
I admit I'm still sore that their union brothers invaded my family's home late in the evening without a warrant, court order or a solid rationale to remove my child for an unjustified psychiatric evaluation. They came because my son shared a common medical diagnosis with a school shooter and because, years earlier, he had made an anodyne internet joke no sane person could interpret as a threat.
When I politely inquired about my rights, one officer yelled at me about being a bad parent in front of my child and threatened him with arrest. And when they had the facts that should have sent them on their way after an apology, police plainly stated that their job security required them to remove my child from our home "just in case."
After this outrage, I was so irredeemably biased that I naively filed a civilian complaint and spent a couple of hours discussing it with a senior officer, who privately acknowledged its veracity while formally whitewashing it as "could not be corroborated."
And then I was so mad that I waited years for the police chief to follow through on his promise to consider changes in procedure. When it became clear nothing had changed, I gathered a group of respected and like-minded community leaders in an attempt to quietly and respectfully engage the mayor and the police chief in a discussion about police oversight based on successful models long used in other Massachusetts cities.
That's how mad and biased I was. As for using national statistics showing a welcome and clear long-term trend toward fewer officer deaths in the line of duty, they're a slap in the face only to those exploiting recent tragedies as a shield from legitimate criticism.
It's crystal clear what's going on here: by singling me out, union officials hope to intimidate me from further activism. They also hope you'll forget that the campaign for meaningful police oversight has won support from city councilors, leadership of the Human Rights Commission, the local chapter of the NAACP and many respected members of this community.
The authors of this intemperate attack should, to borrow the motto of some true professionals, do their job. They should make sure their colleagues secure their service weapons in their homes. They should make sure no one else is able to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars in their union members' dues over a three-year period.
They might also want to figure out why some "well-being checks" lead to unprovoked assault on the very people whose well-being is the alleged concern of the police, as happened to Pittsfield resident Liz Calkins, while another such check, conducted by one of the letter's authors, can miss a dead girl's body inside an apartment.
Having done all that, the police union officials can brush up on the matter of just who in our community can discuss important law enforcement issues. Hint: it's everyone.
Igor Greenwald, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Eight city councilors block effort on plants”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 4, 2018
To the editor:
Every month I write a letter to the editor to keep city residents updated on information that is important to you. As you probably know by now, I was the co-inventor, designer and builder of the city's two drinking water plants, along with my partners, Drs. Miles Krofta and Lawrence W. Wang in the mid-1980s.
Today the city is looking to perform updates at the city's sewer plant and the water plants which have a price tag of $150 million that you will be solely responsible for via your water and sewer rates. This cost will raise your sewer rates by a factor of eight.
I petitioned the City Council to allow me to give a presentation of my marketing methods which saved the city over $100 million when we built the two Krofta plants. Councilors Moon, White, Rivers, Krol, Marchetti, Caccamo, Persip and Simonelli denied me the opportunity to show them how I could save you the taxpayer perhaps between $50 and $60 million on the sewer plant. Councilors Mazzeo, Connell and Morandi supported my petition but the attempt failed because of the councilors mentioned above.
Additionally, Councilors Mazzeo, Connell, Morandi and I sent a letter to Alexandra Dunn, Region 1 director of the EPA, who met on April 3 with Council President Marchetti and Mayor Tyer. This meeting should have been held before the full City Council so all councilors could participate in a question and answer session.
I filed a petition asking the group of eight if they would add their names to the request that Ms. Dunn come to the city to see if they were interested in perhaps saving $50-$60 million, but they chose not to, and the petition failed 8-3. Why do they and the mayor not want to hear about ways to save the taxpayers money?
We may not ever find out why, and that is why we must vote out of office the incompetent individuals who have no concern for those who pay the city's bills — the taxpayers. If you would like to find out other things I am doing for the city that you are probably not aware of you can tune into my TV show Wednesdays at 6 p.m. on PCTV, Channel 1301.
I consider it an honor to represent you the taxpayers in an unofficial capacity.
Craig Gaetani, Pittsfield
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Innovative ground and conversations, new and old”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, September 23, 2018
The Berkshire Innovation Center is scheduled to break ground this week after years of hiccups and funding gaps. The ceremonial turning of the dirt signifies the impending realization of a long-touted vision: an equipment and training hub to shepherd the next generation of advanced manufacturing the Berkshires.
The City Council will get another audience with Spectrum on Tuesday before councilors deliberate, during the 7 p.m. meeting in council chambers, on whether or not to approve the cable company's annual report. Councilors previously took issue with the contents of the report, arguing it was not informative enough and taking it as an opportunity to ask pointed questions about the type of service the company provides.
Council President Peter Marchetti has said Spectrum has been responsive via email to councilors' questions, and he remains unclear on what would happen if the council rejects the annual report.
The City Council will also consider reinstating the city's Committee for the Homeless, a measure that received unanimous support from the council's Ordinances and Rules Committee.
On Monday, the council's Committee on Public Health and Safety will begin its annual review of Building 71 and Hill 78, two city landfills where General Electric Co. put polluted sediments during its Housatonic River cleanup. Residents have long feared the effects the contaminated soils could have if left unchecked. The subcommittee meeting happens at 7 p.m. in council chambers.
Several liquor license holders in the city will face the Licensing Board on Monday afternoon for possible violations, including Methuselah Bar and Lounge, and Hangar Pub and Grill.
Five new police officers will join the ranks this week, and a new coffee kiosk kicks off at the First Street Common.
Faith and ethics
A new Berkshire Eagle conversation series kicks off at 7 p.m. Thursday at Barrington Stage Company with three former Berkshire County journalists whose careers evolved along religious lines. The topic is "faith, civility and ethics in the current national political atmosphere."
Executive Editor Kevin Moran will moderate the talk, which features R. Gustav Niebuhr, director of programs in religion and media at Syracuse University, author and former reporter for The Berkshire Eagle, Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post; the Rev. Jerome Day, assistant professor of English at St. Anselm College and pastor of St. Raphael's Parish in Manchester, N.H.; and Alan Cooperman, director of religion research at the Pew Research Center, former editor at The Associated Press and Washington Post, and former Eagle reporter.
Heads up
Want to fix or avoid credit issues? Greylock Federal Credit Union is offering a workshop on the subject at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Berkshire Athenaeum. Call the library's reference desk if you're interested, at 413-499-9480.
Watch out for single-lane closures on Crofut Street, McKay Street and Maplewood Avenue as city crews continue roadway reconstruction.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email
at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “Despite community efforts, homeless problem persists”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 23, 2018
To the editor:
I began my third year in retirement on Sept. 1. I live in a quiet part of town. Young families have been moving into the neighborhood, filling the days with the sound of happy children playing. Most days I get to go and sit in my backyard and enjoy the antics of the fowl and fauna.
With the spring came the desire to be out and about among people my own age. The first place I checked out was the senior center. What a great facility. "The Ralph J. Froio Senior Center is a handicapped accessible facility that is within walking distance of several housing projects and is available by bus. The facility is 15,000 square feet in total area and consists of four floors." A great place for us old folks. Cool in the summer, warm in the winter: a safe place right in the center of town.
On my way to and from the senior center I encountered another segment of the city's population. My acquaintance with this group began with simple, polite requests: "Do you have $2 for bus fare?" "I just need seven more dollars to buy a pair of shoes so that I can go to work. Can you help me out?" "I need $35 to get my Mass. ID so I can apply for housing. Can you help me out?" Normally I don't carry any cash around, but fortuitously, this summer, every time I was approached I had money on me. I know — but all I saw were people in debasing circumstances reaching out for a hand up.
Paying closer attention, I discovered that our community has a fledgling response to the homeless problem: The downtown churches, the Salvation Army and the Christian Center are providing hot meals every day of the week save Saturday. A place to shower is provided every day but Saturday. Food pantries and clothes closets are available. The homeless find daily respite from the elements at the Berkshire Athenaeum and the Intermodal Center, but they have no permanent place to sleep.
I don't know how much the homeless cost our community. Other communities find it cost effective to provide supervised housing. I do know: "There but for the grace of God go I."
Stephen N. Taglieri, Pittsfield
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Justice, old wounds and new leadership”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, October 7, 2018
Those accused of killing Asiyanna Jones are scheduled for pretrial hearings on Wednesday, and for her family that brings hope for justice.
Last week, those who loved Jones marked the year since — during an October 2017 shootout — a bullet pierced the windshield of the car the 22-year-old was sitting in on Dewey Avenue, and struck her in the head.
Long-buried toxic materials are back on the City Council's radar this week, as councilors consider approving an annual report from General Electric Co. The report, which covers landfills Building 71 and Hill 78, includes elevated levels of hazardous chemicals known as TCE and PCE. Councilors plan to ask the Environmental Protection Agency for answers surrounding chemical thresholds, and how tolerant they should be of the chemicals seeping into groundwater near the plant. The council meeting happens at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers.
This week the city's Human Rights Commission could consider arranging a public presentation on the late Bernard Baran, a gay man unfairly convicted of molesting children at the Pittsfield day care he worked at during the 1980s. He served 21 years in prison before a state appeals court ruled in 2006 that the original trial was unfair.
We can expect to hear news regarding leadership of Pittsfield Municipal Airport this week, after the previous airport manager left in June. We can also expect an announcement from Berkshire Community College regarding new leadership of its nursing program, which is under state review for issues the college describes as "housekeeping" violations.
And Mayor Linda Tyer will request that the City Council approve John Herrera as the city's new veterans services director during the Tuesday City Council meeting.
With regard to the upcoming state vote on transgender rights, Superintendent Jason McCandless will recommend the School Committee approve a resolution this week supporting a "yes" vote on Question 3. A "yes" vote would affirm the legally protected civil rights of trans people in the state of Massachusetts.
BerkshireWorks relaunches this week under the new statewide brand, MassHire. The new name links the career center with the statewide workforce initiative under Gov. Charlie Baker.
Heads up
Fall foliage is taking a quick turn toward colorful, and so it's a good time to get out and about.
The 11th annual Berktoberfest happens from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday in the McKay Street parking lot. This year's annual beerfest for charity benefits Ty Allan Jackson's Read Or Else initiative.
The annual Pyrapalooza, a festival celebrating the fluffy canines known as Great Pyrenees, runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the 4H Club on Utility Drive.
The Jazz Prodigy Concert, a part of Pittsfield's City Jazz Festival, will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Berkshire Athenaeum. The concert features Gabriel Severn, a 13-year-old electric bassist, accompanied by Eugene Uman on piano and Conor Meehan on drums.
This week the library is also hosting a teen book giveaway — one free item per teen — from Tuesday through Saturday.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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Letter: “Pittsfield not fair to elderly taxpayers”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 9, 2018
To the editor:
The City of Pittsfield does not work with property owners to be fair when they are elderly and live on Social Security as their only income. When you've fallen behind on your property taxes they expect you to come up with a big chunk of cash to even be considered for a payment plan. If I had the the money I would have paid them when they were due. Instead, the city tacks on astronomical interest. The city needs to look at the owners' ages and income level before threatening.
Linda Davis, Pittsfield
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“Pittsfield City Council approves tax cut”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 13, 2018
Pittsfield — City councilors Tuesday approved a tax cut proposed by Mayor Linda Tyer, but not without a few jabs.
"Yes, we are going down," Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell said of the modest tax reduction. "But in reality, it's almost a wash."
Connell's comment refers to the phenomenon that some property owners find themselves in as the value of their property increases while tax rates decrease. But the city's assessor, Paula King, said tax bills will drop for the majority of the community when property tax bills go out next month. And that hasn't happened since 1993.
With the council's approval Tuesday, the rates dropped from $20.01 to $19.42 on the residential side, and the commercial tax rate dropped from from $39.98 to $39.94.
In savings, that translates to about $9.48 annually for the average home valued at $186,600, and $367 annually for a commercial property valued at $189,000.
Tyer said last week that the decrease comes because the city's financial outlook is improving, and that signifies "a pretty remarkable turnaround." The city has seen $51.8 million in new growth over the past year, equating to $1.97 million in tax revenue, which is more new growth than the city has seen in over a decade, King told councilors.
New growth helped raise the city's tax ceiling from $86.96 million to $89.53 million. Of that tax capacity, King told councilors, the city will pull $86.38 million to balance the budget for this fiscal year. About $82.14 million will come from receipts and other revenue sources.
Ward 6 Councilor John Krol said city officials, councilors included, deserve to be congratulated for the decline in property tax rates. He said it might not have happened had the city moved forward with Tyer's proposal to move trash collection to a $1.5 million tote-based system.
"We avoided the toter tax," he said, noting that the process that landed them here was "a team game."
Still, Connell argued that the city should be taking advantage of more opportunities to save taxpayers money, citing what he sees as a need to put more services out to bid. By not looking for these opportunities, he said, the city is pushing out seniors on fixed incomes.
"We really need to come together as a council for the benefit of the citizens," he said.
Councilor at Large Earl Persip told his fellow councilors to focus on the victory.
"I think it's important to take the small wins when we can," he said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Representatives of a Michigan-based theater company have promised fierce commitment to the Beacon Theatre in downtown Pittsfield.
Eagle File Photo
“Council subcommittee unanimously favors debt forgiveness for Beacon Cinema”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 21, 2018
Pittsfield — The Beacon Cinema is what the name suggests, councilors agreed Tuesday: "a bright spot."
That's how Ward 1 Councilor Helen Moon described it during a meeting of the City Council subcommittee.
The City Council Committee on Community and Economic Development voted unanimously to support a plan that would forgive $2.55 million in debt the theater owes to the city in order to save it. The proposal now moves to the full City Council for final approval.
A Michigan-based small-theater chain, Phoenix Theatres, has agreed to buy the property and assets for $644,000 — if the city forgives the debt.
The theater opened in 2009 with the help of a series of grants awarded in the form of a loan to the Beacon's redevelopment project. Banks moved to foreclose on the property in September, and almost everyone in the council chambers Tuesday agreed that is something to avoid.
Phoenix representatives present at the Tuesday meeting promised fierce commitment to the downtown theater, which city leaders called an important piece of their downtown redevelopment plan.
"When I visit with other gateway city mayors," Mayor Linda Tyer said, "they're envious of what we've been able to accomplish. They're especially envious that we have an independent movie theater in our downtown."
Proponents of the arrangement repeatedly pointed out that no local tax dollars have gone to the Beacon, and this type of grant package would typically be issued as a forgiveable loan.
City money for the cinema's redevelopment came in the form of $1.5 million from the city's Economic Development Fund, born out of PCB cleanup negotiations with General Electric Corp. for the specific purposes of spurring economic development. Through the fund, city leaders have similarly awarded financial support to companies like Covanta and LTI Smart Glass.
Two additional grants were funneled through the city in order to support the project: $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds, and a $1 million grant from the state.
If the full council approves the proposal, state and federal grants used for the project would be immediately forgiven. The $1.5 million awarded through the city's Economic Development Fund would be forgiven in stages over the next 10 years, under the condition that the cinema remain open.
Deanna Ruffer, the city's community development director, said all incentives from the fund since 2006 have been forgivable in the same fashion. She said she city uniquely structured the financial package as a loan in order to capitalize on new tax credits available at the time.
And in response to persistent questions on the matter, she emphasized that money from the fund cannot be used to lower the tax rate.
Attorney Michael MacDonald, representing Beacon owner Richard Stanley, said the redevelopment project was community-spirited from the beginning.
"From the standpoint of community input, this project had everything we could have asked," he said, noting that it's "an important part of what attracts people to our downtown."
If they hadn't have come along, Ruffer said, the city could still be contending with a deteriorating building on North Street. Or worse, she said it could be an empty hole.
MacDonald said the project was originally estimated to cost $8.3 million, which snowballed into an eventual $22.1 million. The amount spent on redeveloping the property exceeded the value of the building and the assets, he said, but those behind the project knew it would be invaluable for the city of Pittsfield.
The building's "sooted and soiled and broken" terra cotta facade cost $1.5 million alone to repair.
"This was an essential part of the revitalization of our downtown, and we stuck with it," he said.
MacDonald said they met further obstacles, beyond the significant costs associated with redeveloping the slouching downtown property. They finished construction at the height of the Great Recession to find KB Toys empty and "a glut of office space in our downtown," which meant revenues expected from the commercial space they had developed in the upper floors underperformed.
Then, he said, the movie industry changed in light of evolving home entertainment technology. On that point, he said, "It didn't fall down; it just fell short of what we anticipated."
Stanley got none of the expected development fee out of the arrangement, MacDonald said, and put $1.2 million of his own money into the project — "money that he loses in this transaction."
MacDonald called the mayor's debt restructuring proposal "to right-size" mounting debt against the historic property.
"This is really the next step in seeing the success of our downtown continue," he said.
Councilors on the subcomittee took turns questioning the potential new owners during the nearly four-hour meeting.
Cory Jacobson, owner of Phoenix Theaters, said his company redeveloped a similar theater in Wayne, Mich., in 2012, and so the Beacon struck a familiar chord for him. The company also already had a relationship with Stanley, he said, after he came to Pittsfield two years ago to analyze the company and the market.
At that time, he said, he was the one to suggest lowering ticket rates and building in reclining seats. If his company takes ownership of the building and its assets — at a price of $644,000 — Jacobson said he also plans to extend hours at the theater and double the staff because "you can't sell tickets and popcorn with the door closed," and implement his strategic movie-booking strategy.
He said his efforts will bring more people into the theater and into neighboring restaurants.
Braden Alan, chief financial officer for Phoenix, said the company has a history of reinvesting into its theaters, and the Beacon would be no different. He said the company will soon hire local contractors to "spruce the place up," keep it clean and respond to deferred maintenance in the building.
"We have our own recipe for our own cake," Jacobson said. "We know that this has worked over and over and over again."
He said he anticipates about 100,000 more people a year coming through the theater's doors.
Company leaders said they're practiced at handling corporate competitors and are skilled at market research in a way that maximizes the number of people they can draw into small theaters.
Jacobson watches box office statistics like some watch horse racing, he said, and he already has been regularly reviewing Berkshire theater stats for years.
"There's fish in the water you have to catch," Jacobson said.
Although Phoenix Theaters is based in Detroit, its leaders said they'd be here in Pittsfield for several months to start, and then after that on a monthly basis at least.
Pressed by councilors on the concern of home entertainment eating into revenues, Jacobson said there's still a place for dinner and a movie.
"People have a kitchen in their house and they still go out to eat," he said.
Councilor At Large Pete White said supporting the cinema achieves two goals set for him by his constituents. Those are to support business in the city and to provide activities for people.
Yes, there's a cinema one town over. But, he said, "this is a business that is in walking distance of our population base."
"We're doing this for all of Pittsfield," he said. "This is our city's theater."
Ruffer said the cinema is paying $45,000 in property taxes this fiscal year, and has helped boost downtown property values 21.5 percent since its arrival. It triggered more development, including 120 units of market-rate downtown housing.
"And we've seen the vibrancy that that brings with it," Ruffer said.
Perhaps those questioning the city's original investment in the theater have lost sight "of how tough things were," she said.
MacDonald said the banks have asked new owners to close the sale by Dec. 31.
Still, Councilor At Large Melissa Mazzeo spoke from the audience when she asked councilors to pump the brakes.
"We can't keep helping subsidize a private business, in my personal opinion," she said.
In public comment, two residents sided with Mazzeo on that point, arguing that it's time for the city to cut its losses with the Beacon and allow the capitalist system to play out.
People working in economic development, like Downtown Pittsfield Inc. President Jesse Cook-Dubin and 1Berkshire's Jonathan Butler, said the Beacon did and continues to send an important message about the rise of Pittsfield's downtown.
Others, like Kate Lauzon, said the cinema is about more than its financial outlook; it's a community gathering place.
"The Beacon means more than just numbers," she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Pittsfield mayor details impending increases to water and sewer bills”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 20, 2018
Pittsfield — The typical Pittsfield homeowner could see their water and sewer bills rise by about $43 in their next quarterly bill.
Mayor Linda Tyer told reporters on Tuesday that her administration is proposing rate increases to cover costs associated with necessary upgrades to the city's aging infrastructure. She called the meeting to combat "misguided speculation, inaccuracies and fear tactics" used by some in public meetings.
"We're going to set the record straight," she said.
Currently, a homeowner with a two-toilet home sees a typical quarterly bill of $131.48. Under the new rate structure, that homeowner's bill would increase to $174.04, a hike of about 32 percent. If approved by the City Council, the rates will take effect in January.
The city is facing a January deadline to begin a $74 million upgrade of its wastewater plant to comply with standards, revised a decade ago by the Environmental Protection Agency, that limit the amounts of aluminum and phosphorus that may be discharged into rivers. Existing equipment at the city's plant on Holmes Road near the Housatonic River cannot accommodate the revised effluent limits.
Tyer said her administration inherited the wastewater project, and "it came without a plan." She said her team has worked hard to plan for its ripple effects and save taxpayer dollars in a number of ways.
She applied for a series of low-interest loans to pay for the project, she said, and has so far received a $50 million loan from the state's Clean Water Trust with hope for more in the next funding cycle. Some of that, she said, could end up in the form of a no-interest loan.
Earlier this year, her team negotiated a health insurance policy with the Pittsfield Employee Committee that saved the city over $1 million. More recently, she noted, she lowered taxes.
And through the city's municipal aggregation program, Tyer said her administration has saved the city's electricity ratepayers a combined total of about $565,000 in the past year.
"We're hard at work all the time, looking for ways to save money and ease the impact," she said.
Tyer and her team said they built a seven-year plan to increase water and sewer rates in stages to meet the costs of the improvements.
Those stages would begin with a 50 percent increase in fiscal 2019, and then they'd remain flat until fiscal 2021, when they would rise by another 15 percent. Fiscal year 2022 would carry no increase, and then the final increase in the plan would be 12 percent in fiscal 2023.
Owners of a single-family, unmetered home with two toilets currently pay a flat rate of about $248 annually in sewage costs. That number would increase to about $467 after seven years. For two-toilet homeowners with meters, sewer rates would increase in stages from the current $1.91 per gallon to $3.69 per gallon.
Finance Director Matt Kerwood said a rate study conducted by Russell Consulting found the increases would bring in enough to cover operations of the city's wastewater treatment plant, costs associated with the upgrade, regular maintenance and would build reserves for future wastewater expenses.
Public Services Commissioner David Turocy said officials decided to frontload the increase in the first year to offset initial costs stemming from the wastewater project.
"We're going to be hit with these constructions relatively soon," he said.
While most councilors have acknowledged the project as a necessarily pill to swallow in order to safeguard the city against EPA fines, some have continued to push back and suggested exploring alternative ways of upgrading the plant.
But Kerwood said too much time and money has been spent for that to be viable.
"We are well on our way toward the project as originally designed," he said, "and are in no position to entertain an alternative design at this point."
Tyer and her team suggested homeowners contract a plumber and install meters in their homes as a way to offset the increases.
"It is cheaper to have a meter," Kerwood said.
Tyer said water rates, which are factored into the same quarterly bill as the sewer rates, will also increase "but not by this magnitude." They haven't yet done the same level of planning with regard to possible water infrastructure projects, she said, and so proposed increases the city's water rate are more fluid.
Still, she's proposing the water rate increase by 20 percent in January — an increase she factored into the estimated combined bill of $174.04 per quarter.
Even with the increases, Tyer said water and sewer bills will still fall below state averages "and we'll have done the right thing" by the Housatonic River.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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11/21/2018
Mayor Linda Tyer said her administration inherited the wastewater project, and "it came without a plan."
That is true! It is also true that Pittsfield doesn't effectively plan. Rather, Pittsfield just taxes and spends whenever problems occur. To be clear, Pittsfield is always reacting instead of planning. Pittsfield always hits the proverbial iceberg instead of steering around it!
So she's proposing the water rate increase by 20 percent in January, while she's giving the average residential homeowner a 2.5-cents per day tax savings.
That means she is saving the average residential taxpayer 2.5-cents per day on their property taxes, while increasing their water rate by 20%.
- Jonathan Melle
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"City wrong to forgive Beacon Cinema debt"
The Berkshire Eagle, Letter, November 23, 2018
To the editor:
I am a movie lover but can't understand how the city of Pittsfield can forgive the $2.55 million debt that the Beacon Theatre owes it. Especially after the city recently raised sewer and water fees on its taxpayers.
The current owner of the Beacon Cinema invested around 7 percent of the total funds used to renovate the building with the rest funded by taxpayers and grant and PEDA money. The PEDA money could have been used to bring good manufacturing jobs to the PEDA site.
John DiTomasso, Peru
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “A public-private entanglement - with interest”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 25, 2018
How much should the city chip in when it comes to private sector endeavors?
That question seems to lie at the heart of recent pushback against a proposal from Mayor Linda Tyer, which would forgive $2.55 million in loans awarded to the Beacon Cinema redevelopment project a decade ago. That proposal comes this Tuesday before the City Council, whose subcommittee unanimously favored the measure during a meeting last week.
Councilors behind the proposal argue that with the building in foreclosure, it's unlikely the city will see the money repaid either way. In debt forgiveness they see an opportunity to usher in new ownership and avoid seeing the lights go out on what for the past decade stood as a symbol of the downtown revitalization effort.
Others, however, argue the city can only do so much to support private businesses. The city has similarly granted money from its Economic Development Fund, built up with reparations money from General Electric Corp., to the Colonial Theatre, Barrington Stage, Covanta and LTI Smart Glass — without expecting repayment.
The issue lands as the city stares down a $74 million upgrade to its wastewater treatment plant. Construction must begin in January, the Environmental Protection Agency says, and councilors will be asked during their Tuesday meeting to approve water and sewer rate increases in order to pay for it.
Tyer's administration will additionally ask the council to approve $125,000 in earmarked state housing funds to support redevelopment of the former St. Mary the Morning Star Church on Tyler Street. The state money will fuel water line upgrades and repairs to the terra cotta roofs on the buildings, which are slated to hold 29 market-rate apartments.
The City Council meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers.
Also on the council docket is a revised trash ordinance that cleans up language while making no substantive changes to the city's existing trash practices. Still, councilors could end up debating how detailed the city code should get when it comes to defining acceptable curbside practices.
This week the School Committee will consider a resolution in support of a video message from Superintendent Jason McCandless that was posted to social media earlier this month. In it he sent a firm message to families about a dozen fights so far this year in city schools.
Wintry happenings
The newly instated Homeless Prevention Committee will hold its first meeting at 10 a.m. Monday in City Hall room 203. With the cold weather season upon us, committee members will elect the new body's leadership and set toward helping some of the city's most vulnerable residents during the most critical time of the year.
Winter parking hours begin on Saturday, meaning parking is prohibited on city streets between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., under penalty of a $50 fine.
Also Monday, the city will hold a conference for human services providers seeking support from the city in the form of Community Development Block Grants. Last year's process resulted in 24 human service programs receiving a total of $223,500 from the city. The conference is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in City Hall room 203.
You can catch local creators in the act during a live art-making session at 6 p.m. Friday at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, and with the holiday tree now in its rightful place in Park Square, the downtown community is also gearing up for its annual Festive Frolic on Friday. From 4 to 8 p.m. there will be holiday-themed activities, from cookie decorating at Dottie's to free hot cider at Marketplace and a lighting ceremony around the tree.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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November 26, 2018
I would trust a used car salesman over Jimmy Ruberto! He once said he would work with Jim Bouton to redo Wahconah Park. That tanked! He said he would revitalize downtown Pittsfield and create a cultural renaissance. That cost millions of dollars from GE's settlement fund for "economic development". Downtown Pittsfield is still dangerous, as it ranks #5 in all of Massachusetts for violent crime!
During Mayor Ruberto's reign, Pittsfield lost thousands of residents and hundreds of living wage jobs. Mayor Ruberto raised taxes, increased municipal debts, and spent other public money like a drunken sailor. Jim Ruberto even said he had a "rolodex", but it proved to only consist of Angelo Stracuzzi and Carmen Massimiano and other useless Good Old Boys.
I strongly believe that Jimmy Ruberto was the worst thing to happen to Pittsfield! He represents everything that is wrong with local government! He left Pittsfield with a sad legacy of population loss, job loss, high taxes, huge municipal debts, and wasteful spending on so-called "economic development" projects like the Beacon Cinema bailout. The Beacon Cinema is top heavy with millions of dollars of debts. It will collapse under its own weight.
Also, the lovely Linda Tyer is proposing a 20% fee increase to the water and sewer enterprise fund beginning on January 1st, 2019. In essence, she is asking the local taxpayers to again bailout an out of town millionaire Richard Stanley, while hiking their fee to use water and sewer services. Moreover, Mayor Linda Tyer's 2.5-cent per day residential tax cut is a joke, which will be paid back with higher taxes after she may be re-elected next year of 2019.
- Jonathan Melle
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“City to forgive $2.55M debt for Beacon Cinema”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 27, 2018
Pittsfield — The city will forgive the Beacon Cinema's debt after a City Council vote Tuesday.
The proposal from Mayor Linda Tyer will forgive $2.55 million in loans awarded to the Beacon's redevelopment project. Tyer and councilors behind the proposal argued that, with the building in foreclosure, it's unlikely that the city will see the money repaid either way. In debt forgiveness, they see an opportunity to usher in new ownership and avoid seeing the lights go out on what, for the past decade, stood as a symbol of the downtown revitalization effort.
Others argued that it's time for the city to cut its losses when it comes to the Beacon and stick to its guns in hopes for repayment. The city has similarly granted money from its Economic Development Fund — it was built up with cleanup money from General Electric Co. — to the Colonial Theatre, Barrington Stage, Covanta and LTI Smart Glass — without expecting repayment.
The theater opened in 2009, with help from a series of grants. Banks moved to foreclose on the property in September. A Michigan-based small-theater chain, Phoenix Theatres, has agreed to buy the property and assets for $644,000 — if the city forgives the debt.
Some argue that the cinema's owner, Richard Stanley, has enjoyed excessive support from the public sector, but officials say the cinema is no freeloader. Under a tax increment financing incentive, which phases in redevelopment investments, the cinema is paying $45,098 in real estate taxes and $18,354 for personal property during this fiscal year alone. City money for the cinema came in the form of $1.5 million from the Economic Development Fund.
Two additional grants were funneled through the city in order to support the project: $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant money, and a $1 million grant from the state. Under the proposal, state and federal grants used for the project are to be immediately forgiven.
The $1.5 million awarded through the city's Economic Development Fund will be forgiven in stages over the next 10 years, under the condition that the cinema remain open. If the Beacon closed, the money would be returned to the Economic Development Fund, where officials could use it for economic development incentives. According to Council Rule 38, councilors are to consider disbursements from the city's Economic Development Fund based on potential job creation, capacity to generate further investments and overall public benefit.
"Everyone's kind of confused about exactly what's happening here," said Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers. Councilor At Large Melissa Mazzeo said she wanted to take more time on the decision, and hoped for more out of the situation — "a goodwill gesture" from the buyers to remove "the sour taste" for the public. She suggested forgiving some of the loan, but not all of it.
"We need to make this more palatable," she said. Jonathan Butler, president of 1Berkshire, called the cinema a "critical anchor property" in the city's downtown.
Nick Russo, who lives in a newly renovated apartment across from the Beacon, said he likely wouldn't have moved back to Pittsfield if that section of North Street were still blighted and without the Beacon. So, to forgo the money, he said, "is not a loss."
Jesse Cook-Dubin, president of Downtown Pittsfield Inc., gestured to downtown business owners packing the house to support a future that includes the Beacon. Cheryl Mirer, executive director of Downtown Pittsfield Inc., said the cinema acts as "the glue" holding downtown together.
To that point, an owner of The Marketplace Cafe said it was the Beacon that inspired the company to open a second cafe in downtown Pittsfield. Steven Valenti has been in business on North Street since 1965, and he said his customers are spending more in Pittsfield now that there's the Beacon, Barrington Stage and the Colonial Theatre.
"I fear that without the Beacon we will fall back in time," Mirer said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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The seats at the Beacon Cinema in Pittsfield are inviting for patrons. Leaders of Phoenix Theatres, which is set to purchase the Beacon, say Phoenix was one of the first companies in the country to install reclining cinema seats.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Alex Horton works the register at the Beacon Cinema in Pittsfield. When it comes to running a successful small theater, Phoenix Theatres owner Cory Jacobson said the main elements include booking the right movies in the right number of theaters, beefing up concession stand offerings, keeping the theater clean and keeping ticket prices low.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Patrons of the Beacon Cinema in Pittsfield enjoy a movie Thursday. Once Phoenix Theatres purchases the Beacon - the company plans to close on the property Dec. 10 - its owner, Cory Jacobson, plans to lower ticket prices soon afterward "so the customers are immediately saving money."
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Phoenix Theatres aims to buy Beacon Cinema by early December”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 29, 2018
Pittsfield — Phoenix Theatres owner Cory Jacobson made his first purchase Thursday for the Beacon Cinema: an auto-playing baby grand piano.
He'll place it in the front window area of the North Street business, he said, as a symbol that going to the movies these days is about ambiance and fun. His company plans to close on the property Dec. 10.
After a conference call Thursday with Beacon owner Richard Stanley, Jacobson said the next two weeks will be a matter of paperwork before Phoenix can take over.
"We are generally in agreement on everything that needs to happen, so we're in good shape," he said of the call with Stanley.
Residents heatedly debated a City Council measure that forgave the cinema's $2.55 million debt with the city and cleared the way for new ownership, but that all came to a close Tuesday, with an 8-2 vote from the council.
Council President Peter Marchetti recused himself from the vote because his role at Pittsfield Cooperative Bank poses a conflict of interest.
Councilor At Large Melissa Mazzeo and Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi voted against forgiveness.
City money for the cinema came in the form of $1.5 million from the Economic Development Fund. Two additional grants were funneled through the city in order to support the project: $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant money and a $1 million grant from the state. Under the proposal, state and federal grants used for the project are to be immediately forgiven.
Mazzeo asked for more skin in the game, and Morandi doubted whether the cinema industry could ever be successful, in light of at-home entertainment technology.
To that point, Jacobson said he remembered sitting at a boardroom table in 1979 and hearing "there's a new invention called the VCR," and that it would mean death for cinema. But just like people with kitchens still go out to eat, he said people still go to cinemas for the experience.
Phoenix plans to keep the name and the character, Phoenix leaders said, and to spruce it up.
That'll go a long way, Jacobson said, because right now "it feels like a business that's just limping along."
Morandi also pointed to the current owners' struggle to fill commercial space in the building's upper floors. Jacobson said he plans to put money into the building in short order and address deferred maintenance. He said dysfunctional amenities in the upper floors work against the goal of retaining tenants.
When the first signs of financial trouble arrived at Berkshire Bank's doorsteps two year ago, the bank commissioned an analysis by Phoenix Theatres, which its leaders say was one of the first companies in the country to install reclining cinema seats.
They said they saw the writing on the wall during that analysis and since then, during their Monday meetings, have reviewed box office sales for the Berkshires market each week.
Jacobson said he plans to lower ticket prices soon after closing on the property "so the customers are immediately saving money."
"We don't want moviegoing to be an event," he said, like a concert or a baseball game. "Our goal is to increase moviegoing."
Meantime, he said the company leans increasingly on concessions for profits.
When it comes to running a successful small theater, Jacobson said, there's no secret, but rather a perfect compilation of ingredients. He said the main elements include booking the right movies in the right number of theaters, beefing up concession stand offerings, keeping the theater clean and keeping ticket prices low.
He said he also plans to double the staff and extend the hours.
Downtown past and future
The conversation about the Beacon has been tinged with questions about how the city ended up in this position and whether it was the right move in the first place to support the downtown cinema.
The consensus was that there was no way the city was going to see its $2.55 million either way — the city is last on a list of creditors involved in the $21 million project — but the path that got the city there was harder to swallow.
"We obviously are looking at a problem," Mazzeo said of the private-public entanglement. "I don't want to make these mistakes again."
Mazzeo and Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell asked for amendments that would forgive less money or would require the cinema to pitch in to the city's Economic Development Fund, but Mayor Linda Tyer said she'd rather see the new ownership put its money into the downtown business, and declined to make the adjustments Mazzeo and Connell asked for.
Tyer said that when she sat down with owners of the Beacon and Phoenix, they wanted the loan forgiven outright. Instead, she said she pushed for a phased approach that would forgive the cinema's debt over a 10-year period, but only if the doors stay open for 10 years.
Braden Alan, chief financial officer for Phoenix, said taking on the forgivable $1.5 million in debt was an easy decision, because the company is so confident its in Pittsfield for the long haul and the debt will be erased.
"We're out here to win," Jacobson said.
Most councilors thought that the $1.5 million in city money used toward the project was comparable to other economic development awards through the General Electric Co. Economic Development Fund, and that it wrought a decade's worth of downtown growth — with more to come.
"We'd rather not be here," Councilor At Large Earl Persip said of the forgiveness package, but the cinema bolsters other downtown businesses and "we have to think about them."
One surprise element elicited gasps from councilors, who discovered during the Tuesday meeting that Phoenix will be paying Stanley for the cinema's new seats over the next six years. Last year, Stanley spent more than $570,000 installing luxury seating in the seating.
But city booster and Stanley attorney Michael MacDonald said Stanley still loses $1.3 million in this deal. It would be more cost-effective for foreclosure to continue, he said, and to that point, Phoenix owners agreed.
Alan said Phoenix could buy the property in foreclosure for about $150,000, versus the $644,000 they're paying. Still, Jacobson said foreclosures generate chaos, and there's value in avoiding chaos in the name of continuity and in generating confidence for the cinema's new leadership.
MacDonald said Stanley didn't take on the massive redevelopment project enthusiastically. He did it because downtown advocates like MacDonald, who was then part of Downtown Pittsfield Inc., asked him three times. The community needed something to light the way for downtown's redevelopment, he said.
And that's exactly what it did, Community Development Director Deanna Ruffer said. She said downtown property values grew 21.5 percent since the Beacon came to town.
The project was first conceived by Downtown Pittsfield Inc. in 1999. Stanley then agreed to develop the cinema four years later. The final design was completed in 2004.
Restaurants like the Marketplace Cafe and Flavours of Malaysia moved downtown to capitalize on the cinema crowd in 2009, and more downtown redevelopment projects followed.
Tyer wasn't in her current office at the time the decade-old funds were awarded, but she said she stands by the support.
"This was the right decision then, and it's still the right decision now," she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Water and sewer rate hikes and a Tyler Street facelift in the making”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, December 2, 2018
Some of the best restaurants in town are on Tyler Street, and the central city corridor seems to be on the rise.
More businesses are cropping up as developers eye housing developments in the neighborhood, which sits between two of the city's largest employers — Berkshire Medical Center and General Dynamics.
Now, the city aims to double down on those private dollars with investments into the streetscape. Three years of planning by the Community Development Department yielded several street improvement scenarios, which planners will present during a hearing 6 p.m. Thursday at Morningside Community School. They're looking to hear from residents about where bike lanes, parking spaces and sidewalk widths rank among their priorities, before finalizing the plans.
The city aims to implement the upgrades within the next two years.
The full City Council will vet proposed water and sewer rate hikes in the pipeline with a special meeting of the Committee of the Whole, 7 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers.
As proposed, the typical Pittsfield homeowner could see their water and sewer bills rise by about $43 in their next quarterly bill. Mayor Linda Tyer is proposing the rise in rates as a means to pay for a $74 million upgrade of the city's wastewater plant, as required by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Some councilors have continued to buck the costly project out of concerns for ratepayers, and so there will likely be some debate during the meeting about the path forward.
On Monday more than 100 community leaders and residents will gather for a sold-out Bridges Out of Poverty Workshop at Zion Lutheran Church. Participants will receive training from a national facilitator, who will teach them how to better communicate with each other in order to alleviate poverty in the Berkshires.
On Tuesday the city's Community Development Board will consider amendments to city regulations surrounding wireless communications facilities with the impending arrival of 5G wireless in Pittsfield. Because the transmitters can be so large and unsightly, city planners are looking to set ground rules regarding where they can go and how they can look.
Watch out for city inspectors this week, as the city is kicking off a monthslong project to perform inspections at properties that haven't been inspected in the last 10 years. Inspectors will be carrying their city-issued identification cards.
Holiday happenings
The downtown community is gearing up for its annual Festive Frolic on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., when there will be holiday-themed activities, from cookie decorating at Dottie's to free hot cider at Marketplace and a lighting ceremony around the tree.
This weekend at Shire City Sanctuary the annual Holiday Shindy sets up shop. The craft fair boasts live music, food and drink. It runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, with $3 admission for attendees over the age of 12.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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“Hotel on North seeks to be in sync with Pittsfield’s regeneration”
By Anthony Flint, The Boston Globe, November 28, 2018
Some may ask why anyone traveling to the Berkshires, dreamlike with luxury resort properties including Blantyre and Canyon Ranch, would stay in this gritty post-industrial city at the New York border. But a visit here is to witness a small metropolis on the brink of transformation.
There is also now a really cool place to stay. Hotel on North, in renovated space formerly occupied by a department store, might as well be in SoHo, from the art gallery displays to the local craft beer on tap in the tastefully tattooed barroom. If pastoral retreat is part of your aim, the countryside is minutes away.
Pittsfield, like many similar small cities in New England, had manufacturing running through its veins, from wool to paper to the giant electrical transformers invented by resident William Stanley and built by thousands working for General Electric, the single largest employer in the region for many decades.
When the company withdrew from the town, the inevitable hard times came, with jobs and population loss and little sign of a new raison d’etre. All around, the visitor economy flourished, in southern Berkshire County at Stockbridge, Great Barrington, and Lenox, with assets from Jacob’s Pillow to Tanglewood to the Norman Rockwell Museum; even similarly challenged North Adams put itself on the map with Mass MoCA. Pittsfield, though home for many years to some great minor league baseball, never quite got a piece of the action.
Enter David and Laurie Tierney, born and raised in the area, and heirs to a local family construction and development business. They bought the two 19th-century three- and four-story buildings that for years housed the legendary menswear and sporting good emporium, Besse-Clark. The property, across from the YMCA and around the corner from the former home of The Berkshire Eagle, was in recent years the site of restaurants that opened and promptly closed.
In making a go of it, the Tierneys sought to make sure the hotel was part and parcel of the community. The 45 rooms were remodeled and furnished using local artisans like Philip Bastow, who created the bathroom vanities. Amid the exposed brick and tin ceilings, antique maps of the Pittsfield of old and various salvaged items share space with a rotating exhibition of art, sculpture, photography, and other curated pieces. In collaboration with leading Berkshire gallerists, the work of Michael Rousseau, Marita O’Dea Glodt, Peggy Rivers, and many more has been showcased.
Guests are connected to the city in other ways: through a program that allows them to walk dogs from a nearby shelter, for example, or a weekly 2-mile jaunt around town with members of the Berkshire Running Center. Hotel and city, making a go of it, hand in hand.
“We are a part of them and they are a part of us,” said Noel Henebury, sales manager at Hotel on North, who is settling in after moving to Pittsfield initially to be involved in the theater.
The net result is a property that feels like it’s always been there, though the opening was in 2015. The restaurant and bar are well populated; among what appeared to be business meetings over breakfast, an earnest conversation about wind power was overheard. The guest rooms (starting at $149), especially in the north building, are a delightful retreat, lean and elegant, modern meets Shaker. Everyone gets a locally baked night-time snack, and pre-measured coffee grounds for the morning. The crown jewel is the Library Suite, where the built-ins are so well back-lit they seem to make the literature glow.
Out the front door, boarded-up storefronts are giving way to cafes and an electric scooter store. Around the corner from the Barrington Theater Company, the nightspot Methusela is so popular the local authorities got concerned about overcrowding. In the other direction, at Park Square, District Kitchen was heavily populated well past midnight on a recent night, with craft bourbon being raised to bearded lips.
Henebury, also a board member of Downtown Pittsfield Inc., is helping to keep the momentum going, following in the steps of other smaller legacy cities by shoring up the arts, whether cutting-edge displays of LED lights on buildings and statues around town, to a campaign to paint squat, ugly utility boxes in colorful hues.
When asked to describe the current situation, she described the city as “honest, authentic, and determined.” From the way Hotel on North has settled into the stressed urban fabric, that sounds about right.
Anthony Flint, a fellow at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, can be reached at anthony.flint@gmail.com.
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December 10, 2018
Re: Berkshire Eagle Editors are wrong about Pittsfield and North Adams leaders!
Dear Berkshire Eagle Editors,
I totally disagree with your editorial that the Mayors of Pittsfield and North Adams vision of a “bright future” shows them to be true leaders! Pittsfield and North Adams are extremely economically unequal communities because there are scarce full time living wage jobs there. Over the past couple of generations, Pittsfield and North Adams have lost thousands in population and many hundreds of living wage jobs. Over this time of the past 30 years, the so-called leaders have done nothing to about it, and matters got worse and worse.
The Eagle touts Berkshire County’s cultural institutions, but it is only an economic benefit for tourism, which is mostly from Spring through Fall. Moreover, tourism mostly provides low-income, part-time work. I understand tourism is better than nothing, but the arts and culture is not an equitable economy for the average working class family.
The Eagle touts all of the not-for-profit institutions in Pittsfield and North Adams, but they all mostly rely on public or taxpayer dollars, and they don’t pay property taxes. The not-for-profits provide caring services to people in need, but they don’t employ enough local workers.
When I lived in Pittsfield and North Adams decades ago, I knew and believed that you had to be politically connected to get a good job there. If you had powerful people who didn’t like you, then you were blacklisted from employment. I also felt that the tight local economy in the Berkshires made the powerbrokers even more powerful. If you spoke out or opposed the corrupt way public business operated, you would lose your job in a New York minute! It was all conspiratorial in favor of the entrenched political establishment. To be clear, it was always the same group of insiders who pulled the same crap against outsiders year after year in Pittsfield and North Adams.
The question Mayor Linda Tyer and Mayor Tom Bernard should be answering is: “Would the average middle class family or small business want to invest in our community?” When the FBI states year after year that North Adams is #1 in violent crime, while Pittsfield is in the top 10 in violent crime, no rational person would say yes! People want to live in safe communities where they will be treated fairly by their politicians and public institutions. Families want their children to have better economic opportunities than their parents by having good public schools and living wage jobs.
- Jonathan Melle
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Our Opinion: “The importance of vision in determining our cities' future”
The Berkshire Eagle, December 10, 2018
Depending on the lens through which one chooses to view it, Berkshire County is a dormant powerhouse or a perennially depressed decaying backwater. At an Eagle-sponsored forum on Thursday night at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts — the third in its Conversation Series — the mayors of Pittsfield and North Adams strove to focus that lens on the former option. In the process, they demonstrated why a city mayor needs to be not just a bureaucratic administrator but also a leader who can inspire others to share their vision. Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer and her North Adams counterpart, Thomas Bernard, helped listeners understand that while the Berkshires' two post-industrial-era cities have been going through a painful transition period, there is no reason to believe it should be any more than that — a transition.
Both mayors drew attention to the varied assets that can contribute to a more prosperous future for Berkshirites, among those being the region's natural beauty and cultural venues like Mass MoCA and the Berkshire Museum. The two cities' proximity to two major metropolitan centers, New York City and Boston, make visiting easy. Pittsfield's and North Adams' housing stock presents a bargain to would-be residents from metropolitan areas.
Mayor Bernard refused to dwell on the loss of major North Adams institutions like the Sprague Electric Co., North Adams Regional Hospital or the North Adams Transcript newspaper, asserting that such thinking impedes the ability to move forward. He is right: In one shining example, the disused buildings comprising the former Sprague plant became Mass MoCA, a world-class museum that has become a "must" on every contemporary art lover's list.
Knowingly or unknowingly, Mayor Bernard touched on what constitutes the true — if not objectively measurable — wealth the two cities possess: that being their population's sense of community, industriousness, cohesion, willingness to help one another and put shoulders to the wheel in making civic dreams a reality.
As small, relatively isolated Massachusetts cities, both North Adams and Pittsfield historically have had to rely on themselves to pull through tough times, just as all their citizens benefited when their economies hummed. That interdependent ethos lives on today in each city, a fact demonstrated by the number of nonprofit and volunteer aid organizations that exist to address a panoply of civic ills. It constitutes a rich resource pool — one that doesn't show up in dry, comparative statistical tables. Mayors Tyer and Bernard get it: If that energy can be harnessed and focused in a coherent way, seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be overcome and create the conditions for a bright future. That kind of focus true leadership ability, and both mayors appear to possess it.
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“Pittsfield council raises water and sewer rates”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, December 11, 2018
Pittsfield — City councilors approved water and sewer rate hikes Tuesday, but not before rejecting a measure that would have paused a $74 million wastewater project in the pipeline.
The project, required by the Environmental Protection Agency under a January deadline, is what precipitated a proposal from Mayor Linda Tyer to increase water and sewer rates. According to the proposal, the typical homeowner's next quarterly water and sewer bill will rise by about $43.
The council voted 9-2 to increase water rates by 10 percent over the next year and voted 7-4 to increase sewer rates by 50 percent over that same period.
Councilor At Large Melissa Mazzeo and Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi cast dissenting votes on the water rate. On the sewer issue, dissenting voices were Morandi, Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell, Mazzeo and Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers.
In hopes of addressing the root cause of the proposal to raise rates, Connell called for the council to hear an alternative wastewater plan from Craig Gaetani, who played a role in the city's previous wastewater upgrade. Gaetani is working with engineer Justin Lis of Prescott Clean Water on a plan they say could save the city millions of dollars.
But, in order to come up with a detailed project plan to satisfy questions from councilors, they said they would need time.
"We're just asking for some time to dot the i's and cross the t's," Lis told councilors.
Councilors declined the measure 8-3, with Connell, Mazzeo and Morandi voting in favor.
While some councilors were intrigued by the prospect of an emerging cost-saving technology presented Monday, councilors did not feel confident enough in the last-minute proposal to ask the mayor to halt the existing project at the Holmes Road facility.
Ward 7 Councilor Tony Simonelli said he is interested in saving money, but "I didn't hear anything last night that convinced me of that."
Tyer said the city has been fighting against the EPA to upgrade the plant for 10 years, and it's time to move forward.
"We have an obligation and a responsibility to make sure we uphold the laws of the commonwealth and the laws of the United States " she told councilors. "I think it's time we get going."
Mazzeo said she doesn't understand why the city wouldn't want to take this opportunity to allow Lis to take another look at the project. Even if it costs the city $1 million more to push off the January deadline, she said Gaetani and Lis could come up with alternative plans that save the city millions more.
"That's a trade-off that I'm willing to take," she said.
Gaetani and two supporters urged councilors to set aside biases while considering the proposal.
"You have fiduciary duty to us to disregard your emotions and personal feelings," said Alex Blumin of Pittsfield.
Councilors noted during the discussion that the town of Dalton is on the hook for 19.3 percent of costs associated with the project because of its usage contract with the city.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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In the coming year, Wayfair plans to hire 188 people for a new sales and service center in Pittsfield, then add 112 more positions by 2021. The online home goods retailer says it will start its hourly employees at $16 an hour. That will be 33 percent more than the state's minimum wage, which rises from $11 an hour to $12 an hour Jan. 1.
“Wayfair call center expected to influence Berkshire job scene”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, December 15, 2018
Pittsfield — By paying a hefty premium over a rising minimum wage, a new Wayfair call center could help lift earnings for working people across Berkshire County, a local expert says, as existing employers compete to fill jobs in a tight market.
In the coming year, Wayfair LLC plans to hire 188 people for a new sales and service center in Pittsfield, then add 112 more positions by 2021.
The online home goods retailer says it will start its hourly employees at $16 an hour. That will be 33 percent more than the state's minimum wage, which rises from $11 an hour to $12 an hour Jan. 1.
Heather Boulger, executive director of the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board, said Wayfair's pay scale in Pittsfield might, out of necessity, lead other companies to improve entry-level pay.
Wayfair will arrive on the scene at a time when employers complain that they have trouble recruiting workers to lower-wage jobs.
Boulger praised Wayfair for bringing not only a large number of jobs to the area, but for offering competitive wages. "Companies such as Wayfair are stepping up to make that happen," she said of upward pressure on pay.
In time, legislated increases will get all employers close to paying $16 an hour. The minimum wage rises to $15 an hour in Massachusetts in 2023.
Beyond the dollars themselves, Boulger said Wayfair, as a rising e-commerce player, will bring a new kind of corporate culture to the area, one infused with ambitions to compete in the global economy.
"We're looking forward to having Wayfair's culture as part of the community," Boulger said.
The Pittsfield call center will be part of Wayfair's rapid expansion, as it competes with other retailers — Amazon in particular — to secure relationships with customers in the relatively new area of online furniture and home goods sales. The company this week landed $31.3 million in state tax incentives to expand in its home state; along with the 300 jobs in Pittsfield, the company said it will add 3,000 positions in the Boston area, where it is based.
Wayfair told the state it plans to invest $2.8 million to build out space in a Pittsfield location "to be determined."
The Eagle reported Saturday that the Clock Tower Business Center is one of the sites under consideration.
Like Amazon in its early years, Wayfair, co-founded in 2002 by Pittsfield native Niraj Shah, isn't yet showing a profit, despite billions of dollars in sales.
The company's total net revenue for the nine months that ended Sept. 30 was $4.7 billion, up 45 percent from revenue for the same period in 2017, according to a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Wayfair announced this fall that it had done business with 13.9 million customers as of the end of September, a 35 percent increase over the previous year.
Still, Wayfair reported a loss of $151.7 million in the third quarter.
Call centers are seen as a key piece of the puzzle, as Wayfair, like all major online retailers, seeks to connect customers with a nearly bottomless supply of products.
Wayfair claims to offer more than 10 million home goods products available to its customers from over 10,000 suppliers.
Last month, Fortune magazine listed Wayfair at 13th in its ranking of "The 20 Best Workplaces in Retail 2018."
The citation quoted a Wayfair employee as saying the company "provides you the opportunity to grow and push yourself to new heights. You're handed a lot of responsibility early on and given the road map to succeed and rise up in rank. If you have an idea you can back it up with fact, and give it a shot."
According to Fortune magazine, the rating was based on 1,471 employee surveys, producing a margin of error of less than 2 percent. More than 90 percent of those polled hailed the company for having "great" bosses and a sense of community, as well as offering "great" challenges, atmosphere and sense of pride.
Training push
To help ensure that Wayfair has a ready pool of candidates, local job-training providers say they will roll into action in the coming months.
State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, said Taconic High School in Pittsfield and Berkshire Community College should seize the moment.
"They need to be all over this," Pignatelli said, suggesting that the schools devise special short training courses on call center operations.
"And, bam, when they open up the doors, they're open for business," he said of Wayfair.
Boulger said she expects that her group's customary training partners, including vocational schools and the community college, will indeed roll into action.
Wayfair's center might be the first of its kind in the region, Boulger said.
In terms of skill sets, she said Wayfair will be looking for "positive and dynamic" people with a feeling for customer service.
"Your enthusiasm and your attitude and your motivation" will count, Boulger said of job candidates.
Given Wayfair's global footprint and continuing expansion, Boulger believes that the jobs in Pittsfield represent a solid opportunity for applicants.
"It's a good way to get your foot in the door," she said. "This is a great way to start 2019."
Michael Coakley, Pittsfield's business development manager, said Wayfair representatives looked closely at the area's labor force and other factors related to setting up shop in the city.
Coakley said Wayfair should be able to attract people from within the Berkshires who have experience in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
"These jobs at Wayfair can easily transfer to them," he said of people with experience in those fields.
He believes that the company might also be able to draw applicants who have lost jobs at bricks-and-mortar retailers, both inside and outside the county.
"They feel very comfortable with 300 employees as the number," Coakley said of the Wayfair expansion team that scouted Pittsfield.
The Pittsfield center comes on the heels of a new Wayfair operation 235 miles away, in New York state — in an area where headlines have tended to report job loss, not job creation.
Emma Miran, director of the Community Development department for the city of Elmira, N.Y., said the recent opening of a Wayfair call center in her county is spurring hopes of economic revival.
Miran said Elmira, like Pittsfield and Berkshire County, faces population declines, and the slow and familiar unwinding of Rust Belt communities.
Wayfair's new center in the Chemung County town of Big Flats brought 450 jobs and the promise of a $20 million annual payroll. A ribbon cutting was held a few weeks ago, just nine months after the expansion plan was announced.
"For this area, that's a lot," Miran said of the jobs. "There's a sense within the community that things can start coming back. It will be very impactful."
Current job openings at Wayfair's Big Flats operation: director of service, head of customer service, senior customer service manager, customer service manager, site director and inbound sales consultant.
Challenges ahead
Wayfair's expansion is part of what Shah, a 1991 Pittsfield High School graduate, has called his company's effort to scale up operations in a way that allows revenues to outpace rising expenses.
Though the company's stock price has climbed dramatically from its initial public offering four years ago, analysts caution that in the home furnishings market, in which purchases tend to be high-cost, customers shop for them far less often than other goods.
In a recent SEC filing, the company said it is investing to push its growth.
"Because of the large market opportunity we see in front of us, we are currently investing across our business, including investments to expand our international business, to build our proprietary logistics network and to continue developing various product categories," the company said.
The Pittsfield call center will bring Wayfair close to having 10 such operations. The company's footprint includes operations in California, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas and Utah.
Wayfair reports that the cost of goods it delivers is pushed up, in part, by high freight expenses. Wayfair provides free shipping. While that offer is driving company growth, the cost is significant.
Here's how Wayfair described the issue in one SEC disclosure: "The increase in cost of goods sold is primarily driven by growth in orders delivered, the mix of the product available for sale on our sites and transportation costs related to delivering orders to our customers."
Another major cost is advertising — an expense that is helping expand its customer base.
Wayfair spent more than half a billion dollars on advertising — $541 million — in the first nine months of this year, up 41 percent from the same period last year.
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
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Our Opinion: “Wayfair's choice of the Berkshires a benefit to all”
The Berkshire Eagle, December 15, 2018
Normally, hometown ties are grist for poetry, prose and song. In a thrilling development for Pittsfield and the Berkshires, however, they are also partially responsible for 300 solid new jobs and fresh hopes that the area may be witnessing the birth of a new era as an internet support hub.
Pittsfield native son Niraj Shah is a living example of "local boy makes good," having founded the internet home furnishings giant Wayfair, which all of Massachusetts points to with pride as a home-grown company. Shah, a 1991 Pittsfield High School alumnus and CEO of the company he founded with a college friend in 2002, now lives in Boston, the location of Wayfair's corporate headquarters. The company has fared so well of late — by grossing more than $5 billion per year (though Wayfair has yet to turn a profit) — that it needs to expand. Wayfair will be adding 3,000 jobs in the Boston area — increasing its employment footprint there to 10,000, which is understandable considering Boston's reputation as a tech hub.
Pittsfield, however, may have benefited not just from Mr. Shah's personal connection and a $31 million tax incentive granted by the commonwealth and other local sweeteners, but also from a factor that has hobbled it in the past — its relative isolation from the economic mainstream. As Tom Hopcroft, chief executive of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council told The Boston Globe in a story focusing on the capital city's difficulty in landing "trophy class" expansions of tech companies, talent is the number one obstacle to growth. "The labor market is so tight, you have to pay a premium to get talent here," he said, adding that tech wages are the highest in Boston after California and Washington State. That very success leads to soaring real estate prices and a high cost of living that in turn discourages companies from relocating there.
Wayfair's entry into the Pittsfield labor market, on the other hand, benefits both the company and the city. Wayfair doesn't need tech-savvy employees so much as customer support, sales, research, parcel support and data analysis personnel. The wages at entry-level begin at $16 to $19 per hour, with salaried positions at $40,000 to $55,000 with benefits. These, while attractive to Berkshirites, would elicit little more than scorn in Boston. Thanks to the presence of such training facilities as Taconic High School and Berkshire Community College that can tailor their instruction to help provide a competent workforce — as well as a culturally-ingrained Berkshire work ethic — such non-geographically dependent jobs are a perfect match for willing area employees.
This development could not have been possible without a coordinated and coherent effort on the part of Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer, the Pittsfield Economic Development Council and its manager Michael Coakley, 1Berkshire's CEO Jonathan Butler, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash and a host of others who have labored since spring to bring the project home to the Berkshires. It is exactly the kind of pump-primer the region needs, and its importance as a catalyst for future growth in this sector cannot be overstated. If the move turns out to be a winner for Wayfair, it may compel other similar enterprises to take a closer look at the Berkshires' many quality-of-life advantages, among them its natural beauty and cultural attractions. proximity to two major cities and excellent housing values.
The Wayfair move is a promising beginning. If all parties involved continue to pull together as they did in this case, and local educational facilities work in concert to provide the needed workforce training, it could be the dawn of a sunnier day for the Berkshires economy.
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“Wayfair accepting online job applications for Pittsfield call center”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, December 15, 2018
Pittsfield — Days after announcing its plan to bring a call center to the city, Wayfair has begun accepting job applications for a variety of positions.
The company is expected to bring 300 jobs to Pittsfield.
The online application, which is available on the home furnishing company's website, said that jobs are available for staff "at all skill levels." At present, the company is hiring full-time leadership, senior leadership and support staff, according to the posting. More jobs will become available closer to the call center's opening date, it states.
"The ideal candidate is an energetic team player who understands how to effectively drive results in a fast-paced and rapidly growing company," the job posting states. "We look for those who have an interest in innovating to solve business problems creatively, a willingness to immediately tackle key challenges, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and can adapt to change quickly."
The short application process at wayfaircareers.com (type "Pittsfield" in the box next to "Find Jobs") asks candidates to do little more than answer a few identity questions and attach their resumes.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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The Clock Tower Business Center in Pittsfield is expected to be the home of a Wayfair sales and service center announced on Thursday. The online home furnishings company plans to create 300 new jobs in Pittsfield.
“Clock Tower complex likely site of Wayfair call center in Pittsfield”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, December 14, 2018
Pittsfield — The online home furnishings retailer setting up shop in Pittsfield may pick a landmark building that once made clocks and paper.
Wayfair LLC said Thursday it will open a sales and service center that will eventually employ 300 people in Pittsfield. While the location was not disclosed, the Clock Tower Business Center, at 75 South Church St., is a leading contender.
"That's what I was told," said state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, on Friday.
Michael Coakley, Pittsfield's business development manager, said Wayfair representatives toured a half-dozen prospective locations earlier this year. As of Friday, a few remained in the running, as negotiations continued.
"We have to be a little careful yet on the location because it hasn't been finalized," Coakley said.
David G. Carver, a member of the Clock Tower ownership group, told a representative of The Eagle that he has been asked not to speak about Wayfair's move.
Jane Carpenter, a Wayfair communications representative in Boston, could not be reached for comment on the status of the company's location decision.
In its successful application for $31.3 million in state tax benefits, Wayfair says it plans to invest $2.8 million to build out space in a location in Pittsfield "to be determined."
The state incentive was granted based on Wayfair's plan to expand its Boston area workforce by 3,000, as well as add 300 jobs in Pittsfield. The company did not seek local tax incentives from the city of Pittsfield, according to the application it filed with the state Economic Assistance Coordinating Council.
In its application, Wayfair said it planned to make a private investment of $33.9 million in Boston and Pittsfield. Based on that, it was awarded tax incentives by the council. That body authorized investment tax credits for which Wayfair will be able to apply as it pursues its expansion in those cities.
Coakley said that when a group of Wayfair representatives visited in June, they stayed at the Hotel on North in Pittsfield and said they wanted to get a sense of what it's like to live in the city.
"They really wanted to find out what the quality of life is," he said.
Several other locations in Western Massachusetts were in contention for the call center, before Pittsfield was selected.
In its application for state tax incentives, Wayfair said it planned to invest $2,870,000 in its Pittsfield expansion. It listed the bulk of that as "new building construction," though it is reportedly considering leasehold renovations.
Coakley said Wayfair has also considered having a new building erected for its operations in Berkshire County. The company was told that new structure could be put up inside the 2019 calendar year.
In terms of wages, the company says it plans to start hourly workers at $16. (A lower figure appeared in Friday's story in The Eagle.)
According to the application Wayfair submitted in pursuit of tax incentives, it would hire 188 people in Pittsfield in 2019, then add 70 employees in 2020 and 42 in 2021.
Of those jobs, 30 would be listed as management positions paying an average annual salary of $55,000. Another five management posts would pay an average of $90,000 a year.
But the bulk of the jobs would be hourly, with most new hires (225) earning an average of $16 an hour. Another 30 would be eligible for rates of $18.50 an hour and another 10 at $19 an hour.
All of the positions would include health care benefits and access to a retirement plan, the company says.
In its new Pittsfield quarters, Wayfair said it expects to lease 40,000 square feet of space.
The company's estimate of a $2.8 million investment in Pittsfield refers to "improvements/build out of the space" (estimated at $2.4 million) as well as $470,000 spent on furniture and fixtures, according to papers filed with the state.
Clock Tower site
The 165,203-square-foot Clock Tower Business Center is home to several dozen companies, including The Berkshire Eagle.
Clock Tower Partners LLC of North Adams bought the building for $1 million in 2016 from MediaNews Group, the former owner of The Eagle. The LLC's parent company is Scarafoni Associates of North Adams.
At the time of the sale, Berkshire Bank, which provided financing, said the Clock Tower would be run by CT Management Group, led by Carver and Peter Ticconi.
The building complex once housed the Terry Clock Co., in the late 19th century, as well as the Eaton Paper Co. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
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“A look at basic math on Wayfair tax break for Pittsfield call center”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, December 17, 2018
Pittsfield — The eight-figure tax break that online retailer Wayfair LLC secured last week was reached through a simple calculation.
Create one job, save $9,500 in future state taxes.
That is the basic math the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council uses for applications like the one Wayfair submitted this year to expand its Massachusetts workforce.
On Thursday, the council, part of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, granted Wayfair $31,350,000 worth of investment tax credits to add jobs in Boston and Pittsfield. It provided similar incentives to three other companies, including TOG Manufacturing Co. of North Adams.
In all, the council allotted $33,635,000 in tax breaks to four companies that, along with local tax credits approved in the towns of Northbridge and Southbridge, will entice $82 million in private investment, create 3,703 net new jobs and retain 4,313 positions, it reported.
The 300 jobs the home goods retailer will create in Pittsfield over three years earned it $2,850,000 of the company's overall award — or $9,500 per job.
The bulk of the investment tax credit will stem from Wayfair's plan to add 3,000 jobs in Boston.
Wayfair said in its application for the tax credits that it will hire 188 people in Pittsfield in 2019, then add 112 more positions by 2021. Hourly workers will start at $16 an hour.
Of the 300 new jobs, 10 percent of them will be management positions that pay more. In its application for state tax credits, Wayfair said 30 management posts will pay an average annual salary of $55,000. Another five administrative jobs will provide an average salary of $90,000 a year.
In its application, Wayfair said it would top the value of the state tax credits with its own private investment of $33.9 million.
Gov. Charlie Baker said last week that credits are a proven means of expanding business in the state. Since taking office in January 2015, Baker's administration has granted state investment tax breaks for 210 job-growth projects.
Separately, the council last week awarded $285,000 in investment tax credits to TOG Manufacturing Co. The firm, bought this year by Stanley Black & Decker, will add 28 workers as it absorbs work from a plant in South Carolina, the council said.
On its own, the city of North Adams has approved a five-year tax break for TOG Manufacturing worth $297,646.
Wayfair is not in line for similar municipal tax breaks from the city of Pittsfield.
The company has not yet announced its choice for a Pittsfield location. A top contender is the Clock Tower Business Center at 75 South Church St., owned by Clock Tower Partners LLC of North Adams.
That group bought the building for $1 million in 2016 from MediaNews Group, the former owner of The Eagle.
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
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Letter: “Afraid to move home because of high rents”
The Berkshire Eagle, December 29, 2018
To the editor:
I read Kristin Palpini's Dec. 2 article regarding affordable housing and found it to be very well-composed. I'm looking to return to Pittsfield after over 20 years, and am horrified at rents I see for places (advertised on nation-wide websites) that appear to be dirty, needing repairs, barely habitable, and at $700-$900/month for studios and one-bedroom apartments.
To put it into perspective, let me break down how a rent like this affects a lower-income household of one. If someone worked 40 hrs/week at $10/hr, their paycheck would be $1,600/month before taxes. Generally, 30 percent comes out for taxes and insurance. Take-home pay would be $1,120/month. Assuming rent of $700/month, that leaves $420 to pay for food, gas, electric, phone, and gasoline and insurance for a car. During hot/cold months, gas/electric could easily be $150/month or more, leaving $270 for everything else.
I don't know about anyone else, but from these figures alone, one person is going to need another job. There's simply not enough money to pay bills and eat because rent alone took 63.5 pecent of their take-home paycheck. 63.5 percent.
Someone else, making $40,000/year would likely take home $28,000/year ($2,333/month) — $700/month rent is 30 percent of their monthly income, leaving them with about $1,600/month for everything else. Lower income families cannot afford this. Even the middle-class would need to budget. And this is just for a one-person household. I can't fathom how families can find anything for housing.
If you want more people to move to Pittsfield (and make more tax money to improve the city), rents need to come down to something reasonable. No wonder so many people need help with food stamps and Section 8 housing even when they are working. Perhaps that's why rent is so high — property owners who make housing available for Section 8 stillget paid, regardless of where the money comes from. If there's no cheaper housing left and someone needs housing, it gets paid for. Resources set aside for Section 8 are bled dry a lot faster, and fewer people get helped.
The more I look at what's available for rent and the prices, the more afraid I am to return home. There are still many sections of the city that are unsafe to live in. They're even less safe for females, which narrows choices of where to live even more
So, what can be done? I know I'm sure looking for ideas and solutions.
Michele Stevens, Havre, MT.
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“Tyer To Deliver Her Third State of The City Address”
iBerkshires.com Staff Reports, December 29, 2018
Pittsfield, Massachusetts — Mayor Linda Tyer's "state of the city" address will be held on Monday, January 7, 2019.
The annual mayoral address will start at 5:30 p.m. at Taconic High School. It is free and open to the public.
It will be Tyer's third state of the city. The first year she spoke at the Colonial Theatre and last year at Zion Lutheran Church.
Each address has tended to last about an hour and has highlighted successes from the year before and introduces new initiatives in the works for the upcoming year.
Following the presentation, there will be refreshments and tours of the new high school.
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Letter: “Ethnical landlords face tough challenges”
The Berkshire Eagle, January 2, 2019
To the editor:
The majority of rental property owners are local folks who purchase a property as a long-term investment. Typically, the rental income just covers the property overhead costs with the hope that it will assist them with their retirement later in life. Most also work full-time jobs, myself included, and are just trying to make a living. In fact, I know quite a few landlords who work as waitresses, cashiers, teachers, firemen and tradesmen.
Owning and maintaining a rental property is not for the faint of heart. It's a lot of work, headaches and sleepless nights, especially when a tenancy goes bad and the landlord is faced with an eviction process, cleaning out the apartment, repairs, painting, replacing carpet, flooring, damaged appliances, etc., all without any rental income to help offset the costs. While at the same time having to continue paying the many increasing costs associated with running and maintaining their properties, such as mortgage payments, insurance, real estate tax, water/sewer tax, utility bills, etc.
Along with these increasing costs are capital improvements such as new heating systems, roof, de-leading, windows, siding, just to name a few. Most tenants see these improvements as just one-time costs, but don't realize that it can take years for an owner to repay these improvements by way of added loans and second mortgages.
When property owners don't have the funds or resources to adequately maintain their property than the downward spiral begins. They may still try to rent an apartment that isn't adequate or face foreclosure.
Other issues that affect rental property owners are the areas of the city that are prone to higher crime rates, which makes them more difficult to rent out and lowers the rent ability of the apartments despite having the above-mentioned costs and again leads to a lower grade unit.
The rental rates in this area are generally lower than other areas across Massachusetts which is reflective of our local economy. According to HUD (Section 8), the current fair market rent for Pittsfield is $817 for one bedroom, $1,000 for two bedrooms, $1,254 for three.
I'm not defending all landlords. I realize there are some out there who just don't care. But they are not the majority.
As president of RHABC (Rental Housing Association of Berkshire County), myself and many others are constantly trying to help educate and assist other landlords, which benefits both the landlord and tenants.
James Stockley, Pittsfield
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Mayor Tyer to deliver last State of the City address of her term”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, January 6, 2019
From new developments to job creation, Mayor Linda Tyer has some things under her hat that she's proud of.
She'll air them during the annual State of the City address, which kicks off 5:30 p.m. Monday at Taconic High School. The traditional January address will be her last before the mayoral election season heats up later this year.
Surely to be highlighted in the presentation: the red carpet her administration laid out for Wayfair, which will soon bring 300 jobs into the city.
The City Council could take a final vote this week on the issue of a police advisory board, during the council's regularly scheduled meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers. A proposal from Tyer to form the new board, as amended both by councilors and by the local branch of the NAACP's social justice action committee, won support last month from the City Council Committee on Ordinances and Rules, signaling what could be a close to months of debate on the issue of police accountability.
The Pittsfield Police Department will host a recruitment event at Taconic High School at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Members of the department will be on hand to demonstrate equipment and discuss the functions of various units within the department, and at 6 p.m. they'll give a presentation on the process of becoming a police officer.
The department has struggled for years to beef up its ranks and stay ahead of attrition, which leaders have argued would reduce the amount of stress placed on officers and money spent on police overtime. The department had 87 officers as of November, while Police Chief Michael Wynn says best practices say the department should have about 120 officers.
Countdown to cannabis
Marijuana retailers at Temescal Wellness in Pittsfield and Theory Wellness in Great Barrington are preparing for a recreational launch that could come any day now. Both await a final nod from the state to commence sales, and are the only two in the county to have received final licenses.
While the county awaits initial sales, the Pittsfield marijuana market is growing. Pure Botanicals is looking to set up a cannabis cultivation and retail operation at 239 West St., and on Tuesday will ask the city's Community Development Board to approve a site plan for the property. The board will also review a site plan for Pittsfield Investment Group, which aims to put a marijuana retail facility at 531 Dalton Ave. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. in City Hall room 203.
Both proposals would require final approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals. If granted, they would join seven other Pittsfield marijuana shops in the making.
Heads up
Bridges Out of Poverty, a training program that aims to help community partners better understand cycles of economic instability, reconvenes this week — this time with an eye toward mitigating poverty from an institutional standpoint. The workshop runs from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Country Club of Pittsfield, and those who wish to attend can register online at eventbrite.com.
Don't forget to place your Christmas trees curbside this week if your trash day is Monday or Friday. Residents with other pickup days may have to wait until next week, or take them directly to Covanta or to local farms accepting them. Hungry goats at Hokaneh Farm in Housatonic and Mountain Girl Farm in North Adams would also love to have them.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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“Gateway City challenges: Pittsfield mayor asks lawmakers for help aiding neighborhoods”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, January 14, 2019
Pittsfield — Next month, Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer expects to roll out a new approach to revitalizing her city's struggling neighborhoods. But in Boston last week, the mayor was playing the long game.
In remarks at the Statehouse, Tyer urged lawmakers who represent fellow "Gateway" cities to shape tools that can help blighted neighborhoods undermined by economic declines and population losses.
Tyer joined with the nonpartisan MassInc research group to highlight recommendations in a new report, "Building Communities of Promise and Possibility."
The study depicts a worsening picture for housing in the state's 11 Gateway Cities — a designation given a decade ago to mid-sized communities that face "stubborn social and economic challenges." Without new investments, the report says, neighborhoods risk further decay in their housing that can bring further declines.
While Boston's prospects continue to rise, spurring job growth and improved housing stocks, municipal leaders in places like Pittsfield, Holyoke and Fall River are fighting to prevent neighborhood declines.
"We are all struggling with the exact same problem," Tyer said Monday, "trying to find a variety of ways to help us stabilize our neighborhoods, so we don't see further declines."
At a breakfast meeting Wednesday, Tyer highlighted recommendations from the MassInc report that seek to give local leaders new tools to combat blight.
One is to establish a commission that would look at less costly ways to bring old structures up to code. Another is to redefine a state law — Chapter 121A — to enable municipalities to overcome legal and other hurdles that get in the way of fixing distressed properties.
The overall goal is to save failing neighborhoods — in a region where winters can quickly destroy unheated, vacant wood-frame houses. And do that before it's too late.
"I said to the legislators, `We need your help. We're counting on you to help us to design new methods,'" Tyer said.
Ben Forman, MassInc's research director, credits Tyer with helping early on to identify the issues that went on to be explored in the report released last week. Tyer and Deanna L. Ruffer, Pittsfield's director of community development, served on the study's working group.
"Pittsfield has played a really big role in this," Forman said.
Among other things, the study found a growing economic divide in the state. While Boston prospers, vacancy rates are rising in many Gateway Cities.
Pittsfield is one of several communities where more than one in 10 housing units are empty. The city's vacancy rate rose from 8 percent in 2000 to 11 percent in 2017. At the same time, the median price per square foot for housing fell 10 percent in Pittsfield between 2006 and 2018.
Meantime, the number of state residents living in Census tracts where poverty rates top 40 percent has doubled since 2000, the report says. In Pittsfield, that describes life for 3,423 people as of 2017.
At the same time, local leaders who seek to revitalize neighborhoods have lost more than $100 million a year in federal Community Development Block Grants. That setback comes on top of the state's tax-limiting law and declines in non-school state aid. According to the study, Gateway Cities are left to patch budgets together with scant money available to invest in neighborhood renewal.
The report, co-produced with the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations, identifies steps that can be taken to stabilize areas and head off the emergence of "zombie" houses that fall into ruin and drag down neighborhoods.
"If we don't improve them, the market gets weaker," Forman said. "The mayors are right to try to preserve that housing stock as much as they can."
Forman said he believes Pittsfield is on a path to improvements. "I think the city's really working hard on that and I think we'll get there," he said.
But for representatives and leaders of Gateway Cities as a whole, it will take a concerted push to secure new tools, he predicts. "The whole thing is a political problem and [involves] drawing needs to outside of Boston."
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
https://2gaiae1lifzt2tsfgr2vil6c-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Building-Communities-of-Promise-and-Possibility.pdf
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Letter: “Feeling unsafe in a dangerous city”
The Berkshire Eagle, January 18, 2019
To the editor:
In the summer of 2011 I made a very foolish decision to go walking on North Street at about 10 at night. As I was walking near the bus station on Columbus Ave. I was jumped by five or six teenagers .I was thrown to the ground as these cowards punched me in the head and kicked me in my rib section. I went to the hospital to find out that two of my ribs had been broken. For close to three weeks I was in tremendous pain and had trouble sleeping because of my injuries.
I am bringing up this story now because it is 7 1/2 years later and the crime problem in the city of Pittsfield has gotten even worse. I live a few streets away from North Street and it is less than a 10-minute walk to Morningside Elementary School. As readers of this newspaper are aware, this a dangerous place to live. There are a large number of drug addicts who live in my neighborhood. I do not really care if someone one wants to throw their life away on heroin or other opioids as long as I am not in peril of being robbed because some random drug abuser decides he needs to rob me of my money to get his next high.
Now, to be safe, I no longer carry cash in with me ever and I carry pepper spray in case someone tries to jump me again. I also avoid walking the streets after dark because I try to avoid making the same mistake twice. In my opinion there are many neighborhoods in this town where it is unsafe to be walking the streets, which is a huge problem for me because I can no longer drive a car due to my many anxiety disorders.
I do not see the poor and dangerous areas of Pittsfield changing anytime soon. Since I am living on Social Security I cannot afford to move a safer area of this city or move to another area in Berkshire County. Obviously no one wants to struggle with money but everyone should have the right to have a real sense of being safe and secure in their neighborhood.
Bram Hurvitz, Pittsfield
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“One man killed in Pittsfield shooting”
By The Berkshire Eagle, January 20, 2019
Pittsfield — One man was killed early this morning in a shooting on Edward Avenue.
The man's name was not released, pending notification of family.
According to a news release from the Pittsfield Police Department, at around 2:13 a.m. authorities received a report of a possible gunshot victim outside a location on Edward Avenue. Police found a man who appeared to have suffered at least one gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
"At this time the Pittsfield Police Department does not believe that there is a threat to the general public," the release said.
Anyone who has information about the shooting is asked to call the Pittsfield Police Department Detective Bureau at 413-448-9705. Information can also be provided anonymously via the Drug Tips hotline at 413-448-9708, or by texting PITTIP and your message to TIP411 (847411).
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“Victim rushed to hospital after Pittsfield stabbing”
By Bob Dunn, The Berkshire Eagle, January 21, 2019
Pittsfield — A person was rushed to Berkshire Medical Center on Monday with apparent stab wounds, according to police.
The victim was found on Madison Avenue just west of North Street about 10:45 a.m. It was unclear how serious their injuries were.
The area was cordoned off with police tape, and the state police Crime Scene Services unit was en route.
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“Woman charged with stabbing man multiple times in chest”
By Bob Dunn, The Berkshire Eagle, January 21, 2019
Pittsfield — A woman is facing assault charges after she allegedly stabbed a man in the chest Monday morning, just steps from North Street, according to Pittsfield police.
The incident came barely a day after two shooting incidents, including the city's first homicide of the year.
About 10:40 a.m. Monday, police found a 34-year-old male on Madison Avenue with multiple stab wounds, according to a news release. A knife also was found and seized as evidence.
The victim, whose name has not been released, was taken to Berkshire Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.
The woman who was with him, Nakesha Peltier-Tarrance, 27, was arrested after a brief investigation. Police said there was no risk to public safety.
Peltier-Tarrance is being held on $10,000 bail, and likely will be arraigned Tuesday. She is facing one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Fatal shooting
Authorities continue to investigate the fatal shooting of a man about 2:13 a.m. Sunday at a home on Edward Avenue.
City police issued a statement Sunday stating the department does not believe the shooting represents a threat to the general public.
Identification of the victim was being withheld pending notification of his family. Police referred questions regarding the shooting to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office.
Attempts to solicit more information from the DA's Office were unsuccessful.
Police also responded to reports that a house on Maple Street was hit by gunfire shortly before midnight Sunday. Multiple rounds were fired, but no injuries were reported.
Sunday's slaying appears to the the first in the county in 2019, and follows two recent homicides toward the end of 2018: the shooting death of David Green in early November and the stabbing death of William Catalano in mid-October.
Three men — Jason Sefton, Bruce Romano and Anthony Boone — have been charged in Catalano's death; all are being held without bail.
Lance Burke, of The Bronx, N.Y., has been charged with Green's death. He, too, is being held without bail.
In her recent State of the City address, Mayor Linda Tyer said the city is working to address the issue of violence, citing a community police center in progress on Columbus Avenue.
Carolyn Valli, executive director of Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, whose space on Columbus Avenue will be used by Pittsfield Police Department for the center, said her team is still actively recruiting volunteers to help staff the police hub.
She said Monday that she asks volunteers signing up to attend next week's meeting of the West Side Neighborhood Initiative in order to coordinate training times for incoming volunteers.
Before the center can open, Valli said, "we have to have all the volunteers in place."
Sunday's fatal shooting occurred near Elm Street in the city's east side, and the stabbing Monday was downtown.
Anyone with information in the open matters is asked to contact Pittsfield Police's Detective Bureau at 413-448-9705. Information can also be provided via the department's tip hotline at 413-448-9708.
Staff writer Amanda Drane contributed to this report.
Bob Dunn can be reached at bdunn@berkshireeagle.com, at @BobDunn413 on Twitter and 413-496-6249.
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “The state of the city's finances in spotlight”
By Amanda Drane , The Berkshire Eagle, January 27, 2019
Has the city brought in new tax dollars over the past year? Has Pittsfield hit any financial snags or windfalls that could shift upcoming budgets?
We're already seven months into the fiscal year, which means budget season is just around the corner. City leaders will take the temperature of the city's financial condition this week with a meeting that sets the tone surrounding impending spending plans.
During the meeting 7 p.m. Wednesday in Council Chambers, Finance Director Matt Kerwood will present the city's financial outlook to members of the City Council and School Committee. A representative from Scanlon & Associates, the city's auditor, will also give a brief progress report regarding. Last year, Tom Scanlon urged leaders to build up reserves and beef up the city's tax levy capacity.
On Monday, members of the Berkshire legislative delegation will present their legislative agenda for the coming months and hear feedback from residents. The event, presented by Indivisible Pittsfield and the Central Berkshire League of Women Voters, happens at 5:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Berkshire Athenaeum. State Sen. Adam Hinds and state Reps. Smitty Pignatelli and Tricia Farley-Bouvier are scheduled to present.
Officials will also mark a new construction milestone at the Berkshire Innovation Center on Tuesday, at which time we can expect a more detailed progress update on the $13.8 million project currently slated for autumn completion.
City meetings and meetups
A push to put a police hub in the city's West Side will take another step forward during a meeting of the West Side Neighborhood Initiative, 5:30 p.m. Monday at Conte Community School. The group hopes to set up a training schedule for volunteers who signed up to staff the new Columbus Avenue center.
There could be more going on at a few local establishments after a License Commission meeting this week, 3:30 p.m. Monday in Council Chambers.
Ken's Bowl and the newly opened Chili's Grill and Bar will ask the License Commission for entertainment licenses, while the newly sold Beacon Theatre will ask for both an entertainment license and an all-alcohol license. During the meeting, the commission will also ask for updates about liquor licenses held by Crowne Plaza and Home Plate.
The city's Conservation Commission will consider this week whether a solar farm is eligible to apply for approval at 1115 Churchill St., located within a wetland buffer zone. The proposed location is not far from a now-defunct solar proposal at Pontoosuc Lake Country Club, which caused a neighborhood uproar — an issue that underscored the need for more systematic regulations for solar projects. An ordinance to that effect is now making its way through city boards.
That conservation hearing happens 6 p.m. Thursday in Council Chambers.
On Tuesday, 1Berkshire will host an entrepreneurial meetup at Otto's from 8 to 10 a.m.
Get out this weekend
Local photographers will be in the limelight this week during First Fridays Artswalk, from 5 to 8 p.m. The Lichtenstein Center for the Arts will feature 10 area photographers in the "The Ten Spot Photography Show."
The 28th annual Pittsfield Rotary Auction kicks off 5 p.m. Saturday with a cocktail preview hour at the Crowne Plaza. The theme is Margaritaville and tickets cost $10.
There's a restorative yoga with CBD workshop Saturday at Radiance Yoga, happening 3 p.m. at the North Street studio. (CBD is a nonpsychoactive cannabis compound with medicinal benefits.) Attendees will be invited to use CBD oils and salves during restorative poses.
Tickets cost $30 for those who register online, which is advised since the hosts say it will likely sell out.
Want to know whose paws left those prints? There's an animal tracking workshop 9 a.m. Saturday at Canoe Meadows on Holmes Road. Call 413-637-0320 to reserve a spot, which costs between $6 and $10.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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“Pittsfield city coffers are on the up and up”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, January 30, 2019
Pittsfield — Things are looking up for the city of Pittsfield.
State aid is up by nearly $4 million heading into the budget season for fiscal year 2020, and the city's overall property valuation is up by about 3 percent.
And the books never have looked better, said Thomas Scanlon, the city's certified public accountant, during a joint meeting of the City Council and School Committee on Wednesday. The joint meeting happens annually and offers a look at what the city has to work with heading into budget season.
When Mayor Linda Tyer took office in 2016, she said after the meeting, she inherited quite a financial predicament. Now "we have been able to stabilize the situation," she said.
"It really is a hallmark of some really hard work," she said. And, "it's gotta continue."
Adding wind to the city's sails is a $3.7 million increase in Chapter 70 funding, the state's mechanism for doling out school funding. The state also is kicking in an additional $241,035 in unrestricted aid, Finance Director Matt Kerwood told city leaders.
Councilor At Large Melissa Mazzeo wondered if this influx was "a one-time shot in the arm," but Kerwood said he didn't think so.
"My reading of the tea leaves would indicate there will be some action on Chapter 70," referencing legislative momentum around revisiting the state's school funding formula.
Pittsfield Public Schools Superintendent Jason McCandless said the current formula hasn't kept up with increased costs associated with educating students receiving special education services and those coming from economically disadvantaged households, as well as soaring health care costs. He said he believed that the city is seeing increases in state aid for its schools because Pittsfield has more of a load to bear in those areas.
School Committee Chairwoman Kathy Yon said Gov. Charlie Baker is responding to the heat he's feeling from school leaders and advocates, and that's something he should continue to feel.
"Keep the pressure on, and keep the voices loud," she said.
All told, Kerwood said, revenues are up $6.4 million over last year's numbers. But the expense side remains unclear.
The city's total valuation, a cumulative sum of the city's total property value, rose to $3.58 billion over the past year, reflecting an increase of about 3 percent.
"That's pretty significant," Paula King, the city's assessor, told officials.
Scanlon pointed to increases in property tax revenue as a positive sign, as well as a tax levy capacity on the rebound — the city's ability to tax increased by $3.2 million over the past fiscal year, to a maximum of $91.3 million that the city can raise through taxation in fiscal year 2020.
Still, Kerwood said the city is among a handful of others statewide that are at the levy ceiling, and now comes the time when city departments put together their budget requests. Departmental budgets are due Feb. 15.
One question looming, Kerwood noted, is what to do with some of the city's aging buildings.
"We have a multitude of buildings, and many of them are tired," he said.
Tyer said after the meeting that she's proud of progress to date on the state of the city's finances, but there's more work to do.
"It's not as dire as it once was " she said. "But it requires us to stay alert."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “Independent opinion needed on plant”
The Berkshire Eagle, February 1, 2019
To the editor:
In the 1980s, Pittsfield was prepared to build a water treatment plant proposed by then DPW Commissioner Gerald Doyle Sr. and city consultants Metcalf & Eddy for $150 million. I tried to get them to at least give the sandfloat technology of myself and my partners Dr. Miles Krofta and Dr. Lawrence W. Wang a look, as we calculated that we could building the water facility for $16 million. They wouldn't give us the time of day.
Fortunately, we had just finished building the world's first sandfloat facility on Lenox Mountain, which Dr. Krofta paid for. I brought Pittsfield Mayor Charles Smith to the Lenox plant, to Krofta Engineering world headquarters in Lenox and to the Lenox Institute of Research. We convinced him we could build the plant for $16 million. The dilemma he found himself facing was who should he believe — we at Krofta or Doyle and the consultants.
We decided to hire an independent scientific and engineering review consultant, CEM Reviewers, to give the mayor his answer. The consultants chose Krofta and the rest is history.
Krofta built the facility for $32 million, double our proposed cost, because regulatory authorities forced us to build in 100 percent backup capabilities. Regardless, we saved the city $118 million in capital investment costs and another $50 million in reduced water and sewer rates over the past 36 years.
Let's fast forward to today. The AECOM consulting firm proposes mitigating the phosphorus problem at the city's sewer plant for $74 million. I say it can be solved for between $18 and $21 million. Please review my Jan. 23 news program on PCTV, Channel 1301. I am going to rerun this show many times so everyone in the city who is concerned about their water and sewer rates will be knowledgeable and have the information they need before going into the voting vooth to vote out city officials in the November election this year.
At the Jan. 22 City Council meeting, I proposed that the city hire an independent scientific and engineering review consulting firm to compare my $18 million to $21 million cost to mitigate our phosphorus problem to the consultant's $74 million plan. My fellow taxpayers: the difference between our proposals is $53 million, that you are going to pay. What do you think we should do? Tell the mayor and your city councilors.
Craig C. Gaetani, Pittsfield
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “City Council to vet bag ban, pot taxes toward roads”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, February 3, 2019
A plastic bag ban batted around by city councilors over the last year could see a resolution this week during a meeting of the Ordinances and Rules Committee.
Councilors have debated whether to make exceptions for certain types of single-use plastic bags, like those used for meats and newspapers, and whether to allow the use of biodegradable bags.
Environmental advocates say single-use plastic bags live on for decades, befouling natural resources, while business managers worry about the costs associated with the switch. The city's Green Commission originally filed the drafted ordinance in 2013.
The committee could take a preliminary vote during its meeting, 7 p.m. Monday in Council Chambers. The ban would then go to the full council for consideration.
The committee will also consider bumping up city salaries to account for cost of living increases. Personnel Director Michael Taylor has made it a mission to periodically increase city salaries as a means to stay competitive with other government jobs across the commonwealth, but that initiative has met resistance from councilors who point to private sector positions that also haven't kept up with cost of living increases.
What about setting aside half of incoming marijuana taxes for deteriorating roads? The City Council's Finance Committee will start hashing out that proposal during its meeting 7 p.m. Thursday in Council Chambers.
Other city committees
The Airport Commission, which meets 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Pittsfield Municipal Airport, has been working on several agreements that could increase revenues. Those discussions include a solar deal that had been projected to net $13 million for city coffers over the next 30 years, but the project hit a snag over placement of the solar panels. A revised proposal from the developer could land in the commission's lap this week, and with it hope of saving the arrangement.
The city's newly formed Homeless Prevention Committee meets 10 a.m. Monday amid a challenging time for the area's homeless advocates. The county's largest homeless shelter, Barton's Crossing, needs a new building. And frigid temperatures are putting additional pressure on the community to bring homeless people in from the cold — a homeless couple died in their Greenfield tent last month on a night when temperatures dropped into the single digits.
And the Human Rights Commission might get a little existential this week with a discussion about its mission and functions. The commission meets 6 p.m. Thursday in Council Chambers.
Heads up
Newly elected Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington will discuss priorities for her first year during the Berkshire County branch of the NAACP's monthly meeting, 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Berkshire Athenaeum. Mayor Linda Tyer plans to help the Pittsfield VFW Post 448 award scholarships to area high schoolers this week, 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at the American Legion on Wendell Avenue. This year, VFW leaders asked applicants to submit essays about why their votes matter.
On Thursday, Berkshire bakeries will compete in the fifth annual Cupcake Wars, a fundraiser for the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. That event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. at the Berkshire Hills Country Club. There are two community outreach meetings scheduled this week for proposed marijuana facilities, including one brought forward by Heka Inc. for a retail shop at 745 East St., the former Tailored Events space. The other is a cultivation facility proposed for 34 Laurel St. Both meetings will be held 6 p.m. Tuesday, with the East Street shop aired in the Berkshire Athenaeum and the other at the Laurel Street site.
Flavours will ring in the Chinese New Year with a buffet celebration on Wednesday. Tickets are $35 per person, and diners will get their pick of appetizers, entrees and desserts. Call 443-3188 to reserve a seat during one of the evening's two seatings, at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496--6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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Dave Pill: “Pittsfield must become envy of neighboring towns”
By Dave Pill, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, February 5, 2019
Pittsfield — I recently watched Mayor Tyer's State of the City address on PCTV. Full of accomplishments and platitudes, it seems like a kick off to a potential run for re-election.
One statement that caught my attention was that Pittsfield is "the envy of the other Gateway Cities" because we have an independent, downtown movie theater. That was a nod to the recent controversy about the GE fund monies that were restructured. The only folks who didn't agree with that move are those who didn't understand that the transaction was going to happen anyway, and by approving the restructuring, the city bought some time to influence something that has helped other downtown businesses by driving traffic after the time when downtown used to roll up the carpet for the night. Basically, it was a ginned up controversy by a few folks who have made it their job to say no to everything because they dislike the mayor or are sore that their candidate lost. They then convinced others that the money was recoverable when in fact it wasn't. I think Phoenix will operate the theater well, and hope they succeed. Money spent 10 years ago did its job and now we should move on.
The part of that statement that makes me nervous, however, is that I do not care if we are the envy of Holyoke, Fitchburg, Lynn, or even Barnstable. Those cities, along with 20+ others including Pittsfield, are unfortunately cities that have seen their best days, in part because the lion's share of the state's investments and actions to attract good jobs and a strong economy are devoted to Boston, which is home to just 10 percent of the state's population. In allowing this decline, I have watched crime creep into neighborhoods which have been immune because Pittsfield is not attracting the best new residents. We are attracting those who have no other alternatives — and if they are troubled, their trouble comes with them.
Rather than be the envy of Holyoke or Springfield because we have one driver that makes a downtown a more vibrant place (something that is necessary), I would prefer that we are the envy of Lanesborough, Lenox, Richmond or Dalton — the communities where many folks choose to live rather than Pittsfield — despite Pittsfield having some great neighborhoods, and is often the place where residents of those communities work. I work in Lenox and I meet folks who wouldn't live in Pittsfield for any reason — and in fact, tolerate being bounced out of their rented homes each year so that the owner can rent to the Tanglewood trade. In other words, they would rather live in their cars or bunk up with several friends in Lenox before moving to a nicer (and less expensive) place in Pittsfield. And there are those who move from nice homes in Pittsfield to either Lenox or Richmond so that they can enroll their kids in their schools at a large financial burden.
Despite the cheerleading I watch at School Committee meetings, I have met many folks who won't enroll their kids in the city's schools and have a litany of reasons why the schools here won't meet their kids' needs. Oddly enough when I query where they hear the bad stories they always cite friends and families who teach in the city's schools. In other words, if we think the schools are a war zone, it only takes employees of the district to confirm it for these folks.
I would have much preferred a plan to make Pittsfield a safer city, where we don't attract all the folks who grow up in Dalton or Lanseborough or elsewhere nearby and become the folks robbing, killing, beating, and doing other bad things on our streets and neighborhood, Rather, we attract those new General Dynamics or BMC employees who now decide they will only take the job here if they can live affordably outside the city. Once we are an acceptable choice for people to live here rather than just work and shop here, this city will be the envy of not only other Gateway City mayors but our own residents who at the moment, are wondering how in four short years we went from bad to worse and what is the leadership doing to reverse the tide.
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Letter: “Discarded pot containers adding to city mess”
The Berkshire Eagle, February 16, 2019
To the editor:
The most troublesome aspect of the new recreational marijuana dispensaries are the sterile, hospital-like, locked-down environments the marijuana is purchased in and the plastic chem-lab manufactured throw away containers the dried herb is being taken out of the store in.
The mini-plastic chem-lab marijuana containers now join the millions of mini-plastic, chem-lab liquor bottles littered along the grass beside the roadways all around town. Drivers, not able to delay consuming their tonics to dispose of trash which if discovered in use in their vehiclescould lead to legal problems, toss out of car windows the bottles and containers, making most sidewalks and roadways in the city a sad, disturbing, frustrating sight.
If Big Brother exists I suggest he follow the heat trail from every bottle, every container, every piece of trash on the side of the road to the hand that threw it out a car window to a street address where a plea for change can be mailed.
Katherine Gundelfinger, Pittsfield
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “PCB contamination, parking problems and fireworks on display”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, February 17, 2019
This week kicks off with a Monday holiday and winds down with a bang.
In other words, Presidents Day on Monday means a day off from work (for many) and also free downtown parking. And on Saturday, there's going to be 10 minutes of fireworks starting 6 p.m. at The Common.
On the City Hall side of things, here are some things to look out for.
The City Council's Committee on Public Health and Safety is scheduled to review air and groundwater samplings from the area surrounding Building 71 and Hill 78, two landfills near Allendale Elementary School that contain PCB-contaminated soils from the General Electric Co. Elevated groundwater samples stirred council fears in September, but officials with the Environmental Protection Agency have said the contamination is not close enough to occupied buildings to pose a threat.
That meeting is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers.
A new restaurant on Pontoosuc Lake, The Proprietor's Lodge, will ask the Community Development Board this week to approve a parking waiver allowing for continued development of the site. The ownership plans to add a lakeside wedding platform.
Neighbors are already unhappy about new traffic in the area, and so the city considers the parking waiver against that backdrop. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center.
The board also will consider new regulations that would prevent large-scale solar developments from moving into residential neighborhoods. City Hall proposed the new ordinance to ward off the kind of controversy that surrounded a now-defunct solar development proposed for Pontoosuc Lake Country Club.
The Conservation Commission will be asked this week to approve a drawdown along the West Branch of the Housatonic River to buoy progress on the Mill Street Dam. The aging piece of infrastructure, also known as the Tel-Electric Dam, is slated for removal this summer.
On the marijuana front
A marijuana retailer will seek a special permit this week from the Zoning Board of Appeals. The retailer, operating under the corporate name Pittsfield Investment Group, is looking to open for recreational marijuana sales at 531 Dalton Ave.
If approved, the shop would be the ninth cannabis store to get a green light from the city. The city's first shop opened last month, and another is scheduled to open doors to the adult public within the next few weeks.
Heads up
We can expect Mayor Linda Tyer to make an announcement this week about a new program she's launching to support homeowners looking to perk up slouching residences.
Speaking of sprucing — have ideas for how to make Tyler Street Lab more inviting and functional as a community space? The lab is accepting creative submissions this week.
The 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival continues this week, as well, bringing art and performances to venues around the city, including the Saturday fireworks display. For a full schedule of events, visit discoverpittsfield.com.
A new group called Pittsfield Prospers is launching this week, 4 p.m. Wednesday at The Proprietor's Lodge. The aim of the organization is to promote positive messaging about our city in the woods.
What's up in Pittsfield? Ping me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496-6296. Catch me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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To: Contact@PittsfieldProspers.com
From: jonathan_a_melle@yahoo.com
Date: February 18, 2019 11:00 P.M.
Re: Please add me to your email list
Message: Good luck in making Pittsfield a nicer community!
Notes: The official launch of "Pittsfield Prospers" is scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday [February 20th] at the Proprietor’s Lodge on the banks of Pontoosuc Lake.
www.pittsfieldprospers.com
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Letter: “Pittsfield must do more to help low-income residents”
The Berkshire Eagle, February 23, 2019
To the editor:
As an almost decade-long resident of Pittsfield who grew up in Williamstown, I have noticed an abundance of people who are of noticeably low income walking the streets in Pittsfield in addition to those obviously of a higher socioeconomic status. The question is, how does the city of Pittsfield serve its more low-income constituents and help them get their heads above financial waters?
I feel that the prototypical, oft-promised American Dream of financial wealth and prosperity should be available to anyone, and I feel that perhaps the Pittsfield government should attend to these citizens more often by perhaps, say, mandating that they see one of the job placement specialists at the Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services so that they can raise their income level in a way that supports their growth as Americans and as human beings.
A salary of at least $24,000 a year should be available to anyone, no matter what their educational level or mental health experiences. Then, perhaps the gap between the rich and the poor will recede in this diverse, small city and a more stable middle class will emerge.
Jennifer Gorson, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Bring BCC downtown”
The Berkshire Eagle, March 13, 2019
To the editor:
There are more than 2,000 students and staff that frequent Berkshire Community College's West Street campus in Pittsfield. Imagine what downtown Pittsfield would look like with 2,000 more people on the street? Think about what it would it mean for our local businesses, for our downtown neighborhoods, and for the students and staff who have to travel outside their community to get to a community college. Bringing BCC (back) downtown is the best community development plan our city can implement.
A downtown BCC is accessible: There is only one infrequent bus route to BCC's West Street campus and it doesn't run the length of the school's class schedule. With 96 percent of their students coming from within the county, a central BCC, within walking distance of the intermodal center, and thousands of affordable housing instantly becomes accessible. Access to a car should not be a requirement for access to education.
A downtown BCC is good for business: Downtown businesses are the lifeblood of our city, not because they are nostalgic or hip, but because they inarguably provide the most revenue back to our city. The Greystone building (Dottie's coffee shop), provides 14 times the tax revenue per acre as the Allendale shopping plaza. Additionally, the majority of our downtown real estate and businesses are locally owned (not so for Berkshire Crossing). Two thousand people eating lunch, shopping and working downtown is a huge economic win for the city.
A downtown BCC is good for the neighborhood: It's an outrage that the two neighborhoods abutting our downtown, Morningside and the West Side, were neglected by the city and state for decades. Mayor Tyer's administration, to her credit, has led a push to change this. Bringing BCC downtown would be a giant leap in the right direction for neighborhood improvement. By clustering jobs and education in our central business district, we can continue to breathe new life into our oldest neighborhoods.
Mike Bloomberg, Pittsfield
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“Financial woes could sink Pittsfield's Fourth of July Parade”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, March 15, 2019
Pittsfield — The city's Fourth of July Parade has marched along North Street for nearly two centuries. Rain or shine.
But volunteers say that without a groundswell of community support this year, the beloved celebration could wind to a close.
"There's a very good chance this is the very last Fourth of July Parade," Parade Committee President Peter Marchetti said of this year's event.
Tens of thousands from the Berkshires and beyond flock each year to the parade, which has long been hailed as one of the largest in the region. The parade has been running since 1824, Marchetti said.
This year's parade is estimated to cost $70,000, and the parade committee has only $12,399 in the bank, according to documents provided by committee members.
The parade started losing money in 2010, but the biggest blow came in 2015, when the committee lost more than $15,000 — fundraising brought in $60,223 and costs came to $75,624. Expenses also surpassed fundraising by more than $10,000 each year over the past two years.
Organizers say that if the community stands behind the parade, then they're happy to help keep it going, but they are also at peace with letting it become a thing of the past, if need be.
"Sometimes things change," said Sue Rock, secretary for the Parade Committee. "And sometimes things can't be fixed."
The committee has launched its fundraising campaign for this year, with the goal of raising $85,000 — that would pay for this year's event and put about $15,000 back into parade reserves. This year's parade theme will be "The Berkshires — Past, Present and Future."
In order to secure the parade's future, Marchetti said, "we need to have a really good year financially."
The parade is known for its giant balloons and marching bands. Scores of city residents past and present revisit the same viewing spots each year.
Meeting the same level of expectation has been a challenge as costs incrementally rose, organizers say. Helium costs went up 80 percent. As have postage costs, insurance, the musical acts and the travel expenses to bring them here.
"It's a huge operation we'd like to keep it going," said Parade Committee Vice President Jeff Hunt. "It's just getting a little concerning."
The weather also has been a factor, they said, as they've sometimes paid as much as $7,000 for musicians to perform, only to have their act canceled because of rain.
Organizers are calling all parade lovers in hopes that they'll donate or volunteer.
"I think we've been crying out for help every year," Marchetti said. "We don't want it to die. We need your help."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
How to help
Anyone wishing to donate to the parade can send a check payable to "The Pittsfield Parade Committee Inc." to P.O. Box 1738, Pittsfield MA 01202.
For information or to volunteer, call 413-447-7763, or email pittsfieldparade@aol.com or info@pittsfieldparade.com.
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Spring, budgets and election announcements”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, March 17, 2019
Spring arrives this week, bringing with it budget season and a sneak peek at the city's upcoming election season.
Pittsfield's departmental budget process kicked off with a bang last week when school Superintendent Jason McCandless announced his aim to beef up the educational ranks to the tune of $3.45 million, an increase that mirrors a new wave in state support. This week, the city's department heads will gather internally for the annual budget summit as Mayor Linda Tyer works to develop her spending plan for fiscal year 2020.
And which city councilors are running for reelection, and which aren't? Election energy got percolating last week when Ward 7 City Councilor Tony Simonelli announced he wouldn't seek another term in the November election. We might find out more this week about how the campaign field could end up looking.
Tyer's housing rehab loan program wasn't exactly a hit last week with the City Council, and so this week she continues her work reshaping it in a way that passes muster in Council chambers.
On the green front
Members of the Green Commission think the city's climate action plan has grown a tad out of date, and this week they'll discuss what role the body can play in sprucing it up.
There's also a climate cafe meeting at J. Allen's at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, during which climate-minded folks will gather and talk green over drinks.
In news about another kind of green, two more marijuana retailers are looking to set up shop on Dalton Avenue, and the Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled to make the final municipal call on Wednesday. If approved, they would bring the city's pot shop count to 10.
While it's not feeling warm yet, it's coming. That's why the city's Parks Commission is reviewing warm-weather happenings this week, including new lightscape designs for Park Square, reflecting a collaboration between Berkshire Lightscapes and City Hall.
The commission also plans to review canoe access at Wahconah Park and a proposal for adult basketball and flag football at Durant Park.
Heads up
A community space on Tyler Street, Tyler Street Lab, will be ready on Saturday to show off its new look. Several city organizations, including the Morningside Neighborhood Initiative, Youth Alive and the Berkshire NAACP are making use of the newly refurbished space donated by Goodwill Industries.
Have thoughts on things like cycling lanes and sidewalks? The city has some plans drawn up for possible grant funding under the state's Complete Streets program, and wants to hear from you before submitting it. Comments can be sent by Friday via email to City Engineer Ricardo Morales at rmorales@cityofpittsfield.org.
What's up in Pittsfield next week? Talk to me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, or by phone at 413-496-6296. Follow me on Twitter @amandadrane.
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Letter: “Tyer's housing program is sound policy"
The Berkshire Eagle, March 21, 2019
To the editor:
At Greylock Federal Credit Union we seek to promote financial inclusion, and we wish to applaud The Eagle for supporting Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer's housing improvement plan (At Home in Pittsfield), that recently went before the City Council. (Editorial, March 16 "Poor case against mayor's housing plan.")
The project was rejected by the City Council on two points. The first point centered on the source of the funds. It is not our prerogative to decide how to fund municipal projects, but we respectfully disagree with the argument that a housing improvement project cannot qualify as a job creating activity. We believe this project is well supported by economic development best practices.
We are grateful that The Eagle was willing to call out the second point: our community's struggle with marginalization through poverty. If we ignore our community's inequalities, we cannot evolve into a truly prosperous region with the capacity to embrace economic opportunities of the future. From our vantage point, steering resources specifically to the Morningside and West Side neighborhoods is entirely fair, not to mention a responsible use of limited resources.
Sound economic policy would suggest employing our limited resources toward uses with the greatest potential for growth and impact. Improving the quality of Pittsfield's older housing stock and rental units — much of it concentrated in these neighborhoods — is necessary to elevate living standards for residents, and to attract and maintain the workforce that potential employers require to compete in this area.
There is strong logic to steering more investment now to neighborhoods which have received less investment in the past. We support the At Home in Pittsfield program and the sound economic and social policy it demonstrates. The financial professionals at Greylock stand ready to implement the program, and we urge the City Council to reconsider its position.
John L. Bissell, Pittsfield
The writer is president & CEO, Greylock Federal Credit Union.
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Letter: “Fix huge potholes, not house exteriors”
The Berkshire Eagle, March 21, 2019
To the editor:
Dear city of Pittsfield:
Let's take the money you want to give to give homeowners to fix up their houses' exteriors and instead use it to fix the many huge potholes all over our roads. Then please get the streets swept ASAP. I had to pay for my roof and house painting all on my own.
It soon will be bike riding season and I want all the bike riders to be safe while enjoying a beautiful spring road-ride. Spring is here. Is it safe to take that turn?
Holly Brouker, Pittsfield
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“City must address water system parasite”
The Berkshire Eagle, March 22, 2019
To the editor:
I have done my best to convince Mayor Tyer and the Pittsfield City Council that the $74 million sewer update project is so overpriced that those with knowledge of kind of projects find it laughable. I had a counter offer of $46 to $50 million that the mayor and eight councilors never took seriously.
I went before the City Council recently to tell them that the technology the DPW commissioner and the consultants recommend is not a proprietary process and any individual with even minimum scientific and engineering knowledge could do better. I proposed that is could mitigate the phosphorous problem in the city's sewers for between $18 and $21 million. Again, my proposal was ignored even though taxpayers and ratepayers of the city could save more than $50 million.
The city of Milwaukee found a deadly parasite, cryptosporidium, in both their sewage treatment plant and their drinking water filtration plant. This deadly parasite claimed 104 lives and serious sickened more than 4,000 residents. It has no known cure and impacts the young and elderly and those with compromised immune systems. The only known method of destroying it is ozonation technology, which the city build into its municipal plants.
I proposed that the city use ozonation to mitigate the phosphorous problem rather than the balasted floculation system recommended by the DPW head and consultants. This would save $50 million and also provide protection against cryptosporidium, which will soon be a requirement of the EPA. I filed three petitions asking the city to do so. If the mayor and City Council do not do so, they will be personally responsible if any resident dies from this parasite or becomes seriously ill. If they fail to do as asked to protect the health of residents I will have no choice but to sue the city in federal court.
I will be speaking at the City Council meeting of March 26 about protecting your life and health. I suggest that anyone who is concerned about eliminating cryptosporidium from both our water plants to contact the mayor and city councilors and demand that they halt the ballasted floculation process and switch to ozonation technology.
Craig Gaetani, Pittsfield
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Edward M. Reilly was Pittsfield's mayor from 1992 to 1998.
“Edward Reilly, former Pittsfield mayor, dies at 69”
By Tony Dobrowolski, The Berkshire Eagle, March 22, 2019
Pittsfield — Edward M. Reilly, who served three terms as Pittsfield mayor in the 1990s and was known for his love of politics and dedication to the city, has died at age 69, city officials confirmed Friday.
The cause of death was not immediately clear.
Reilly, the city's 33rd mayor, occupied the corner office from 1992 to 1998. A lawyer, he also served as a city solicitor. Reilly was appointed to that position by then-Mayor Charles M. Smith in 1983, the year after he graduated from the Western New England College School of Law.
During his last term as mayor, Reilly decided to run for state Senate but later dropped out of the race, citing his mother's illness and his own back problems. He ran for mayor again as one of 10 candidates in 2001, but was defeated in the preliminary election.
After leaving politics, Reilly served as town counsel for several Berkshire municipalities as a member of the Boston-based municipal law firm Kopelman & Paige.
"Certainly on behalf of myself and the city of Pittsfield, I extend to Mayor Reilly's family our sincere condolences," said Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer. "While I didn't know him well, I respect and admire all the mayors who came before me."
Pittsfield attorney P. Keyburn Hollister served as city solicitor before Reilly was appointed to the position. Reilly interned under Hollister in the city solicitor's office during his final year in law school.
"He loved politics," Hollister said.
She remembered Reilly as a friendly, outgoing person.
"He was dedicated to the city," Hollister said.
Reilly, a Pittsfield native, was the son of Dorothy Dow Reilly and William Reilly, who ran a variety store at North and Wahconah streets for 33 years before his father died in 1968. Reilly's father had seven brothers, four of them priests.
Reilly graduated from the former St. Joseph's Central High School, where he was a member of the debate team. He received an associates degree with honors from Berkshire Community College in 1970 and then graduated from the University of Massachusetts two years later with a bachelor's degree in history.
Lacking the money to go directly to law school, he originally enrolled in graduate school at UMass to study sociology, but dropped out after one year.
"Sociology wasn't concrete enough for me," Reilly told The Eagle in 1983. "It was too theoretical."
Reilly then managed a package store for eight years before being appointed contract manager for the city of Pittsfield's Community Development Office in September 1982.
In 1978, he began going to law school three nights a week at Western New England in Springfield. Due to that pace, it took him four years of night school and two summers to earn his law degree cum laude.
According to Eagle archives, during his three terms as mayor, Reilly was known as a micromanager who paid close attention to the minute details of city business. A number of projects began under his administration, including the renovation of the Central Block on North Street, which was completed during the first term of his successor, former Mayor Gerald S. Doyle Jr.
Other highlights during his tenure included the purchase of the former England Brothers building on North Street, which now serves as the headquarters of Berkshire Bank's Pittsfield operations, the construction of the plaza outside City Hall and the construction of the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center.
During his administration, Reilly also formed the first Citizens Advisory Committee, established as a means of easing tension between the police and Pittsfield's black community, according to the NAACP's Berkshire branch.
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“Pittsfield reveals $143,000 settlement over woman's botched arrest”
By Bob Dunn, The Berkshire Eagle, March 25, 2019
Pittsfield — The city of Pittsfield has settled — for nearly $143,000 — a civil suit with a woman who claimed she was roughed up during a botched 2015 arrest after officers showed up at the wrong address.
For months, the city claimed that information was exempt from public disclosure. The Secretary of State's Office disagrees.
Correspondence between that office, Pittsfield officials and city resident Igor Greenwald, obtained by The Eagle, detail a five-month process to compel the city to release the information regarding the settlement.
Those documents show the city's insurance policy required the payment of a $7,500 deductible, which appears to be the only direct cost to the city. The rest was paid by the city's insurance carrier.
The settlement stems from the June 25, 2015, arrest of Phyllis Stankiewicz, who was 88 at the time, by two Pittsfield Police officers who had been sent to an incorrect address for a report of a disturbance involving a man with a bat.
The officers were informed of the error, but still took Stankiewicz into custody, injuring her in the process.
Her attorney, David E. Belfort, filed a demand letter with the city seeking up to $225,000 in damages.
"Although the officers did not have probable cause to detain or arrest Mrs. Stankiewicz, they insisted on lingering in the residence and blocked Mrs. Stankiewicz from safely exiting or walking past them," Belfort said in the letter.
"Roughly thirty-five minutes after these officers arrived ... Mrs. Stankiewicz was bruised, bleeding, handcuffed and terrified because she had just been roughed up and arrested at her own home," the letter reads.
News of the settlement came by way of that demand letter, which was included in an unrelated and still-open discrimination suit against the city, and was documented in an August 2018 Berkshire Eagle story. The discrimination suit was filed by Jennifer Brueckmann, one of the officers involved in the Stankiewicz arrest.
Greenwald, the founder of Civil Liberties Pittsfield, made a public records request to the city Sept. 19, 2018, seeking information, including an itemized list of payments made by the city or its insurer related to any claims of misconduct by its police officers.
The request cited a 2015 state Supreme Judicial Court decision that said legal settlements are not exempt from public disclosure solely based on confidentially clauses in those settlements.
By law, public records requests must be responded to in writing within 10 business days.
By December 2018, the city had not yet responded to Greenwald's request, prompting him to appeal to the Secretary of State's Office on Dec. 10.
The city responded two days later, claiming the requested materials were exempt from being publicly disclosed.
On Feb. 13, 2019, Greenwald filed a second appeal with the Secretary of State's Office, which, 12 days later, informed Pittsfield that the requested information was not exempt from being made public.
"The Public Records Law strongly favors disclosure by creating a presumption that all governmental records are public records," reads the letter from Rebecca S. Murray, the supervisor of records for the Secretary of State's Office.
In order to claim an exemption, Murray said, not only must the specific exemption be cited, but it must also be stated why that exemption applies to the information being sought.
On March 7, the city provided Greenwald a copy of the invoice from its insurance carrier, Woburn-based MIIA Property and Casualty Group, detailing the $142,489,50 settlement and the $7,500 deductible charged to the city.
The Eagle reached out to the office of Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer to explain why it did not respond to Greenwald's first public records request.
In response, Pittsfield City Solicitor Stephen N. Pagnotta sent the following statement via email, "The City provided Mr. Greenwald with all public records that were responsive to his requests."
Greenwald, who said he filed the request because civilian oversight of police is "vital to our democracy," pledged continued vigilance on behalf of city residents.
"The city's obstructionism in response to these and other legitimate public records requests highlights the glaring lack of transparency and sincerity from the Tyer administration on the crucial progressive issue of police accountability," he said. "Pittsfield's troubled police department deserves and will receive further scrutiny no matter how much the mayor, the police chief and police union officials dodge and weave."
Bob Dunn can be reached at bdunn@berkshireeagle.com, at @BobDunn413 on Twitter and 413-496-6249.
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Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer announced Thursday her intent to run for a second term at Framework on North Street. Tyer is Pittsfield's first mayor to be elected to a four-year term.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Pittsfield Mayor Tyer, `an optimistic champion,' announces bid for 2nd term”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, March 28, 2019
Pittsfield — Mayor Linda Tyer rose to power four years ago under a united vision, said her campaign manager, Tom Sakshaug, and "we're not done yet."
Pittsfield's first four-year mayor highlighted strides in economic development, financial planning and the fight against blight as she announced her bid for a second term on Thursday. She did so while standing inside Framework, a chic coworking space on North Street that "wasn't here when I took the oath of office in 2016."
Surrounded by dozens of her supporters, Tyer ticked off her accomplishments.
Under her leadership, she said, the city fought to keep Covanta in the city, saving Pittsfield $462,000 a year in waste management costs. She cited new energy in streetscape work, noting that momentum now extends to Tyler Street.
She said she worked to strengthen the city's relationship with MassDevelopment, through which the state funnels development support. Her team has secured $17 million in outside grant funding since she took office, she said — from agencies and foundations "who believe in our city."
People are investing in Pittsfield, and that "cannot be denied."
"I'm an optimistic champion for our city," she said.
Since she took office, she said her team has resurfaced 41 miles of roads and created 113 private-sector jobs. She helped secure community support for the ShotSpotter system, which alerts the Pittsfield Police Department to shots fired, and rolled out the red-carpet team to welcome new businesses like Wayfair, slated to bring 300 new jobs into the city.
Development projects underway like the Berkshire Innovation Center and the Morningstar complex on Tyler Street stand as examples of incoming assets to which she's lent her support.
"I walk this road with many," she said. "There's so much more that we need to do for our beloved city."
And the average homeowner saw their tax bill go down for the first time since 1993, she said.
To combat blight, she has led the city to demolish a handful of slouching homes each year. And with the aim of helping homeowners avoid the conditions that lead to these demolitions, Tyer is workshopping her At Home in Pittsfield initiative, which would give residents zero-interest loans to spruce up the exterior of their homes.
But the fight against crime continues, she said while answering questions from the media. The underlying issues are complex, she said, citing addiction and mental illness, and "we are working at it."
"We are doing what we can with the resources that we have to try to address this issue," she said.
Tyer said she's gearing up for a busy summer.
"I'm going to work hard, as I always do, and win this election," she said. "One vote at a time."
She's past the learning curve, she told The Eagle after her speech. And now she's rolling up her sleeves.
"I am expecting competition," she said. "We're going to be ready for anything."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/59602/Tyer-Announces-Re-election-Bid.html
photo credit: Josh Landes / WAMC
related link: https://www.wamc.org/post/tyer-bullish-pittsfield-s-progress-bid-second-term
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March 30, 2019
The following news article outlines policy prescriptions for post-industrial, struggling, and stagnating cities, including Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Aaron Renn believes economically disadvantaged communities like Pittsfield needs to move away from failed subsidies and towards good governance.
- Jonathan Melle
“How to Bring Back Struggling Cities”
By Aaron Renn, City Lab, March 28, 2019
Post-Industrial Pittsfield is part of the Northeastern Rust Belt
The truly left behind and most forgotten cities are smaller places, many of which are little-known: Danville, Illinois; Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Michigan City, Indiana; Pittsfield, Massachusetts; and Youngstown, Ohio.
These metropolitan areas often have several strikes against them, including population loss, weak job markets, low value economies, a low share of adults with college degrees, and a central municipality that is financially distressed. They also have very few if any high value assets to rebuild their economies around.
Massachusetts included Pittsfield in its list of proposed Amazon HQ2 sites…. But decades of subsidies haven’t worked and won’t work.
Instead, deeply challenged smaller post-industrial cities should do the basics: Local governments must address their often huge unfunded liabilities and get to structurally balanced budgets. They should reform their governance where necessary, especially by eliminating corruption. And, they need to start rebuilding core public services, especially public safety but also parks, etc. Make no mistake, this will require help from federal and state governments, and may involve painful steps like bankruptcy and prosecutions.
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March 30, 2019
Re: Pittsfield used perverse incentives instead of economic equality
My theory about Pittsfield’s depressed local economy centers on the economics theory “Perverse Incentives”. What I mean is the more poverty, crime, social issues, economic inequality, and the like, means more federal and state dollars for the city government, not-for-profits, social services agencies, and the Pittsfield Jail. To be clear, I do not believe Pittsfield wants to have economic equality with a strong middle class. Year after year, Pittsfield is becoming a sister version of North Adams without its Mass MoCA museum.
I grew up in Pittsfield (Mass.), and I lived in the Pittsfield area for over a decade as an adult. I witnessed the losses in population, businesses, and jobs in Pittsfield. I read that Pittsfield is one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation. I don’t believe it happened by mere coincidences. Rather, I believe Pittsfield purposefully profits off of all the public funds it receives from the economic misery of the many disadvantaged people who live there.
For decades, state and local politicians pointed out the socioeconomic realities of GE leaving town, but they did not do anything of substance to provide living wage jobs to the common working people. Instead, Pittsfield’s real economic growth was in the underclass. To illustrate, in Pittsfield, teen pregnancies double the statewide average with low quality pre-natal pregnancy healthcare. Moreover, Pittsfield is number one in all of Massachusetts for poor pregnant mothers who smoke cigarettes.
Pittsfield has a high concentration of social services and not-for-profit agencies. Pittsfield (and North Adams) is known as the welfare capital(s) of the Berkshire region. I ask myself why doesn’t Pittsfield change? But I know the real answer to my question, which is Pittsfield wants the public funds instead of living wage jobs.
I have a Master of Public Administration degree. I studied the functions of local government. The key to a prosperous community is to invest in its people by keeping them safe from violent crime, educating them in good public schools, and ensuring economic opportunities for living wage employment. The people are to be treated like gold. The people are the most valuable asset to a community because they live, work, and invest in their government and small businesses. That also means politicians should serve the people instead of their own Good Old Boys club and its vested interests!
I liken public administration to George Bailey in the classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”. George Bailey used his building and loans firm to invest in common people and the community. If his suicidal wish to never exist came true, he saw the opposite vision than his good will towards humankind. He realized he wanted to live again, and when he returned home to his loving family, the common people saved his small business.
In conclusion, Pittsfield fell into the wrong hands for many decades. The Good Old Boys club of political hacks invested in themselves and their vested interests instead of the common people. The politicians used perverse incentives to enrich themselves through the economic pain of others. They did nothing for decades to bring living wage jobs to the common people.
- Jonathan Melle
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Christopher Connell
Eagle file photo
“Connell running for another term on Pittsfield City Council”
By Dick Lindsay, The Berkshire Eagle, April 8, 2019
Pittsfield — Veteran city councilor Christopher Connell wants to represent Ward 4 for another two years.
Connell has taken out nomination papers in an effort to land on the Nov. 5 ballot and win a fifth term. He joins Ward 3 Councilor Nick Caccamo as the only other City Council incumbent to take out papers.
Ward 6 Councilor John Krol announced two weeks ago he was done after 10 years on the 11-member panel.
Mayor Linda Tyer and City Clerk Michele Benjamin are among the other Pittsfield elected officials again seeking voter approval in November.
Connell says he's most concerned about the affordability of living in Pittsfield.
"I spoke with a veteran real estate agent who said this has been the busiest winter in 25 years.
People are moving out. They can't afford the water/sewer rates and property taxes," he said.
All candidates must collect signatures and return their paperwork to the city clerk by 5 p.m. July 19.
Mayoral hopefuls must gather 300 valid signatures of registered voters, councilors at large and School Committee members need 150, and ward seats require 50 signatures.
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April 9, 2019
I am frustrated with Pittsfield politics because the state and local political hacks are the only ones who understand why people are moving away from Pittsfield due to its high municipal taxes, fees, and debts, which was recently noted by City Councilor Chris Connell in the Berkshire Eagle. The political hacks are the ones who created the problems that drove thousands of people to move out of Pittsfield!
What ever happened to "investing in people" instead of shaking them down? A good public servant would see money as a means to an end instead of the end goal. He or she would see the people as the community's most valuable resource because they work, live, and pay the bills to make the community prosperous.
Instead, Pittsfield politics' response to everything is to raise municipal taxes, fees, and debts to unsustainable levels, which forces the people to move away. The only people who stay have no other alternative. They are dependent on welfare, social services, and work low wage, part time jobs. These poor people don't understand the stakes and are part of the growing underclass, who mostly don't vote or care about civic matters.
- Jonathan Melle
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Officials listen as state Rep. Paul Mark speaks during Monday's announcement for the upcoming 2020 U. S. Census at Pittsfield City Hall. Pictured, from left, are Mark Maloy of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer, New York Regional Census Center Supervisory Partnership Specialist Georgia Lowe and state Sen. Adam Hinds.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
State Rep. Paul Mark, chairman of the House Committee on Redistricting, hosts an announcement Monday at Pittsfield City Hall for the upcoming 2020 U.S. census with Georgia Lowe of the New York Regional Census Center, Senator Adam Hinds, Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer, Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Mark Maloy of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
State Rep. Paul Mark, chairman of the House Committee on Redistricting, speaks Monday as New York Regional Census Center supervisory partnership specialist Georgia Lowe listens before delivering her own remarks on the upcoming 2020 U.S. census.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
New York Regional Census Center supervisory partnership specialist Georgia Lowe speaks at Monday's announcement at Pittsfield City Hall for the upcoming 2020 U. S. census.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“'Shape your future': Berkshire leaders seek to make every effort count for 2020 census”
By Dick Lindsay, The Berkshire Eagle, April 8, 2019
Pittsfield — With legislative representation and federal funding at stake, Berkshire residents need to stand up and be counted next year.
Local, state and federal officials at City Hall delivered that important message on Monday to county inhabitants — be included in the 2020 U.S. Census.
"The goal is simple; count everyone once, only once and in the right place," said Georgia Lowe, representing the U.S. Census Bureau regional office.
The head count of every man, woman and child may be a year away, but Lowe joined state Rep. Paul Mark, D-Peru, Mayor Linda Tyer and others to get a head start on making residents aware of why an accurate count is crucial to their community and state. The federal government has chosen April 1, 2020, as the day to be officially counted.
Mark says residency affects how many U.S. House of Representatives seats each state gets, as well as the shape of state representative and senatorial districts.
"If we count accurately, we shouldn't lose a House seat like we did after 2010," said Mark, who is chairman of the Massachusetts House Committee on Redistricting. He was referring to Western Massachusetts losing a Congressional seat due to
declining population and other states growing at a faster pace than Massachusetts a decade ago.
Tyer cited the slogan for the 2020 census, "Shape your future," in urging Pittsfield residents to answer the census questionnaire that will be available next March.
"Our [federal] Community Development Block Grant is tied to our population; completing the census is critical for us," she said.
While Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin in December announced the commonwealth's population is nearing the 7 million mark, an increase of 5.4% from 2010,
the Berkshires' population decline of the last 50 years is expected to continue. Since the county's population peaked at 149,402 in 1970, the figure has gradually dropped to 131,294 in 2010. By next year, the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has projected 126,490 residents in the 32 cities and towns, down another 3.6%.
As the facilitator of the county's Complete Count Committee, BRPC data and technology manager Mark Maloy says work will soon begin on marketing the census to households and especially finding census takers. The nearest Massachusetts census office to the Berkshires will be in Worcester.
"Hiring for canvassing our local communities, that's going to be a challenge," Maloy said. "Maybe we can have training in the Berkshires or bus people to Worcester."
Lowe said her agency can train the enumerators in the Berkshires, with hiring expected later this summer.
For the first time, the Census Bureau is allowing people to file an online census form and it will be available in 12 languages in addition to English. Census questions can also be answered by phone or filling out the form mailed to 95 percent of American households. The rest of the households will have a form dropped off at their physical address or be counted in person by a census taker.
Lowe said federal law prevents the Census Bureau and census takers from sharing personal information, including with other federal agencies.
Local and state officials realize the immigrant population may be the most hesitant to participate in the census, especially with President Donald Trump calling for a citizenship question on the form that must be finalized this summer. Three federal judges have already ruled against the Trump administration.
Mark says ignoring the census, for whatever reason, isn't an option.
"If we screw it up, we're stuck [with the count] for the next 10 years, so let's get it right," he said.
Dick Lindsay can be reached at rlindsay@berkshireeagle.com and 413-496-6233.
DECADES OF DECLINE
Berkshire County population trends since 1970 U.S. Census:
Year Total pop. +/- % +/-
2020 126,490 -4,729 -3.60 **
2010 131,294 -8,058 -5.78
2000 134,751 -4,601 -3.30
1990 139,352 -5,758 -3.97
1980 145,110 -4,292 -2.87
1970 149,402 7,267 5.11
SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, **Berkshire Regional Planning Commission estimate
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Blue flags in front of the Elizabeth Freeman Center - 354 in all - represent the number of cases of domestic violence the nonprofit organization in Pittsfield responded to last year.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington on Tuesday announces the formation of the Berkshire County Domestic and Sexual Violence Task Force, at the Elizabeth Freeman Center in Pittsfield. The team will work to prevent domestic and sexual violence, as well as identify signs of human trafficking.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Berkshire DA launches 'transformative' effort to combat domestic violence”
By Heather BellowThe Berkshire Eagle, April 9, 2019
Pittsfield — Declaring that domestic and sexual violence have reached a "crisis point" in Berkshire County, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office on Tuesday announced an aggressive new strategy to combat crimes that occur with "alarming and heartbreaking frequency."
Flanked by members of law enforcement, advocates and other officials, District Attorney Andrea Harrington made the announcement at the headquarters of the Elizabeth Freeman Center, a nonprofit organization that serves victims of domestic and sexual abuse with multiple offices, a shelter, and a 24/7 hotline and services.
Harrington said her office plans to take on perpetrators, past and present, and work to identify victims of sex trafficking.
She also has convened a Berkshire County Domestic and Sexual Violence Task Force and an 18-member steering committee that includes local and state officials, including state Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer and North Adams Mayor Thomas Bernard.
Janis Broderick, executive director of the Freeman Center, said rates of abuse in the county have skyrocketed, and protection order filings were 36% higher than the state average last year.
The center receives about 800 referrals every year from the Pittsfield Police Department alone, she added.
Across the county, the center works with 2,000 survivors and their families every year.
"We're always very busy," Broderick told reporters.
The local statistics are alarming, say advocates and officials.
Broderick said that in 2017, Stockbridge ranked first in the county for the highest
rate of reported rape in the state by population, according to FBI data. Adams ranked third,
Pittsfield fifth and North Adams sixth.
With 50 reported rapes in 2017,
Pittsfield had nearly four times the state average that year.
Broderick attributes this countywide problem, in part, to rural isolation, poverty and lack of transportation.
"Though it's hidden down in homes and down long country roads where it's silenced by shame, we in the Berkshires should know that violence happens here — that it happens a lot," she said.
Her voice breaking, she added that six county women were murdered by their husbands or former boyfriends in the past four years.
And Harrington said later that she also classifies last month's apparent murder-suicide in Sheffield as a "domestic violence homicide." Her office believes it is likely that Luke Karpinksi killed his wife and three children before killing himself.
The incident remains under investigation.
Apart from the murders and the hike in reported rapes, the 15% rise in restraining order filings since 2015 also has heightened alarm.
In 2018, 1,107 orders were filed in the county.
Harrington, who pledged during her campaign last year to take on domestic violence, termed the new initiative "transformative."
"My team at the District Attorney's Office is committed to prosecuting abusers and is working to create a culture where victims are believed," she said.
Among other new policies, sexual assault cases will now be tracked when a complaint is made, rather than only when charges are filed, she said.
She also will provide training for law enforcement and advocates to help them identify signs of sex trafficking and other sexual exploitation in victims. For prevention, she also wants to educate communities to recognize signs of domestic abuse so people can intervene before an escalation into violence.
Harrington also has created a team that will investigate unindicted sexual assault cases from the past, with the intention of prosecution.
She said the team would review 15 years of cases, starting from the initial complaint. When asked how many of these cases exist, she said, "There's a lot."
There are more than 200 cases that were dismissed or where prosecution was ceased, she said, noting that the statute of limitations is 15 years.
"That's just those, and we want to start with cases that have never even been brought to court," Harrington added.
She said the inspiration for this is conversations with communities, and the sense that cases were not prosecuted aggressively enough, "in particular where the victim was under the influence [of drugs or alcohol]."
Local and state officials, including Attorney General Maura Healey, applauded the initiative.
"These traumas can't be ignored," Tyer said in a prepared statement.
Broderick said this new initiative will fortify those on the front lines.
"For all of us who do this work, this is a very good morning," Broderick said.
Heather Bellow can be reached at hbellow@berkshireeagle.com or on Twitter @BE_hbellow and 413-329-6871.
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/59673/Harrington-Launches-Plan-to-Address-Domestic-Sexual-Violence.html
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“Tyer updates Pittsfield City Council on plans for pot taxes, school buildings and trash”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, April 9, 2019
Pittsfield — Recreational cannabis is brand new, and so is the revenue stream that comes with it.
That's why, city officials said Tuesday, they will take the next six months to examine revenue trends before deciding how to spend the money marijuana brings to Pittsfield. Mayor Linda Tyer and city councilors also fleshed out new details on possible school consolidation, a backup plan for waste management and a year-old business development position at City Hall.
The conversation around marijuana taxes stems from a petition filed in February by Councilors Chris Connell and Melissa Mazzeo, who suggested setting aside 50 percent of the revenue stream for annual road work. Usually, the city ends up borrowing about $2 million a year to maintain city streets.
But after a meeting between Tyer, Connell and Finance Director Matt Kerwood, officials agree it's appropriate to take more time with the decision.
Tyer proposed a "six-month pause" on the conversation, allowing her team time to monitor marijuana tax revenue trends through September and then submit a collection report to councilors for further discussion.
Schools and solid waste
Councilors are interested in talking about what needs to happen with Pittsfield's aging school buildings, but Tyer told them construction remains ongoing at the new Taconic High School. Tyer said contractors are doubling back and fixing minor issues, like repairing improperly installed doors and incomplete baseboards.
Deciding what to do about three of the city's elementary schools are her next priority, she and Superintendent Jason McCandless said in a formal response to Ward 6 Councilor John Krol's call for an update on school building needs. Issues are most pressing at Crosby Elementary School, Conte Community School and Morningside Community School, Tyer told councilors.
"I think that these three schools in particular have been neglected for a long time," she said.
While acknowledging "deplorable" conditions in at least one of those elementary schools, Krol said he hoped the city could take a broader view, including the infrastructure issues at Pittsfield High School and the countywide school enrollment decline.
"I think in Pittsfield we can walk and chew gum at the same time," he said.
Connell said he'd like to talk more often about school buildings, especially given the opportunity for consolidation.
"I'd like to see that brought up on a more regular basis," he said.
Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi had separately requested an update from Tyer about what the city would do if Covanta closed and was no longer able to process the city's trash.
The city faced this dilemma in 2016 and worked with the state to offer incentives that helped the company keep their Pittsfield doors open. Those efforts protected the plant from closure through January 2021.
Now, Tyer said, she's confident in the plant's ability to meet the city's needs in the future and that it remains a viable business.
But if Covanta decides to close or leave Pittsfield, she said in a letter to councilors, the city would have little choice but to pay an estimated $462,000 a year to truck city trash to an outside processing facility.
"We would certainly turn to our state partners for assistance ... ," Tyer said during the Tuesday meeting, if "in this predicament again."
In business
In response to a petition from Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi, the city's Business Development Manager Michael Coakley also took time during the meeting to give councilors a presentation about his work over the last year.
Ushering Wayfair into Pittsfield was his "biggest accomplishment" to date, he said, noting the 300 jobs it plans to bring to Pittsfield over the coming years.
He told the council that his job revolves around fielding inquiries from companies looking to relocate or expand into Pittsfield, as well as stirring up more interest around doing business in the city. Conversations along these lines have resulted in dozens of meetings around the state, he said.
He said he's also convened the "red carpet team" — a group Tyer put together to welcome new business — at least 10 times.
"Each one of these opportunities remain in play," he said of ongoing talks with companies.
In response to a question from Krol, Coakley said challenges to attracting companies include both a lack of housing options and a skilled workforce.
The Pittsfield Economic Development Authority and the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp. also contribute resources toward Coakley's work marketing Pittsfield.
Morandi said he's happy Coakley is working to get the word out about Pittsfield, that "we're here; we've got a lot happening and we'd like you to come here."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Jim Ramondetta, the owner of Berkshire Nautilus, is upset at the city of Pittsfield for planning to put metered parking in place of the demolished Columbus Avenue parking garage, essentially adding a user fee to membership costs at the fitness facility.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
The city parking garage between Columbus Avenue and Summer Street in Pittsfield is nearly gone as crews from J.H. Maxymillian. dismantle the structure. A downtown business owner and a Pittsfield city councilor filed a petition last week calling for a review of the city's plans for meters at the lot that will replace the structure.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Plan for metered parking in Pittsfield ruffles feathers at Berkshire Nautilus”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, April 12, 2019
Pittsfield — Jim Ramondetta said he couldn't sleep after learning of the city's plans for parking meters in the lot formerly known as the Columbus Avenue garage.
The owner of Berkshire Nautilus said the move unfairly hurts his business.
"This is a user fee on my membership," he said during an interview upstairs at his Summer Street gym. "It effectively doubles my membership costs."
Ramondetta and Ward 6 Councilor John Krol filed a petition last week calling for a review of the plans for meters at the lot that stretches between Columbus Avenue and Summer Street. Before construction began last month, Ramondetta's customers enjoyed free three-hour parking.
The project involves demolishing the slouching parking structure and paving the area into a surface lot.
On Tuesday, Ramondetta gave an impassioned statement to the City Council, talking loudly beyond his three-minute allotment and hitting the podium with a thud as he finished.
Meters are his main concern.
"No one up to this point in any conversation with me had mentioned the "m" word," he told councilors. "It appears now that this was the plan all along. I felt deceived."
Ramondetta later told The Eagle that he hadn't realized there was a time limit to public comment.
But Mayor Linda Tyer didn't take kindly to the criticism, sending councilors a response letter Thursday that called Ramondetta's remarks disingenuous. She said members of her team have communicated with Ramondetta and his representatives multiple times over the past several months.
To say that hasn't happened besmirches the hard work of her team, she said.
"I understand that not everyone is going to agree with all of the decisions that are made, even if they're made in what I consider to be the best interest of the most people," Tyer told The Eagle. "But what's not acceptable is false claims that are presented as the truth."
"In spite of everything," she said she's committed to working with Ramondetta toward a solution. She said she'll respond more formally to the petition during the next City Council meeting.
Ramondetta said he has 800 to 1,000 members, depending on the season, and about 200 people a day come through the establishment who rely on the free three-hour parking. He estimated that the average workout time is over an hour.
"It's not a secret that Nautilus has been struggling for quite some time," he said, citing growing competition.
Tyer said she's working to implement the parking plan — an initiative that she said began before she took office. It's important, she said, to implement it equitably "to not just his business, but to all businesses."
She said it's also important to ensure that the city has money to support parking construction and maintenance work in the city — an elevator is down at the McKay Street Garage, for example — and money earned via parking meters goes directly to that work.
"It's still necessary for us to have a source of revenue to be able to take care of our parking facilities," she said.
Under the parking plan approved in 2016, parking is free before 8 a.m. and after 4 p.m. During the day, North Street parking costs $1 an hour and the first 30 minutes are free. For city lots, parking is 50 cents an hour, with the first 30 minutes free.
That's the plan, Tyer said, but the city is deploying it in phases. The lot near Nautilus moves into metered parking as the city revamps the lot, as did the First Street lot before that.
But Krol notes that the Melville Street lot remains free for three-hour parking, and maybe it's not a bad idea to leave some spaces that way.
Asked if the city plans to also place meters at the Melville Street lot, Tyer's answer referred attention back to Columbus Avenue.
"The intention has always been to phase in the parking management plan," she said. "At this moment, we are solely focused on the Columbus Avenue lot."
Middle ground
Ramondetta said that last week he attended an abutters' meeting, where he was joined by representatives of Hotel on North, Barrington Stage and the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority. City employees talked about the project's time frame and traffic impacts, and he said it became clear that he's the only one with a vested interest in the move to paid parking.
It was there, he said, that he first learned about the meters.
Ramondetta bought the gym in 1995 and moved it to Summer Street in 2001, after putting about $1.2 million into the space, he said. He moved the gym ahead of a long-since-defunct plan to put a stadium in the area of the gym's former site, now occupied by Miller Supply.
The city needed the space, he said, and former Mayor Gerald Doyle was "getting all the ducks in order to get the stadium."
So, Ramondetta said he planned the move preemptively, in support of the planned stadium.
"I was willing to support the city and the downtown," he said.
He describes himself as an early investor in what was once a slow section of downtown.
"With an investment of well over $1 million, we were one of the first early risk takers in the revitalization effort for downtown Pittsfield," he told councilors.
Now, he said, he's asking the city to return the favor.
Meters make sense for North Street, he said, but not for the Columbus Avenue lot.
"You have to make people feel like you want 'em downtown," he said. "I don't think it's inviting."
Tyer said Ramondetta already won city support in the form of a five-year tax incentive after his move downtown.
On-street parking along Summer Street also remains free for three hours, she said. And Ramondetta already owns his own lot next to the gym — "an asset not available to most downtown businesses."
Meantime, the city is working with Downtown Pittsfield Inc. to mitigate impacts of the Columbus Avenue project on nearby businesses, but Tyer said no one from Nautilus came to a City Hall meeting in March that was convened by the downtown nonprofit.
She said her office has reached out regularly to abutters, responding to requests about noise reduction and traffic concerns.
Talks with abutters remain ongoing, Tyer said in her letter to councilors.
Krol says Tyer should listen to Ramondetta and take another look at the plan. When he moved, he said, he did it for the good of the city.
"It doesn't entitle him to free parking," he said. "But I think it's something that we need to consider."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “Metered parking unfair to Nautilus”
By Jim Ramondetta, April 11, 2019
Pittsfield — Let me open by saying we are excited at the realization that finally there will be a new parking lot on Summer Street. We are also very grateful that the schedule has strong incentives for early completion and also financial penalties for late completion of the project. I think the 60 day time table is important to all concerned, downtown businesses and visitors alike.
Despite a two-page letter written and submitted to Mayor Tyer on Jan. 10 as well as a follow-up letter submitted March 5 to the ward councilor outlining my questions and concerns about the process, timetable, and plans for alternative parking during demolition and reconstruction of the Summer Street lot, I was never contacted directly in reply to my letters by the mayor's office, community development department, or my city councilor regarding any of these concerns.
Unrelated to these letters, I was contacted in late March by [Community Development official] Laura Mick, who through this entire process has been most helpful, and was told that all these issues and others were to be discussed at an abutters meeting with city officials on April 3 (three days after the start of the project). It was there and then I learned the plan for the Summer Street lot.
I was stunned to learn, for the first time, at this meeting, that not only would there be no additional free three-hour public parking spaces created with the reconstruction, but more alarmingly, all of the free three-hour public spaces that my clients have come to depend on were being removed. No more free three-hour public parking at all, despite the fact that I had been led to believe that these spaces would remain both free and three-hour. It was then made clear to me, again I add, for the first time, that these currently existing three-hour free parking spaces would now all be metered. No one up to this point in any conversation with me had mentioned the "m" word.
It appears now, that this was the plan all along. I felt deceived. As the owner of the building directly across from the parking garage, a building housing Berkshire Nautilus, which directly depends on this free public parking for the service of its members, as well as other building tenants, who also depend on the current downtown free public parking covenant, how is it that I was not made aware of this plan until now? It would seem that I was intentionally left in the dark, despite all of the city's informational newspaper articles. even those mentioning the mayor's rental car plans for the new lot, but yet not one word on the plan for metered parking.
The negative impact to Berkshire Nautilus as a result of metered parking cannot be overstated. Our clients are not the typical downtown visitors or eatery diners who may shop or dine once a week, once a month, or even a couple of times a week, using the parking lot facilities. Some of our clients (between 150 to 200 persons daily) come in more than once a day, and most of them come in every day. Charging for parking, however minimal it may seem, represents an unfair user fee, in effect, a surtax, on our membership. It effectively doubles our membership cost and puts us at an unfair disadvantage to our big box, non-downtown, competitors.
Some 20 years back when Berkshire Nautilus sought a new home in support of the city's plan for the then proposed downtown stadium, we purchased the Yon building, then in disrepair, and with an investment of well over $1 million we were one of the first early risk-takers in the revitalization effort for downtown Pittsfield, even before notable downtown pioneers Larry Rosenthal and Joyce Bernstein.
Central to Berkshire Nautilus' rationale for our move to Summer Street was the parking availability for our membership, as we were leaving more than ample parking on West Street for a smaller private lot and were promised an expansive free public lot for our growing membership. So it was in the past that our partnership with the city began with our support for its downtown growth. Now, we would like the city of Pittsfield to do its part by showing its support for Berkshire Nautilus and its members.
We are appealing to the city to recognize the parking difficulties in downtown Pittsfield, and rather than make the existing economic climate worse for downtown businesses, help us out by making visits to downtown Pittsfield less problematic for both the public and its downtown businesses. We all want a vibrant downtown. Let us together not move backward, but rather move forward toward that goal.
Jim Ramondetta, Pittsfield
The writer, the owner of Berkshire Nautilus, read this letter to the Pittsfield City Council on Tuesday.
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Our Opinion: “Seeking a Nautilus, City Hall compromise”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 16, 2019
The heated dispute between Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer and Berkshire Nautilus owner Jim Ramondetta over metered parking in the lot that will replace the Columbus Avenue garage has been centered around who knew what when. That is of less significance than what happens going forward.
Mr. Ramondetta went before the City Council last Tuesday to complain that City Hall had not informed him that the new lot will include parking meters. He is concerned that the meters will chase away customers who have come to rely on the free three-hour parking in the deteriorating garage. The mayor counters that her office has communicated with the Berkshire Nautilus owner and his representatives about the metered parking and she is determined to implement the downtown metered parking plan fairly to all businesses and assure that it generates the revenue needed to pay for parking construction and maintenance work. (Eagle, April 13). What was said and not said among the parties will never be resolved and is at this point irrelevant.
Mr. Ramondetta describes himself as an "early investor" in the revitalization of downtown who deserves a break from City Hall as his business faces growing competition. He moved his business from the site that was to become part of the footprint of a new downtown baseball park, a plan rejected by voters at a referendum, to Summer Street in 2001, putting about $1.2 million into the space. The mayor points out that Berkshire Nautilus received a five-year tax incentive following the move.
Berkshire Nautilus has its own parking lot and there is some free three-hour parking available on Summer Street. Mr. Ramondetta counters that with about 200 people a day coming to his business and availing themselves of the garage parking there won't be enough free parking available once the garage is replaced by a lot containing metered parking.
Mayor Tyer says she will be pursue a solution before the next City Council meeting and there would seem to be room for compromise. Would be it possible, for example, for the city to in effect "sell" some spots in the parking lot to Mr. Ramondetta, who could distribute placards to customers to place on their dashboards attesting that they are in paid parking? This would be a concession to a valuable downtown business without losing revenue generated by parking meters.
The city's paid parking meter program continues to have its skeptics. The parking APP is advertised as a device that makes the process simple but it is doubtful that everyone with the APP knows that city is divided into sections for the purposes of parking and that a section number must be punched in when using the parking APP. A small sign by the parking meter designates the section number, which is undoubtedly known to downtown business owners, workers, and regular customers, but it is unlikely that a visitor from out of town is aware of it. Getting a parking ticket after using the parking APP might persuade a shopper to permanently avoid downtown and its retailers. City Hall needs to expand its parking education program and it should regularly inform residents not only of how much revenue is generated by the meters but how much it pays a meter person to check for miscreants and to maintain the meters in good working order.
We look forward to the reaching of an agreement that City Hall and Berkshire Nautilus can live with. We also look forward to an ambitious effort to inform both residents and visitors of the workings of the meters and the value of their presence.
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Great Barrington and Pittsfield have received their first checks from the state's Department of Revenue - $185,807 for Great Barrington and $10,532 for Pittsfield - reflecting taxes earned on cannabis sales from Jan. 1 through March 31 [2019]. The earnings cast a first light down a new avenue for the Berkshires in the age of legal pot.
Eagle file photo
“A windfall in shades of green for county's cannabis retailers, town coffers”
By Heather Bellow and Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, April 17, 2019
Great Barrington — Results are in, and the picture is, well, very green.
Early earnings from the county's first two marijuana retailers show signs of a blossoming industry capable of sending millions into the community each year, though revenues trickled in more slowly in Pittsfield than in Great Barrington.
The two municipalities have received their first checks from the state's Department of Revenue — $185,807 for Great Barrington and $10,532 for Pittsfield — reflecting taxes earned on cannabis sales from Jan. 1 through March 31. The earnings cast a first light down a new avenue for the Berkshires in the age of legal pot.
The county's first recreational retailer, Theory Wellness, grossed more than $6 million in sales in less than three months, banking $185,807 in sales tax for Great Barrington coffers and an additional $185,807 in donations for the town's nonprofits in the form of a community impact fee.
The Great Barrington medical dispensary opened for recreational business Jan. 11.
"We're trying to keep up with demand," Theory spokesman Thomas Winstanley said Wednesday afternoon, when the line outside was about 45 people deep — a short line by Theory standards, and getting shorter every day as the company has hired more staff and boosted preorders that can be picked up later.
The parking lot was awash in New York license plates. Inside, it was like opening day all over again, with good, aromatic cheer and a Grateful Dead soundtrack coursing through the party.
In its first-quarter report to the state Department of Revenue, the company reported $6,193,574 in sales, according to CEO Brandon Pollock.
Of the state's 20% sales tax on marijuana products, both municipalities get a 3% cut. Great Barrington imposes a community impact fee, meaning that an additional 3% goes to nonprofits in the town.
Pittsfield doesn't impose a community impact fee, but instead charges flat annual community host fees on a graduating scale, beginning at $60,0000 annually and increasing to $200,000 annually for the fourth and fifth years.
Statewide, gross sales hit $76.8 million as of the first week in April, reflecting the statewide total since retail sales came online in November.
And while towns and cities across the state have struggled with regulating this new industry since voters approved legalization in 2016, there is a different kind of high to be had from seeing the tax revenue numbers.
"We keep talking about economic development," said Great Barrington Select Board Vice Chairman Ed Abrahams. "For better or for worse, this is some."
Abrahams pointed to local businesses also reaping the green with a hand from Theory.
"I have anecdotal reports that people are coming into town and spending money," he said.
Robin Helfand of Robin's Candy said she is seeing an uptick in business from cannabis customers. She helps it along by handing out candy and coupons to shoppers waiting in Theory's line.
Pittsfield numbers
The city collected $10,532 over the third quarter, which began Jan. 1 and ended March 31. Temescal Wellness, which opened Jan. 15, was the only open recreational cannabis retailer in Pittsfield during that time.
A 3% sales tax goes to city coffers, meaning that the first $10,532 check from the state's Department of Revenue puts Temescal's sales for that period at about $351,067.
Brandon Morphew, marketing director at Temescal, said revenues were in line with expectations.
"It's a new market, and we're happy with where we're at," he said, noting the company is working to introduce new products.
Berkshire Roots on Dalton Avenue has since come online, becoming the third recreational cannabis retailer in the Berkshires — and the first retailer to also grow and manufacture its products in the county — when it opened this month.
Matt Kerwood, the city's finance director, said he deposited half of the money into the city's stabilization account and the rest into the general fund.
The city does not impose a percentage-based community impact fee like Great Barrington does, he said, but rather charges flat annual community host fees on a graduating scale.
He said that each retailer is contractually obligated, per host agreement, to pay the city $60,000 for the first year in operation, $100,000 for the second year, $150,000 for the third year, and $200,000 each for the fourth and fifth years of the contract.
Host agreements are five-year contracts, he said, as required by state statute.
"The clock starts ticking the day they begin operations," he said, noting that bills will come biannually.
Companies operating in both the medical and recreational realm must have host agreements with the city for each side of their business, doubling those annual community host fees for companies like Temescal Wellness and Berkshire Roots.
More Berkshire buzz
In Great Barrington, four more pot retailers are awaiting state licenses. If approved, the town will have a total of five stores, including three downtown. There are at least eight cannabis retailers in the Pittsfield pipeline, two of which are open and five of which await state licenses.
Silver Therapeutics in Williamstown has a license but awaits a final nod from the state before it can open.
Abrahams said the competition might temper the revenue stream, as would legalization in Connecticut and New York, whose borders are close by.
"We shouldn't get used to this, but it's definitely a windfall that's coming," he added, noting that if Theory's sales were to continue at this rate, it would mean that more than $1 million would be pumped into the community every year, and half of that into town coffers.
Winstanley said that Theory, which will host a local food truck Saturday for 420, is ready to stay on top of the market, noting "tens of thousands" of shoppers have come here since the shop opened. He declined to give an exact number.
It is so busy here that the shop menu has to be changed daily, according to inventory shifts. Shipments come several times a week.
The store now has 30 to 35 employees just to keep up, and with preorders, is now able to move 80 people through in an hour. When Theory opened, it was moving 20 shoppers an hour.
"We're still very new at this," Winstanley said, explaining that the company is always poised for adjustments in a business that draws from a wide range of demographics, ranging from the schoolteacher with trouble sleeping to the veteran trying to treat his post-traumatic stress disorder.
Theory also is expanding into outdoor growing to supplement its indoor facility. It now has a provisional license to grow in Sheffield, where company leaders plan to partner with Equinox Farms owner Ted Dobson.
With an extract wax called Schnazzleberry, and flower called Blackfire, it's no wonder that sales are so brisk, and why each new customer needs help from the enthusiastic young staff to interpret the offerings.
"The menu can be overwhelming," he said.
Heather Bellow can be reached at hbellow@berkshireeagle.com, @BE_hbellow on Twitter, and 413-329-6871.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “At Home program will benefit Pittsfield”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 18, 2019
To the editor:
I am writing to urge our City Council to show support for Mayor Tyer's At Home program.
As a lifelong resident of Pittsfield I have come to learn that in the long run what is good for portions of our city benefits our city as a whole. While I am not a resident of either the Morningside or the Westside neighborhoods, I certainly recognize the need for assistance with improvements within these neighborhoods. By applying the limited amount of funding that is available to the areas that need the most improvement, we increase the overall impact of these funds and therefore maximize the benefit to the city. Please contact your city councilor and ask him or her to support the mayor's proposal.
Karen M. Roche, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Pittsfield's Pickleball Service a Fault”
iBerkshires.com – Letter to the Editor, April 18, 2019
To the Editor:
I am deeply concerned with the city of Pittsfield's plan to install a $350,000 pickleball facility in Springside Park.
The 2018 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Pickleball Participant Report reveals that there are approximately 3.1 million pickleball players in the United States out of a total population of 327.2 million people. If one applies the same participation rate to the city of Pittsfield, with its population 42,591, one can reasonably conclude that the total population of pickleball players in the city amounts to approximately 404.
A 2016 SFIA Pickleball Participation Report found that only 37 percent of players are "core" players (defined as playing 8 or more times per year). From our citywide population of 404 players, we can reasonably conclude that approximately 151 are core players. Additionally, 75 percent of those "core" players are at least 55 years old.
In The Berkshire Eagle article, Mr. McGrath claims that pickleball is "huge" and that it is "not a single demographic sport" but the numbers tell a different story. The numbers tell us that regular participation in the sport is quite low and that the vast majority of regular participants do indeed come from a single demographic.
As of this writing, 442 people have signed the petition to support the Springside Park Master Plan.
The fact that the city of Pittsfield is prepared to disburse $350,000 in support of a project for just 151 citizens seems irresponsible enough. That there is no plan for maintenance when park maintenance in our city is already an issue shows a lack of planning and foresight. That the Springside Park conservancy – the group of citizens most concerned with the development and maintenance of Springside Park see it as being fundamentally opposed to the interests of the park is at least concerning. It is quite obvious that more discussion about this plan is warranted and necessary.
I urge those in City Hall — Mayor Tyer, the Community Preservation Committee, and City Council among them — to listen to the 442 citizens who have raised their concern. I urge them to listen to the Springside Park Conservancy, the group that was entrusted with planning, protecting, and executing the Springside Park Master Plan. I urge them to trust their citizens, to trust the Conservancy, and ultimately to table the execution of this plan until a plan that is beneficial to all citizens of Pittsfield exists.
Ken Gibson, Pittsfield, Mass.
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April 24, 2019
When you look up conspiratorial politics in the encyclopedia, you see a picture of Pittsfield (Mass.) City Hall! Pittsfield politics is ran by an incestuous group of interrelated Good Old Boys who concentrate and centralize their power over state and local government. They stopped any and all economic development in Pittsfield, including the bypass, the downtown mall, the downtown community college, the downtown minor league baseball park, and the like. Meanwhile, they supported PEDA, the Consent Decree, tax breaks for out of town millionaires, GE fund grants to failed businesses, and the like.
– Jonathan Melle
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Letter: “Pittsfield city employees do their employer proud”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 24, 2019
To the editor:
Over the past year I have had occasion to contact and deal with many different City of Pittsfield departments and their employees: assessors, tax collector, voter registration, health department, city clerk, the fire department and the mayor's office. To a person, everyone I dealt with was pleasant, professional, knowledgeable and helpful. Even the poor folks listening to complaints about parking tickets and kiosks remain calm and polite in the face of considerable abuse.
Special mention must be made of Catherine in the mayor's office and Stephanie in the health department. Both women have been exceptionally helpful.
Thank you to all. You do our city proud!
Nancy Sommer, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Pittsfield should step in and take over carousel”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 24, 2019
To the editor:
The Berkshire Carousel is a wonderful, beautiful work of art that Jim and Jackie Shulman have worked hard to create. I know they spent a lot of money and time to achieve this beautiful memory. Most of us remember the merry-go-round at the lake. So many wonderful childhood memories!
The City of Pittsfield needs to take over the responsibilities of the carousel so the children of today can have those same memories. Kudos to Jim, Jackie and all the volunteers for all their hard work. Time for the city to take over. Make Pittsfield great again!
Kathy Brassard, Palmetto, Fla.
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Melissa Mazzeo greets an employee at Pittsfield City Hall on Thursday as she takes out papers to run for mayor. See was accompanied by friends and family.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Longtime City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo launches bid to unseat mayor”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, April 25, 2019
Pittsfield — Melissa Mazzeo has spent a decade on the City Council, and now she's setting her sights on City Hall's corner office.
Mazzeo formally announced her candidacy on Thursday, flanked by close family and friends, at City Hall. She promised to start going door to door the same night.
The councilor at large got her start on the council in 2009, when she ran in a special election for the Ward 3 seat formerly occupied by now-Mayor Linda Tyer, who had resigned from the council to assume the role of city clerk.
Mazzeo was the top vote-getter in her at large race in 2014, and was elected to a two-year run as council president.
Tyer announced her intention to run for re-election last month; retired Pittsfield police officer Karen Kalinowsky, Craig Gaetani and Scott Graves also are running for mayor.
Under Tyer's administration, Mazzeo has been a strong dissenting voice on the council. That trend came to a head on Tuesday when a heated debate between the two gave way to a no vote on spending for Tyer's housing loan program.
Mazzeo said she's learned a lot about city government since she first took office, and now she's ready to do things her own way. "I need to switch seats," she said, smiling.
She cited crime, issues with roads, and the need to drive the job market as her priorities heading into campaign season. Joan DiMartino will serve as her campaign manager.
"I would like to pull my papers for mayor, please," Mazzeo told clerks in the city's office of the registrar of voters on Thursday morning.
In an adjacent office, Mazzeo asked City Clerk Michele Benjamin questions about requirements and deadlines associated with a thick stack of papers in her hand.
Mazzeo held the front door open as her family members filed onto City Hall's front steps.
"The first thing I'm going to do is change these doors," Mazzeo said, laughing. "They're so heavy!"
When asked why she's running, she pointed to a letter to the editor she penned in 2015, when Tyer ran for her first term. The letter was titled, "Pittsfield can't afford Tyer as its mayor."
"While Tyer has a lot to say about what she will build, implement and create once she becomes mayor, she hasn't said a word about jobs," Mazzeo wrote. "Which is what this city needs way more than another community center, riverwalk, or hiking tour with her recruitment team."
Reached Thursday, Tyer said her “track record of accomplishments since taking office speaks to our ability to stabilize the economy.”
She said she lowered taxes, brought in $17 million in grants and developed a strategy that has created 113 new jobs among existing city businesses, and has helped draw 300 new jobs to the city with the incoming Wayfair call center.
“I am the first mayor in decades to bring a major employer to the city of Pittsfield,” she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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April 25, 2019
I support the lovely Linda Tyer for reelection for Mayor of Pittsfield in 2019! She is the best Mayor of Pittsfield EVER! She stands for everything in politics that I believe in. She is a wonderful person and politician! Go Linda!
– Jonathan Melle
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“Pittsfield School Committee OKs $63.5M school budget request”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, April 24, 2019
Pittsfield — The School Committee approved a $63.5 million budget request for the coming fiscal year during its meeting on Tuesday.
The spending plan, which requires City Council approval during the city budget process next month, reflects an increase of about $3 million over the current year — a rise of about five percent.
The state is poised to give the city more than ever in school reimbursements, which lands amid a larger conversation about the commonwealth's school funding formula. Superintendent Jason McCandless had originally planned to use about $500,000 more of the cash infusion, but decided to rein in spending after talks with Mayor Linda Tyer.
The city expects a $3.7 million increase to its state reimbursement, and the revised proposal leaves about $700,000 for the city to use toward school building maintenance and health insurance costs for school employees.
Though multiple School Committee members had expressed disappointment in saving funds for administrative and capital needs during the last meeting, the Tuesday vote was unanimous and involved little discussion.
In order to achieve the savings McCandless presented earlier this month, he nixed a plan to add 14 paraprofessionals to the city's elementary schools. Those additions would have allowed teachers much-anticipated down time for common planning.
Achieving that goal is "still a work in progress," Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Kristen Behnke said after the meeting.
Still, McCandless has said the influx in state funds allows him to make unprecedented additions to the city's schools
They include:
- School safety and security improvements totaling $250,000.
- Curriculum exploration to the tune of $250,000.
- Four academic interventionist teachers to some of the city's elementary schools: one each at Morningside Community School, Egremont Elementary School, Williams Elementary School, and one split between Capeless and Stearns Elementary schools.
- Five special education coordinators. The plan is to add a full-time special education instruction and accountability coordinator each at Crosby and Egremont Elementary schools, and split three others among the district's other six elementary schools.
- Two special education instruction and accountability coordinators, stationed at the city's high schools.
- Five new teachers at Taconic to fill new programs and respond to a boost in enrollment. The full-time teachers would cover math, electrical, horticulture, early education and auto body.
- A full-time reading teacher for Taconic High School's Read 180 program. That program is intended to help students make quick gains in their reading levels.
- A consultant to help implement restorative justice practices. This is needed because "we think the stakes are so high," McCandless said.
- A $50,000 spending budget for the district's cultural competency coach.
- One intervention teacher for Crosby's therapeutic program.
- One teacher of deportment for Crosby's therapeutic program.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “Accommodate Nautilus with free parking spots”
The Berkshire Eagle, May 2, 2019
To the editor:
As a member of Berkshire Nautilus, I am very concerned about the coming metered parking in the new lot. Is the city going to lose a lot of money by letting Nautilus keep its previously free spots? No, I don't think so. Yes, Nautilus has a parking lot, but it certainly is not adequate for hundreds of members and the several offices on the second and third floors of the Nautilus building.
The employees and the clients of these offices need parking places also, which leaves only a small number of 90-minute spaces near Nautilus. The three-hour spaces are not located near Nautilus but further down Summer Street. The YMCA and Boys and Girls Club have free parking on Melville Street. Why not accommodate Nautilus also by letting it keep its free parking spaces also? Is this too much to ask of our city? I hope not!
Bernice Roy, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Funding compromise for At Home program”
The Berkshire Eagle, May 2, 2019
To the editor:
I have observed that our city, much like our country, is split into two seemingly intractable groups that have trouble working together.
That division can't be seen any more clearly than in the recent deliberations for the Exterior Home Improvement Loan Program, AKA the At Home in Pittsfield Program, a beneficial and well-received program that everybody seems to favor. However, it failed to pass the City Council, something I think a little teamwork, creative thinking and extra effort might have changed.
If indeed the real issue is not the program but its funding, I believe the city can find the financing to enact this program. If that is not the case, then my suggestion will be of no help.
First of all, many councilors seem to be constrained by the opinion of the auditor that general funds could not be used. A closer reading of that opinion seems that it is somewhat equivocal. Notwithstanding that, there is case law in the analogous field of eminent domain that broadly interprets what is a "public purpose."
Second, I would've sought the assistance of the city solicitor for further clarification of the issue of "public purpose." There are some very technical considerations but courts have given significant deference to a legislative body in their determination that a public purpose is being served.
Finally, if the general funds are restricted as the auditor presently states then there are creative ways around this if people are legitimately interested in solving this problem. My suggestion is to fund this program with two funding votes as follows: Appropriate $250,000 from the general fund to the Economic Development Fund (GE Fund) for the purposes of supporting the economic development work that is being done and appropriate $250,000 from the Economic Development Fund (GE) to Exterior Home Improvement Loan Program for the purposes of supporting the economic development work that is being done. This essentially accomplishes the goal that everybody states that they support.
Please don't get stuck if the specifics of my suggestions may not be workable. I am sure there are other alternatives that the city officials could substitute. If the direct general appropriation to the GE Fund is problematic then maybe the appropriation can be specifically tailored to go to one of the unexpended projects, freeing up the $250,000 portion for this project.
Other alternatives could be using the same transfer arrangement with Community Development Block Grant Funds. For example, the city could pay for sidewalk repair work directly out of general funds, freeing up those funds for availability for this program.
I implore everyone to revisit the issue and work together for this important program and I have petitioned the City Council to consider alternatives.
Kenneth G. Warren Jr., Pittsfield
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“City eyes providing internet service”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, May 17, 2019
Pittsfield — Should Pittsfield go into the internet business?
That's the question behind a feasibility study that the city plans to embark on this summer, after Mayor Linda Tyer and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, say they successfully secured an exploratory $75,000 in the state budget.
They say the funds will fuel a feasibility study looking at whether the city should become its own internet service provider — an idea that could provide faster, cheaper and more reliable internet to Pittsfield customers.
Assuming Gov. Charlie Baker signs off on the budget, the study will investigate the demand for such a move and the cost associated with it.
Farley-Bouvier said Tyer asked for her support on the initiative in March, after hearing from the city's Chief Information Officer Mike Steben about the promise it could hold for the city. She pointed to Westfield as an example of a nearby community that has become its own internet provider in the interest of providing stronger internet service to its people.
In Westfield, consumers pay about two-thirds of the commercial rate for internet, Farley-Bouvier said.
She said the move would protect consumers from Spectrum's rising prices and lack of commitment to the city.
"We know the costs are really high; the customer service is poor," she said. "Because there's little-to-no competition here, they can continue to do that."
A spokesperson for Spectrum did not return a phone call Friday evening.
Steben said the prevailing copper wires, which transfer data via electricity, can only transfer so much data. He said fiber optic cables are made of glass strands and transmit data with light, and that's what the city needs more of.
"Consumer and business bandwidth requirements are going up and up," he said. "It is no longer a fair statement to say cable internet is good enough."
He said it's important that Pittsfield is able to provide a platform for innovation.
"We can't rely on large corporate [internet service providers] to decide whether they're going to invest in us or not," he said. "We really need to understand that; we need to get in front of this as a city."
In order to ensure the city has a foot in the modern world, officials said, the city might need to take control of the infrastructure.
"By doing this we would future-proof Pittsfield," Farley-Bouvier said, noting the prevailing corporate providers tend to leave behind small- to-mid-sized markets. "We don't have any confidence that Charter Spectrum would continue to invest in Pittsfield."
If after the study the city decides to move forward with building the infrastructure, Farley-Bouvier said it would likely need to bond the investment — at a cost likely to land upward of $100 million.
"Although the city of Pittsfield has not traditionally been underserved by corporate Internet providers, we recognize that we could be better served, and we must look to the future," Tyer said in a Thursday news release. "We are pleased to have the advocacy and support of Representative Farley-Bouvier and our state partners toward securing funding for this important and transformational initiative in Pittsfield."
Jesse Cook-Dubin, president of the board at Downtown Pittsfield Inc., said fiber optic cables run down North and South streets, but outside of that he called the service spotty. For businesses that want a direct connection, he said he's heard it can take months to set up.
There are important redevelopment areas for which there is no high-speed service, like at the William Stanley Business Park.
"Obviously it's tough to put in an advanced manufacturing business without fiber optic internet," he said.
And because businesses rely increasingly on data stored in the cloud to perform day-to-day functions, he said "the stability of fiber is as important as the speed."
The competition the city would provide would be a healthy infusion, said John Sinopoli, CEO at the Pittsfield-based IT company, Synagex. He said it's notable how low the city's fiber penetration is, and that there is virtually no residential fiber.
"In Pittsfield we've been pretty limited in our options," he said.
Spectrum has started to slowly spread fiber optic service, he said, but the infrastructure just isn't there.
"Somebody's gotta build it, and I think that's really the big nut," he said.
If the city doesn't step up to do it, he said, "we put ourselves at the mercy of Spectrum."
He said more companies are converting their phone systems to voiceover internet protocol systems and buying cloud-based systems, and so the need for more bandwidth is growing.
As a result, Sinopoli said he's had to ask local carriers to get creative about alternative ways to boost internet power, like via wireless internet, satellite and DSL.
"Basically these are workarounds that we have to come up with because we don't have access to things like fiber," he said.
For all these reasons, Sinopoli said he's excited to hear the city is thinking about providing internet.
"If places like Pittsfield wanna be a hub for innovation — if we wanna be a home for new businesses — these are the sorts of infrastructures that have to be in place," he said.
And it's not just the business connections that are important for economic growth, he said, as young professionals often launch startups from their homes.
Years ago Berkshire advocates thought the city needed access to a highway in order to stay relevant, developer David Carver said, but things have changed.
"We need high-speed internet," he said. "Not a high-speed highway."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “Three strikes and out for city businesses?”
The Berkshire Eagle, May 20, 2019
To the editor:
After living in Pittsfield for many years, I am currently a resident of Hinsdale. However, I still make it a point to visit the fine establishments in downtown Pittsfield whenever it makes sense to do so. What I am finding on a daily basis is that it is becoming more and more difficult to justify driving into the city from a location to the east.
This difficulty stems from the following three sources. The cost of gasoline is significant and rising.
The condition of the roads is poor and is causing significant wear and tear on my vehicle. Even the main route to downtown from Allendale (Dalton Avenue westbound and Tyler Street) is a trial. And finally the lack of access to parking on Summer Street and metered parking on North Street is a major turnoff.
I had been assuming that completion of the Summer Street parking lot would return a measure of free parking to the area. Of the three drawbacks I identified, the parking issue is the easiest to remedy and the only one directly under the control of the current Pittsfield administration. After listening to remarks made by the mayor, I was disappointed at the apparent lack empathy for the affected businesses, especially those dependent on daily visits by their clients like Berkshire Nautilus, the YMCA and others.
Hopefully, further review will change current plans and restore free three hour parking at the Summer Street lot. If not, I am concerned that many of the fine businesses in the downtown area will not be able to offer enough extra to offset these three disadvantages, and these "three strikes" will eventually put them out of business.
Richard Roussin, Hinsdale
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“Mayor Tyer presents $175.5M operating budget to Pittsfield City Council”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, May 21, 2019
Pittsfield — Mayor Linda Tyer presented her $175.5 million operating budget to city councilors on Tuesday in the first budget hearing of the season.
The proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year includes $63.5 million for city schools, $25.4 million in health insurance for municipal employees and $19.3 million for police and fire services.
It reflects an increase of 3 percent over the current fiscal year.
Tyer's spending plan would maintain level services, she said, and in some cases restores cuts made in previous budget rounds.
Making a budget entails tough decisions, she told councilors.
"Many of these are not easy issues," she said. "But I'm proud of the service we provide to our citizens."
Councilors will pick apart the proposed budget through a series of hearings over the coming weeks. Councilors must approve a municipal spending plan next month.
Councilors also preliminarily approved Tyer's five-year $10.8 million capital improvement plan, which includes $2 million for a reconstruction of Tyler Street, as well as a separate $1.2 million for construction at the troublesome intersection of Dalton and Woodlawn avenues and Tyler Street.
Tyer said the city's financial outlook looks significantly better than it did when she took control of the ship in 2016. "Those were very difficult, dark days," she said.
Now, she said, "our successes are accumulating." To that point, she cited $2 million in new tax revenue that is boosting city coffers.
Still, she said "we must be conscious stewards of our finite resources."
Tyer said she began the budget process in January by working with department heads on her team's priorities.
"This evening is the culmination of all that work," she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/60001/Pittsfield-Budget-Review-Day-1-Nine-of-10-Budgets-Approved-As-Is.html
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/60001/Pittsfield-Budget-Review-Day-2-RSVP-Budget-Sparks-Discussion.html
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/60001/Pittsfield-Budget-Review-Day-3-State-Aid-Bolsters-School-Budget.html
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/60001/Pittsfield-Budget-Final-Review-Day-4-Council-Cuts-50-000.html
related link: https://www.cityofpittsfield.org/city_hall/finance_and_treasurer/uploads/Pittsfield%20FY2020%20Budget%20FINAL-web%20version.pdf
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“Due diligence done, Pittsfield councilors to take final budget votes Tuesday”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, June 8, 2019
Pittsfield — With a detailed once-over in the books, the City Council is scheduled to take a final vote Tuesday on city spending for the upcoming fiscal year.
During their Tuesday meeting, councilors will take a last look at $166.6 million in operational spending, as well as $10.7 million in borrowing for capital improvement projects. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the council chambers.
The $166.6 million appropriation reflects a portion of the overall operating budget — it's the portion the City Council has purview over — while the city plans to spend a total of $175.5 million over fiscal year 2020. Capital budget borrowing falls outside the operating budget.
The final votes follow a series of budget hearings, during which councilors had heated debates over some of the spending. They preliminarily approved each budget item, making a few adjustments.
One significant adjustment came this week, when councilors voted to remove $52,500 from the capital budget for a pickleball facility at Springside Park.
The motion to cut it out of the capital budget came from Ward 1 Councilor Helen Moon, who said she had "a lot of reservations" about the city's choice to put the facility in Springside Park.
A lot of the pickleball players pushing for the court live outside Pittsfield, she said, and "we haven't reached a critical mass of pickleball players."
Councilor at Large Earl Persip agreed, saying residents have made it clear that Springside is not the right location.
"I think the city got this one wrong," he said.
When the city tried to put a dog park in Springside, he said, advocates bucked it for the same reason — it doesn't align with the park's purpose as a passive-use park.
Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi said he doesn't want to spend the money on a new pickleball court when existing city parks aren't taken care of properly.
"For me, it's about priorities," he said.
Moon's motion passed 7-4, with Councilors Chris Connell, Peter Marchetti, Tony Simonelli and Melissa Mazzeo voting against.
Mazzeo said she doesn't think the pickleball court's location near Doyle Field would be an imposition. "I think you'll find it's not going to be a detriment," she said.
Councilors also will be asked to approve $35,272 in Community Preservation Act spending for the project later this month.
Police spending
Police Chief Michael Wynn fielded questions from councilors this week about the department's planned spending increases, amounting to $866,389 over the current year's budget.
There's new spending in the budget for ShotSpotter, Wynn and Mayor Linda Tyer told councilors this week, as they haven't yet been able to line up private funding partners.
"I had to account for it somewhere, so we put it in the budget," Wynn said.
The technology is worth it, he said, since 25 percent of the city's shootings go unreported by residents. For that "25 percent of the time," he said, "if we didn't have it, we wouldn't be responding."
He said ShotSpotter alerts officers to the precise location of a gunshot, so it also helps officers locate ballistic evidence.
If no private partners come forward, Tyer said the next three years of service will cost the city $600,000 from its operating budget.
"We're committed to ShotSpotter," Tyer said. "We believe in it."
The budget under review includes $240,000 for the technology.
There's also $12,500 in new funding for community outreach, since Wynn said officers have been taking on more responsibilities along those lines, a $100,000 increase in scheduled overtime and a $150,000 increase in contractual allowances.
Wynn said some increases stem from contractual obligations, and to that point, salary lines are up by about $200,000. Councilors unanimously approved the budget during its first reading.
Public services
When questioned by councilors about increases in winter spending, Public Services Commissioner David Turocy said the sand and salt item was the biggest culprit.
Mazzeo said she doesn't understand why the city spends more than private businesses.
"I really have a hard time every time this comes down," she said.
Turocy said the winter season was riddled with early morning nuisance storms that private companies often can avoid dealing with since they land outside business hours.
"We can't do that," he said. "We have to make sure the streets are good at 6 a.m. in the morning."
Yes, it was a mild winter — "I was expecting it to be lower, too," he said about the cost of sand and salt — but the little storms add up.
Councilors also pressed Turocy about the state of the city's roads.
"The roads are deplorable in the city of Pittsfield," Morandi said.
To that point, Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers agreed. She said there's only one thing to do about that: Spend more on public services.
"It seems to me we're just not staffing it or funding it appropriately," she said.
If budgets are policy documents, she said, "then this document says that we're not listening."
Rivers made a motion to refer the public services department's budget back to the mayor for an increase. While her measure won philosophical support among several councilors, most agreed that there's nowhere from which to pull additional money.
"I'm frustrated with looking at some of these numbers, too," Councilor at Large Pete White said. "[But] the money's just not there."
The department's $8 million budget won preliminary approval from councilors, with Rivers and Connell voting in opposition.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berskhireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Pittsfield council preliminarily approves $63.5 million schools budget”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, May 30, 2019
Pittsfield — The City Council preliminarily approved a $63.5 million budget for city schools Thursday, but first came a heated exchange about whether the city was leaving new state funding on the table.
The vote was 10 to 1, with Ward 7 Councilor Tony Simonelli voting against.
Ward 6 Councilor John Krol said he feared that because the city was not planning to use all of the expected $3.7 million increase in state school reimbursements for students, it meant that it's not making good on its end of the bargain.
To that, Superintendent Jason McCandless said "we share that concern."
The planned $3.7 million influx for the coming fiscal year is unprecedented, officials say, and it reflects an effort at the state level to overhaul how the commonwealth's public schools are funded. McCandless originally had planned to use all of the historic increase for investments in schools, but Mayor Linda Tyer and her team urged him to pull back his spending plan, saving about $500,000 to apply to health insurance for school employees — an expense that comes from the city's general fund rather that the departmental budget.
But because the state budget is not yet finalized, some argued that there could be an even larger windfall in the wings.
State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, told councilors they should use the state House budget as the floor; the governor's budget is typically referred to as the lowest possible reimbursement for planning purposes. And while she knows health insurance is a "budget buster," she said legislators warring over whose students deserve more funding will be watching how Pittsfield uses this new money.
"This is a battle in the Statehouse right now," she said.
Krol said investing that hard-won money into schools is "the least we can do." He moved to refer the budget back to the mayor, under the premise that all of the expected influx be applied to students.
"For me, there's nothing more important than the schools," he said.
Tyer promised to work with McCandless to possibly appropriate more money for schools if the state sees fit to dole out more than the expected $3.7 million increase. Still, she said, the city should move cautiously into this uncharted territory.
"I would emphasize this is a brand new formula " she said. "I think we have to be conservative here."
Other councilors argued that money spent on health insurance was still money spent on schools, and Krol's motion failed 9-2, with Krol and Ward 2 Councilor Helen Moon voting in favor.
Simonelli went the opposite direction, moving to ask Tyer and McCandless to reduce the budget $280,000. He said the city has pressing issues — like crime and deteriorating roads — and the department hasn't successfully made the case for the spending increase.
"This, to me, feels slightly mean-spirited, to be honest with you," McCandless told councilors, telling them that all of the items included in his budget are, indeed, needs, and not wants.
But other councilors argued that it was counterproductive to the issue of crime to take money away from city schools.
"Taking away from the schools budget is, I think, going to contribute to the increased crime rate," Moon said.
Simonelli's motion failed 10 to 1.
McCandless told The Eagle in an earlier interview that this is the first budget he has worked on for the city that includes no pink slips, or layoffs.
Jennifer Stokes, special education director for the district, said school principals in Pittsfield asked for help around reading and math interventions, and so funding will be used to support that request. That means hiring new academic intervention teachers, as well as ensuring that each of the schools has access to the same level of intervention materials.
The district plans to add five intervention teachers, as well as at least five special education instruction and accountability coordinators.
These coordinators are intended to serve as a point of contact for families of students with individualized education plans, or IEPs, and they will oversee those plans even as students move beyond their current level.
"They are the measurer of the goals," McCandless told councilors.
Their existence allows special education teachers more time and energy to teach.
The budget also includes a $250,000 increase for curriculum upgrades, and a $250,000 increase for school security revisions.
McCandless said more school shootings mean schools everywhere need to bolster their security measures.
"Clearly, the lessons of the last 20 years in America suggest this is a good investment," he told The Eagle.
He said he plans to hire a restorative justice consultant, and the budget also includes a $50,000 budget for the district's cultural competency coach.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadranr on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Pittsfield City Council approves $166.6M budget request”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, June 11, 2019
Pittsfield — The City Council approved $166.6 million in spending for the coming fiscal year during its regularly scheduled Tuesday meeting.
The spending plan passed 8-3, with councilors Kevin Morandi, John Krol and Tony Simonelli in opposition. Each said they voted against the budget because it didn't reflect what they felt should be the city's priorities.
The $166.6 million appropriation reflects a portion of the overall operating budget — it's the portion the City Council has purview over — while the city plans to spend a total of $175.5 million over fiscal year 2020. The council also unanimously approved $10.7 million in capital borrowing.
Krol said he couldn't stand behind the city's plan to take a piece of school reimbursement funds, expected from the state as part of its school funding review, to use toward health insurance. By doing so, he said the city is using hard-fought funding to balance the operating budget on the backs of the city's schools.
"That's just too glaring for me accept," he said.
During the earlier budget hearing for the Pittsfield Public Schools, Krol made a failed motion to refer the school spending plan back to the mayor for an increase.
Alternatively, Simonelli had moved to refer the same budget back to the mayor for a $200,000 reduction. He said the issues he hears most about from his constituents are crime and the deplorable state of the city's roads, so he had hoped to divert funding from the schools to address those two issues.
Simonelli said after the Tuesday meeting that he spent more than three decades working in the city's schools and "I'm not anti-education."
"As a city councilor, we have to look at the whole city," he said.
Morandi said he couldn't abide by the state of the city's roads and he felt the budget didn't properly address public services.
"Hopefully we can do a better job and this will send a message," he said.
Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell said that he voted yes on the budget despite feeling that money should have been shaved and redistributed into the city's Department of Public Services.
He and Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers were met with resistance last week when she proposed referring the department's budget back to the mayor for additional spending. Other councilors had said there was no money to pull from.
"The reason why we don't have any money is because we didn't make any cuts," Connell said during the Tuesday meeting.
Before councilors approved the $10.7 million in capital borrowing, Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo attempted to add controversial pickleball funds back into the spending plan. Council President Peter Marchetti told her councilors don't have the power to amend a mayoral order.
Mazzeo then asked Mayor Linda Tyer why her capital budget order didn't include funds toward a pickleball court. The council voted last week to remove the $52,500 in pickleball spending, but Mazzeo told her "you could have vetoed that."
"I could have " Tyer said. "But I would have risked losing the entire capital budget."
Tyer said that while she supports the pickleball facility and its intended location, she chose to honor the vote of the City Council when issuing her order.
Mazzeo said the whole pickleball ordeal "boggles my mind." With that proposal, Mazzeo said "we were not affecting the integrity of Springside Park one iota."
Fire hydrants and a port-a-potty
Connell also filed a fresh petition during the meeting to install a port-a-potty at Kirvin Park. He said the popular park needs a bathroom for people to use.
"We don't want people using woodsy facilities ...," he said while smiling, "which could very well happen if there's nothing there."
But Public Services Commissioner David Turocy said he didn't want to approve a port-a-potty at Kirvin Park exclusively without taking a comprehensive look at the entire park system. "It's never just one," he said.
And Morandi filed a new petition calling on the city to compile a list of the city's fire hydrants, documenting the functionality of each one. He previously told The Eagle he was concerned about the city's fire hydrants after they've failed to work during a series of Morningside fires, most recently with a large blaze on Tyler Street.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Pittsfield Council OKs $175M Operating Budget, $11M Capital Plan”
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff, June 14, 2019
Pittsfield, Mass. — The City Council approved both the operating budget and the capital budget on Tuesday, June 11, but not before one more match of pickleball.
The City Council had voted against borrowing $52,500 to support the construction of new pickleball courts at Springside Park. The mayor returned with a $10.7 million capital order that did not include that — the only change requested by the council.
Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, however, pressed Mayor Linda Tyer on why she didn't pursue it anyway. Mazzeo feels that the council's discussion may have changed the tenor among constituents who perhaps were unsure of the exact location before.
"So many people I heard from were so confused on where this pickleball court was going," Mazzeo said.
While many were against using the park for the site of the new courts, Mazzeo had emphasized that the location by the Doyle Softball Complex on Benedict Road was ideal. She said that didn't interfere with other uses in the park and the location is already for active use.
Tyer responded that she, too, supported that location, hence why she put forth the proposal. But, she "honored the vote of the City Council." Had she not pulled that from the proposal, there was a risk that the council would vote down the entire order, thus leaving the numerous other projects in the plan unfunded.
"I could have sent it back to you with it with the pickleball line item in there but I would have risked losing the entire capital budget," Tyer said.
Ward 4 Councilor Christopher Connell had voted in favor of pickleball at the time. But he was also on the council a handful of years ago when former Mayor Daniel Bianchi and the council fought over a fire truck in the capital budget. In the end, the council did not approve the order and some projects ultimately were delayed.
"I didn't want to take out the funding for pickleball courts, there were some other things I was concerned about. But we were on this path five years ago when the capital budget did not get approved and basically there was a standstill," Connell said before voting in favor of the capital budget.
Tyer said there could be potential further discussion about moving forward with a project, and that could mean finding a new location. Another capital order could be brought before the council in the future.
"I support pickleball, I support the location. That's why I proposed it," Tyer said.
Councilor at Large Earl Persip said the location is the only problem and bemoaned that the council was yet again discussing the proposal after a lengthy debate about it already.
"You might have an 11-0 vote for pickleball if we moved it from Springside Park, why are we stuck on Springside Park?" Persip said.
But Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi said that was not true because he won't be voting for it anywhere. Morandi believes the city has enough parks that it can't maintain to add more.
"Until those needs are met, I can't see spending that money on a new facility we have to maintain," he said.
In the end the council approved the capital order.
The council also picked through the operating budget and approved an amended appropriation of $166,599,139. During the budget hearings, the council reduced the water and the wastewater enterprise accounts by $25,000 each. The city solicitor's budget was increased by $2,039.
The budget overall is increasing by just short of $7 million.
The budget is broken down into $154,167,742 for the municipal and school operations, and $12,431,397 for the enterprise accounts, for a total of $166,599,139 on total appropriations from the council. Also on the books is another $8,838,314 for other charges, particularly offsets to state aid like school choice and various assessments.
The mayor's overall spending plan calls for a
$175,437,453 operating budget, which is about 3.9 percent more than the current year. The revenues would come from about $57 million in state aid, $12 million in local receipts, $12 million in enterprise fees, $1.8 million in other revenues collected, $750,000 in free cash, and $91 million in property taxes, according to Director of Finance Matthew Kerwood.
The schools are seeing an increase of $2.9 million in the budget in response to the state being expected to release an additional $3.7 million in support. Council Vice President John Krol voted against the budget for the first time in his career as a councilor because he felt more of that aid should have been directed to where it was intended — the schools. He said a lot of people fought hard to get increased support for schools and now, quoting fellow Councilor Helen Moon, the city is "balancing the rest of the budget on the backs of the school."
"In 10 years I've never voted against a budget. There have been things I haven't liked from time but not enough to vote against it," he said.
Councilors Anthony Simonelli and Morandi also voted against the budget but for different reasons. All three councilors, however, didn't feel the proposal correctly prioritized certain aspects of operations.
Connell voted in favor of the budget but said some of the lines that councilors felt were underfunded were so because the council failed to make enough cuts in other places of the budget to reallocate.
"The reason why we don't have the money is because we didn't make any cuts," Connell said. "There was money. Some of us were trying to find it but unfortunately, it didn't get the votes."
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6/15/2019
Facts:
$175,437,453 operating budget
$10,700,000 million capital budget
The budget overall is increasing by just short of $7,000,000 million, which is about a 3.9 percent increase over fiscal year 2019’s budget. The schools are seeing an increase of $2,900,000 million in the budget.
Opinion:
While I fully support the lovely Linda Tyer, who I believe is the best Mayor of Pittsfield EVER, I disagree with her fiscal year 2020 budget. The reason I dissent is that no one’s pay goes up by 3.9 percent in one year. I believe a realistic budget would increase by no more than 2 percent.
I have followed Pittsfield politics for decades, and it is always the same outcomes. Municipal taxes always go up by around 5 percent per fiscal year. Pittsfield has an excessively high debt load, too. The tax base always shrinks due to chronic and recurring losses in population and jobs. Pittsfield is one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation. There are many people who live in or near poverty. Pittsfield is a distressed economy ran by political hacks!
- Jonathan Melle
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Letter: “Pittsfield must support qualified candidates”
The Berkshire Eagle, May 27, 2019
To the editor:
We have city elections coming up this fall. I would remind all voters to study the candidates carefully and choose those who are qualified for the position they are hoping to win. For too long, elections in Pittsfield have been popularity contests in which the most competent candidates have no chance in beating a Good Old Boy/Special Interest Group (GOB/SIG)-backed candidate. Once they have elected their stooge, the cycle continues with city budgets soaring to the stratosphere.
The GOB/SIGs have their hands in every election. Look at the present mayor, who was the favorite candidate of the GOB/SIGs. She was the least competent of the four candidates, but the GOB/SIGs backed her and the string of failures continues.
The SIGs are the school department, police department, fire department, DPW and city workers, and they are all good people who do their jobs well. But they and their friends and relatives equal a voting bloc that determines all elections in Pittsfield. I urge the many registered voters in Pittsfield who do not vote in city elections to realize that if you get involved and vote only for competent candidates we can end this cycle of electing incompetent, unqualified candidates such as Linda Tyer and eight of the current city councilors: Helen Moon, Donna Todd Rivers, Peter White, John Krol, Peter Marchetti, Nicholas Caccamo, Earl Persip and Anthony Simonelli, all of whom are rubber stamps for the mayor.
Let's look at perhaps the greatest blunder by Tyer and her minions. They decided to spend $74 million of taxpayer money on upgrades at the city's sewer plant that could have been done for $21 million. I am one of the inventors of the city's two drinking water plants and saved the city $116 million in capital investment costs in the 1980s and another $50 million in reduced water and sewer rates over the past 34 years and they completely ignored me.
I have taken out papers to run for mayor, city councilor at large and Ward 6 city councilor. I will decide which position to run for based on the most people that I can help.
I am a lifelong city resident, a decorated Vietnam veteran, and am an honors graduate of BCC and MCLA. My areas of study were in biology, chemistry and physics. I taught these disciplines as a high school teacher for more than 10 years and was an adjunct professor of chemical and biological mechanics and environmentalism at the graduate level. I was former worldwide director of technical marketing for Krofta Engineering and have built five water plants in the U.S., including three in the Berkshires.
I believe city government is too big and too costly. City budgets under my control if I become mayor will be reduced from current levels. Will there be reductions in personnel? I am honest enough to say yes. That's where big savings will come from. I hope to reduce positions through attrition if possible. I will not be pandering to the GOB/SIGs but they will be out to defeat me. I hope the voters who stayed away from past elections will support me. I urge you to watch my TV show on PCTV Channel 1301 and invite other candidates to join me on my show.
Let's all put the election dates on our calendar and vote for the most qualified candidates.
Craig Gaetani, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Tyer has brought needed change to city”
The Berkshire Eagle, May 27, 2019
To the editor:
I live in Lee, so I can't vote in the election for Pittsfield mayor, but if could I would vote for Mayor Linda Tyer.
I have subscribed to The Berkshire Eagle since 2016 and have seen the amazing changes she has brought to Pittsfield. She listened and understood what was needed to help our youth, elderly, and less advantaged citizens. She has worked tirelessly to address problems and issues that impact Pittsfield and will continue to do so.
I urge Pittsfield voters to let Mayor Tyer continue her productive efforts.
Nancy Stuart, Lee
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Our Opinion: “Keep election season out of city politics”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, May 30, 2019
Pittsfield's has lost its respected building commissioner, Gerald Garner, to Adams, where he will make more money and undoubtedly have less aggravation.
Meanwhile, Pittsfield's search for a replacement is dragging along, beset perhaps, by the politics that Mr. Garner apparently found burdensome.
Mr. Gardner, who made $67,600 in Pittsfield, is earning $75,200 annually for a similar job in Adams. In a frank interview with The Eagle's Amanda Drane (May 25), Mr. Garner, who was the city's building commissioner for 10 years, said, "Money has always been a lingering issue with that place," in reference to Pittsfield. His requests for a raise were unavailing, aside from one during the administration of Mayor Daniel Bianchi.
The city has been without a building commissioner for two months, which Mayor Linda Tyer told the City Council has put "quite a strain on the department." We don't doubt that, as the commissioner's duties are many. Mr. Garner supervised building inspectors, enforced state codes and zoning regulations and assured that structures are safe, among other responsibilities. This is a particularly important position in a city with an aging infrastructure.
Mayor Tyer has expressed the desire for some flexibility on the building commissioner's salary as she seeks a replacement and budgeted the line item at $70,000. Mr. Gerard told The Eagle it will be difficult for the city to find a capable replacement without raising the salary. Nonetheless, there was push among city councilors to actually reduce the salary line item, which was defeated by a narrow 6-to-4 vote. Lowering the salary may have assured that the city would not be able to find a replacement of the caliber needed for the position.
In outlining the skills needed for the job to The Eagle, Mr. Garner noted that his replacement should be politically savvy, adding that the building commissioner's role in Adams is less political than it is in Pittsfield. He didn't amplify, but anyone who reads The Eagle or watches City Council meetings on PCTV knows that city government is heavily politicized and that the ongoing battles between rival camps impacts many aspects of city business.
This goes double in an election year and that can be doubled again in this particular election year, which features a race for mayor that includes the incumbent and at-large city councilor Melissa Mazzeo. They represent two rival forces that have long battled in Pittsfield, perhaps most notably during the years of mayors James Ruberto and Daniel Bianchi. Their differing philosophies will be on display during this year's mayoral campaign and it will be good for the city to have that debate.
Politics should stay in the political arena, however, and the vote to lower the line item for the building commissioner's salary after losing a veteran building commissioner to another Berkshire town was so illogical it appears obvious that politics was behind it. It is not the first vote in recent months that has that taint. This is the recipe for the kind of polarization that paralyzes our federal government.
Pittsfield looks forward to a vigorous political campaign. And let's keep it out of City Council chambers.
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Letter: “Paid off-street parking will hurt businesses”
The Berkshire Eagle, May 31, 2019
To the editor:
The parking plan for the lot replacing the Summer Street garage in Pittsfield needs more thought and, we believe, revision.
One might argue that businesses are not people, but the businesses in this community are owned and operated by people, the businesses in this community are here for the benefit of us, the people who live in this community, and we, the people, patronize these businesses.
The Summer Street garage used to offer a lot of free parking, with three-hour free parking on the street. There was also free diagonal parking behind the North Street shops that border on the garage. Many of us in this community will be affected by the loss of free, three-hour parking spaces, as were available both in the former garage and behind the shops.
Which people who will be negatively affected? The people who will be hurt by metered, off-street parking include:
— The merchants on that block of North Street, some of whose patrons chose to park out back, next to the garage, because it was free.
— The owners of Berkshire Nautilus and the numerous, mostly medical offices on the second and third floors of the Nautilus building.
— Barrington Stage, especially during matinee hours, when patrons and volunteers frequently parked in the former garage.
— The patrons of the North Street shops, Berkshire Nautilus, the medical offices, and patrons and volunteers of Barrington Stage.
With the advent of legalized marijuana, the city will experience new revenues. Please don't hurt the merchants, owners and patrons outlined above by penalizing them with new parking fees, especially in off-street areas.
We all want to see upstreet (our downtown) flourish! We need to encourage new businesses, new professional offices, shops, restaurants, etc. Charging for off-street parking in our dwindling community is not the way to stimulate revitalization!
Stuart Masters, Harvey Zimbler, Pittsfield
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Donna Todd Rivers
“Pittsfield Councilor Donna Todd Rivers drops reelection bid”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, June 10, 2019
Pittsfield — Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers has announced that she no longer aims to keep her seat.
After "much thought and soul searching," the two-term councilor said she fears increasing demands in her personal life will take from her ability to serve constituents.
She made the announcement Friday evening via an email to her colleagues on the City Council, as well as in a letter to the editor at this paper. She is so far the only person to pull nomination papers in Ward 5.
Anyone interested in running in her place has until July 19 to gather 50 signatures from within the ward and submit them to City Hall for verification.
Rivers, who had pulled nomination papers for the seat, cited increasing professional and familial obligations in her letter, and "I fear in time these would lead to a decrease in the level of service and responsiveness that you have come to expect and deserve."
Her mother is ailing and lives four hours away, she told The Eagle.
"Looking into the future, if things changed in my life I just needed to be able to be there for her," she said.
She's also very busy with her work in planning and development for Elder Services of Berkshire County, she said.
"There are so many issues that are facing our elders," she said. "Our community is aging."
While she's bowing out of the reelection bid, she said she will serve out the rest of her term, which lasts through the end of the year. Meantime, she said she plans to work on issues facing the ward and the city, especially the poor state of the city's roads and sidewalks — an issue that she said affects quality of life in the neighborhoods and takes away from the city's ability to attract new people.
She said she also is willing to help a newly elected councilor fill her shoes. "Because when I stepped in, I had nothing," she said.
The decision to drop out of the race was a difficult one, she said. She said she's confident that she'll step back into politics at some point.
"It's in my system," she said. "It's part of who I am."
And just because she won't be on the City Council next year doesn't mean you won't hear from her as an advocate and involved citizen, she said.
"I think you get more done sometimes as a community advocate than you do as an elected official," she said, adding "you'll never quiet me."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Yuki Cohen
“Cohen pulls papers for Pittsfield council; Lothrop eyes former Ward 5 seat”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, June 14, 2019
Pittsfield — Yuki Cohen, owner of the popular Methuselah Bar and Lounge, pulled nomination papers Friday for a citywide seat on the City Council.
The bar owner and financial adviser is going big for her first council run, setting her sights on an at-large seat to focus on education and small-business development in Pittsfield.
Cohen, who also sits on the board at Jacob's Pillow, said Pittsfield's artistic caliber and breathtaking landscape position it well for growth.
"I am running for council because I would love an opportunity to participate in further unfolding the great potential of this bright city," she said in a release.
Cohen's candidacy and others announced throughout the week came about a month away from the city's nomination deadline. Nominees have until July 19 to collect signatures and submit them at City Hall.
Nominees for the council's at-large seats must collect 150 citywide signatures, while ward candidates must collect 50 signatures from within their neighborhood.
Longtime Councilor Melissa Mazzeo's mayoral bid cleared the way for new blood in the council's at-large race. Cohen joins incumbent councilors Peter Marchetti, Earl Persip and Pete White, as well as Craig Gaetani, Alex Blumin, Jay Hamling and Auron Stark, in the field for four seats.
Also, former City Councilor Jonathan Lothrop announced this week his potential return to council politics. Lothrop, who serves on the city's Conservation Commission, seeks to reclaim the Ward 5 seat, which he held for 12 years through 2015.
During that time, he said, he worked on everything from potholes and street repairs to the airport, the new Taconic school building project, city parks and downtown revitalization.
"I have a record of delivering results for the residents of Ward 5," he said.
Lothrop was one of three to pull papers this week, after incumbent Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers pulled out of her reelection bid. He joins Pittsfield political newcomers Patrick Kavey and Eugene Maselli.
Contested council races also have developed in Wards 4, 6 and 7.
Incumbent Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell will face off against Michael Merriam, who sits on the city's Traffic Commission. And the Ward 7 race is now a three-way field among John Daniels Jr., Jeffrey Ferrin and Anthony Maffuccio.
In Ward 6, Homeless Prevention Committee Chairman Edward Carmel will square off against Dina Guiel Lampiasi, operations chief for the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, as well as Gaetani and Joseph C. Nichols.
Incumbent ward councilors Helen Moon, Kevin Morandi and Nick Caccamo remain uncontested in their bids for Ward 1, Ward 2 and Ward 3, respectively.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
related link: https://www.wamc.org/post/yuki-cohen-announces-bid-pittsfield-city-council
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Laurie Tierney: “Drop gloom and excuses - explore city's downtown”
By Laurie Tierney, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, June 23, 2019
Pittsfield — I've been reading the recent headlines about malls around the country and their slow, steady death and demise. I hear people who come into my store lament "Oh no, what happened to the Berkshire Mall?" It baffles me that people seem surprised at this turn of events.
This cannot be a surprise to anyone who has visited the mall in the past five years. Slowly, but surely, this has been the obvious direction. The quality and quantity of stores has diminished; bookstores and restaurants vanished years ago and the parking lot has become more and more vacant.
I urge all locals to stop mourning the malls and insisting that the only thing left to do is shop online. Don't get me wrong, I am guilty of typing in Amazon.com when I need something and I have no idea where to find it. But I would like to throw out a crazy idea — a challenge if you will, for the summer months.
A DOUBLE DARE
Take a day, it can be during the week or the weekend. Park your car somewhere on North Street (the new parking lot is open with unparalleled views of the mountains). Oh, I know, I can hear you all now; "metered parking...have to pay to park...nothing worth seeing on North Street...etc." To all of that, I say — I dare you to park and I double dare you to say there is nothing downtown.
First of all, your first half hour is free; after 4 p.m. is free; weekends are free. I hear people say, "I don't always have change on me" So, use a debit or credit card — easiest option ever. "I don't know my license plate number." For goodness sake, take a photo with your phone, put it in your phone notes or on a piece of paper in your wallet. This is something that you should memorize or have on you anyway!
Then there is the best excuse of all — "There's nothing worth seeing or doing downtown." It may not be the heyday of the '60s but it isn't the dismal '80s either. There is a downtown revitalization and all those excuses are holding you back from enjoying North Street.
From Carr Hardware to the Colonial Theater, there is so much to see, do and discover in downtown. Let's start with Carr Hardware. Sure, you can drive to Berkshire Crossing, go to Home Depot and give your business to a chain store with mediocre products or you can see if you can find what you need at a family-owned business where the owner himself is often there to greet you and ask what you need. A no-brainer, and there is free parking.
WEALTH OF CHOICES
Heading south from Carr's are so many businesses worth visiting and supporting: Dottie's Coffee Lounge, West Side Clock Shop, The Lantern, Barrington Stage — both stages (our own Broadway right here), Mission Bar and Tapas (you are missing out if you are not enjoying a glass of Spanish wine outside in the summer); Funky Phoenix, Township Four (I know many of you are saying "What's that?" Exactly — get in there!), Kidding Around Consignment, Clark's Vintage Lighting, Methuselah, Circa, Frameworks for rentable events and office space, Dory & Ginger (my personal favorite), Eat on North (best wings and burgers ever), Paul Rich (drool worthy), Steven Valenti (men's and women's clothing), House of India (get the rice pudding), The Garden, RJ Stohr (Rick and Norm are the best), The Beacon Cinema (who needs Regal at the mall when you've got the Beacon Theater?!), Brooklyn's Best, Shiro, Marketplace Cafe, Hot Harry's, Pancho's, Museum Facsimiles, The Berkshire Museum and the Museum Shop (often overlooked by museum goers, but always impresses), window gaze at the Wolfson Center to see some of the fabulous costumes from Barrington Stage plays, Radiance Yoga for classes and massages, take a side step and enjoy a beer at Thistle and Mirth, a bite at District, an Italian meal with fabulous decor at Trattoria Rustica, a tasty bite at Flavours, or a Philly cheese steak at Big Daddy's.
I apologize for any places I have missed and promise to get myself into each and every business, but there is a point in this rant. We talk about local — shop local, hire local, eat local — well, downtown is coming back and you can all be a part of that positive energy. Support the city; support our downtown; forget malls and chains. These business owners are your neighbors, relatives, friends and they are investing their time, energy and finances trying to make our downtown alive again.
So, park the car, pay the meter and take a stroll. Join me in my mantra: first downtown, then Pittsfield, then Berkshire County.
Laurie Tierney is co-owner of Hotel On North and Dory & Ginger.
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Letter: “No C of O for Taconic puts city at risk”
The Berkshire Eagle, June 23, 2019
To the editor:
I find it outrageous that the administration of the city of Pittsfield would choose to risk major liabilities by operating Taconic High School without a Certificate of Occupancy (Eagle, June 7.) This dangerous decision could have left this city in a perilous situation. Heaven forbid if any kind of disaster had happened, this administration would have exposed our city to major litigation.
A C of O is a legal document issued by the building department upon final inspection of an addition, new house, or a $120 million school. It is only issued when all the trades involved, wiring, plumbing, HVAC, fire protection and so on have been inspected and signed off by the appropriate inspector. That means all work meets all state codes and the inspector has approved the quality of work "up to codes." Then and only then does the building commissioner issue a C of O.
A temporary C of O is used when someone wants a C of O but does not comply. You either meet the criteria or you don't. Anyone who has had a problem obtaining a C of O knows the hoops you must do go thru to satisfy the inspectors.
The decision to operate Taconic without a C of O did not come from the building dept. Our building inspectors have too much integrity to jeopardize their reputation on such a foolish decision. The fact that the building maintenance director and the school superintendent say the school is safe carries no legal weight. The fact that three temporary C of Os were issued indicates many problems still exist. I can only wonder how happy the school and city insurance carriers are to know that this administration chose to put the city's students, teachers and faculty at risk by occupying a new school without the proper legally required documentation. These are the same tactics the mayor and the Office of Community Development are using with the Proprietors Lodge. Issuing temporary C of Os for areas that do not meet requirements for occupancy so Proprietors can open for a wedding without meeting the standards for a C of O is not acceptable.
It is wrong for the current administration to interfere with the operation of the building dept. at Taconic and at Proprietors Lodge.
Robert Snell, Pittsfield
The writer is a member of Concerned Citizens for Ethical Government.
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Letter: “Parking meters aren't friendly to elderly”
The Berkshire Eagle, June 24, 2019
To the editor:
As an elderly person, I am not open to learning how to use digital parking meters and entering my license plate number into the meter. This is especially true on a blustery day when it is cold, snowing or raining.
It is easier to shop at a shopping center where the parking is free and there is a good assortment of stores.
Now the Columbus Street parking lot will be metered. What a disappointment.
Carolyn J. Swegel, Pittsfield
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July 1, 2019
Pittsfield has been on a more than 4 decade long downward spiral of high taxes, huge debts, population loss, job loss, political corruption, Good Old Boys, 21 years (& counting) of PEDA problems, overpriced and underperforming public schools, economic inequality, and the sad list goes on and on!
Conclusion: Blame Linda Tyer for it all! The lovely Linda Tyer didn't change how Pittsfield does its business. She continues to raise taxes and increase debts, and worse of all, she is part of Jimmy Ruberto's G.O.B. network of corrupt insiders.
It is all her fault! If it wasn't for Mayor Linda Tyer, Pittsfield would be a utopia of low taxes and debts, PEDA would have at least 10 fortune 500 companies, there would be substantial gains in population and jobs, the public schools would produce the best performance results, there wouldn't be economic inequality, and the Good Old Boys would be a footnote in the sad history of Pittsfield politics.
- Jonathan Melle
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Letter: “Carousel was destined to fail”
The Berkshire Eagle, July 10, 2019
To the editor:
The Berkshire Carousel is a true work of art. It is everything that it was promised to be, plus some. And I hate to say "I told you so" but unfortunately the carousel promoters still are not listening.
When it opened, I said it would be closed within two years. Anyone who has taken time to go down to the remote location that turned out to be Door #4 for this perfect drawing card will probably agree that location is the primary reason that such a work of art has failed miserably, but it is not the sole reason.
My childhood memories of the "merry-go-round" are of a wide open, outdoor, sunlit experience. Surrounded by waving and smiling people, many that were only there to enjoy the colorful animals, the music, and to watch children enjoying themselves. When I saw the building being erected, I assumed that the outer walls were easily removable or possibly able to be raised up and out to provide shade for onlookers. It never dawned on me that this would not allow people to enjoy the sights without paying admission. After all of the public support both vocally and financially, I am surprised that no one is allowed to even observe the carousel without paying an admission fee. Perhaps the current state of affairs is the result of that policy.
I don't believe the carousel is a "destination." More like an attraction at a destination.
I have some tongue-in-cheek suggestions for an alternative location. But first... "tear down those walls!"
# 1. The vacant property that is for sale at the entrance to Wahconah Park between Adrian's and Tahiti Takeout.
# 2. The Berkshire Common on First Street. (Yes, I know all about that fiasco )
# 3. Maybe somewhere close to Mass. MoCA.
Let's face it, the carousel is a failure. Great intentions, great effort, sad results.
Richard Daly, Sr., Pittsfield
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“Mayoral candidate says schools, roads need attention”
The Berkshire Eagle, July 12, 2019
To the editor:
How many flat tires, broken axles and damaged vehicles will it take before our streets become a priority in Pittsfield?
Lily Tomlin once said, "The road to success is always under construction." However, many of the roads in Pittsfield haven't seen construction in well over a decade. So how will our city and citizens such as ourselves find success if many of our streets look like meteors hit them?
How many parents must send their children to out-of-district schools before the city recognizes and fixes the issues facing our school system? Underperforming schools, high numbers of students entering middle school unable to read at a fifth-grade level, out-of-control students disrupting classes, teachers assaulted by students, lack of consistent follow-through in regards to the breaking of rules by students, lack of support of teachers by some administrators.
These are just a few of the issues our schools are facing.
I have lived in Pittsfield my entire life and spent over 30 years as a Pittsfield police officer patrolling our streets and working in our schools. I believe it's time our city streets get the well-deserved work our taxes have been paying for, and our children get the education they deserve.
I grew up on Henry Avenue along with my 12 sisters and three brothers. My dad worked hard to support our family working as an auto parts manager. When my youngest sister went to school, my mom volunteered in the city schools and later became a paraprofessional until her retirement.
After attending college, I worked multiple jobs including McDonald's, Pittsfield Veterinary Hospital and Samale's package store before becoming a Pittsfield police officer. I am married and have three wonderful sons who also grew up locally and went to our schools.
In the early 1990s I was one of the first community policing officers working in our downtown area, when open drug dealing, open drinking and shoplifting were an issue.
I helped get the drug dealers and people openly drinking alcohol off North Street. Plus, I helped store owners in preventing shoplifting. I also taught DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) in our local schools, as well as working and then helping run our city's summer DARE camp.
I became a school resource officer at Reid Middle School at a time when the school was out of control and helped the new administrators bring the school back to a place where kids could safely learn.
I became an instructor in the ALICE (Alert Lockdown Inform Counter Evacuate) program training teachers throughout the city, as well as the students at Reid, on what to do if an armed intruder was in the building.
During my 13 years as a resource officer I saw many things that worked well and things the schools need to improve upon in order to keep our school environment safe for learning.
I worked tirelessly to make positive changes and better the lives of adults and children in our city.
If I am elected mayor I will work just as hard and tirelessly to improve our city streets, better our schools and make our city a positive place to live. You can contact me by email at bkkalinowsky@yahoo.com or on Facebook, with suggestions or support.
Karen Kalinowsky, Pittsfield
The writer is a candidate for mayor.
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“Candidates emerge in Pittsfield races as nomination deadline passes”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, July 19, 2019
Pittsfield — Nominations are in and the city election field appears to be set.
Candidates who submitted paperwork at the eleventh hour Friday included Richard Latura, who's running for councilor at large, and Craig Gaetani, who's running for City Council in Ward 6.
Election Day is Nov. 5. There will be a preliminary election Sept. 17. Friday was the deadline to submit proof that candidates had gathered enough signatures to get on a ballot.
Officially, there are four mayoral candidates: incumbent Linda Tyer, Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, Rusty Anchor owner Scott Graves and retired police officer Karen Kalinowsky.
In the City Council's at large race, Latura, whose paperwork still must be certified, joins eight other candidates running for four seats. They are: Alexander Blumin, Yuki Cohen, Jay Hamling, Auron Stark, Kenneth Warren, and incumbent councilors Peter Marchetti, Earl Persip and Pete White.
Warren also is a certified candidate in the race against incumbent Ward 1 Councilor Helen Moon. He has until Aug. 6 to decide which seat goes on the ballot.
There are three candidates in the race to replace Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers: former Councilor Jonathan Lothrop, former School Committee member Eugene Maselli and Patrick Kavey.
In Ward 6, Dina Guiel Lampiasi, operations chief for the Berkshire District Attorney's Office; Ed Carmel, chairman of the Homeless Prevention Committee; and Joseph Nichols are certified to compete for outgoing Councilor John Krol's seat.
Gaetani submitted paperwork for Ward 6 late Friday afternoon, City Clerk Michele Benjamin said. His paperwork still must be certified.
Incumbent councilors Kevin Morandi and Nick Caccamo are certified to run in their respective wards, as is Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell, who faces off against Mike Merriam of the city's Traffic Commission.
And in Ward 7, former Councilor Anthony Maffuccio and J. David Pope will go head-to-head for the seat that Councilor Anthony Simonelli is vacating.
In the School Committee race, Dan Elias, William Cameron, Mark Brazeau, Thomas Perrea, Dennis Powell and Alison McGee are certified candidates. Current committee Chairwoman Kathy Yon filed completed signatures, but her paperwork still must be certified. There are six seats available.
Benjamin is running unopposed to keep her position.
Candidates must file certified papers by Aug. 2, and the official candidate list will be posted Aug. 5.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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July 21, 2019
Re: My frustration with Pittsfield explained!
I have long held a theoretical view about post-industrial communities, like my native hometown of Pittsfield, which in economics is called “Perverse Incentives”. My theory is that post-industrial communities want public money over private sector living wage jobs of the 1950’s and 1960’s. That means that if a family is poor or near poverty, the post-industrial community receives many millions of dollars in public funds for welfare social services programs, poorly performing public schools, disability caseloads, its not-for-profit organizations, and the like. The more family financial insecurity means more money for communities than financially secure families with living wage jobs.
The problem with post-industrial communities like Pittsfield (Mass.) that use “perverse incentives” is that poverty begets more poverty for future generations. For example, teen pregnancy and welfare caseloads double the statewide average in Pittsfield. North Street has long been known as “Social Services Alley” instead of a bustling business district full of stores. The people Pittsfield attracts are not middle class families and small businesses, as Pittsfield has seen big losses in population and jobs over the past decades.
In traditional economics, a community invests in its people so they have good public schools, living wage jobs, affordable housing, healthcare, and financial security. The key term is “Invest in People!” In turn, the people pay taxes, shop at stores, and small businesses invest in hiring young adults so they can stay in their community they grew up in. In the classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”, George Bailey’s town of Bedford Falls saw poor and working people as valuable investments, while Henry Potter’s town of Pottersville saw these same people as chattel to make Mr. Potter more and more wealthy at the expense of the community.
I have long followed Pittsfield politics over the decades of my life of nearly 44 years, and the Good Old Boys who run the show in Pittsfield have done absolutely nothing to bring jobs back after GE left in 1990 – or 29 years ago. The distressed local economy in Pittsfield has led to growth in the underclass, violent crime, poorly performing public schools, and the like. Post-industrial Pittsfield has made more money from “perverse incentives” or public dollars from poverty than when the working class had living wage jobs in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The trade-off is that Pittsfield has become one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation.
- Jonathan Melle
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July 28, 2019
Re: Pittsfield's useless 3-year study on poverty
After 3 years of studying poverty in post-industrial Pittsfield, I would like to know what the solutions are to bring people and poor neighborhoods out of poverty and into the middle class.
GE left Pittsfield in 1990 – or 29 years ago – and Pittsfield politics has done absolutely nothing to bring in or retain the thousands of lost jobs in the community.
The only growth in Pittsfield has been in teen pregnancies, welfare caseloads, social services programs, not-for-profits, poorly performing public schools, and crime. And, don’t forget about PEDA, which turned 21 years old this summer, and it is nothing more than a polluted, vacant wasteland with zero private investment.
Pittsfield politics is a ran by a corrupt group of Good Old Boys who always raise municipal taxes and debts on the back of fixed-income senior citizens, Veterans, and Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, who always have to assume the position.
In closing, post-industrial Pittsfield is a symbol of what is wrong with America. There is growing economic inequality, scarce living wage jobs, and a useless 3-year study of why poverty is severe in neglected neighborhoods.
- Jonathan Melle
“Three Years In, Working Cities Pittsfield Tracks Successes And A Path Forward”
By Josh Landes, WAMC, July 22, 2019
A nonprofit working to bring opportunity, prosperity, and equity to Pittsfield, Massachusetts has an uncertain future after three years of work. …
“We’re a post-industrial city that had a lot of industry leave, and increased poverty, and is just trying to get the economy going again," said Alisia Costa, the initiative director for Working Cities Pittsfield. “Working Cities Pittsfield is an initiative that was started by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. …
The group uses the Bridges Out Of Poverty model to examine Pittsfield through a socioeconomic lens, bringing attention to the kind of dislocation people on the lower end of the economic spectrum feel. …
Working Cities has focused on the West Side and Morningside neighborhoods, Pittsfield’s poorest communities. …
The three-year, $475,000 grant awarded to Working Cities Pittsfield by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston expires at the end of 2019. …
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Letter: “Election endorsements lacking credibility”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 4, 2019
To the editor:
You can usually tell the credibility and value of an endorsement from a political group by using a little deductive reasoning. It didn't take very much to evaluate the recent endorsement of four women candidates in Pittsfield by the Berkshire Chapter of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus.
You start out with the fact that the endorsement is released prior to the final date for candidates to enter the race. This means that the "decision" was made before all of the candidates had been determined
Then you consider the fact that the district attorney's family business has a lawn sign for Mayor Linda Tyer, one of those endorsed, in West Stockbridge. What does this have to do with anything, you ask? Well, the chairperson of this group, and of course another one of their endorsement recipients, is the district attorney's campaign manager and now "director of special projects," Helen Moon. The icing on the cake is that a third endorsement recipient is another employee of the district attorney's office, Dina Guiel. So it is no surprise that this group endorses the choice of the district attorney.
What's most troubling is that this is an historic time in Pittsfield. It is the first time that three women have sought the mayor's position, the other two being long-time Councilor at large Melissa Mazzeo and retired Pittsfield police officer Karen Kalinowsky. Were these two candidates even considered? The final nail in the coffin for these questionable endorsements is that they did not choose either of the women running for School Committee, an equally important elected office in the city.
These political endorsements are not worth the paper or Facebook posting they are printed on.
Tanya Courtney, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Downtown sidewalks in need of repair”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 8, 2019
To the editor:
We enjoy living in downtown Pittsfield because, among other advantages, we can walk to local stores, theaters and restaurants. However, walking on North Street is dangerous. The sidewalks are cracked and uneven and if you don't walk with your eyes down, you can easily trip (as we have).
Perhaps the mayor could consider setting aside funds for repairs.
Larry and Alice Rothbaum, Pittsfield
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August 9, 2019
The preliminary elections for Pittsfield politics offers a choice between business as usual or a change of leadership who will do things differently. However, I don't know if the sad outcomes of high taxes with a shrinking tax base will ever change.
As much as I support her, the lovely Linda Tyer is a continuation of Jimmy Ruberto's 8 years of failed policies. However, if I lived in Pittsfield, I would still vote for Mayor Linda Tyer in 2019. I support her because she is smart, she gets it, and she stands for everything I believe in when it comes to politics and government. I am impressed by her willingness to serve everyone, including the poor neighborhoods that circle North Street.
Sadly, Melissa Mazzeo is part of the "Bianchi bust". And, Dan Bianchi did not change the way Pittsfield politics operates. If Melissa Mazzeo does bring in real change, it would help address the many difficult issues "distressed" Pittsfield continues to face. Like the lovely Linda Tyer did, she would inherit a mess. And, it is difficult to clean-up a corrupted municipal system ran for generations by the "Good Old Boys".
In closing, I don't have any faith in Pittsfield politics changing for the better from 2020 - 2024. I have heard it all before, including the many years I lived in and near Pittsfield.
- Jonathan Melle
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“Pittsfield councilors vote to keep Columbus Avenue lot meters, but reassess city's parking plan”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, August 6, 2019
Pittsfield — City administrators believe that its "on-demand" parking management plan has been successful in increasing turnover of on-street spots.
Still, the Rules and Ordinance committee voted Monday to recommend parking at the Columbus Avenue lot be free for 90 minutes while the city has a consultant take another look at the plan.
"From our perspective, the system has achieved its goal of increasing availability of parking," Director of Community Development Deanna L. Ruffer told the committee. "It's now time to go back and say `Hey, how did we do? Where do we go from here?'"
During the two-hour hearing Monday, members of city administration presented a history of the parking management plan and data collected in the 2 years since downtown kiosks were installed. Councilor John Krol had filed a petition to remove the meters at the Columbus Avenue lot and allow for 90-minute free parking. After the presentation and a discussion on the overall state of parking in the city, he amended the petition to leave the meters where they are while increasing their free period.
"We don't see a value and we see potential damage in doing that," Ruffer said, of the original petition.
Altering the plan before the city brought back a consultant to assess the data from the last 2 years would be a "knee-jerk" reaction to a local business owner's complaints.
She was referring to Berkshire Nautilus owner Jim Ramondetta, who has been vocal about his beliefs adding meters at the former Columbus Avenue garage would unfairly hurt his business.
At the hearing Monday, Ramondetta said he saw the importance of increasing the use of on-street parking spots downtown, but he doesn't believe that parking in the Summer Street area has the same demand.
"All I have to say is there is a dizzying amount of information here," he said. After the presentation of data. "Certainly, I would like to review it."
Councilor Melissa Mazzeo was critical of the kiosk software and how long it takes people to use.
"All they want to do is run in and out in five minutes." she said. "How do we fix that and how do we make it so it's not so cumbersome, but so people aren't staying for an hour?"
Like Ramondetta, Mazzeo also said that she'd like more time to review the data presented at the hearing before voting. Ultimately, after Krol took removing the kiosks off the table, she joined him and Councilor Donna Todd Rivers in voting in favor of 90-minute parking at the Columbus Avenue lot.
The petition will now go in front of the full council.
On the city side, Mayor Linda Tyer said that the city can begin the process of bringing back a consultant to reevaluate the city's parking within the next six weeks.
"I would say its a three-, max six-month effort," Ruffer said of the consultant's future study.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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August 13, 2019
I support the lovely Linda Tyer for reelection for Mayor of Pittsfield in 2019. However, I opposed Jimmy Ruberto's failed policies and Good Old Boys club. I understand that the lovely Linda is part of Jimmy's political network. I don't hold that against her. I believe the lovely Linda is her own person. She cares about Pittsfield, and she listens to everyone, including the poor residents and distressed neighborhoods. I believe the lovely Linda stands for everything that I believe in when it comes to politics and government. She is progressive, fair, and an effective public manager.
- Jonathan Melle
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“Incumbent Tyer Seeks to Build 'Strong City' in Re-election Bid”
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff, August 14, 2019
Pittsfield, Massachusetts — Linda Tyer feels her administration has begun building a strong city and is looking for it to be stronger.
The incumbent mayor is seeking re-election to the post as she wraps up her, and the city's, first four-year term. Tyer previously served as a ward councilor and city clerk prior to being elected as mayor.
"We've got a record of accomplishments to show we are intent and deliberate at building a stronger city. We've created jobs. We've invested in public safety. We are putting investments into the Tyler Street neighborhood to rebuild that part of our city. Neighborhood stabilization is an important aspect of building a strong city and that is work I want to continue doing," Tyer said. "I hope the people of Pittsfield have confidence in the work we've done and that I would earn their vote for re-election."
The mayor is particularly focusing her election bid on what she believes is a record of positive accomplishments. She said under her administration the city invested in public safety and created jobs. The economy will be a focus on her next term if elected. The big fish in economic growth is Wayfair opening a service center in Pittsfield, bringing some 300 jobs.
"It has been decades since we had a global, international, company choose Pittsfield as a place to put down some roots. That's 300 new jobs. In addition to that we've got 113 new jobs created through other city incentives and resources," Tyer said.
She said a number of economic sectors have been growing -- from the advanced manufacturing that she sees will be furthered by the Berkshire Innovation Center to security companies such as LTI and Lenco to small shops on North Street. For Tyer, the key is to help build a diverse economy and not be reliant on a single manufacturer as the city had done in the past.
"I am most interested in making sure the economy is diverse. We've got to learn from the GE lesson, which is the all of our eggs in one basket idea. I love that we have small shops on North Street, that we have art and culture, that we have advanced manufacturing," she said.
She believes her reorganization of economic development agencies in the city will help foster that. She had created the "red carpet team" with the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority and the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp. The city and the two organizations now share in the cost of a business development manager who markets the city to both companies here looking to expand and companies outside of the area thinking about moving.
Next, she wants to launch a program called "E for All" that will give entrepreneurs access to business mentors, the ability to pitch business ideas to investors, and ways to accelerate their growth.
"That is intended to be more emphasis on this new way of building an economy," Tyer said.
She is also seeking to bolster the outdoor recreation economy, which she says is fairly untapped potential for the area. A $75,000 allocation from the state will be used for a feasibility study on becoming an internet service provider, which she hopes will ultimately give residents and businesses better internet at a lower cost.
"I'm kind of tired of waiting for cable companies and the utility companies to decide that Pittsfield is a market worth investing in. This is one of those technologies that will make us competitive," Tyer said.
And she doesn't want to lose sight of the arts and culture economy, which had become one of the major reasons why she ran for mayor. Tyer had grown up in somewhat of a "gypsy" life, as her father was in the Air Force and continually moved around.
"That experience of living and traveling has certainly informed what I think about our city and how I imagine we can be," Tyer said.
But her parents were both from the Berkshires and extended family lived here so vacations and holidays were here. Her father retired from the Air Force when she was graduating high school. The family moved back to Pittsfield and Tyer quickly went off to college at Bay Path.
After graduating, she worked in Boston as a paralegal. She was often commuting back and forth to be with family here and work there. Eventually, she rolled the dice and moved back home with her grandmother, just hoping to find a job. She found a job with another law firm here and eventually moved into her own apartment.
After seven or so years as a paralegal here, she took a job as executive assistant to the director of special education in Lenox Public Schools and was promoted a few years later to be working under the superintendent of schools. There she got to see the workings of the City Council when they took on big issues of building a new school and other policy decisions. Her interest in public service was piqued.
"I realized there is a whole other element of public service," she said.
Tyer bought a home in Pittsfield in 2001 and shortly after the Women Helping Empower Neighborhoods political action committee was formed. She knew some people and decided to get involved.
"My initial idea was that I would be part of the issues committee. I wanted to be on the team of women that were going to help the candidates understand the issues, formulate their arguments and make their case as to why their position was right for our city," Tyer said.
The election was coming and there were women looking to run for at-large seats on the council, but none for ward seats. She decided to put her name on the ballot.
"This was such an unplanned decision. It never dawned on me at any point in my life until then that I would ever run for office. I admired people ran for office. I followed politics. But it wasn't like I was in high school and had these ideas of running for office someday or being a mayor. Even in college or the years after college, this was unexpected," Tyer said.
She defeated incumbent Mark Brennan for the Ward 3 seat. She would serve the ward until 2009. Tyer agreed with former Mayor James Ruberto that the arts and culture economy was all around Pittsfield, but not inside of Pittsfield. Tyer was part of the council that approved renovating North Street and helping create various anchors of arts and culture venues to revitalize North Street.
"I was proud to vote yes for the investment in the Colonial Theatre. I was proud to vote for the Beacon Cinema. Those votes have stood the test of time," Tyer said.
In 2009, another "unexpected thing" happened. Former City Clerk Jody Phillips left for a job in the private sector and she was asked to take on that role. At first, Tyer wasn't that interested but continued to mull it over. Eventually, the idea of overseeing elections, managing the budget, and leading a staff intrigued her. She was appointed to take over that job on an interim basis and then won election to it the following term.
"I created a whole training program, I wrote a manual. I was excited about being part of the process of an election," Tyer said, adding that she also launched a be a voter campaign and made a number of modernizations to the clerk's processes.
But, Ruberto left the corner office and Daniel Bianchi had taken over. Tyer and Bianchi didn't share the same vision.
"I felt that we were stalled in some of that effort. I was afraid, honestly, that we were going to slide back, that we were losing momentum," Tyer said. "I didn't really see eye to eye with the mayor at the time."
Four years ago, Tyer stood on the steps of City Hall and declared her intentions to seek the mayor's office and later won. Her campaign primarily focused on public safety and blight.
In her first budget, she proposed a $1 million increase in the Police Department to bolster staffing. However, that process has been slow. The budget calls for 99 officers but the department isn't there.
"It's been a slower process than I would like to get to 99 but we've got the budget and we've got the plan, we just have to keep going," Tyer said.
Tyer said the challenge has been a number of retirements and difficulty getting officers trained. The city is dependent on the Civil Service Commission to hold tests and release lists for hiring, slowing the process. And then Tyer said it takes a year to get an officer trained -- if the officer stays with the program the entire time. Meanwhile, she said officers keep retiring -- an issue in the Fire Department as well linked to a hiring spree some 30 years ago.
"We have hired 41 new police officers since 2016. But we've also lost, not an equal number, but enough that we can't seem to get to the 99," Tyer said.
She's backed the community policing programs the department has launched and brought in ShotSpotter, the gunshot detection system.
"Since we brought that on board we've had a number of successes in terms of arrests and gun seizures and collecting of evidence. All of this is making a safer city," Tyer said.
She also credits changing out all of the streetlights as being part of increasing safety by making the neighborhoods brighter -- as well as saving on utility costs.
Tyer found little help from the City Council when it comes to blight. She sought increases to the budget for demolitions but the City Council cut that from the budget.
"We've made some progress there. The KFC is gone. The house on John Street is gone. We've done a significant amount of work in that area. We've got more to do but it was disappointing to me that the City Council did not share that value of addressing blighted conditions so our neighborhoods would have improved quality of life and improved value. Every time I tried to put additional funds into addressing blighted conditions, they would cut it," Tyer said.
The council also didn't support her At Home in Pittsfield program, which was eyed to help residents make exterior improvements to their homes with zero-interest loans to improve the neighborhoods. Tyer fell one vote short of putting that in place.
The City Council had also rejected her proposed toter plan to change trash collection. But Tyer doesn't see that as a loss.
"I heard loud and clear this is not right for us, we don't want this. So we withdrew the proposal. I don't consider that a failure. I consider that we tried something, we built a plan, we proposed it, we listened, and we understood that it wasn't the right thing for the city of Pittsfield," Tyer said.
She said the proposal took months to develop and focused on reducing trash, increasing recycling, lowering costs, and cleaning the city. She said the administration looked at data, other communities, and developed a way to address those concerns. But, then the "narrative got away from us." She feels the reasons and thought behind the plan got pushed to the back as residents vocalized that "people really don't want to be told what to do in their kitchen, in their garage, at the end of their driveway."
After that rejection, Tyer tried to roll out an educational program to get that narrative back but it was too late. She pulled the plan.
Tyer also had a tough time with the upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant. That had been years in the making -- and Tyer points out that some of the harshest objections came from councilors who previously approved millions to be spent on studies and engineering for it -- and only got passed after lengthy debate.
"That is infrastructure. And ultimately, for me, when it comes to the wastewater treatment plant, I could not in good conscience be a polluter of the Housatonic River and that is what the EPA was saying to us," Tyer said.
Tyer said the plant had to be upgraded because of the EPA mandate and her administration developed a plan to ease the rate increases in over time.
"The city of Pittsfield still has one of the lowest water and sewer rates in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts even when we are done with the wastewater treatment plant. You are getting a major investment in infrastructure and paying a fair price for it," Tyer said.
The mayor feels that some of the current City Council have been "especially oppositional" this year.
"I don't expect people to agree with me 100 percent of the time. I welcome questions. I welcome fierce debate. I think that the members of the City Council in this past year that have been especially oppositional were probably laying some groundwork for the candidate they were going to support in this mayor's race," Tyer said.
Despite sometimes clashing with the council, the mayor says the signs of the city becoming strong are there. The housing market continues to grow, showing more and more people want to buy here, and there was some $54 million in new growth. And what she had accomplished comes as she attempted to dig the city out of a financial crisis.
"When we took office and were confronted by a fiscal crisis, literally. We had to think quick. We had to use our network and resources to come up with some strategies to stabilize the situation," Tyer said.
The city's levy ceiling had crossed below the levy limit, constricting the amount of taxes that can be pulled from taxpayers. The tightness of the city's finances led to investments being scaled back.
"We would have put more toward education. I would have tried to put more money toward neighborhood stabilization with things like the At Home in Pittsfield program," Tyer said.
The crisis was also a driver of the toter plan, as the administration projected rising costs for trash removal and wanted to curb that. Tyer said the administration developed the five-year capital plan, build a new forecasting system to see long-term financial effects on decisions, completely revamped the budget document, and then sought ways to lower costs such as the toter plan and streetlight conversion.
"We've adverted crisis but there is more work to do," Tyer said.
Tyer is facing City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo, former Police Officer Karen Kalinowsky, and business owner Scott Graves in the preliminary election. The two top vote-getters will move on to the November general election.
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Pittsfield Councilor At-Large and mayoral candidate Melissa Mazzeo.
Credit: City of Pittsfield
“Mazzeo Decries Business As Usual Politics In Pittsfield Mayoral Campaign”
By Josh Landes, WAMC, August 15, 2019
Saying she’s fed up with business as usual, Pittsfield, Massachusetts city councilor Melissa Mazzeo is running for mayor in this fall’s municipal election.
Mazzeo is attempting to unseat incumbent Linda Tyer, the city’s first mayor to serve a four-year term. The veteran councilor at-large says the tone of her campaign after watching three administrations from the council rostrum is frustration.
“I’ve been listening for 10 years, and it’s the same stories," she told WAMC. "So I’m thinking, if we haven’t figured that out in 10 years, why? And as I look back, a lot of it is, well, this is what we do, we’ve always done this this way, we always do this this way – and that to me, is what frustrates a lot of people. And every year they have this new hope. We went with this four-year mayor and everybody a lot of hope that things were going to really get done because we gave more time, and we didn’t see it.”
Often a critic of the administration in the council chambers, Mazzeo says Tyer dragged her feet during her historic first term.
“And all of a sudden, now we’re in our fourth year, it’s an election year, and now we’re seeing all these initiatives come out," said the councilor. "And I’m just sitting there thinking, some of these initiatives – that could have been done two years ago, or three years ago. Why are we waiting? So that frustrates me. If you’re hanging on to things that could really help the city of Pittsfield, why are you waiting?”
Broadly, she wants the city to reassess how it’s been operating on many levels from the top down. One example is her recent efforts in the city council is to examine the use of parking meters, which she has pushed to remove from Pittsfield’s streets.
“Since I was on the council and we started this, it wasn’t supposed to be a revenue generator," claimed Mazzeo. "It was supposed to generate revenue so that it could cover the maintenance of our garages. And that was clearly spelled out back when we started all of this. And now all of a sudden it’s – we want to increase our revenue, we’re seeing all this money come in and now we can buy cars and we can buy readers and we can buy this and buy that, and it’s like, wait a minute, the businesses are all screaming, saying you’re hurting my business and all that – so why would we take so long to take a look at this, because people have been complaining for two years.”
Another example is the city’s police department and its response to rising crime rates, with Mazzeo questioning the leadership of Chief Michael Wynn.
“We can throw all the money in the world at a department, but if the initiatives or what you’re using is not working, then you need a sitdown and you need to figure out why," said the candidate. "So for the last few years, we’ve increased the number of patrol officers. And you can only get so many officers if people aren’t signing up. There’s only so much you can do. They have to go through all the courses and all that. But the chief is the leader, and the chief is the one that makes all the decisions on what protocols, how do we look at the city, how do we put our patrols out, how do we bring in our detectives, how do we bring in this that and the other thing, and how they set up their staff. And I’m feeling like it’s not working. Something has to change. So I would love to have that sit down with all the departments, with the unions, with everybody that’s there, and say, OK, this is how you’ve been doing it. Tell me why you do it this way, what things do you think we can do differently.”
Mazzeo, who says she voted for Republican Governor Charlie Baker in 2018, says she’s a registered Democrat – but thinks of herself as a centrist.
“Whoever comes out with the better idea, that’s where I’m going," she told WAMC. "I don’t strictly stick to party lines because there are times where you really should be looking at the other side. But at the same time, being super progressive and going so hard in one direction, I don’t think that that’s a great thing. You’re not opening your eyes to everything.”
She’s clashed with progressive voices in Pittsfield politics on a number of issues, like a September 2018 debate over explicitly endorsing transgender rights before a question on the November ballot concerning rolling back state laws about discrimination.
“I know personally how I feel about things – I like everyone, and I think everyone is entitled to do whatever they want to do, however they want to do it," said Mazzeo. "Religion, sexual orientation, all of it. But I’m not going to sit there and tell everyone else who they should be voting.”
Mazzeo also fought back against a school committee decision to rename Columbus Day Indigenous Peoples’ Day at a council meeting in June 2018. She described the conversation – which saw emotional testimony by residents with indigenous and Italian heritage alike – as “a waste of so much energy.”
“We’re trying to judge things that happened in 1492 to now, 2019, and you can’t rewrite history," said the candidate. "And I understand that maybe he didn’t do exactly what everybody said, but there was things that he did do. The fact that you can sail from place to place in the 1400s, that’s amazing to me.”
On both issues, Mazzeo’s oppositional votes failed to prevent the council from approving the measure.
Mazzeo says supporting the city’s business community and developing its economy are high on her list of priorities. She dug at Tyer’s much touted attraction of online retailer Wayfair to the city.
“When Wayfair was in Boston, and talking to the governor about their expansion and what they wanted and their incentives, one of the things was, you need to open a call center, because they needed a few, you had to pick a Gateway City, choose something," said Mazzeo. "Well, it was a no brainer – he went to Pittsfield High School, he graduated from here, and we’re a Gateway City. So that’s why Wayfair came.”
She says the jobs statistic related to the call center is misleading, and says the city can’t be satisfied with Wayfair alone.
“My concern when Wayfair comes is that they’re not bringing 300 new jobs, they have 300 jobs they need to fill, so that means that they’re going to pull people from other places over there, and I think we’re going to find other retail places – CNAs, and things like that – I think we’re going to find a gap there,” she told WAMC.
Mazzeo’s ultimate message to Pittsfield is that she can stand alone from what she frames as business as usual politics to offer the city a fresh take on governance.
“You know, people are out there – there’s a lot of conversation linking me to, you’re just going to be another [Mayor Dan] Bianchi, and stuff like that, and it’s like, absolutely not – I’m Melissa Mazzeo, and I’m me. And probably it’s a good thing that there isn’t another me,” she laughed.
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Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer.
credit: Josh Landes / WAMC
“Pittsfield Mayor Defends Record, Outlines Plans For Second Term”
By Josh Landes, WAMC, August 16, 2019
As the Pittsfield, Massachusetts mayoral race heats up, incumbent Linda Tyer is making her case for a second term.
Tyer is the first mayor in city history to serve a four-year term, and as she sits in her campaign headquarters in downtown Pittsfield, it’s clear that she’s eager to defend her record.
“I know there is some – a candidate in particular – who’s using a slogan that says ‘we’re not going to do things the way we’ve always done them,’" said the incumbent. "Well, I am the epitome of not doing things the way we’ve always done them.”
That’s a not so subtle nod to rival candidate and at-large city councilor Melissa Mazzeo, Tyer’s most outspoken critic in city hall. Mazzeo has made condemnation of Tyer’s leadership a top issue in her campaign.
“When I took office, we were confronted immediately by a budget crisis and a financial, fiscal constraint that was very detrimental to the city of Pittsfield if we didn’t deploy some very specific measures to stabilize the situation," said Tyer. "So we have done all kinds of things related to new policies around how we manage the city’s finances, a brand new budget document that’s more transparent, adopting a forecasting model that helps us be better at planning for the long term. So that is clearly not business as usual.”
Tyer says that as she’s traveled the community before the coming election, the feedback she hears makes her confident about her re-election chances.
“One of the things that we hear a lot about is job creation, the fact that we are bringing Wayfair to the city of Pittsfield and creating 300 new jobs in addition to the 113 jobs that we’ve created using city resources for small businesses – some new business on North Street, and some midsized businesses,” she told WAMC.
As far as one of the most controversial episodes of her tenure – the months-long battle to pass a multimillion dollar spending plan on a new city wastewater plant that simultaneously raised the city’s utility rates – Tyer said she had no doubts moving forward.
“People understand that it is important for us – if we are going to be responsible stewards of the environment – that we have to make investments in the infrastructure that we control," she said. "After all we have been through, in terms of General Electric polluting our river, the last thing I want to be doing is polluting the river with the city’s discharge. So I will stand strong on the investment in that infrastructure, and I will stand strong on having led a project that resulted in a lower bid than anticipated and a phased-in utility rate so that no one is hit extremely hard. We are phasing in the costs, and as we go through the construction project, we will continue to evaluate the impact on the rate.”
Tyer also addressed another challenge of her tenure – rising crime rates.
“There is no doubt that a great deal of our crime is related to drug culture, and I think that we have focused on interrupting gun culture," said the mayor. "And we have done that through the investment and the implementation of ShotSpotter, which has proven to be quite helpful in terms of speeding response time when a ShotSpotter alert arrives on a panel in the police cruiser, and we can get that information within 45 seconds of gunfire happening, and police go directly and precisely to the location. It saves lives, it gathers evidence, and it has the potential for making arrests in gun crimes, which are what I consider to be a serious threat in certain areas of our city.”
So what would another four years of the Tyer administration look like? For one, the mayor says she wants to continue to focus on job creation.
“We want to do a feasibility study to determine if the city of Pittsfield could become an internet service provider. A future proof, fiber optics internet service that will make us more competitive in the economy," she told WAMC. "And quite frankly, I’m tired of waiting for the utilities to see Pittsfield and the Berkshires as a market for their fiber optics and their state of the art, cutting edge internet service. So we’re going to do a feasibility study to determine if there’s an interest in this community for us taking the lead on providing an internet service that will make us more competitive in the economy. So that’s one thing.”
Tyer’s plans also include harnessing the outdoors as an economic engine and bolstering the city’s schools.
“We live in a beautiful environment, so I want to focus on advancing more initiatives around outdoor recreation as part of our economy," said the mayor. "We’ve got to have a serious conversation about our next school building project. We’ve got some schools – in particular, our under resourced neighborhoods that deserve our attention, and I think a serious conversation about that has to happen in the next four years.”
As far as crime is concerned, Tyer says she’s working on building up the city’s police force to 99 officers.
“And we’re also in the process right now of working with the rest of county on a designation that will provide us with additional resources," she said. "I’m not able to talk too much about it yet, because we’re still in the process of pulling together an application. But we’re working hard to make sure that we are being innovative and responsive to issues that might be arising in our city.”
In response to Mazzeo’s calls to examine overhauling how Pittsfield operates, Tyer says she couldn’t disagree more.
“I’m not interested in looking backwards, I am moving forward and my administration, under my leadership, has lead on innovation in a number of areas – not with in the way that we structure government and operate government, but the way that we build an economy. The Berkshire Innovation Center is the flagship of how we have come together to create opportunities for innovation in our city. We have a brand new Taconic High School. So I am moving forward," said Tyer. "I am thinking about the future, I do not see the point in relitigating GE’s consent decree, relitigating the wastewater treatment plant, we are moving on, we are moving forward, there is more work to do.”
The preliminary municipal election will be held on September 17th, 2019.
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Letter: “Visitors' perspective on beautiful city”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 16, 2019
To the editor:
In July, our family had a special visit from a Dutch family. Twenty-nine years ago, the Pittsfield Rotary had an exchange program from different countries and our daughter was in this exchange with a girl from Holland, Maia, who stayed with us for a month while Jenny went to her home for a month.
Maia called us last month and said that she and her family were touring the U.S. and would like to visit us. She and her family arrived and we all had a most delightful time. Her partner, Ruf, was a wonderful man and they had three beautiful children, Denise, 17, Mike, 15, and Joe, 9. Despite the language barrier our grandchildren and the Dutch children had a wonderful time together.
Maia and Ruf loved Pittsfield and thought it was a beautiful city. They remarked that the houses here were lovely with beautiful gardens, and the people they met were so friendly.
After they left, I drove around our city and found what they said to be true. So many of our homes have beautiful yeards and are well kept. The downtown is spectacular thanks to the Pittsfield Beautiful Committee. We should be very proud of our fine city.
Louise Cianflone, Pittsfield
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Karen Kalinowsky
credit: Josh Landes / WAMC
“Retired Pittsfield Cop Makes Mayoral Run In First Political Foray”
By Josh Landes, WAMC, August 19, 2019
A political newcomer is hoping to pull an upset in the Pittsfield, Massachusetts mayoral election this fall.
Pittsfield native Karen Kalinowsky is running as a proud outsider.
“I am not politically connected," she told WAMC. "I have no backers. I am not asking anyone for money, because I don’t want to as they say ‘owe somebody.’ Not even for family. I had family offer, and I just said no, I’m just going to say no to everybody, and just do this on my own, so that when I walk in I’m working for the people of Pittsfield. I’m not working for this agenda or that agenda, which I see as a problem here. And that’s what I consider part of the politics, which I am not a part of.”
Kalinowsky retired in 2018 after over 30 years with the Pittsfield police. She says her foray into politics was inspired by the street she lives on – Shaker Lane. According to the city, the street is considered “unaccepted,” a roadway that Pittsfield doesn’t have property ownership over and thus cannot use state Chapter 90 funds for.
“It’s in horrible condition, and I went to city hall to see what could get done and I got sent from the mayor’s office – which, she wasn’t there – and I got sent to the engineer’s office, and basically, I got the run around," she said. "It got me upset, I was complaining, and I decided I could do something about it instead of just complain. So I put in my papers.”
Kalinowsky criticized Mayor Linda Tyer as inaccessible, and describes her vision of the office as open and available to the public.
“We need to focus on our streets and infrastructure," said the former cop. "I did research, because I didn’t really pay much attention to politics with being an officer and bringing up my family, so I started researching it. The problem with unaccepted streets has been going on for years. The history on the computer through the city – I looked into it, I talked to a selectman up in Lanesborough, and in the last year or so they just started accepting the unaccepted streets, even though they haven’t fixed them yet, they just started putting them on the rolls, one, so they could get more Chapter 90 money. I asked him what did it entail, he goes, well, they put it up to their voters there. Because you’re from Pittsfield, you could have put it in front of the city councilors or the voters whether to accept these unaccepted streets, just to get them up to code. My street’s not the only bad one out there, there’s lots of them. They’re neglected.”
She also has concerns about the city’s schools. Kalinowsky described Reid Middle School – where she says worked as a community resource officer for 13 years – as “getting out of control” due to “lack of follow through by the administration.” Describing the Restorative Justice method as a failure, she wants to see a firmer hand used with students.
“I feel bad for these kids, but they still need to be held accountable for what they’re doing," said Kalinowsky. "You can’t just sympathize with them and not hold them accountable, because then, to me, you’re disrespecting them because you believe that they’re not capable of doing what the other kids are doing, so I held all the kids to a high standard. And the kids liked me – when the kids found out I was leaving, they were coming to my office asking me to stay, telling me that I was the only one who was doing anything. The police officer shouldn’t be the one in the building that the kids are saying is the only one that’s doing anything.”
She says the problem is coming from the top down.
“I need to sit down with the superintendent of schools," said the candidate. "He’s the boss of each principal and how they run the buildings. I mean, accountability – I think he has to hold them accountable. And if they’re not up to doing the job, maybe replace them.”
When it comes to another hot topic in the city – crime – Kalinowsky draws on her own experience from years on the force.
“Back in the early ‘90s I was placed on North Street for downtown patrol community policing and our job was to clean up North Street, which was having heavy drug dealing, because they used the pay phones back then, open drinking and drunkness, and a lot more stores were open on North Street, so a lot of shoplifting,” she explained.
In her battle against the dealers, she says the first move was to have the pay phones removed from the street.
“The second thing is, I followed the drug dealers around. Where they walked, I walked. They would ask me, what are you doing? Standing next to you, because if I see you deal drugs, I’m going to lock you up. Nobody’s going to come near you seeing a cop standing 3 feet from you. So they shifted off North Street," said Kalinowsky. "The people that were drinking on North Street? We would just wait until they drank, then we’d lock them up because you can’t drink alcohol on North Street, or out in the public. People that were drunk on North Street, we put them under protective custody.”
She says she asked Police Chief Michael Wynn at a public meeting why the department doesn’t still use those tactics.
“Don’t we still have open drunkness as a law? He said yeah, you can’t arrest. I said, I know, we can put them under protective custody, get them off of North Street. People are complaining about people passed out on the benches in the bus stop – get them out of there. If they’re drunk the police can do something about it. They say they can’t. Now, he also said that they did wait until one of them drank alcohol and they arrested him, and he said well, the judge just let him go, saying the police were harassing him. But that’s a judge’s opinion," said Kalinowsky. "The law says if you drink from an open container in an open place, it’s arrestable. I think the police should just do their job and arrest them.”
Kalinowsky is hoping that her inexperience with politics will look like a fresh start for city voters.
“I want people to just see me for me, and I think I can make a difference," she told WAMC. "I am willing. I know it’s not going to be easy, and I might not know as much as some of the other candidates, but I’m willing to learn.”
The preliminary municipal election is September 17th, 2019.
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Letter: “Tyer has successfully moved city forward”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 21, 2019
To the editor:
I grew up in Pittsfield and left in the mid-1970s to pursue higher education and a career. My career brought me to big cities and small, and I never thought I would return to Pittsfield to live.
But I did in fact return, drawn by the quality of life in the Berkshires and the promise I saw in Pittsfield. I felt Pittsfield had made a positive turn when it began to actively embrace the arts. The beneficial impact of the creative economy as one cornerstone of a strong local economy had been recognized and further supported by Mayor Linda Tyer and no doubt contributed to the decision by Wayfair to open a 300-job call center in downtown Pittsfield.
Mayor Tyer and her administration have worked smartly, with vision, to keep Pittsfield moving forward in a positive direction. Existing businesses are being supported, and long-term projects such as the Berkshire Innovation Center have finally gotten off the ground. These include: Supporting the Beacon Cinema; involving citizens in the revitalization of Tyler Street; upgrading our infrastructure to deliver clean water to our homes and clean wastewater to the beautiful Housatonic River; increasing public safety through enhanced police department staffing and community outreach and implementation of the Spotshotter program; and improving the attractiveness of our neighborhoods by reducing blight and proposing the At Home in Pittsfield program. Through these initiatives, we have made positive progress in Pittsfield in the last four years.
Many people who complain about Pittsfield might not fully appreciate that some of the challenges we face in Pittsfield are no different than many cities in our nation. While it is easy to complain, it is difficult to govern. Solutions to problems don't happen overnight and without community support.
Mayor Tyer has demonstrated both good governance and a keen understanding of Pittsfield's problems and potential and has provided solutions for positive change. She has my vote for reelection on Sept. 17 [2019] and in November. Please join me!
Libby Herland, Pittsfield
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David Parker, right, CEO of Entrepreneurship for All, or EforAll, addresses business and community members Wednesday at Framework in Pittsfield. Parker said he is confident that the business incubator will work for Berkshire County because of the already established cooperation among philanthropists, business leaders and area politicians.
Gillian Jones - The Berkshire Eagle
“New-business launcher EforAll raises $1M, offers mentors to county entrepreneurs”
By Kristin Palpini, The Berkshire Eagle, August 21, 2019
Pittsfield — A group of area civic, community and business leaders has raised $1 million to help launch new Berkshire County businesses through the incubator program EforAll.
The group announced the new push for entrepreneurs at a news conference Wednesday morning at Framework. EforAll is a startup launcher that got its beginning in 2010 and has since been replicated nine times in Massachusetts, including an EforAll program in Holyoke.
Locally, the group that helped launch EforAll Berkshire County consists of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, the city of Pittsfield, the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp., Greylock Federal Credit Union, Mill Town Capital, 1Berkshire, The Feigenbaum Foundation, the Berkshire Bank Foundation, the Callahan Dee Family Foundation, the Shah Family Foundation, Common Capital and MassDevelopment.
The nonprofit program provides seed grants to qualifying entrepreneurs and lots of guidance via mentors. So far, EforAll, aka Entrepreneurship for All, has launched 350 businesses, with 83 percent of them still up and running, according to the organization's website.
Area leaders said Wednesday that they believe EforAll will help jump-start new businesses across Berkshire County.
"There are a lot of awesome days in the city of Pittsfield, and this is going to be one of those days," Mayor Linda Tyer said at the news conference.
Wherever there is a program, EforAll runs two, 15-member sessions that are 12 weeks long and feature insight from 20 specialists every year. During that time, the burgeoning business owner is paired with at least three mentors and learns how to develop business skills. EforAll will hold pitch contests across the county to help select business owners for the program.
EforAll targets people typically not represented in business ownership — women, people of color and immigrants. Participation in the program is free for businesses, and there are no contracts to sign with EforAll to receive help or grants, said EforAll CEO David Parker.
Parker said he is confident that EforAll will work for Berkshire County because of the already established cooperation among philanthropists, business leaders and area politicians.
"This is everyone we need to do the work in and around the country," Parker said. "I have no doubt it will work here."
Because EforAll does not charge businesses for participating in the program and does not take an equity share, fundraising will be key to its continued work. The $1 million raised locally will keep the program going for three years, Parker estimated.
EforAll doesn't have a local headquarters yet, and likely won't have much of one in the future. Berkshire County EforAll Executive Director Deborah Gallant said she will be doing most of her work on the road, meeting entrepreneurs and connecting people to the right services and guidance.
"I'll be at every coffee shop from Williamstown to Otis," said Gallant, owner of East Chatham, N.Y.-based small business consulting firm Bold Business Works. "I want to be as close to entrepreneurs as possible."
Tyer said EforAll is a good fit for the city because it fills a need. Pittsfield already has a Red Carpet Team, which is dedicated to attracting businesses to the area, but more services are needed for people who want to start businesses.
"When we stand together we can be transformative," she said.
EforAll isn't the first business incubator to come to the area. That's part of the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp.'s mission as well. PERC President Jay Anderson noted that PERC is one of the contributors to EforAll and that he believes the new program is needed in Berkshire County.
EforAll might be able to offer more consistent guidance than PERC, which focuses on connecting people with financing.
"The thing people need most is not money, it's expertise. And if we can match that early on in the process, it will greatly enhance the success of the business," Anderson said.
Taconic Community Foundation President Peter Taylor said EforAll will directly help businesses, but it also will send a message to entrepreneurs.
"The community is behind you, that is the promise of this program," he said.
For more information, email BerkshireCounty@EforAll.com.
Kristin Palpini can be reached at kpalpini@berkshireeagle.com, @kristinpalpini.
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Scott Graves at the Rusty Anchor Marina.
credit: Josh Landes / WAMC
“In Mayoral Bid, Graves Says Pittsfield Needs Business-Friendly Overhaul”
By Josh Landes, WAMC, August 20, 2019
A Pittsfield, Massachusetts businessman is one of four candidates running for mayor in this year’s municipal election.
Scott Graves says his mayoral bid is an effort to save the city – its economy, its buildings, and its spirit.
“I just see so much frustration, and I see so many things being demolished, and being a building hugger I just can’t – I just don’t want it to happen anymore," said Graves. "I want growth. I just see too much, I see too many friends living, I see businesses getting discouraged or giving up and going somewhere else and opening and flourishing. And why can’t they do that here?”
Graves says he’s worked in everything from running a car dealership, construction, and property management to real estate, demolition, and running a boating club. He currently owns and operates the Rusty Anchor Marina on the shores of Pontoosuc Lake, a decrepit building he bought in 2012 and fully renovated himself. Graves – who describes his life as a rags-to-riches journey out of poverty into the middle class – is running on a pro-business platform.
“Back in the ‘90s, it seemed like there wasn’t so much red tape to do stuff like that," he told WAMC. "It seems like every year goes on, it gets harder and harder to do something. That’s my main reason, is I want to make things – if you want to help Pittsfield grow, I want to welcome you with open arms. I want to make the permitting process easy, because we’re burdening everyone around here with – demolishing is our greater number, and we need to make that our smaller number. Because now we’re assessing people, and re-assessing people, and a smaller number of us now have to maintain the city of Pittsfield. We need to flip flop that around, and we need to welcome people who want to build and grow their business and expand their business.”
Growth – and fast growth at that – is what Graves says Pittsfield needs.
“Whether it’s big business or someone who says hey, I’ve got some money, I want to open up a small business – where can I do it, or how can I do it," said the candidate. "And that’s kind of my specialty. I specialize in taking nothing and making it something. And I want to be able to help everyone, so that way I could actually become 100 people in an aspect if I have all these people willing or who want to do what I do or I did, and I can help them accomplish that, and we’re also accomplishing growth, we’re accomplishing a bigger tax base, and also less, because we’ve got too many old people on fixed incomes, we have other people who just work hard and can’t afford all the increases. We keep having increases. We have to figure out a way to stop that, maintain that, and get growth and get more people to chip in.”
Graves claims Pittsfielders like him feel “strangled” by a rising deficit, bureaucratic hurdles, and high taxes.
“For the last 20 something years, dealing with every department and feeling like [I’m] wrestling with an octopus trying to – it’s just not business friendly, it’s not user friendly," he said.
He wants to use a five-year plan to encourage new businesses.
“Businesses who only have X amount of money to open up, there are – depending on what gets triggered – sprinkler system, elevator, fire alarm system, monitoring systems, there’s so many things that people say ‘oh my god, I just can’t do all that, I have enough to open up the business, I just can’t do all that.’ So the government allows cities and towns, at their discretion, five years to become compliant. And every year you have to get a new certificate to reopen, so if you don’t do what is said on paper, then you can’t reopen," he explained.
Citing Balderdash Cellars in nearby Richmond, Graves says there is a precedent for that kind of plan in Berkshire County.
“I’ve heard Richmond, Mass. allowed a business to open up without a bathroom," said the businessman. "They had outhouses. That’s awesome. They allowed them to have a property that was residential and to open up a business, a business that they ran out of a barn during the summer and then they worked diligently on building the real building, but ultimately they gave them time to grow, and they are growing leaps and bounds instead of just trying to cripple someone within the first 30 days and then them realizing, I don’t have a quarter million dollars for all these items.”
Graves has his own idea about how to combat the city’s crime.
“I like the idea of other places doing what they do saturation, and that’s other departments – sheriff’s departments, state police, everybody chipping in and showing a huge presence,” he told WAMC.
He says he’ll bring the same hands-on attitude he brings to his businesses to the corner office in city hall, and promised to thoroughly document everything he would do as mayor on social media in real time.
“I want to be the mayor who is available seven days a week, who will take your issue as serious as you do, whether it’s a pothole that just keeps getting pushed off or if it’s a streetlight or you have an issue with crime in the neighborhood, I’m going to be available," said Graves. "A business that opened up and he doesn’t have all his signatures and it’s late Friday and he’s worried if he’s going to be able to open up on Monday – I’m going to respond to that.”
Graves, who prides himself on not being a politician, says he’s counting on his lived experience as a Pittsfielder to appeal to voters.
“My main thing is just being a regular guy, someone who’s been there, done that, wants to try and make it easier, knows some issues that have to be addressed soon, or we’re going to strangle ourselves,” he told WAMC.
The preliminary municipal election is September 17th [2019].
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8/22/2019
Like China, Pittsfield politics is a one political party system that answers to Democratic Party bosses in Boston. Pittsfield politics has so-called "elections" where less than 20% of registered voters actually bother to vote. The incumbents, bureaucrats, and political hacks serve for decades, while Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski defer their freedoms to a few power-brokers. The Big 3 unions (Police, Fire, & School) always win, while the hard hit taxpayers always lose. If you dare to speak out against the Good Old Boys (& lovely Ladies), they will take away your job, spread vicious rumors against you, and make false allegations against you. In closing, Pittsfield politics = Chinese politics!!!!
- Jonathan Melle
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The four Pittsfield mayoral candidates are scheduled to participate in a forum at 7 p.m. Monday in Berkshire Community College's Koussevitzky Arts Center.
credit: Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Pittsfield mayoral candidates, from left, Scott Graves, Karen Kalinowsky, Melissa Mazzeo and Linda Tyer.
credit: Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
Four candidates, including the incumbent mayor, will square off in a preliminary election Sept. 17 in the race for the corner office at City Hall in Pittsfield. The top two vote-getters will go head-to-head in the general election Nov. 4 [2019].
credit: Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“There's a hunger to be Pittsfield's mayor, and the table is set for four”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, August 24, 2019
Pittsfield — The race is on for City Hall's corner office.
Incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer faces three challengers — Scott Graves, Karen Kalinowsky and Melissa Mazzeo. During sit-down interviews with The Eagle, the candidates trained a spotlight on economic development, public safety and on Pittsfield's future.
The four-candidate field heads to a preliminary election Sept. 17 [2019]. Voters must register by 8 p.m. Wednesday [8/28/2019] in order to cast a preliminary ballot. After that, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election Nov. 4 [2019].
The mayoral candidates are scheduled to participate in a forum at 7 p.m. Monday [8/26/2019] in Berkshire Community College's Koussevitzky Arts Center.
Scott Graves
Graves, 49, of Cascade Street, owns the Rusty Anchor Marina on Pontoosuc Lake. He also runs a construction business by his name and is a longtime real estate developer in the city.
Though he's still registered as a Democrat, Graves said he has "zero" loyalty to any party.
He attended Pittsfield Public Schools and, as a teenager, started work as a general laborer for his sister's construction company. He attended the police academy, but ultimately he decided to buy real estate instead of becoming a police officer.
Since then, he said, he has rehabilitated and sold dozens of deteriorating Pittsfield properties. He said he also did work in modular homes, building 22 new properties in Pittsfield.
He opened the Rusty Anchor at the former YMCA property in 2012.
"It was almost touching the water, it was leaning so much," he said of the property.
Now, he said, he'd like to
rebuild the house of Pittsfield. Rather than demolishing buildings, he said the city should be encouraging more developers to rehabilitate them. That would build the city's tax base, which he described as Pittsfield's foundation.
He said he will work seven day weeks toward that end, if need be.
"I'd like to work, so to speak, from the ground up," he said.
Like the family he has built at the marina, Graves said he'd like to bring the city's residents together.
"That's kind of my crazy idea," he said. "To be mayor and make all of us more of a family."
He said he'd like to
build a community center in each quadrant of the city — places that empower residents like himself to be involved.
"I felt like I was on the outside looking in," he said. "I want to make sure everyone is inside and can contribute to their area."
He said it has felt like the permitting process is excessively difficult and the city should be doing more to spur development instead of hinder it. Breaking through these roadblocks helped inspire his mayoral run, he said.
"I still pushed on and said maybe I should just try this from the other side," he said.
Graves said he extends a hand to anyone in the city who, like him, had lost faith in the process.
"If they want a politician, I'm not a politician," he said. "I'm someone who actually stopped voting, myself, because I was feeling like I was closing my eyes and doing eeny meeny miney moe."
Karen Kalinowsky
Kalinowsky, 57, of Shaker Lane, is a retired Pittsfield police officer who long has made children her focus. Her party affiliation is unenrolled.
She worked for the city's Police Department for nearly 32 years. She taught DARE for 28 years, and worked as a school resource officer for 13 years. Her primary assignment was Reid Middle School. She retired last year.
Now, she's trying her hand at foster parenting. As she spoke, her 7-year-old raced toy vehicles up and down the hallway.
She said she and her husband took classes over the winter and recently got licensed to take in foster children. Kids are the future, she said, and it's important to be there for those in need.
"Not everybody has the advantages that other people have," she said.
Kalinowsky was one of the department's first community police officers, in the 1990s, she said. She would walk up and down North Street during a time when there were pay phones and open drug deals. "They asked us to clean it up, and we did," she said.
Kalinowsky said
poorly maintained streets pitted with potholes initially inspired her mayoral run. The city needs to keep better track of its streets, she said.
"Instead of complaining, I could do something," she said.
She said she's also
displeased with the way some of the schools are run.
"As the officer in the building, I shouldn't be the one that the kids run to," she said. "I thought I'd be the last one the kids would run to."
She said that illustrates a problem.
"Some of them are totally out of control," she said of the schools. "And some kids can learn in that type of environment, and some kids cannot."
She said she watched with concern as more students entered middle school without the ability to read at a fifth grade level. "I think that needs to be kept a closer eye on," she said.
"The kids who are behind tend to be the ones who act out," she said.
Students need to be bolstered so they don't start using drugs, she said.
As mayor, she said, she would take an open-door, hands-on approach to fixing issues.
"When I see a problem, I go right out and try to solve it," she said. "I've been like that my whole career, and I will continue it if I make mayor."
Melissa Mazzeo
Mazzeo, 54, of Gravesleigh Terrace, is a longtime city councilor at large who has eyes on an even larger role.
She is a Democrat and a dental hygienist by trade, though she hasn't worked for the past couple of years because of back problems developed over decades of hunching over people's mouths.
She has served on the City Council for 10 years. She is president of the board of directors for the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center, and has been a member of the service organization Zonta International for more than a decade, both of which focus on
female empowerment.
Mazzeo grew up in a single-parent household, went right into dental hygiene school at 18 and started her career at 21. Working in the profession taught her how to quickly build a rapport with people who might be anxious or nervous.
In 2003, Mazzeo got involved with the group WHEN. With the group, she worked alongside other firebrand women like Tyer and Tricia Farley-Bouvier, who now represents Pittsfield in the state House, to diversify the all-male City Council of the time.
Now, she's hungry for the city's top job.
She said she has come to realize how little control the council has to shape initiatives.
And
the city's approach to issues like crime has to change, she said. The current administration has worked to beef up the police ranks, but she said those efforts have not borne fruit.
"They're working as hard as they can, but we're not getting the results that we wanted," she said.
As mayor, she would work to proactively address emerging issues rather than react to them as they crop up. As an example, she said Reid Middle School went without a school resource officer during the last school year, and by the end of it, its students were wielding BB guns in Springside Park.
"I get very frustrated at the reaction that we do, and not the pro-action," she said. "There's no reason why we shouldn't have had a resource officer for two years. And now there's one there. It's a reaction to an incident."
Mazzeo also feels that the city must be more
business-friendly. She said she'd like to attract new shops into vacant storefronts and try to move the juvenile court facility to the second floor so that it wouldn't occupy prime first-floor real estate on North Street.
"We need consistency along the way while you're walking," she said.
Linda Tyer
Tyer, 53, of Pheasant Way, is the city's current mayor and a longtime elected official in Pittsfield.
She is a lifelong Democrat, and she previously served as city clerk and as the Ward 3 city councilor, to which she first was elected in 2003. She has been mayor since January 2016.
Before taking office for the first time, she worked in special education and in the superintendent's office at the Lenox Public Schools. That work stoked her passion for public service and education, she said.
"Those were formative professional experiences for me," she said.
Tyer's dad was in the Air Force, so she moved around a lot while growing up. Still, her family lived in Pittsfield, and so she always considered it her home base.
She said Pittsfield has the attractions of a larger city, yet it has a small-town sense of community. It's why she moved back here after living all over the world, she said, and it's something she aims to keep building on.
I'm running because I love my hometown," she said. "Through very specific and deliberate action, our city is making a comeback."
Looking ahead at the next four years, she said
job creation is her No 1 priority.
"Expanding that economy into the area of outdoor recreation is the next natural evolution and intersects nicely with art and culture," she said.
She is proud of the team she has assembled, and of the roughly $17 million in grants, awards and donations that her administration has ushered in. She has built a statewide network of support, she said, and has nurtured an ecosystem that attracted the likes of Wayfair, which is poised to bring 300 jobs to the city in the coming months.
The city's housing market is blossoming as a result, she said, and Pittsfield is on the move.
"Change for the sake of change will stall our forward momentum," she said.
A new mayor would have to learn the ropes, she said.
"I'm ready today; I'm going to be ready tomorrow; and I'll be ready in January 2020," she said.
Over the next four year, Tyer said, she'd also like to do more to
support people living in poverty.
"When I took the oath of office in 2016, I dedicated myself to building a stronger city — our hometown, a place where there's promise and possibility for every citizen," she said. "That is the dream that I carry with me every single day as I work tirelessly for our city."
Amanda Drane can be reached at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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The four contenders for Pittsfield mayor - from left, Rusty Anchor owner Scott Graves, incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer, retired Pittsfield police officer Karen Kalinowsky and longtime Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo - take turns speaking on the issues during Monday night's candidates forum at Berkshire Community College.
credit: Gillian Jones -The Berkshire Eagle
“Crime and road conditions at center of Pittsfield mayoral forum”
By Amanda Drane , The Berkshire Eagle, August 26, 2019
Pittsfield — Incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer marched to the beat of her accomplishments during a mayoral forum on Monday, while her three challengers argued for a change in tune.
The city's roads are a disgrace and crime has gone in the wrong direction under Tyer's leadership, they said.
But Tyer painted the picture of a Pittsfield on the move, touting some $17 million in grants the city has received under her leadership, as well as the creation of more than 400 jobs.
"We actually have one of the hottest housing markets in Berkshire County right now," she said.
The first mayoral forum packed the house at Berkshire Community College's Koussevitzky Arts Center, with dozens of onlookers spilling out into the hallway, where a television gave them a view of the candidates.
The four-candidate field — including Rusty Anchor owner Scott Graves, retired Pittsfield police officer Karen Kalinowsky, longtime Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo and Tyer — heads to a preliminary election Sept. 17. Voters must register by 8 p.m. Wednesday in order to cast a preliminary ballot. After that, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election Nov. 5.
Mazzeo said residents are finding flagging city services and unfulfilled promises.
"They're starting to feel a bit disillusioned," she said.
And the city's failure to address crime doubles as a financial one.
"That is a part of economic development," she said.
Graves also made a dig at Tyer's Red Carpet Team, which launched in 2017 as a way for the city to welcome new businesses into the community. He said he never saw that sense of welcome.
"It was pulled out from under my feet," he said.
Kalinowsky said the city's success is undermined by poor road conditions — "everybody talks about it" — as well as shootings and drugs.
She said the city needs to have more police officers walking the beat, and she seemed to disparage new diversion directives coming from Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington.
"You can't just tap `em on the hand and let `em go ...," she said. "It's not working and the city's getting worse."
Graves echoed the sentiment, saying that as a police academy graduate he can understand how frustrating it can be for police officers to make arrests and then see nothing done in court.
Graves also said the city needs to do more to help businesses and encourage rebuilding rather than demolishing. "We need to listen to the people," he said repeatedly.
Mazzeo said that while Pittsfield's officers "do a phenomenal job," there appears to be something missing.
"Somewhere along the way there's a disconnect," she said.
Tyer cited initiatives like the new West Side police hub, the West Side Community Outreach Post, and the newly formed Police Advisory and Review Board as examples of her work to unite the police department with residents.
"I have created just the right kind of network that's needed to build relationships between police officers and the community," she said.
At another mention of the city's roads, Tyer smiled.
"This is a hot topic, isn't it?" she said.
She said the city has paved 41 miles of roadway, "so we're getting there."
"The pothole challenge is like taxes," she said. "We're always going to have potholes."
Kalinowsky said the city has seemed to do more roadwork this year, "which is an election year," than in previous years. That line drew a low rumble from the crowd.
When Tyer's next turn came, she took the opportunity to address that claim.
"It's just baloney," she said.
Mazzeo said the roadwork done this year is not enough, citing unused equipment and services left undone.
"Our potholes have been out of control," she said.
Graves said he will be an accessible mayor — not the kind you can't catch for a meeting.
"That will never happen with me," he said.
The city is failing to educate its children, fight crime and fix its streetside holes, Kalinowsky said.
"It shows in the streets of Pittsfield," she said.
Crime has spiked, Mazzeo agreed.
"This is something that we have got to get a hold of," she said, promising "I will be an extremely active mayor."
Tyer told residents they need some continuity in City Hall's corner office to ensure current progress carries on.
"Pittsfield needs four more years of proven leadership," she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/60724/Pittsfield-Mayoral-Candidates-Spar-in-First-Debate-.html
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Letter: “Tyer shows vision on addressing blight”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 27, 2019
To the editor:
I support Mayor Tyer and her positive, pragmatic vision for Pittsfield. Four years ago, she told the voters that she was interested in addressing blight in the city. Voters overwhelmingly supported this vision, and she has made dramatic progress in her first term.
The iconic KFC and John Street properties have been addressed. In my Morningside neighborhood, I see evidence of improvement every day. The Morning Star is rising: The shuttered St. Mary's church and convent is being transformed by a well-respected local firm into prime living space. The Innovation Center has put down roots in a vacant lot, grown a steel frame and will open soon. The redesign of Tyler Street will soon pave the way for a new streetscape from BMC to Woodlawn Avenue. This was accomplished while simultaneously defusing the fiscal crisis left by the former administration.
Unlike those who believe that trash pickup and parking should be infinite and free, Linda Tyer understands that a mayor has to function in the real world. She understands that endless talk and relentless obstruction are not leadership. She understands that wishful thinking is not the same as sound policy.
As a consequence of her positive vision, combined with solid structural improvements, many millions of dollars in private investment have followed Mayor Linda Tyer's lead. Pittsfield is on the rise. I vote we continue.
Brian Bissell, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Tyer proves worthy of another four years”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 28, 2019
To the editor:
When a company like Wayfair chooses to locate in Pittsfield, soon bringing some 300 jobs, it represents confidence in the quality of many of the city's offerings.
Under almost four years of Mayor Linda Tyer's leadership, Pittsfield's downtown cultural and commercial scene has thrived. Forty-one miles of roads have been paved since 2016. Focus on public safety has been at the forefront, with the increase in size of our police force and with the establishment of the Neighborhood Community Outreach Office on the west side.
Mayor Tyer has also advanced community preservation projects with an emphasis on open space and recreation, along with historic preservation.
This positive outlook will continue with another four years of Mayor Tyer at the helm.
Lenny Kates, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Tyer works well with city agencies”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 29, 2019
To the editor:
Linda Tyer and her administration have continued to work well with community agencies to meet the needs of all neighborhoods and of those less fortunate. The West Side Community Outreach Post is an invaluable asset for the West Side. New market-rate housing at St. Mary's will contribute to the Morningside neighborhood.
Meanwhile, her administration has provided the necessary leadership in working with social service agencies to bring in $150,000 for winter sheltering of homeless persons.
Carol Stroll, Pittsfield
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Letter: “City on the eve of destruction”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 4, 2019
To the editor:
Pittsfield is a city in dire straits and on the eve of destruction. We from the '60s generation could never imagine that this city with a profound influence on world history would be on a life line. A city with laissez-faire leadership where the bottom of the barrel is at the top. A city where the last of "the G.E." pensions belonging to our very senior citizens are still driving the economics of this once great city. Palookaville, a downtrodden industrial city where those at the top are living a lavish lifestyle on the backs of the everyday citizen. They forgot where they came from.
So tell me over and over again my friend that we don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.
Donna Walto, Pittsfield
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City Councilor and mayoral challenger Melissa Mazzeo, left, says Mayor Linda Tyer hasn't done enough to address Pittsfield's crime problem. Tyer said Mazzeo is in a position to address the crime problem too and hasn't.
The two are squaring off in the preliminary election on Sept. 1[7,] [2019] for Pittsfield mayor. Stephanie Zollshan -- The Berkshire Eagle
“Mazzeo knocks Mayor Tyer on crime response in Pittsfield”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, September 4, 2019
Pittsfield — City Councilor and mayoral challenger Melissa Mazzeo is accusing Mayor Linda Tyer of "inaction" on the city's crime problem.
"Having gone door-to-door throughout the city, it's not only the West Side that is questioning the lack of responsiveness to recent violence, it is every resident of the city," Mazzeo said in a statement.
Tyer pointed back at Mazzeo and said the longtime city councilor also is in a position to address the crime problem and hasn't.
"`I can't do it from this seat' is an excuse for her lack of accomplishments," Tyer said of Mazzeo.
"I spent this past week on the West Side and one resident relayed, 'I have lived here my whole life and have never seen it so bad,'" Mazzeo said. "No one in this city should feel that way ... no one."
Mazzeo and Tyer are among four contenders for the mayor's position. Others vying for the job include Rusty Anchor owner Scott Graves and retired police officer Karen Kalinowsky. The race heads to a preliminary election on Sept. 17; from there, the top two vote-getters will compete for the job in the general election on Nov. 5.
In her statement, Mazzeo asked why the mayor isn't holding community meetings. And she went on to criticize Police Chief Michael Wynn for "not responding as to what his strategies are to combat this level of unacceptable crime" and District Attorney Andrea Harrington for being "incredibly slow" to release information to the public following incidents like last week's fatal shooting on Columbus Avenue.
Without that, Mazzeo said, residents are left to question what is happening.
"It leaves me wondering if the right hand knows what the left hand is doing," Mazzeo said.
Andy McKeever, a spokesman for Harrington, declined to comment for this story. Wynn said he was unavailable, but that he had passed along comments to Tyer.
To address issues surrounding crime and policing in the city, Tyer said she has worked with Wynn to expand the ranks of the Pittsfield Police Department; increase community policing; and launch the Police Advisory and Review Board, the West Side Community Outreach Post and ShotSpotter, the technology that immediately alerts police to gunshots and provides their precise location.
Tyer said she has participated in at least one community meeting, citing one last year held following a rash of violent crime. Tyer said Mazzeo wasn't there, nor was she at the grand opening of the new police outpost in the West Side.
Mazzeo said the city should be looking to other communities for guidance on cutting back crime and identify clear strategies, like New York City's Patrol Allocation Plan, which deploys officers in high volumes to neighborhoods seeing a spike in crime.
"Why is Pittsfield not doing this?" Mazzeo asked.
"Unfortunately, she's misinformed," Tyer said. "Because we do use that strategy."
Tyer said staff at the department compile daily briefings that include crime statistics, and that department leaders use the information to more strategically allocate resources.
Mazzeo said the mayor's efforts have not been enough.
"As mayor, I will work day in and day out with our department heads to find solutions to this frightening problem. Inaction will not stand," she said in her release. "We have too many dedicated and talented police who can and should be deployed effectively."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Tom Sammons, 50, has been working for the Pittsfield Fire Department for 23 years, and he started his new role as chief Wednesday. Mayor Linda Tyer said Sammons demonstrated a leadership style that aligned with her vision.
Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“New Pittsfield fire chief takes reins of a younger-skewing department”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, September 4, 2019
Pittsfield — Ten new recruits worked their first-floor shift as city firefighters Tuesday. Tom Sammons worked his last.
On Wednesday, Sammons was sworn in as the new chief.
During a news conference at City Hall, Mayor Linda Tyer said Sammons will provide the steady leadership needed to guide the department, which is increasingly youthful amid several waves of retirements in recent years.
"I know we're going to make a great team, keeping the city safe," Tyer said during the event in her office.
Sammons, 50, has been working for the Pittsfield Fire Department for 23 years. He started his new role as chief Wednesday, succeeding former Chief Robert Czerwinski, who retired in July.
He takes reins of the department after a lengthy selection process. His starting salary is $112,000, Tyer said.
The Pittsfield Fire Department has 96 firefighters spread across five buildings, Sammons said, including the Columbus Avenue headquarters and four satellite stations.
An "assessment center" under the Civil Service program provided the baseline for Tyer's selection. Once the results came back in July, she worked with Personnel Director Michael Taylor to interview finalists and choose a new chief.
Though Sammons didn't earn the top score — he came in second to Deputy Chief Daniel Garner — Tyer said Sammons demonstrated a leadership style that aligned with her vision. She said his experience in the inspection bureau also meant he was well-versed in the city's aging housing stock.
Tyer said Sammons already has demonstrated the leadership qualities that informed her selection by developing a stress-debriefing policy for firefighters who have just handled a traumatic scene.
"We've had some tragedies in Pittsfield in recent years," Sammons said. "We were afraid it was affecting our personnel."
Sammons has been commended three times throughout his years with the department for saving lives in the field.
Of his work as chief, Sammons said: "I'm really looking forward to it."
Training is important to him, he said, as well as equipment maintenance.
"I fall back on safety, and I fall back on education," he said.
He also has been working with the team to keep the department's equipment and gear clean of carcinogens that firefighters are exposed to in fires. That will mitigate cancer risks, he said.
At the start of his career, Sammons said, he pursued two paths simultaneously — one toward police work and another toward the fire service. In the end, he said he realized that becoming a police officer meant being regularly lied to.
"I made the right choice," he said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Melisssa Mazzeo Crime Claims Spark Debate In Pittsfield”
By Josh Landes, WAMC Northeast Report, September 6, 2019
A blistering press release from a mayoral candidate in Pittsfield, Massachusetts has ignited a conversation about the city’s crime rate.
The week in Pittsfield politics kicked off with a Labor Day missive from At-Large City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo. It knocked city leaders for a “significant lack of response to recent violence.” WAMC spoke with the candidate at a campaign standout on West Street on Tuesday.
“Well, because going door to door, and that’s what’s everybody’s been talking about as you read the paper and listen to everything," said Mazzeo. "I mean, we’ve had a number of shootings just in the last couple days. In the last few weeks, we’ve probably had more than we’ve had in a year, and people are really, really concerned.”
The 10-year city council veteran has based her campaign on frustration with what she describes as the inaction and unfulfilled promises of Linda Tyer’s administration. Tyer is the first mayor in city history to serve a four-year term rather than a two-year term. Mazzeo has also criticized Police Chief Michael Wynn.
“For my campaign, we wanted to be really proactive and not reactive to things, and so that means I’ve been researching what other communities are doing in order to try to reduce their crime, and one of the things that I followed up on was this report that came out of New York City about how they’ve reduced their number of police officers, they’ve reduced their crime because they followed a patrol allocation plan," said the councilor. "Now, I’m not saying it’s going to work for Pittsfield, but we’re not even attempting to do anything like that. We seem like we’re just doing, year after year after year, we’ve done the same thing. We’re trying to add new officers, we’re trying to add more money, and yet our crime is going up, so it’s not working. And I just don’t think we’re addressing it.”
Wednesday, Tyer defended her efforts to invest in public safety.
“We’ve hired more police officers and we’ve brought state of the art technology to the city in the form of ShotSpotter, we’ve expanded community policing, we created the Citizens Review And Advisory Board,” said the incumbent.
She touted the creation of the Pittsfield Police Department’s West Side outpost, which emerged from a community meeting in late 2018 that the mayor noted she, and not Mazzeo, attended. Tyer dug into Mazzeo’s press release, specifically its mention of a patrol allocation plan.
“Unfortunately, she’s misinformed, because we do use that strategy," the mayor told WAMC. "We receive daily crime statistics from our intelligence analyst and the department deploys officers and resources based on those daily crime reports. So we are addressing hot spot neighborhoods in ways that we can’t always discuss because we want to make sure that we’re not revealing too much of our strategy.”
Tyer took issue with Mazzeo’s criticism of city leadership, underscoring that the councilor has been a city official for the past decade and questioning why she hasn’t produced “meaningful contributions to solving this problem.”
“Where has she been, and why hasn’t she locked arms with those of us who are working hard and solving problems?" asked Tyer. "I feel like this ‘I can’t do it from this seat’ is an excuse for her lack of accomplishments.”
Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn, speaking with WAMC Thursday, also pushed back. He said he hadn’t met with the candidate during the election cycle about the topic of crime prior to the press release.
“The patrol allotment plan that she references, it’s not actually related to what she claims," the chief told WAMC. "That’s NYPD’s CompStat program, which given – comparative, our one person intelligence section, we actually do that. We do deploy based on trends, not on geographic locations anymore, we’ve been doing that for years. And the surge strategy which she describes, with putting – I think the word was ‘massive’ – number of officers in response to particular incidents, has been shown historically to be ineffective. It actually was shown to have some negative impacts.”
Wynn said the department’s major struggle comes down to staffing.
“We’re making some progress on that," said the chief. "I just had new staffing numbers run recently. We’ve put on 42 new police officers since the beginning of 2014. Unfortunately, in the same time period, due to attrition and other reasons we’ve lost 36. So that’s a lot of effort for a comparatively small gain, but it is a gain. And we’re going to continue to struggle with that in the short term because we’re making up for 20 plus years of understaffing and underfunding.”
Mazzeo also took a shot at District Attorney Andrea Harrington, describing her office as “so incredibly slow in providing information about the recent incidents to the public.” The DA declined to respond.
Joining Mazzeo and Tyer in the mayoral campaign are Karen Kalinowsky and Scott Graves. The preliminary election is September 17th[, 2019].
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Letter: “Embodiment of what Ward 6, city need”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 8, 2019
To the editor:
I have known Dina Guiel Lampiasi for almost a decade, since we worked together in a small restaurant in Lenox. When I found out that she was running for Pittsfield City Council I was thrilled.
I have always looked up to Dina for her intelligence, her passion for the community, and her unflappable grace under pressure. Since we met, she has improved her skill set and her resume and I cannot imagine anyone better to serve her community in the role of Ward 6 city councilor.
When we first met, Dina was a server and I was a host in the same restaurant. Nothing ruffled Dina in the least; not frustrated customers, not a cranky chef, not busy nights or slow nights. Dina is organized, passionate, intelligent, funny, and kind. She is and has always been of independent mind and generous in spirit. Dina works hard and cares deeply about her community.
Since we parted ways, Dina worked to establish programs for young adults to keep them off the streets and away from crime. She went on to earn a master's degree at Northeastern University in Public Administration and Policy Analysis, later working in Boston to improve public transportation for the disabled. Here at home, she is already working for us on the Pittsfield licensing board, human services advisory council, on the Berkshire Community Action Council board of directors, and in the many other community groups she is involved with.
Dina is the embodiment of what Pittsfield needs. She is forward-thinking, unfailing in her devotion to the community, and full of fresh ideas for the future of Pittsfield. I encourage you to vote for Dina Guiel Lampiasi on Sept. 17 and again on Nov. 5.
Sarah Mitchell, Pittsfield
CORRECTION
The headline on letter writer Sara Mitchell of Pittsfield's endorsement in Monday's Eagle of Dina Guiel Lampiasi for election as Ward 6 city councilor in next Tuesday's preliminary election erroneously referred to her ward as Ward 5.
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“Come to Pittsfield where crime is unpunished”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 8, 2019
To the editor:
According to an Eagle story of Sept. 4, "A city man who led police on a high speed chase and crashed after a shooting incident early Tuesday has been released on personal recognizance." "Man arrested on weapons, OUI charges after shots fired in Pittsfield."
Also in the story, I read of charge related to multiple firearms, motor vehicle charges, such as driving through stop signs and going in the wrong direction on a one way street, under the influence, as well as going airborne before striking a tree and fence. A handgun was found in the car with no license for it.
What baffles me is why when it was sought to have him held without even bail the motion was denied by the judge. I don't wonder why there is a shooting just about every day here in Pittsfield.
Come on into Pittsfield, we don't punish for any wrongdoing here!
Marilyn Kunes, Pittsfield
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“A titanic shift on city's West Side”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 8, 2019
To the editor:
In light of recent events in Pittsfield's West Side neighborhood, I want to share my experiences in the neighborhood and with those working to make things better.
If we rewind to October of 2018 when a stabbing launched the community into yet another meeting, residents quickly stood up to take action. In a Westside Neighborhood Initiative meeting where more than 100 residents attended, police, elected officials, the district attorney's office, and residents all sat at separate tables, seemingly on opposite sides of an issue but all still wanting the same goal: safety.
This meeting launched a collaborative effort between Pittsfield residents, the Pittsfield Police Department, and the host, Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, to build a volunteer and police collaborative effort now known as Westside Community Outreach Post (COP). Over many months, these partners worked out details together, staffed and supported the post, and offered a space for our community to learn more about policing efforts, teach each other important information about safety, and be an ear to listen about what is going on in the neighborhood.
How do I know this? My office is across the hall where these meetings take place. The volunteers are dedicated and caring and deserve our community's support. I attended one of their workshops on layperson CPR and a month later found myself in a situation to use it, saving a life on the corner of West Union and Onota streets. Westside COP saved a life!
I'm proud to see a titanic shift from last year. The day after the incident, with very short notice, Mayor Tyer, District Attorney Harrington, Officer Derby and West Side COP volunteers met, all sitting around the same table, sharing information and concerns and planning a community response together. Is it perfect? No. Building trust when there is history of mistrust takes time. And community work is messy when we all speak different languages and have different experiences. The Tuesday meeting covered by Amanda Drane on Aug. 28 was previously planned and served as a follow-up to connect a larger group of volunteers with information.
As someone who works every day and many weekends in the West Side neighborhood and across the street from the recent Sunday morning's horrible event, I see the relationships building, the way residents look out and care for each other, and how hard they are working to build up their neighborhood. They cannot do it alone. We all, regardless of where we live in Pittsfield, need to support these efforts, and not tear them down because they are not perfect or have not completely succeeded yet. I urge you to spend time in the West Side neighborhood, support its businesses, and frolic in its beautiful parks. A lively, thriving neighborhood is our shared goal and our whole city deserves it.
Alisa Costa, Pittsfield
The writer is the initiative director of Berkshire Bridges Working Cities.
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Letter: “Make downtown parking truly free”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 8, 2019
To the editor:
Before the mayor commissions another parking study, at the cost of some $30,000 to Pittsfield's taxpayers, and after looking at the city's parking conundrum for quite some time now, it seems to me that perhaps the simpler solution is sometimes the best.
It is clear to me that one of the real problems with the kiosk system, for all involved, is that the kiosks are, without a doubt, a hassle, particularly in the winter. Most annoyingly, in order to park, the user must register (license plate required, even when using "the user-friendly app") not only their time, but also their location within the city whenever we are in the city's environs. Just to park. Really? Free parking should be just that, free, free of hassle, free of big brother registration, and free of charge.
If the open lots, some of which currently are free for 30 minutes, 90 minutes and 3 hours, (a fairness problem in and of itself) are to remain free, whatever the time limit, people should not be required to register at the kiosks. Why the need for registration? Even if people are forced to register at the kiosks, the city still needs its parking police to drive through and survey the lot for violators.
So what exactly is the value of the kiosks in the open lots? is it parking revenues? Doubtful, as the revenue from the open lot meters only represents a very small percentage of the city's total parking revenue. And if revenue is a problem, why not offer more permit parking? Clearly, metered parking in the open lots is not only a major inconvenience, but also a deterrent to downtown businesses, their employees and their customers.
Across the country, one of the main rationales for city parking meters has been to discourage particular parking behaviors. This has certainly proven effective for Pittsfield, discouraging North Street space squatters while increasing turnover rates and parking space availability. However, as far as the city's open lots are concerned, not so much success, as it is not clear what behavior the city of Pittsfield is trying to discourage with these open lot kiosks.
With regard to downtown open lot parking, Pittsfield should do all it can to encourage and welcome its businesses, employees, and visitors. Kiosk-free open lots would offer Pittsfield's downtown employees a reasonable parking option, while offering its visitors, a hassle free, extended time frame in which they can take advantage of a great downtown experience.
The open lots should be kept "meterless." That's right, kiosk-free.
Keep it simple, free and meterless
Jim Ramondetta, Pittsfield
The writer is the owner of Berkshire Nautilus.
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Letter: “Marchetti listened, acted for West Side”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 10, 2019
To the editor:
In August 2017, the chairperson of the West Side Neighborhood Initiative Committee, Linda M. Kelley, and I went before the Traffic Commission to request safety signage for the corners of Linden Street and Robbins Avenue. We went a second time before the commission to only receive two very inadequate signs, hardly visible and not close to the corners at issue.
We returned to the City Council on May 14 to make the request for the third time to go before the Traffic Commission for adequate safety signage. This is the same corner where Gerald Scott, 53, was killed while riding his bicycle when struck by a hit-and-run driver, leaving behind his 5-year-old daughter.
The very next day after our third request, I was contacted by Pittsfield City Council President Peter Marchetti. He offered to go with me to the Linden and Robbins corners to personally investigate the problem. He thoroughly analyzed what was needed, and within a few days, new very visible safety crossing signs were installed.
It took only a few days for Mr. Marchetti to solve a problem that burdened the West Side for almost two years. This is the corner not only where a man lost his life but also where the children of the West Side cross the streets to access Tucker Park, the Christian Center and walk to Silvio O. Conte Community School without a crossing guard.
The West Side Neighborhood Initiative Committee wishes to thank City Council President Peter Marchetti for giving his personal time, efforts and concern to solve a very serious problem that taunted the residents of the West Side.
I strongly recommend the residents of Pittsfield to vote for Peter Marchetti in the preliminary election on Sept. 17. He doesn't look the other way when there is a problem, he acts to protect our residents.
We truly appreciate your efforts, Mr. Marchetti. Vote for Peter Marchetti for councilor at-large, a man of action!
Barbara A. Bizzi
The writer is correspondence secretary of the West Side Neighborhood Initiative Committee of Pittsfield.
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Letter: “Tyer is the change for a better Pittsfield”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 11, 2019
To the editor:
Do we want change in the mayor's office? Are we still doing things the way we always have?
Linda Tyer was and still is the change we needed from doing things the same old way. Over the nearly four years of her stewardship, Pittsfield has gone from being a financial basket case to having a hot real estate market, better property values and new growth with lower tax rates. New market rate housing at the Powerhouse Lofts, and more being created at St. Mary's, widens our tax base and allows new workers to both live and work here in the city.
We have gone from being perpetually understaffed at the Police Department to hiring more officers with an ongoing effort to hire more. ShotSpotter is helping our police react to shooting incidents with amazing speed. The Westside Neighborhood Community Outreach Office is bringing police and the community closer together in the fight against crime. We've had new, brighter, energy-efficient street lighting installed throughout the city in the past year. These improvements and efforts under Mayor Tyer make us all safer than we were when we were doing things the way we did in the not-so-distant past.
Mayor Tyer created the position of business development manager and assembled the Red Carpet Team to attract and ease new businesses to the city and assist existing businesses to expand in Pittsfield. The old roadblocks to creating new jobs are being pushed away. By the end of this year, over 400 jobs will have been created with the Tyer administration's help.
Change can be positive or it can be negative. Linda Tyer is already making the positive changes you are looking for. Let's continue the change we began four years ago by re-electing Mayor Tyer and help Pittsfield continue to move forward from the old ways of doing things. Please vote on Sept. 17.
Tom Sakshaug, Pittsfield
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“Vote to continue Mayor Tyer's vision”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 12, 2019
To the editor:
As Pittsfield residents for the past 14 years, we are proud to call this city our home. From the beautiful parks to the local shops and strong knit community, Pittsfield has so much to offer.
We see all the positivity and appreciate that Mayor Tyer embraces that as well. As mayor, she has demonstrated her passion and commitment to the revitalization of our city.
Over the past four years, she has built Pittsfield into a stronger city through her leadership and vision for the future. She succeeded in gaining funding for the Berkshire Innovation Center and has worked to bring numerous jobs to the city, including securing Wayfair. St. Mary's is being revitalized into market rate housing and she has worked to tackle blight in our neighborhoods. She understands that economic development is more than just bringing in jobs and fought to create the At Home in Pittsfield program that would help improve the housing stock in the areas that need it most.
In the past years, she has accomplished a great deal for our city. We want to see this vision continue to move forward and hope you will join us in voting for Mayor Tyer on Sept. 17.
Sharon and Kristin Winsett, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Lampiasi is choice in Ward 6”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 12, 2019
To the editor:
With all that is happening in Pittsfield's West Side neighborhood, I've been paying close attention to the Ward 6 preliminary race. The ward is split between some of the wealthiest and poorest of our neighbors. It's going to be challenging for whomever represents it.
After watching the debate on PCTV, and reading candidate statements, the choice for councilor is an obvious one for me. Dina Guiel Lampiasi is someone who is deft enough to manage the challenges and advocate for the entire ward, not just those with the most money or clout. She appears dedicated to listening to residents and doing right by all. While some think they know what we need, it's clear Dina asks first and will work collaboratively to build solutions as we tackle our shared problems together.
Dina Guiel Lampiasi has my vote on Sept. 17. [2019].
Natanya Bittman, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Stay on right path: Re-elect Tyer”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 13, 2019
To the editor:
At a time in our country when people in many communities are plagued by gun violence and severe economic disparity, we are fortunate to have a mayor who works tirelessly to keep Pittsfield above this national downturn.
As a deterrent to crime, Mayor Linda Tyer added 31 officers to our police force. In addition, she introduced Shotspotter technology to our city to notify law enforcement when and where a gun goes off in order to solicit an immediate response from police. We now have brighter and more efficient lighting on our streets to improve safety, and our mayor continues to help create living-wage jobs realizing that poverty and desperation foster an environment that breeds crime.
Further, Mayor Tyer's team secured more than $17 million in grants for our city. She is a respected leader and is able to partner with public agencies in an articulate, proactive, collegial way. These efforts have taken a potential burden off taxpayers. Pittsfield homeowners have seen property values increase.
It is more than likely that you will see Mayor Tyer at many local events. Along with her full-time days at City Hall, she often works nights and weekends attending gatherings for a myriad of causes. She listens to the issues, then goes back to her office during the day to find ways to help. One example of this is answering the call to save our beloved St. Mary's Church by assisting with its repurpose as market-rate housing.
I hope people will read Mayor Tyer's list of accomplishments and have time to listen to the debates. Mayor Tyer has us on the right path, and losing the momentum we have gained could be devastating to Pittsfield and its residents. Please cast your vote Sept. 17 for Mayor Linda Tyer.
Patricia Haraden, Pittsfield
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Karen Kalinowsky, Melissa Mazzeo, and Scott Graves.
credit: Josh Landes / WAMC
“Former Opponents Back Mazzeo Against Tyer After Pittsfield Preliminary Election”
By Josh Landes, WAMC Northeast Report, September 18, 2019
Following her preliminary election victory Tuesday, Pittsfield, Massachusetts mayoral candidate Melissa Mazzeo announced two endorsements on the steps of city hall Wednesday afternoon.
In unofficial city tallies, Mazzeo secured first place with 2860 votes to first-term Mayor Linda Tyer’s 2571 in the preliminary election. The top two vote-getters advance to November’s general election.
“As you can all imagine, I’m thrilled to be continuing our campaign’s journey, and last night’s results I believe tell a story of a city looking for something out of the corner office – accountability," said Mazzeo. "I stand here today with two others who felt very strong about that word, and what it would mean to have a mayor who each and every day cares deeply about how your tax dollars are being spent.”
The 10-year city council veteran was joined by retired cop Karen Kalinowsky and businessman Scott Graves, her former electoral rivals who were eliminated from the general election Tuesday.
“Having started this journey not knowing either one of them very well, I now know that Karen and Scott are genuine, hardworking people who above all love our city and want to see it reach its potential," said Mazzeo. "It’s because we share this belief so strongly that we agreed to support each other after the primary. So to that end, I am pleased to announce that Karen and Scott have endorsed my campaign and will be working with team Mazzeo going forward.”
Mazzeo said the agreement was formally made after a candidate mixer earlier in September, but that an alliance began to form from the very first candidates’ debate in August. Mazzeo says the two share her frustration with the city’s direction.
“Their frustration is what drove them to run," she told reporters. "This was a big deal to come out and run for mayor and put yourself out there as they both have done, and they’ve done an amazing job, and people walked away from that very first debate saying ‘he’s got great ideas, she’s got great ideas,’ and I said, absolutely. There’s so much that’s going on in the city that people are looking for, and it’s exactly what our platform is built on.”
“Well, I just believe that she has my beliefs," said Graves. “[I] want to take care of crime and help strengthen the city and make it grow moving forward and really focus on business and getting more businesses here and existing ones to expand.”
“Even at the beginning, I knew that me and Melissa had some of the same things when it came to schools – the accountability of the administration," said Kalinowsky. “The city streets, as she knows from 10 years on the council, the problems that we’ve had. And with the crime in the area. So I believe that working together, hopefully, we can get those things taken care of in the city.”
Tyer spoke to WAMC minutes later inside city hall after Mazzeo’s press conference and pointed to her own support.
“What I’m the most proud of is that I’ve been endorsed by the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus, which is a state organization that advances women in politics, so I’m proud to earn that endorsement through a competitive application and interview process," said the mayor. "I’m also happy that I have the endorsement of several members of the city council who share the same values of collaboration and problem solving that I bring to this work every day.”
The mayor pushed back against the charge that her administration hasn’t supported small businesses while courting large companies from out of the area like online retailer Wayfair.
“We have supported 23 small businesses that are here in the city of Pittsfield in the last four years. So yes, Wayfair is coming from outside of our region – and this is great news for people, for jobseekers, it’s great news for the city of Pittsfield – but we’ve also supported businesses like LTI Smart Glass and we helped open Green Apple Linens," said Tyer. "We’ve helped to support small retail shops on North Street.”
As for accountability, Tyer said her administration has been appropriately checked over the past four years.
“The way we have been held accountable is we do our annual state of the city, where we talk to the people of Pittsfield and tell them just what we’ve done in this last year and where we’re going next, and this is my way of bringing accountability right to the people of our city,” she told WAMC.
Less than a quarter of the city’s almost 28,000 total registered voters turned out for the preliminary. The general election will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 5th [2019].
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/60844/Mazzeo-Picks-Up-Support-From-Eliminated-Mayoral-Candidates.html
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“Tyer plans to double down as Mazzeo reaches for more votes in Pittsfield mayoral race”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, September 18, 2019
Pittsfield — Mayoral candidates are making plays for more votes as the first phase of the city's election season winds to a close.
Challenger and Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo announced endorsements from Rusty Anchor owner Scott Graves and retired police officer Karen Kalinowsky, who both were bumped from contention in the preliminary election Tuesday.
In the mayor's race, Mazzeo was the top vote-getter by 289 votes, according to unofficial tallies from City Hall. She received 2,860 votes, Mayor Linda Tyer came in second, with 2,571 votes, Graves garnered 343 votes and Kalinowsky got 281.
The two now will go head-to-head in the Nov. 5 [2019] election.
"We've got this," Mazzeo said Wednesday from the steps of City Hall as she linked arms with Graves and Kalinowsky.
They said Mazzeo earned their support because of her business-friendly vision and her desire for accountability on issues of crime and education.
"I believe that working together, hopefully, we can get these things taken care of in the city," Kalinowsky said.
Tyer promised to double down on her efforts in the weeks ahead.
"I will see the people of Pittsfield on their front porches," Tyer said of her second-place status.
As she speaks with residents, Tyer said she will point to her record of accomplishments.
"There's a clear contrast between myself and Councilor Mazzeo," Tyer said Wednesday. "And we're going to illustrate that contrast to a much finer point over these next eight weeks."
In response to Mazzeo's endorsement announcement, Tyer touted her recent endorsement from the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus.
Also on Wednesday, Tyer and her administration announced her plans to welcome a space environment test facility into the city. The company, Electro Magnetic Applications, is described in a news release as a "globally recognized leader in technical consulting, software and test services."
History shows mixed bag
The preliminary race isn't always an indicator of how the general election will go. In 2009, former Mayor James Ruberto claimed a historic comeback after trailing by 542 votes in the preliminary to then-City Councilor Dan Bianchi. There was a 28 percent turnout in the preliminary that year, Eagle archives show, while the general election jumped to 46 percent.
Ruberto won that election by 209 votes.
In 2011, Bianchi returned to beat out Councilor at Large Peter Marchetti, but not before Marchetti gained so much ground between the preliminary and the general election that he nearly closed the gap. Marchetti was bested by Bianchi by 670 votes in that mayoral preliminary, but trailed him by only 117 votes in the final election.
Marchetti said he closed the gap by doubling down on door-to-door efforts and by making phone calls to about 900 households identified as swing voters through phone banking. He said he also made a concerted push to encourage people to vote, in hopes that greater turnout would be a boon.
"We kind of took what we were doing and multiplied by two, basically," he said. "I think for me it was just as much about the larger voter turnout."
In that 2011 race, voter turnout jumped from 19 percent in the preliminary to 42 percent in the general election.
In Tyer's 2015 run, her margin of victory grew significantly between the preliminary, when she beat Bianchi by 830 votes, and the general election, when she swept all 14 precincts and beat him by 2,159 votes.
Tom Sakshaug, Tyer's campaign manager, said the Tuesday election drummed up more of the anti-establishment voters. He said the turnout will be higher in the general election and the results were close enough to recover from.
"Don't let this discourage you," he recalled telling supporters as numbers rolled in Tuesday night. "Because it's really close."
State Rep. John Barrett III, a 26-year North Adams mayor, said it's not uncommon for a sitting mayor to lose a preliminary election.
It happened to him, in 1997, and he recovered in the general election.
It's still anybody's race, he said. Sometimes, those who lose the preliminary come back with a vengeance, he said, citing Ruberto's comeback in 2009.
"It's usually a wake-up call, and many times they will answer the call," he said.
He said supporters of sitting mayors sometimes get too comfortable heading into a preliminary.
"And they sometimes don't work as hard," he said.
Plus, he said sitting mayors generally are busier with the job than challengers.
"This is going to be an old-time political battle," he said. "Whoever has the best ground game, I think, is going to win it."
Outgoing Ward 6 Councilor John Krol said voters should dig into the two very different messages coming from Mazzeo and Tyer. They should ask Mazzeo how she plans to make the changes she promises, and they should push Tyer to provide clear answers about her record of accomplishments.
Krol said that Tyer's campaign should be concerned about her performance.
"That's something for Tyer to be concerned about," Krol said. "Is the base there? I think that's a really good question."
Eagle reporter Dick Lindsay contributed to this report.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Tony Dobrowolski | “Mayoral race shows how far Pittsfield politics' gender inclusivity has come”
By Tony Dobrowolski, The Berkshire Eagle, September 23, 2019
Pittsfield — No matter what happens in November's municipal election, a woman will be serving as mayor of Pittsfield for the next four years.
That's a significant achievement considering that only three women have held that office since Pittsfield began electing mayors in 1891, and the third, Linda M. Tyer, is currently serving in the corner office.
But what's even more significant is this: For the first time, two women are running against each other for mayor of Pittsfield, with longtime City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo challenging Tyer.
Mazzeo and Tyer were the top two vote-getters in last week's four-way preliminary election. They will go head-to-head in the Nov. 5 general election.
Having two women run against each other for mayor is not unprecedented — it's happening right now in Greenfield and Medford, and occurred during a runoff election in Chicago earlier this year.
But it is still rare. In Pittsfield, it speaks volumes about how much the political environment has changed in just 16 years.
In 2003, two years of arguing and infighting by the all-male City Council led to a groundswell of grassroots support for women interested in running for elected office in Pittsfield. That was the year that Women Helping Empower Neighborhoods, an organization more commonly known as WHEN, was formed to support female candidates interested in running for local offices. WHEN has long since disbanded, but it left behind an impressive legacy.
Two of the women WHEN helped elect to the City Council in the 2003 election, Tyer and Tricia Farley-Bouvier, are still involved in politics, and both have moved onto higher offices.
Tyer, who was elected Ward 3 city councilor that year, also served as city clerk before running for mayor four years ago. Farley-Bouvier went from City Hall to the Statehouse, where she has served Pittsfield as the state representative from the 3rd Berkshire District since 2011. Mazzeo volunteered with the organization before running for elected office.
She has served 10 years on the City Council, including four as council president under Tyer's predecessor, Daniel L. Bianchi, before deciding to run for mayor this year.
Pittsfield's first woman mayor was elected in 1989 when the late Anne E. Wojtkowski defeated then-City Council President Angelo Stracuzzi in a landslide. Wojtkowski was elected to a second two-year term in 1991 — Pittsfield mayors served two-year teams until the City Charter changed in 2016 — but she lost in the preliminary election when she ran for a third time two years later.
Pittsfield's second female mayor, Sara Hathaway, emerged from a pack of candidates to defeat James M. Ruberto in the 2001 election, but was beaten by Ruberto in the rematch two years later.
Wojtkowski's first election came three years before the "Year of the Woman" — a phrase coined in 1992 when a record number of women were elected to Congress in the wake of the contentious confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. That phrase made a comeback in the midterm elections of 2018, which saw historic levels of women swept into office.
Last year, Emily's List, a political action committee that supports electing pro-choice Democratic women, was approached by 40,000 women that asked for assistance in running during the 2018 election cycle, including thousands at the municipal level, according to smartcitiesdive.com. Two years earlier, only 920 women had approached the group for help.
That's quite an increase in just two years. There's no way to know if this increase in the number of female candidates at the national level has directly affected what's going on in Pittsfield this fall. But it certainly hasn't hurt. Three of the four candidates who ran for mayor in last week's preliminary election were women. Maybe Pittsfield was ahead of the curve.
For the record, the first woman to be elected mayor in American history was Susanna Salter, who was elected mayor of the small town of Argonia, Kansas, (population 500) in 1887, according to the Center for Women & Politics at Rutgers University. The state of Kansas had given women the legal right to vote shortly before that election took place, but it still occurred 33 years before the 19th amendment allowed women the legal right to vote in the United States.
Salter was the daughter of the town's former mayor, and was elected when a group of men in that town who wanted to keep women out of politics tried to block a list of candidates proposed by the Women's Christian Temperance Union.
They put Salter, who was officer in that organization, at the head of the ticket hoping to embarrass the group because they thought hardly anyone would vote for her. Salter, who was 27, received two-thirds of the votes that were cast. Boy, were those guys wrong.
Having two female candidates run against each other for mayor would have been impossible back then. But now it's happening in Pittsfield. We've come a long way in 16 years.
Tony Dobrowolski can be reached at tdobrowolski@berkshireeagle.com or 413-496-6224.
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Mayor Linda Tyer thanks local leaders gathered Thursday (9/26/2019) outside of St. Mary the Morning Star Church on Tyler Street in Pittsfield after they announced their endorsement of her reelction bid in the city's upcoming election.
credit: Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
“Pittsfield leaders past and present endorse Mayor Tyer's reelection bid”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, September 26, 2019
Pittsfield — A group of city leaders said Thursday that Mayor Linda Tyer's near-complete four-year term is bearing obvious fruit. And they want more.
The gaggle of politicians past and present included City Council President Peter Marchetti, School Committee Chairwoman Kathy Yon, state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, the NAACP Berkshire County Branch President Dennis Powell, former city councilor Kathy Amuso, and former mayors James Ruberto and Gerry Doyle.
They stood together on the front steps of the former St.. Mary the Morning Star Church, soon to be a 29-unit housing development, to trumpet the incumbent mayor's vision for economic development and youth advancement.
"It is not time for a change," Yon said. "It is time to see that Mayor Tyer gets another four years to continue working for the young people of Pittsfield."
In November, Tyer squares off against Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, who bested her by 289 votes in the preliminary last week. Mayoral challengers bumped from contention in the preliminary — Rusty Anchor owner Scott Graves and retired police officer Karen Kalinowsky — endorsed Mazzeo last week.
Mazzeo said that landing the people's vote in the preliminary was an endorsement that speaks volumes. "I think that was the best endorsement that I could ask for, and the only one I really, really need," she said.
Heading into the Thursday news conference, Tyer turned to face the group, waving its members into visual cohesion. "Signs on the sides!" she yelled up the stairs to sign-carrying supporters.
"To have you here today means a great deal," she told them all, before turning back to face members of the local media.
Marchetti kicked off the speeches with one that touted Tyer's willingness to work with others toward shared objectives.
"She is a collaborator, a team player and someone that knows when to stand her ground, and when to compromise to achieve an end goal," he said.
He cited their work together as council colleagues, recalling a collaborative effort between then-councilors Tyer, Jonathan Lothrop and himself that prompted Pittsfield to insure its employees through the Group Insurance Commission, thereby saving the city money. Then, he said, she continued that work as mayor.
"This is one example of many," Marchetti said.
Yon said Tyer has taken on her role on the School Committee "with unusual enthusiasm."
"She has seen that our kids represent much more than a test score," she said.
And of the event's chosen location, Ruberto said "I think it's only fitting." He said it aptly illustrates Tyer's vision to transform the Tyler Street corridor. She has shown an ability to work behind the scenes with business leaders to spur developments like the one underway behind them, he said, and "it's not an easy task."
Tyer showed businesses like Mill Town Capital and Wayfair that Pittsfield is worth investing in, Ruberto said. And now she's working to do the same with Electro Magnetic Applications which aims to build an aerospace testing chamber at the Berkshire Innovation Center.
The new innovation hub's doors aren't even open yet, he said, and in EMA she has already recruited its first potential tenant.
"Think about that," he said. "Think about what it takes."
He said it requires energy and vision.
"It takes leadership," he said. "And leadership is what we have in Mayor Tyer."
Tyer said it means a lot to her to be able to stand on Tyler Street — home to generations before her — and speak about transformations headed its way. And she said the Morningstar housing development is a big piece of the puzzle.
"This is going to be the cornerstone of the renaissance of Tyler Street," she said.
Mazzeo said what matters to her is what the people want for their future.
"It's the people that are here today — the people asking the questions and wanting change — those are the people who are standing behind me and I'm standing behind them," she told The Eagle after the conference.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/60896/Tyer-Racks-Up-Endorsements-for-Re-Election-Campaign-.html
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Letter: “It took a team to save St. Mary's”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 4, 2019
To the editor:
During the mayoral debate, I heard the current mayor state, "I saved St. Mary's Church," I was very taken back when I heard this because there is no I in TEAM. When I saw the endorsement photo in the Sept. 28th Berkshire Eagle on the steps of St. Mary's with the mayor and a band of current and past politicians, I felt compelled to write this letter.
The endorsement picture deeply disappointed me. A more authentic and accurate picture might have looked like this — the mayor handing a citation for community activism to the people who spearheaded a grassroots effort to engage citizens in the community to save the church. And in a real community-minded photo, on the steps behind the citation giving mayor, instead of the band of politicians would have been all the citizens who gave homes to the Save St. Mary's lawn signs, who wrote letters to the editor, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes under the leadership of several women and men. A picture like that would have shown true community spirit giving credit where credit is due instead of promoting a singular political cause using the backdrop of the church.
Thank you to the TEAM who worked tirelessly to save St. Mary's Church. You are the ones that made that photo possible.
Christine Yon, Pittsfield
The writer is a former Ward 1 city councilor.
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Letter: “Tyer instrumental in saving St. Mary's”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 16, 2019
To the editor:
I am writing a letter to support Linda Tyer's candidacy for mayor. I am presently Friends of St. Mary's historian and an active participant in promoting awareness of her assets. I was a parishioner for 45 years. Friends will occupy a space in the church next year.
I will outline her participation in saving St. Mary the Morning Star Church from 2014 to today.
In 2014, the Diocese of Springfield announced plans to sell the church campus to Dunkin' Donuts, owned by Cafua Management. Dunkin's plans were to demolish the church to build a drive-through doughnut shop. Save St. Mary's was formed and Friends of St. Mary's, an ad hoc committee established with a goal of preserving the former Catholic church, was formed. Linda Tyer joined the opposition as a mayoral candidate and it became a cornerstone of her campaign.
In 2015, her administration, through a grant, actively worked toward promoting the renaissance of the Tyler Street neighborhood, not only for the Mary campus but for the entire neighborhood. Developed by the state of Massachusetts for designated gateway cities, the Tyler Street Transformative Development Initiative, (TDI) was established to develop a plan to go forward. While Friends of St. Mary's provided awareness, Linda's administration actively helped with planning and funding.
Through TDI, the Mullin Report was created with neighborhood input and statistical information. Cafua's new plans to keep the church, with a drive-through window running closely adjacent, to it was soundly defeated by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Linda was an active participant and kept a close watch.
Because the Mary campus was still in jeopardy of demolition, Friends of St. Mary's supported and endorsed the Community Preservation Act. This initiative was placed on the 2016 voting ballot to provide a funding source to preserve historical buildings through a small surcharge on property taxes. Linda, having saved the Benjamin Harrison House, a building associated with Pittsfield's African American history, also endorsed the Community Preservation Act associated with her efforts to save Mary Morning Star. Linda is a strong preservationist.
Presently, the Mary campus is being developed into market-rate apartments by a local developer, David Carver. Linda has worked with him every step of the way, finding additional funding.
Please join me in voting for Linda Tyer for mayor on Nov. 5. [2019].
Dianne DiNicola, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Pittsfield could use more transparency”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 2, 2019
To the editor:
On Sept. 28, The Eagle published an editorial headlined "Transparency needed for Beacon Hill, too." Still fresh in my mind is the lack of transparency of the board of the Berkshire Museum in its dealings with the public regarding the sale of two Rockwell paintings along with the best paintings in its collection. Adding insult to injury were the endorsements of this covert activity by politicians in Pittsfield, many of whom were among the group recently pictured standing on the steps of Saint Mary the Morning Star Church on Tyler Street.
When it comes to "cloaking actions in smoke and mirrors," a good example might be the recent revelations of the decisions regarding the parking kiosks in downtown Pittsfield. How much transparency preceded their sudden appearance? How much positive attention has been given to the pleas of those negatively affected by their installation?
What happens in Pittsfield impacts all of Berkshire County. Future administrations in Pittsfield would be well advised to adopt the slogan that transparency like charity begins at home.
Margaret Roussin, Hinsdale
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Summer violence falls to bear, spotlight on economics amid mayoral debate”
The Berkshire Eagle
September 29, 2019
Hey there, readers. Amanda here.
Shootings dotted the city’s summer, and one on Columbus Avenue claimed a life.
Come Monday, we’ll meet a man who investigators believe played an integral role in the shooting that killed 32-year-old Stephanie Olivieri last month. Tyler Sumner, 25, of Adams, is scheduled to be arraigned on a murder charge in Berkshire District Court.
There will also be a show cause hearing Monday for Zen’s Pub, around which violence circled over the summer. The hearing, which takes place at 3:30 p.m. in council chambers, follows a fight last month that left a man injured. Gunshots rang out, too, near the bar at the same time as the disturbance, but it was unclear if the two were connected.
Meantime, leaders are slated to meet minds over matters of economic development during a Wednesday summit hosted by U.S. Congressman Richard Neal at Berkshire Community College. The event’s keynote speaker is Niraj Shah, CEO of Wayfair, which readies for the grand opening on Oct. 10 of its new Pittsfield call center.
A proposal to help another company put down roots in the city heads to City Council subcommittee on Thursday. Mayor Linda Tyer aims to use $140,000 from the city’s Economic Development Fund to support Electro Magnetic Applications’ plans for an aerospace simulator at the Berkshire Innovation Center, and the Community and Economic Development Committee is scheduled to review that proposal 7 p.m. Thursday in council chambers.
Speaking of economic development and crime, those are two important topics at the center of a hotly contested race for the city’s top job. Tyer will square off with her challenger, Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, during a debate in the WGBY studios on Friday in the first one-on-one debate of the season. Tune in at 7 p.m.
And as local lakes, including Pontoosuc Lake, suffer from the proliferation of cyanobacteria, the Lakes and Ponds Association of Western Massachusetts will host a symposium on the emerging threat 9 a.m. Saturday at Zion Lutheran Church.
Heads up
You might see groups sprucing up downtown on Friday as part of the first annual Downtown Pittsfield Inc. Fall Cleanup. Some 100 volunteers representing 15 groups and businesses, including Wayfair, plan to polish up the city’s main drag from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Leaders of the Pittsfield Municipal Airport will host an informational session this week as they overhaul the airport’s master plan. The meeting is scheduled to run from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in the terminal lobby.
Side by Side will host an opening event on Friday afternoon for a new veterans home on Onota Street.
Out of the Darkness, a walk to combat suicide, kicks off 10 a.m. Saturday at The Common and runs through noon. The event raises awareness and funds for the the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Day-of registration starts at 9 a.m.
What’s up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, on Twitter @amandadrane or by phone at 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “Neighbors fear potential eyesore”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 30, 2019
To the editor:
We recently found out through back channels about a proposal to build for AT&T a 154-foot cell tower on the grounds of the historic Pontoosuc Woolen Mill which abuts our property. As we have talked with our neighbors, none of them knew of this proposal that would create an eyesore standing way over the tree line with blinking lights flashing into our yards and windows. The only reason we can come up with why there is scant public knowledge about the construction of this antenna is that those responsible know there would be opposition if it becomes widely known. They would be right.
We strongly oppose the construction of such an eyesore so close to a residential neighborhood, within full view of Pontoosuc Lake. With so many large, vacant, industrial properties in the city, why choose one that is near one of the main scenic attractions of Pittsfield?
John and Mary Boyle Dickson, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Building an effective police review board”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 27, 2019
To the editor:
The Pittsfield Police Review and Advisory Board has now been in existence for six months. The board wanted to update the community about its work thus far. As part of the board's training, it has received a number of presentations regarding police policies, practices and standards. These have included the use of force, how citizen complaints are investigated, practices of other municipality's police review boards, ride-alongs and a tour of the existing police station. The Board is also working with the city solicitor to develop its policies and procedures.
At its September meeting, the board voted to add a public comment time to its regular agenda. The comment time is one way to achieve its mandate to "provide a forum in which citizens may address police matters." The comment time will be near the beginning of each meeting and persons will have three minutes to address the board. Time may be extended at the discretion of the chair. Of course, this is not a time for personal attacks, but for meaningful input. The Police Review and Advisory Board usually meets every third Tuesday of the month at 4:30 in Room 203 at the Pittsfield City Hall. Agendas are posted the Friday before each meeting. We look forward to hearing from citizens of Pittsfield.
The Police Review and Advisory Board is also figuring out how to fulfill the "Powers and Duties" set forth in the ordinance passed by the City Council last winter. The ordinance gives the board a broad range of duties regarding police policies, procedures, and practices. However, it does not give the board broad powers except to review and advise on these matters. The board may not need broad power to provide meaningful and helpful input that will positively affect the community.
It seems that providing a variety of perspectives directly to the Police Department, the City Council and the mayor may be one of the major ways to improve relationships.
The board is beginning to explore how simple changes in language that is used by the law enforcement, how people receive information from the department and how the unavoidable power imbalance between police officers and members of the general public can affect police/citizen interactions. Because there are many valid perspectives on all situations, hopefully adding the insights of a very diverse Police Review and Advisory Board and a means for citizens' to give input, the public's relationship with law enforcement will be improved.
The board is charged to offer input to the City Council regarding "police matters." Some of the police matters that the board has already offered input on include the ShotSpotter system and the condition of the present police station.
We look forward to hearing from people as we move forward in developing an effective Police Advisory and Review Board for the city of Pittsfield.
Ellen Maxon, Pittsfield
The writer is chairperson of the Pittsfield Police Review and Advisory Board.
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Mayoral candidates Linda Tyer and Melissa Mazzeo participate in their first one-on-one debate on the show Connecting Point with Carrie Saldo at WGBY studio in Springfield on Friday. credit: Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
“Pittsfield mayoral candidates square off at debate”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, October 4, 2019
Springfield — The race for the city's top job grew more pointed in the first one-on-one debate between Mayor Linda Tyer and Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo.
Filmed Friday morning at WGBY studios in Springfield, the debate was hosted by Carrie Saldo and airs as part of "The State We're In," a weekly segment of the station's "Connecting Point."
Mazzeo bested Tyer by 289 votes in a preliminary election last month, and the true test comes during the general election Nov. 5.
During the Friday debate, the candidates distinguished themselves on issues like crime, economic development and infrastructure.
Mazzeo said the city needs to rethink how it allocates patrol officers. Though the department has a few more officers and more tech under Tyer's reign, she said, "the crime is still continuing."
"It's becoming a crisis," she said. "We're having shootings — multiple shootings in a week."
As mayor, she said she would request assistance from the Massachusetts State Police and the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office, using the additional resources to deploy "hot spot policing."
Tyer said she already has strong relationships with those agencies, and the city is working on a grant application to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. If awarded, she said the grant would open the city up to federal resources that it could use to address crime in the city.
Tyer has worked to beef up the ranks, bring in new technology and initiatives, and support the new West Side Community Outreach Post, she said, but "there's always more work to do."
Grant applications are great, Mazzeo replied, "but what are we doing right now?"
Saldo said the unemployment rate is a low 3 percent, yet there are about 1,400 jobs open in the Berkshires. She asked what the candidates aim to do to address this issue.
"I would say that creating jobs has been one of the hallmarks of my administration," Tyer said.
Now, she said resources are starting to merge with the impending Berkshire Innovation Center, where she aims to bring vocational students from Taconic High School together with advanced manufacturing students at Berkshire Community College.
Mazzeo said it's time to start reaping the benefits from investments made in the new Taconic building and the innovation hub at the corner of East Street and Woodlawn Avenue. The BIC could have been open sooner, she said, but Tyer's administration was slow to support it.
"This could have been ready a few years ago," she said.
In response to a question about poverty in Pittsfield, Tyer pointed to her administration's participation in a series of trainings, called "Bridges Out of Poverty."
A question from Saldo about the city's aging population prompted a volley between the candidates about the city's seniors.
Tyer said their presence in the city presents an opportunity, especially when it comes to training a new workforce. "We're going to be relying on our active seniors who have successful careers to be their business mentors," she said.
But Mazzeo said high taxes are pushing seniors out of their Pittsfield homes, and that poses a problem.
Tyer stayed to her points, emphasizing the valuable perspectives seniors offer as the city works to make important decisions. "I view that as an asset," she said.
To that point, Mazzeo offered a challenge.
"It sounds like it's great in theory, but is it actually happening?"
In answering a question about infrastructure issues in the city, Tyer pivoted toward the city's work on a $61.4 million overhaul of its wastewater treatment plant. The Environmental Protection Agency demanded the city upgrade its filtering system, but she said "Melissa applauded [President Donald] Trump's reckless efforts" to reverse those environmental protections.
Mazzeo said she didn't applaud Trump's actions, but rather wanted to clear up the paperwork mix-up that squashed the city's appeal of the required upgrade.
"I wanted to put the brakes on it and have a conversation," she said.
In the end, both candidates appealed directly to the voters.
"We need accountability and we need solutions," Mazzeo said. "And I offer both."
But Tyer said the city needs four more years of what it's already gotten from her: "straight-up, old fashioned hard work."
"We've got more work to do," she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Wayfair anchors down, and other business waves”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, October 6, 2019
Wayfair formally arrives in Pittsfield this week, bringing with it the promise of 300 new jobs.
A private grand opening ceremony and tour on Thursday caps a multimillion-dollar renovation at the Clock Tower Business Center on South Church Street, where the online home goods retailer is launching its new customer service center. Wayfair CEO and Pittsfield High School grad Niraj Shah will speak during the event alongside city leaders.
A hum of excitement surrounds Wayfair's new hub in Pittsfield. Shah was one of several business leaders who said last week during an economic development summit that "core skills" show employers that a person is trainable, and that's what they're looking for in their prospective employees.
As Wayfair settles in, another company looks to put down roots in Pittsfield. Those behind Electro Magnetic Applications say they plan to build a first-of-its-kind aerospace testing chamber at the Berkshire Innovation Center, and on Thursday the City Council's Finance Committee will vet a tax-incentive package proposed for the company by Mayor Linda Tyer.
Last week, a different subcommittee of the City Council unanimously recommended pitching in $140,000 from the city's Economic Development Fund toward the project.
On Tuesday, the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority is also slated to vote on a prospective tenant at the William Stanley Business Park.
A business incubator program kicks off this week with a countywide caravan, aimed at calling attention to an upcoming business pitch contest on Oct. 22. Community and business leaders raised $1 million to launch the local version of a larger program, Entrepreneurship for All, or EforAll. The contest will give participants a little more than two minutes to pitch their business or nonprofit plans in true "Shark Tank" fashion. Winning pitches will land the executives some cash.
On the election front, a union endorsement event is planned for Tyer on Monday at Pittsfield Fire Department headquarters. The election is less than a month away, and the race between Tyer and her challenger, Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, feels tight.
The Homeless Prevention Committee meets 10 a.m. Monday in City Hall amid an effort by the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office to provide temporary shelter for the city's homeless population until the winter shelter program starts Nov. 1.
And the Conservation Commission could finally take a vote this week about a controversial solar project proposed for Barker Road.
Heads up
Shonda Evette and the Tyler Street Lab will host the "Here and Now Fashion Show" at the lab on Friday, featuring stylings from Omega1 African Fashion, Lipa's Latina, Designer Consigner and others. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7:30 p.m. and everyone is encouraged to "dress to impress."
Seniors who volunteer through the city's RSVP program will be honored with a noontime lunch-in Friday at the Pittsfield Country Club.
And those wishing to have a float in the annual Halloween Parade must register with City Hall by Friday.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, or by phone at 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “Cohen's welcome Council candidacy”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 9, 2019
To the editor:
Yuki Cohen is running for councilor at large for the city of Pittsfield. If that does not make you a little bit excited, it should, especially if you care about our downtown as we do.
Most of you know that Yuki is the proprietor of a cool, hip bar and lounge named Methuselah on North Street. When we first heard that this bar was going to open, we were so excited to see someone else taking a chance, risking it all to invest in trying to revitalize North Street — another person who believed in this area of our city and took an empty, ugly space and turned it into a chic hangout that makes us proud to send visitors.
Now, she is running for office and her passion, dedication, intelligence, common sense and energy are what we need to keep moving forward. We urge all who do not know Yuki to meet her, talk to her, listen to her, and you will see what we mean.
There are those of us who have a vision of all this city can be, and we need to put people in office who are willing to do what is necessary to make this happen.
Laurie Tierney, Pittsfield
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Our Opinion: “Wayfair introduced to city politics”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, October 10, 2019
Wayfair hadn't even hosted its grand opening ceremony before it found itself embroiled in Pittsfield politics, specifically the increasingly overwrought debate about parking.
The City Council Tuesday night tabled a proposal brought forward by city engineer Ricardo Morales to allow 30 free parking spaces on South Church Street near Wayfair in the Clock Tower Building. Along with anticipating a need for more parking, the parking spaces on the street would have the additional benefit of slowing down traffic on the street, according to Mr. Morales.
Several city councilors, however, objected that the free parking would be unfair to other city businesses whose customers and employees must pay to park. The genesis of this argument is the unhappiness expressed by Berkshire Nautilus that its customers, accustomed to free parking in the since destroyed Columbus Avenue parking garage, must pay to park in the lot that replaced the garage.
The City Council is heading down the wrong road if it allows one complaint to try to produce a one-size-fits-all parking philosophy. There is a difference between parking spaces on North Street and on streets in the various wards in terms of who uses them, when they use them, and at what times they use them. The Council risks creating parking controversies where there are none — such as South Church Street.
Wayfair plans to bring 300 jobs to the city, which is an argument for cutting it and its employees some slack on parking fees. (The majority will park in the Clock Tower lots with other building employees.) To do otherwise would be to perpetuate the belief — whether real or without merit — that Pittsfield is unfriendly to business.
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Letter: “Waiting for Tyer to fulfill promises”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 13, 2019
To the editor:
In 2015, Linda Tyer, the present mayor of Pittsfield, was running against Dan Bianchi. She blamed Bianchi for the rising crime rate in the city. It is four years later and violence in this city is much worse than it was then.
So who is she going to blame now?
When funding for the new Taconic High School was approved in 2015, Tyer was not yet the mayor, yet she is taking credit for it.
The reuse of St. Mary's Church was already underway before she became mayor, thanks to many good Morningside people and organizations, yet in a recent press release she states that she saved St. Mary's.
Our tax rate was cut but I just opened a letter telling me that my house was going to be revalued, so there goes my tax savings. Beyond this, our water and sewer bill have been increased by huge amounts.
I have spent the last four years waiting for the mayor to take care of city problems that I have told her about. No results. I want someone who will deliver what they promise. That's why I am voting for Melissa Mazzeo Nov. 5.
Vic Ostellino, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Re-elect Tyer to keep progress coming”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 13, 2019
To the editor:
When my wife and I came to Pittsfield about five years ago looking to buy our first home, we were not impressed with the state of the city.
It wasn't as bustling as we had anticipated, with more vacant commercial real estate and higher crime rates. But fast-forward to the spring and summer of 2018 and we bought our house here after noting improvements.
It felt more vibrant, more alive; there was more culture, and a steady if subtle police presence that reassured safety. It had become a city we could call home and raise our children in, showing promise of continuing that evolution and progress with Mayor Tyer.
The people who lived here then and now must surely see how Pittsfield has grown and evolved. Continuing forward with Mayor Tyer is the most logical choice given what's she's done for the city.
Earlier this year a brilliant proposal was put forth by Mayor Tyer to improve the city's aging housing stock by providing funding via a loan program to impoverished areas of our fine city. This proposal was rejected by certain councilors citing that money was, more or less, not for the poor but for everyone. When we have people on disability on a fixed income of $11,000 per year, you mean to tell me they couldn't use that money for home improvements — that we should give that to those making six figures?
They don't ask for a handout, they just ask for a hand to get up on their feet; those loans would have provided much-needed relief. Watching a City Council meeting from Nov. 28, 2017, I was astonished to see the mayoral opposition throw a fit because she wanted more than twice what was needed from the people, clawing at $2.25 million when $1 million was sufficient. Why take from our citizens what we don't have to?
Furthermore, do we really want a council member becoming mayor who acts like a child when she doesn't get her way? I should think not.
Jonathon Morey, Pittsfield
The author writes for the Morey family.
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Interim Lenox schools chief William J. "Bill" Cameron Jr., superintendent of the Central Berkshire Regional School District from 2011 to 2014 and current chairman of the Berkshire County Education Task Force, will start Oct. 21 [2019] and will work three days a week through June 30, 2020. Eagle File Photo
“After superintendent resigns, Lenox picks interim schools chief”
By Clarence Fanto, Eagle correspondent, October 12, 2019
Lenox — A well-known area school administrator begins a new assignment in Lenox this month, filling a gap after School Superintendent Kimberly Merrick's recent resignation for personal reasons.
William J. "Bill" Cameron Jr., superintendent of the Central Berkshire Regional School District from 2011 to 2014 and current chairman of the Berkshire County Education Task Force, was named the interim superintendent by a 6-0 vote of the Lenox School Committee at a Friday evening meeting.
Cameron, 72, a Pittsfield resident who also is a candidate for reelection to the city's School Committee and a former assistant superintendent for personnel and negotiations in the Pittsfield school system, will start in Lenox on Oct. 21. He will work three days a week through June 30 on a per-diem rate totaling $1,530 per week, said Robert Vaughan, chairman of the Lenox School Committee.
"The Lenox public school district is looked on by a lot of people as, in a sense, the preeminent district in terms of student performance in Berkshire County," Cameron said. "I think Lenox is held in very high regard and is fortunate to have more financial resources than some other districts, and it seems you put those to very good use in programming and the ability to attract high-quality teachers."
He also acknowledged that "people in Pittsfield, I won't say are resentful, but are discouraged by the out-migration of students from the Pittsfield Public Schools into Lenox and a few other districts, but that's a problem Pittsfield has. Lenox is a magnet for a lot of students and seems to be doing its job very well."
About one-third of the student population in Lenox is from Pittsfield. Overall school-choice enrollment is 40 percent out of 751 students in kindergarten through Grade 12.
A search for a long-term superintendent will be launched in January or February, Vaughan said, describing it as the ideal time to find a deep pool of qualified applicants.
Vaughan told committee members that he had an idea Sept. 24 that Merrick was about to resign as superintendent, 15 months into her three-year contract.
Having received an extensive list of potential interim candidates from Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Vaughan explained that Cameron emerged as a "very strong choice for us, moving forward with integrity and all the characteristics that go with doing a good job."
As a result, Vaughan added, in order to expedite a quick transition, he did not post the position, "so there was not an opportunity to have other candidates surface. We're in a hurry-up mode, rather than formally advertising for candidates."
Meeting with Cameron last Tuesday, Vaughan discussed the just-announced vacancy. He conceded that some School Committee members might have concerns about Cameron's role on the task force, which has advocated consolidation of school districts countywide because of declining enrollment, as well as his membership on the Pittsfield School Committee.
"Bill's a man of integrity," Vaughan said, "and we will not at all be disappointed." He cited Cameron's extensive resume, which also included a four-year stint as Superintendent of Schools in Salem from 2007 to 2011 and, more recently, an eight-month interim superintendency at Shaker Mountain School Union 70, which encompasses Richmond, Hancock and New Ashford.
"I feel we've got an experienced educator coming in who could not only cover the important things like union negotiations coming up, the hiring of a director of special needs and an elementary principal in the springtime, but also perhaps guiding us in our search for a permanent superintendent," Vaughan said.
Cameron, who also is an attorney, pointed out that he saw no conflict of interest between his new role in Lenox and his School Committee membership in Pittsfield, with one exception: "If the job entails a PR campaign to try to recruit choice students, then I couldn't, in good faith, do that. I have a fiduciary responsibility in Pittsfield as a member of the School Committee."
But he perceived no other "points of intersection" between his upcoming responsibilities in Lenox and his work on the Pittsfield committee.
"I retired originally because I didn't want to do full-time superintendency into the unforeseeable future," Cameron told the School Committee members. "But assuming that you think I would fit here, this looks like a good fit for me also in terms of my ability to use my time constructively here and use what experience I've acquired in other positions."
Cameron emphasized that the temporary assignment in Lenox is especially attractive because the new assistant superintendent for business and operations, Melissa Janes Falkowski, was his close associate in the Central Berkshire school district while he was superintendent and she served as business administrator and as the current assistant superintendent.
Falkowski starts work in Lenox on Nov. 8, when Henry "Hank" Maimin, the current business administrator, retires after 21 years in the district.
"She is outstanding," Cameron said, "so I have every confidence that's going to be a smooth transition. She's very, very competent and a great person to work with."
In response to concerns raised by School Committee member Christine Mauro about a relatively abrupt transition after Merrick's resignation, Vaughan pointed that "we do anticipate a one-week overlap."
Addressing a question from committee member David Rimmler about the role of an interim superintendent, Vaughan described it as not only a holding pattern, but also following through on Merrick's announced goals for the school year, presented to the School Committee last month.
"We don't abandon the initiatives we've begun because Bill has a different agenda," Vaughan said. "Bill's not coming in with an agenda, he's coming in to help us bridge the gap and stay the course. He may have many suggestions for things we could do to continue improving."
"I'm looking forward to it," Cameron added.
Cameron, who grew up in Albany, N.Y., holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Toronto and earned his law degree from Western New England College's School of Law in Springfield.
Clarence Fanto can be reached at cfanto@yahoo.com, on Twitter @BE_cfanto or at 413-637-2551.
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“Pittsfield schools chief a finalist in eastern Massachusetts superintendent search”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, October 16, 2019
Pittsfield — Superintendent Jason McCandless could soon take leave of Pittsfield Public Schools, but still he got rave reviews from the School Committee on Wednesday night.
During the school leader's annual evaluation, committee members praised him for his leadership. Heading into the meeting, McCandless also told The Eagle that he is a finalist for the superintendent's position of the Silver Lake Regional School District in Eastern Massachusetts.
The conversation about the schools chief takes place against the backdrop of a $121 million new vocational high school, a new code of conduct, behavioral issues and an unprecedented influx of state reimbursements newly applied to city schools. It also follows a heated educational debate Tuesday night between Mayor Linda Tyer and her challenger, Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, during which both candidates pointed to staff and student retention problems in the district.
McCandless said the Silver Lake position is one of four superintendent jobs in the state that he's actively pursuing. He said he'd happily serve the city for longer if the opportunities don't land, but he is exploring them because "it's time."
"Personally I feel like I've given a lot; I've learned a lot," he said. "But I'm just ready for a change."
He said the reason he is exploring other opportunities has nothing to do with the election, but rather has more to do with "my own radar for my own expiration date."
"It was a pleasure to work with mayor Bianchi," he said. And he said he holds Tyer up as one of the most dedicated mayors in the commonwealth to serve on a School Committee.
A superintendent typically spends three to five years leading a district, he said. He has led the city's schools since 2013.
"I just think it's time for a change," he said.
Members of the School Committee said in his evaluation that he tackles challenges with grace. Multiple members described him as "second to none."
Concerns they identified included the loss of staff, a lack of diversity among staff and a lack of dedicated resources to the performing arts.
Dennis Powell, a School Committee member and president of the Berkshire County branch of the NAACP, said McCandless greeted his concerns about the lack of diversity among district staff with openness, empathy and readiness to take action.
Tyer called his work exemplary, and described him as "an extraordinary communicator and devoted advocate."
"Pittsfield is beyond fortunate to have Dr. McCandless leading our school community," she said. "He listens to every voice to inform his decision-making, and clearly and concisely communicates a vision for today and for tomorrow."
William Cameron, a committee member and newly named the interim superintendent in Lenox, described McCandless as "unquestionably proficient."
"This community is well-served by his superintendency," he said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “City should be more responsive”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 14, 2019
To the editor:
The Pittsfield City Council should create a permanent position to mirror the temporary one that former North Adams Mayor John Barrett III held as a mayoral assistant in a prior administration. This person could address, for example, the three streetlights at the north end of Lexington Parkway that have not worked for close to three years. Over this period of time there have been numerous phone calls and emails to our city councilor, at-large councilors, the mayor's office and to the city Highway Department.
On the week of May 5 of this year, new LED lights were installed on Lexington Parkway. On May 16, I called city maintenance and left a message about the three lights not working. No one ever responded. Had three been an assistant to the mayor to follow through, I'm sure that it would have been resolved in a timely manner.
On Sept. 20, I called the mayor's office to leave a message that it had been 65 days since the Highway Department had been notified of the situation. That same afternoon, I received a message from the mayor's office stating that another company was being pursued regarding the lighting situation and that I would be updated. It is now into the third week and we are still in the dark with no update!
Marcel Rajotte, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Re-elect Connell to Council's Ward 4”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 15, 2019
To the editor:
You all know Chris Connell well as a hard-working and dedicated public servant. His business background has conditioned him to thoroughly investigate before committing Pittsfield tax dollars against the reality of a declining tax base — especially important for the many seniors and vets struggling to make ends meet.
I've known Chris for over 17 years now and have found him to be a caring and considerate Ward 4 representative, keenly aware of the hopes and needs of is constituents.
Let's keep this going for Ward 4 and the city of Pittsfield. Vote for Chris Connell this November.
Stephen Trahanas, Pittsfield
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Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo squares off with her challenger, Incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer, in a mayoral debate in the library of Pittsfield High School on Tuesday. credit: Ben Garver photos — The Berkshire Eagle
Incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer squares off Tuesday with her challenger, Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, in a mayoral debate in the library of Pittsfield High School. United Educators of Pittsfield and the Pittsfield Educational Administrators Association sponsored the debate, which centered on education and the city's schools. credit: Ben Garver photos — The Berkshire Eagle
Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo squares off Tuesday with her challenger, incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer, in a mayoral debate in the library of Pittsfield High School. United Educators of Pittsfield and the Pittsfield Educational Administrators Association sponsored the debate, which centered on education and the city's schools. credit: Ben Garver photos — The Berkshire Eagle
“School retention front and center in Pittsfield mayoral debate”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, October 15, 2019
Pittsfield — Both mayoral candidates pointed to problems with retaining students and staff in city schools during a debate on Tuesday, but they disagreed about how it should be addressed.
Mayor Linda Tyer and her challenger, Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, squared off in the library of Pittsfield High School during the second one-on-one debate of the season. Brendan Sheran, vice principal of teaching and learning at the school, moderated the debate.
The Nov. 5 election is just three weeks away.
Students facing trauma was also a main topic of the night. Reid Middle School Vice Principal Dennis Carr said children are increasingly coming into classrooms with social and emotional burdens that stem from joblessness and drug addiction in the family.
"How would you help the district deal with these issues?" he asked.
Mazzeo said she would make sure each school has enough adjustment counselors to go around, while Tyer stressed the importance of keeping class sizes low and bolstering early education programs.
At the start of the debate, Mazzeo told the audience to watch for words from Tyer like "vibrant" and "world class."
"Is she speaking to the truth of what's happening in our schools?" she asked.
Tyer said the path forward for the city's schools is in acknowledging strengths and facing the weaknesses.
"We just need to tackle our challenges head on, but also celebrate the things that make our schools special," she said.
Mazzeo said she knows there's more than "doom and gloom" happening in the city's schools, but it's also "not all unicorns and fairies."
"We have unbelievable educators ," Mazzeo said. "At the same time, we need to face reality. Our schools are in a crisis."
She said 75 teachers have left the district in recent years, and she flagged an exodus at the middle school level as families often send their children out of district.
Tyer said comparatively lower salaries play a big role in the district's problem recruiting and retaining staff. Mazzeo has repeatedly voted against salary increases for city employees.
"We've got to be more competitive with salaries," Tyer said.
But Mazzeo said she thought retention issues had more to do with the behavioral issues going on in the schools and the safety issues they pose. She said restorative justice practices have created "a culture of leniency."
"I think we're seeing teachers leaving this district because they're not feeling safe, they're not feeling heard," she said.
Asked about how Tyer aims to use increasing state reimbursements for city schools, Tyer said "every dollar should go into the classroom." She said her opponent hasn't always supported school funding, noting a time when Mazzeo voted in favor of cutting the school budget by $200,000.
Mazzeo responded by saying "maybe we need to be a little bit more specific" about what exactly that vote was about, saying that without those details they might as well have been talking about spending too much on toilet paper.
At the close of the debate, Tyer circled back to an earlier jab.
"I actually think that I got through the debate without saying `dynamic' or `vibrant,'" she said to applause.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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October 16, 2019
Pittsfield politics is always very interesting. I support the lovely Linda Tyer for Mayor of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. I believe she is the best Mayor of Pittsfield, EVER! Please vote for the lovely Linda Tyer!!!!
The following are all of the reasons why I support the lovely Linda Tyer for re-election:
* Mayor Linda Tyer inherited a mess from the “Doyle debacle”, the “Hathaway hack”, the “Ruberto regime”, and the “Bianchi bust”. Not one problem happened after she became the best Mayor of Pittsfield, EVER!
* Pittsfield politics had the worst public finances of any municipality in the history of the World prior to January of 2016. The lovely Linda Tyer stabilized Pittsfield politics’ public finances!
* Pittsfield has been losing population and jobs for decades. The lovely Linda Tyer has brought back jobs to Pittsfield and broadened the tax base.
* The lovely Linda Tyer stands for everything I believe in when it comes government and politics. She speaks out for Human Rights, helps the poor neighborhoods, and believes in her struggling community.
– Jonathan Melle
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Letter: “Mazzeo cares about residents of Pittsfield”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 16, 2019
To the editor:
I recently sat in on a meet and greet with city councilor and mayoral candidate Melissa Mazzeo. I was impressed with her energy and excitement about focusing on crime, infrastructure and schools. I like the fact that she was thinking ahead and trying to be proactive. She had already been reaching out to find solutions and ways to change things for the better instead of always doing things the way they have been done.
She has a very positive outlook. You can tell she really cares about all the residents of Pittsfield.
Please joining me in voting for Melissa Mazzeo for mayor on Nov. 5. [2019].
Nancy Hall, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Tyer's home improvement effort merited passage”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 17, 2019
To the editor:
We live and work in Pittsfield with our four children. Home is in the Morningside neighborhood off Tyler Street.
Our neighborhood has had its ups and downs. We have proudly invested in improving our home and therefore our neighborhood. We hope others near us will do the same to really improve everyone's quality of life.
Mayor Tyer proposed a program that would make low- or no-interest loans to homeowners to make exterior improvements to their homes. It was targeted for lower-income areas but expanded in compromise with some members of the City Council. Funding was to come initially from the GE Economic Fund rather than from general taxes. However, despite the compromise, the program was rejected because a few councilors decided to block it, as it required a supermajority of eight votes.
We think this program would complement the new LED streetlights and the planned Tyler Street improvements in making our neighborhood a much more pleasant place to live. We plan to vote to re-elect Mayor Linda Tyer and the councilors who support this and other good programs proposed by her.
Let's not get bogged down by endless delays now. Let's continue the progress made with Mayor Tyer.
Becky and Matt Talis, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Keep momentum going with Mayor Tyer”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 18, 2019
To the editor:
I left the mayoral debate at PHS energized. In four short years, our mayor, Linda Tyer, and her team have accomplished remarkable work. Linda's positive energy resonates a "can do" attitude, which is why so many positive changes have taken place. Changes such as the celebration of diversity in our government walls and beyond, to major economic growth throughout our city.
Recently, I was downtown with a group of people during the Artswalk. A single mother was raving about this new job she had just gotten and the professional training she was given for her orientation. Wayfair, she said, is a first-rate company that is now offering jobs in our city. This job is going to change her life profoundly.
It's a personal sacrifice to become a public servant. The only way you become a success at it is by staying positive, reaching out to all available resources and empowering your team. Linda Tyer is now a proven leader.
Let's keep this momentum going for another four years. Vote to re-elect Mayor Linda Tyer.
Mary McGinnis, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Tyer's vision is paying dividends”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 19, 2019
To the editor:
Pittsfield had us at "hello." The job that brought us here requires splitting time between south and central Berkshire County. And yet the choice of where to live and pay taxes, of where our kids would come for visits, of where to call home for the rest of our lives, ended up being much easier than we imagined.
When we moved here a couple of years ago, you could already see it happening. A committed mayor with a strong vision for the future was hard at work. And it's not just the wonderful downtown — with its great theaters, museum, restaurants, coffee shops, Farmers Market, and Third Thursdays — that made the point for us.
It's the "hiring now" signs over at General Dynamics and Wayfair. It's the multimillion-dollar Business Innovation Center looking to grow the industries of tomorrow in the Berkshires of today.
It's a mayor who's paid as much attention to fixing the streetlight down the block from us as she has to forging the high-powered partnerships between government, business and community leaders that are the hallmark of America's most successful small cities.
What we love about Linda Tyer is that she believes all of Pittsfield's assets must be carefully nurtured and cultivated in order to attract a new generation of young professionals to live and work here.
That vision is already paying dividends. Our youngest daughter, herself a proud millennial, also fell in love with this city and moved here just a few months ago — the leading edge of what we believe is a new wave of twentysomethings eager for the unique combination of culture, nightlife and natural beauty this city has to offer in spades.
The missing element has always been jobs. And thanks to Mayor Tyer's persistent efforts, there are literally hundreds more jobs in Pittsfield today than even two years ago when we moved here.
And it's only getting better. By showing up every day and putting her shoulder to the wheel — always cheerful and upbeat — Linda Tyer has achieved so much in such a short period of time.
Ronald Reagan famously asked, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" By that standard alone, Mayor Tyer has more than delivered — and she has earned a second term as our mayor.
Nick Paleologos, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Tyer has been a leader, built solid record”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 20, 2019
To the editor:
I have known and admired both candidates for mayor for several years. They each have a long record of public service, and Pittsfield is fortunate to have such capable women in the race.
I intend to vote for Mayor Linda Tyer for the vision and leadership she has demonstrated over the past four years. Job growth has been the product of cooperation with the various parties involved. It has not been easy, but has been achieved by the hard work of all involved. The new Taconic High School offers opportunity for our young people to become educated and trained for an increasingly technical work environment.
Pittsfield is fortunate to be sited in a beautiful natural environment, and Mayor Tyer has encouraged the development of our parks and recreation opportunities for all ages. The city is endowed with remarkable arts and entertainment. and a plentiful supply of affordable housing that should be a major attraction for job seekers to make their homes with us.
Several critics of the mayor have complained about taxes, but have made no proposals to reduce them. Serious tax cuts would require drastic cuts to education, public utilities, and infrastructure that no responsible mayor could propose or enact.
Our city suffers many of the same problems shared by urban areas across the country. Pittsfield was devastated by GE's abandonment in the early '90s and continues to cope with the severe socioeconomic effects of that loss.
However, I believe that the hard work, vision and leadership of Mayor Linda Tyer is making progress toward a bright future. She deserves our votes.
Mary K. O'Brien, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Mazzeo disconnected on crime issue”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 20, 2019
To the editor:
Up until very recently, I was undecided on the Pittsfield mayoral election. I did my best to keep up with each candidate, did my own research, and reached out to them when I felt I needed more specificity on the hot topics.
As an example, I reached out to Melissa Mazzeo via Facebook asking for details on how she will tackle crime, as this is the topic she seems to be attempting to capitalize on. She responded by asking me to direct message her my e-mail address and she would provide me with my request. I gave her my e-mall as requested, and to date, I have not received a message with the specifics I originally asked for. This leads me to believe that she is unresponsive to her constituency, does not have a plan to address crime but is using this subject to pander to voters — or a combination.
Shortly after providing Mazzeo with my contact information, I received a mailer from Mayor Tyer that outlined her efforts around creating safer neighborhoods. I'm impressed. The only relevant statement candidate Mazzeo has said regarding public safety was during a debate in which she explicitly stated we do not need more resources but needed to work with what we've got. I was astonished. I'm further confused to see that Pittsfield voters who are truly concerned about crime would support such a platform.
It seems that Mazzeo, who touts her 10 years of service as a city councilor, is quite disconnected since she cited the city should be modeling a NYC police program and additionally, partner with the \state police and Berkshire County sheriff's office — all of which are already happening. Mazzeo has stated several times she wants to have conversations and sit down with city departments to know what's going on. My question is: where has she been for the last 10 years as a councilor? Seems she would have easy access to doing this all along.
I'm glad that I paid close attention to this race and to the candidates' positions on topics important to our community. There is still work to be done in our city, no doubt. But I am happy to see that we have a mayor who is working hard at addressing crime, which would be difficult to manage no matter who is elected to that seat. My family and I arelooking forward to voting for Mayor Linda Tyer in November to continue the good work happening for our community.
Jay Goodrich, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Successful mayor earns a second term”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 20, 2019
To the editor:
I have worked collaboratively with Mayor Linda Tyer for well over a decade on many initiatives as an elected official and as an appointed member of several commissions. She has worked hard to address the challenges our city faces and to prepare the city for tomorrow.
Mayor Tyer has advocated for a budget that is fiscally responsible while maintaining the integrity of our city. She has increased the number of police, hired a permanent fire chief, and roads throughout the city have been paved and repaired. These changes will benefit our city for years to come. She continues the work to bring businesses to the Berkshire Innovation Center in the Stanley Business Park which supports our existing businesses and drives new business growth.
The Wayfair call center located on South Church Street is a welcome addition for the city of Pittsfield. Yes, Niraj Shah is from Pittsfield, but he had to be embraced by the mayor, elected officials, and others to make it a practical and financially sound decision for him to come to Pittsfield. It happened.
As co-chair of the School Building Needs Commission I know Mayor Tyer has been supportive of the Pittsfield Public Schools. She supports improving the infrastructure in our schools, works well with school personnel, and is an active member of the School Committee. As a trustee of the Berkshire Athenaeum, I know Mayor Tyer is a big supporter. She has financially supported the Athenaeum, reinforced the branding initiative, and has attended events sponsored by the Athenaeum.
For these reasons, and more, I will be voting for Linda Tyer for mayor on Nov. 5. Please join me.
Kathleen Amuso, Pittsfield
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Race for mayor
Linda Tyer: “Transforming the way we develop business in city”
By Linda Tyer, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, October 19, 2019
Pittsfield — When it comes to jobs and the economy, Pittsfield is in a much stronger position today than it was four years ago. When I took office, everyone in the economic development business was well-meaning, but the process was confusing and ineffective. There were too many silos, not enough alignment, and worst of all, business leaders were given the classic run-around when they sought assistance.
To solve this long-standing problem, I transformed the way we develop business in Pittsfield. The city joined forces with the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority and the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation to align and streamline activities for advancing economic growth. We formed the "Red Carpet Team" and hired a Business Development Manager. The Red Carpet Team, composed of local and state economic development professionals, including 1Berkshire and the MassHire Workforce Board and Career Center, comes together in one setting, giving a business leader an undivided audience to hear their future plans. A package of incentives is uniquely tailored to support that particular business. The Red Carpet Team has hosted 14 businesses in industries such as advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, e-commerce, and technology. Eight of those 14 sessions were with local existing businesses.
The most prominent Red Carpet Team success story is welcoming Wayfair, a Fortune 500 e-commerce company, to Pittsfield. Along with 300 new jobs, nearly $5 million was invested in a previously vacant space. City resources have helped start up small businesses like Green Apple Linens and downtown retail shops like Township Four and Omega 1 African Fashions. Twenty-three businesses have received assistance. More than 400 new jobs have been created.
When the Berkshire Innovation Center was floundering, committed people from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, my office, PEDA, and Berkshire business leaders pulled together creative solutions bringing the Berkshire Innovation Center to life at the William Stanley Business Park. World-class R&D facilities and equipment, interactive training and conferencing facilities, shared access to advanced technology for local manufacturers exist at the Berkshire Innovation Center. Discussions with their first potential tenant, Electro Magnetic Applications and their space environment testing facility, are underway.
HOUSING IS CRITICAL
Melissa Mazzeo says she's for business development and job retention and creation but her record tells a very different story. She said "NO" to creating 29 jobs at Ice River Springs, "NO" to retail at the William Stanley Business Park, "NO" to keeping the Beacon Cinema open, and "NO" to saving 25 jobs at Covanta.
Sustained economic success also requires attention to other community factors including investing in housing development and home improvements, combating crime, strengthening public schools, demolishing blighted properties, and bridging the elements of poverty.
Quality and diverse housing choices and strong neighborhoods are fundamental pre-requisites to growing our existing businesses and attracting new businesses and the work force our community and region need. Home builders, local housing experts, business owners, and realtors, understand that there is a correlation between housing and economic growth. Converting the iconic St. Mary's Church on Tyler Street into market rate rental housing for young professionals and active seniors represents a significant investment in the housing landscape. When it comes to lifting up neighborhoods, Melissa Mazzeo says "NO" to demolishing blighted structures and "NO" to home improvement programs.
To keep our energized economy moving forward we must focus on next steps. With the help of Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Sen. Adam Hinds, Pittsfield was awarded $75,000 in state funds to determine if the city should become a fiber optic internet service provider. Community wide access to fiber optics advances our economic competitiveness and meets broadband for decades to come.
This fall, Entrepreneurship For All (EforAll) opened a Berkshire chapter to accelerate the aspirations of 30 entrepreneurs annually giving "everyone the opportunity, resources, and support to turn their dream of starting a business into a reality." The city of Pittsfield is proud to be among many generous funding partners who have ensured that EforAll is here for our residents.
Niraj Shah, CEO and Co-Founder of Wayfair, summed up Pittsfield's recent economic position this way. When he left Pittsfield after high school the city was facing challenges. Today "there's just some exciting things going on. And you can see it. You can feel it."
This column on jobs and the economy is the first of three columns by Mayor Linda Tyer on issues facing Pittsfield.
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Race for mayor
Melissa Mazzeo: “Better business practices will benefit Pittsfield”
By Melissa Mazzeo, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, October 19, 2019
Pittsfield — As the next mayor of Pittsfield, I will focus on economic growth and expanding employment and training opportunities. The Brookings Institution published a report focusing on Old Industrial Cities (OICs) and what these cities are doing to thrive in a post-industrial world. I would like to offer three solutions as to how our own post-industrial city grows stronger when it comes to jobs and workforce training.
One thing essential to success in an OIC is the presence of strong existing businesses. In Berkshire County, small businesses make up 90 percent of businesses in the region. These businesses must be supported by all means necessary. They are the backbone of our economic infrastructure and the key to our potential economic growth. However, these businesses have not been supported by this mayor and that must change. I come from a unique position as a candidate for mayor. I am part of a family that owns a thriving set of businesses. There is a brother and sisterhood of legacy business owners in the city that understands our ongoing struggles.
I cannot count the number of times owners of these businesses have asked, `Where is the red carpet for my business?' These small businesses are regularly dealing with permitting, zoning, outdated regulations, and bureaucratic red tape. What can we do about it? Solution One: Begin by creating a Small Business Advisory Council where we address these unfriendly business practices. In so doing, we can both understand their greatest challenges and how our city can support their success. I have watched for decades as these businesses support our non-profit charities and fund our kids' sports teams. I want to demonstrate to them the same kind of commitment they've demonstrated for generations. In other words, creating a Red Carpet experience for those businesses who have deserved better.
A second solution that I have intersects workforce training and the GE Economic Development Fund. Our community has been plagued for years with the question of training and workforce development and our labor statistics speak to this. We have nearly as many jobs open as we do people out of work. The disconnect is that these unemployed workers are not trained to take those open jobs. We need to expand and grow our apprenticeship programs to feed businesses high quality employees.
IDENTIFY WORKFORCE NEEDS
I look at the recent Toyota program spearheaded by George Haddad as an amazing example. In speaking with George, I am excited to create more of these programs with funding resources including large corporate entities such as Toyota. By identifying the workforce needs in our areas and creating training opportunities for those positions, we will not only be growing Pittsfield businesses, but also be retaining our population.
In order for our small businesses to grow and build their workforce they need our support and a mayor who will listen and pay attention to their needs.
This also speaks to our need to use GE Economic Development money for the best of all purposes — training workers. The idea of using the GE Fund to this end is truly exciting to me because it is in complete alignment with how the fund should be used. This is of particular importance in light of the mayor's recent attempts to use it for home improvements as part of a chaotic and ill-advised plan.
A third solution I'd like to offer is connected to a growing and undeniable multi-decade trend — people who work remotely from their company or because they are a freelancer. In other words, they can live anywhere because they are not required to be in an office everyday. The statistics are staggering...most U.S. workers will be freelancers by 2027 and, according to Forbes, 50 percent of the current workforce will soon be working some number of days every week remotely. There are growing numbers right here in Pittsfield. Unfortunately, because of a lack of fiber optics and high-speed internet connectivity, we are losing out to other communities. Great Barrington and others in South County (as noted in a Berkshire Eagle article only last year) have this capacity and are in a much better position for the future work environment.
My solution: Rather than potentially investing in the city becoming its own provider as suggested by the mayor, I would rather work with our delegation to simply map out how Pittsfield can access fiber optic solutions. This was a campaign promise made some eight years ago by a candidate for state representative and we are still waiting.
I am determined to deliver this vitally important service to Pittsfield along with my plan for a Small Business Advisory Council and a critically needed Workforce Training Program using GE Economic Development Funds. I can't wait to get started.
This column on jobs and the economy is the first of three columns by mayoral candidate Melissa Mazzeo on issues facing Pittsfield.
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Letter: “Tyer has advanced successful new approaches”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 21, 2019
To the editor:
National issues such as substance abuse, homelessness, crime, education and the economy have trickled down to local communities along with the current divisive political climate. Fear of change, denial of facts and lack of knowledge permeates many of these political perspectives. Our mayor, Linda Tyer, has fearlessly addressed these complex social issues.
Under Mayor Tyer's leadership, the economy is stabilized and the city has attracted new businesses and more jobs. She was a part of the team that built a state-of-the-art school that has progressive and competitive vocational and academic programs to prepare our students for higher education and the job market. Mayor Tyer participated in securing funds to establish a pilot program to attract new and diverse teachers. It has been shown that diverse educators have a positive impact on students of all backgrounds.
As a mentor, I have had the honor of seeing our city through the lens of students for whom life has been difficult. Some were labelled and seen as doomed because of their personal circumstances or behavioral challenges, much of which were the result from the social ills impacting our nation and city. These young people, many of color, experienced punitive and inequitable systems, but now many of them today, through dedicated guidance and an investment of resources, attend colleges and universities, while others are contributing citizens.
Our mayor has sat with some of these youth and leaders. She has embraced and identified best practices to address the trauma in their lives. We need a leader who takes this kind of initiative. One who is willing to listen and engage with all people in the community. Throughout Mayor Tyer's four years of service, she has proven herself to be that leader.
You can be an innovator and a leader from wherever you sit or stand or an obstructionist to prevent implementation of new and proven practices. Clearly, the old approaches have failed. Mayor Tyer embraces new thoughts such as restorative justice that teaches our youth to take responsibility for their behavior and resolve conflict. Research shows that punitive responses that criminalize our youth have not resulted in the change sought. What it does achieve, however, is an expansion of the school-to-prison pipeline, a dehumanizing system of mass incarceration.
Linda Tyer will continue to implement initiatives that create a unified, diverse and compassionate Pittsfield. She will continue to aggressively address issues to ensure we, the citizens of Pittsfield, live in a safe, growing and thriving city. On Nov. 5, please join me in voting for Linda Tyer, a mayor for all people.
Shirley Edgerton, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Questions remain about teacher lawsuit”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 21, 2019
To the editor:
I have many questions about the lawsuit involving a Pittsfield school principal and a teacher. ("Jury sides with district in Pittsfield teacher's suit claiming whistleblower retaliation," Eagle, Oct. 17.) Where were the two Capeless Elementary School iPad minis? Where are they now? Why did the administration question the teacher and involuntarily transfer her because she was questioned by tech support people and told them to ask the principal? It makes no sense to punish her for asking a question that we will don't have answers to.
Our children are the only losers her.
Claire M. Smith, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Facebook comparison tips voter to Mazzeo”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 21, 2019
To the editor:
I was undecided on who to vote for as mayor of Pittsfield. I checked out Melissa Mazzeo's Facebook page. I checked out Linda Tyer's Facebook page. I noticed the comments on Tyer's were mostly in agreement with her views. Mazzeo's Facebook comments had more back and forth discussion.
Then I saw and later experienced something alarming. People in disagreement with Tyer's posts were getting blocked. I want a mayor who is open to all discussions. Based on the behavior on Facebook alone I am voting Mazzeo.
Alicia Gomez, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Lampiasi will stand up for ward”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 21, 2019
To the editor:
Dina Gruiel Lampiasi immediately impressed me when she approached me for information about the West Side. She is running for Ward 6 city councilor.
I have lived in the Ward 6 area for almost my entire life. Dina wanted to learn as much as possible regarding the needs of the Westside. It's the needs she is intent on, and there are many, along with the progress the residents hope to accomplish.
Her eagerness to learn and to become a part of the concerns for the residents is what we need. She has a willingness to fight for us, whether it is for safety, aesthetics, production, or working for the quality of life we all deserve.
Please cast your vote for Dina Gruiel Lampiasi for councilor of Ward 6 on Nov. 5. We've waited a long time for someone like her to be our strength.
Barbara A. Bizzi, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Of course, Helen Moon”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 21, 2019
To the editor:
Some people may ask "Why Helen Moon, but I say, "Of course Helen Moon, she makes a difference."
I'm grateful that she represents Ward 1 on the City Council. She is a champion of many causes, works hard, and can be seen throughout the city diligently doing her job. Helen Moon is a visionary, strong leader, fierce advocate, committed to her constituents, and our city. Her youthfulness brings an important perspective to the City Council and she is ready to continue to move Pittsfield forward.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "the time is always right to do what is right." Helen Moon is a needed voice to advocate for what is right.
Vote for Helen Moon Ward 1 Pittsfield City Council.
Cassandra Pugh, Pittsfield
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Seven candidates running for six seats on the Pittsfield School Committee attended a forum Monday at Berkshire Community College's new Connector Building. The candidates are, from left, Bill Cameron, Kathy Yon, Dennis Powell, Alison McGee, Dan Elias, Tom Perrea and Mark Brazeau. credit: Gillian Jones - The Berkshire Eagle
“Contenders make case for Pittsfield School Committee”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, October 21, 2019
Pittsfield — From declining enrollment to staff retention and facilities issues, the district has serious decisions on its plate.
As it faces them in the years ahead, they'll do so with the support of six of the seven School Committee candidates who participated in a Monday debate in Berkshire Community College's Connector Building. Voters will be asked to choose their top six among the choices during the city election on Nov. 5.
The choices include Bill Cameron, an incumbent member of the committee and a longtime local administrator; Kathy Yon, a 10-year committee member and current chairwoman; Dennis Powell, an incumbent School Committee member who also serves as president of the Berkshire County Branch of the NAACP; Alison McGee, a sixth grade special education teacher at Monument Valley Regional Middle School; Dan Elias, a longtime School Committee member and athletic coach; Tom Perrea, a retired financial advisor who previously served on the School Committee; and Mark Brazeau, a parent who would like to see more life skills taught in city classrooms.
The debate was sponsored by BCC, the Pittsfield Gazette and Pittsfield Community Television, which televised the event. Shawn Serre, the executive director for PCTV, moderated the event.
Serre tossed hard-hitting questions throughout the evening, touching on topics like the push to consolidate the county's districts into one, student retention issues surrounding school choice and the recent expansion of the district's alternative education program.
Brazeau said the county's school leaders should join to form a steering committee as a way to tackle educational issues from a united front.
Cameron, chairman of the Berkshire County Education Task Force, said school consolidation could not be achieved without first clearing serious political hurdles. Still, he said "it's the only way" that the county can provide high-quality education to students down the road.
"This is a long-term aspirational goal," he said.
To that last point, Yon agreed.
"I think it's going to take a long time for Berkshire County to get there," she said, suggesting the neighboring districts start first with shared services. "I think you have to begin slowly."
Elias said he didn't think consolidating into one countywide district is a feasible option, but "we might not have a choice at some point."
Serre asked what candidates think should be done to address the district losing students to school choice.
Powell said the city has to address that issue by retaining quality in the classrooms, and that comes through wages. Elias, too, said the city needs to spend more for educational salaries. Pittsfield previously had gained middle ground when it came to comparative salaries, but he said "we've regressed, now."
McGee said the district should also work to educate families about the benefits of placing higher-achieving students in diverse districts, where they can share their talents with their peers.
Elias and Cameron said it's important to debunk misconceptions about what is happening within the city's schools. "The open houses are a good step," Elias said.
Another way to battle the perception of Pittsfield schools as disorderly would be to launch a baccalaureate program in the city's high schools, Cameron said.
McGee said it would benefit the whole community to enhance the district's after-school offerings.
"Children with unstructured time will get unruly," she said.
Most agreed that the city should continue to maintain its own school bus fleet rather than contract out for those services. Perrea said that the committee studied the issue when he served on it previously and all the information pointed to keeping the fleet.
"If we could save money, perhaps we should privatize. I don't think that would be the case, though," he said.
Brazeau said, too, that retaining the fleet means keeping city jobs. He said he'd also like to see the city create more fleet-related jobs by hiring monitors for every school bus.
In response to a question about the alternative education program expansion, Yon said the alternative education expansion was a good investment. She said these programs serve students who might need to learn in different ways.
In an alternative setting, she said, "You're able to vary your schedule, you're able to deal with more individualized learning."
McGee said she, too, is a fan of alternative education, though she stressed the importance of hiring the right people to staff it, and in providing structured goals for its students.
Powell said alternative education serves an important role in the district, but he is also keen on keeping a close eye on the equality of the situation.
"I also want to make sure that the quality of education that students who are sent into this alternative arena is the same that students are getting in public schools," he said.
All agreed that there needs to be more diversity among the city's teaching staff.
Powell said involving more staff in the hiring process beyond the principal is the key to addressing the issue.
"Right now teachers are hired solely by principals, period ," he said. "Until we can change that scenario it's going to be very difficult to have true diversity."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “Tyer's action steers Pittsfield in right direction”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 22, 2019
To the editor:
I have been patiently watching the mayoral debates.
While I know our city (like many others) has its challenges, I admire how Mayor Linda Tyer listens to residents and takes direct action to overcome them. Whether it is supporting resident leadership through initiatives like Working Cities, taking action to reclaim abandoned properties, or bringing new business to our community, I've seen her plans play out.
What I cannot understand is why someone who wants to be our mayor speaks so ill of our community the way Melissa Mazzeo does. I grew up in Pittsfield. I chose to buy my home here. I chose to raise my child here. I participate in my community to make it better.
Have you seen the Tyler Street Lab or the Riverway Park? We have so many wonderful assets here and I see Mayor Tyer basing her plans on the strengths of those assets. She has a plan that she has articulated and executed over the last four years and I look forward to seeing what she will bring to the next four years.
Mayor Linda Tyer has my vote on Nov. 5 and I hope she has yours.
Erin Laundry, Pittsfield
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Melissa Mazzeo | “An overdue program to make Pittsfield safe”
By Melissa Mazzeo, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, October 22, 2019
Pittsfield — Are you safer than you were four years ago? It's a question that has resonated with many individuals and families as I've gone door-to-door. I am particularly struck by seniors that I speak to. They talk openly about their fear of walking in broad daylight through their neighborhoods. It's the same thing I hear from moms and dads worried about their kids walking to school or a young professional who questions why they moved to Pittsfield when they read the headlines in the local paper.
Crime is the biggest issue in this mayoral race and it should be. In 2016, Pittsfield was ranked the ninth-most dangerous city in Massachusetts — which in itself is unacceptable — but today we are now ranked the fifth-most dangerous city in the state according to FBI statistics. So many of us gathered four years ago to learn what our mayoral candidates would pledge in reducing crime, and then-candidate Tyer made claims that felt right and felt believable because it was said with such conviction and such authority. By attacking the then-mayor on his "ineffective" stance on crime, candidate Tyer certainly seemed credible in her claims — she would take care of us. And yet she didn't have a plan; she was personal friends with Pittsfield's chief of police, so what action would she really take? She also grew to have another close personal relationship with the current district attorney, whom she endorsed, which is now proving problematic for the city.
Mayor Tyer has had four years to make a difference and although crime has only risen in Pittsfield, she somehow rather incredibly boasts of her crime-fighting record. She claims to have hired a record number of officers and opened the West Side Community Center. While Tyer did hire officers (many of those slots created by the prior administration), the Pittsfield Police Department has only had a net gain of six officers over four years due to retirements, resignations and promotions. Tyer's two greatest crime-fighting achievements have not had any impact and she is often simply silent about an issue so debilitating to our city. Even more alarming, the mayor is currently pledging she will NOW be tough on crime. Really? Where has she been for the past four years?
True hot-spot policing
Enough about what has been promised and not delivered. As your mayor, on the day I enter office I will sit down with Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn to do what I cannot as a city councilor: work directly with the chief to establish true hot-spot policing. That means using our existing resources to make certain that neighborhoods experiencing spikes in crime see their streets heavily protected by our talented police force. Using patrol-allocation plans with the officers that we have will enable us to tackle this spike in crime. And until we are able to hire more police officers, we need to use the most effective policing methods possible.
For me this is one more failing of this administration. We desperately need to expedite the hiring of more police and yet that, too, has been stymied. I will work from day one to streamline hiring so Pittsfield can finally have the number of police officers we need on the streets. In addition, I pledge to reach out to all community resources to join the city's efforts to combat crime during this time of crisis. In a Mazzeo administration, I will schedule regular and consistent monthly meetings with ALL local enforcement to audit what efforts are effective and what additional resources are needed going forward.
Lastly, I believe that it is critically important to speak to the work that must be done day-in and day-out. Many of us have questioned where our mayor has been for most of the four years she has been in office and crime represents the perfect example of an issue that was put to the side. How can that happen? How can the safety of our residents, young and old, just be put to the side like a book you're no longer interested in reading? I cannot — I will not — hear one more story of a resident who feels as though they are in harm's way, like the veteran who went to war defending this country, but who hesitates to go out his door in fear of safety.
Are we really going to tolerate this for another four years? The office of the mayor is one that requires an individual who is unquestionably devoted to our residents by working every day with one goal in mind: to make our city safe so all of our businesses, all of our schools and all of our kids and families can thrive.
I respectfully ask for your vote on Nov. 5. [2019].
This column on crime is the second of three columns by mayoral candidate Melissa Mazzeo on issues facing Pittsfield.
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Linda Tyer | “Continue aggressive fight to combat crime in city”
By Linda Tyer, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, October 22, 2019
Pittsfield — Melissa Mazzeo wants to reduce the number of cops on our streets. I believe a larger police presence in our neighborhoods is vital for keeping us safe. When I took office in January 2016, there were 75 police officers patrolling our streets. Today, there are 85. In my next term I will hire 10 more. Crime and its impact on our safety is my number one priority. Our families, schools, seniors, young professionals and business leaders deserve action and I am confronting it head on.
First and foremost, I stand firmly alongside the outstanding, highly trained men and women of the Pittsfield Police Department. I am in awe of the courage, professionalism and compassion our police officers demonstrate every single day. I firmly believe that the mayor's job is to provide police officers with the personnel, training, technology and equipment that supports their prevention, response and investigation of crime.
Combating crime demands a bold, multifaceted approach. In addition to hiring more police officers, we brought ShotSpotter technology to our city. With ShotSpotter deployed in high-crime areas, police have made arrests, seized guns and collected almost 300 pieces of evidence that can be used to prosecute crimes. The Massachusetts State Police created the Community Action Team, dramatically increasing the amount of patrol time State Police can provide to Pittsfield. Successful joint law enforcement operations between the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office, the Berkshire County Drug Task Force and the Pittsfield Police Department give us a substantial advantage in combating criminal activity. Last year, when residents spoke out and demanded more police presence in the West Side, I listened. With our partners at Habitat for Humanity and Working Cities, we opened a West Side Community Outreach Post. Brave neighborhood leaders, trained by the Pittsfield Police Department, are working together to build a bridge between residents and police.
A voice for citizens
To strengthen these powerful relationships and to expand the fight against drug trafficking and gun violence, the Pittsfield Police Department is taking the lead in applying for a federal Department of Justice designation that would bring federal law enforcement personnel, funding, and resources to the Berkshires. Pittsfield was joined by other Berkshire County police departments to write a comprehensive, compelling application. In May, we submitted a School Violence Prevention grant application to the federal Department of Justice. U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren all provided strong letters of support.
In addition to these aggressive measures, we created a citizens review and advisory board to ensure our citizens have a voice in guiding the police chief on policies and regulations. The board has the power to review internal affairs investigations and provide valuable feedback. Police responses to domestic violence or mental health calls are enhanced by a Brien Center clinician who provides care to citizens in their time of crisis and a Pittsfield police sergeant serves as a liaison to the Elizabeth Freeman Center. Implicit bias training and adding fluency in three spoken languages as well as American Sign Language improves a police officer's ability to communicate with and expertly address issues that arise in our diverse communities.
Creating jobs and lifting up neighborhoods are an essential aspect of keeping our community safe. Working closely with business leaders, we have created more than 400 new jobs in the past four years. Demolishing vacant properties, investing in home improvements, encouraging the emergence of neighborhood leaders, sprucing up outdoor spaces, bridging the elements of poverty and medically treating substance-use disorders all contribute to a comprehensive plan to keep neighborhoods safe. I am grateful that our private partners share our vision for building a stronger, safer city.
This work has made a meaningful impact, but there is still much more to be done. I simply cannot imagine doing any less than this. Melissa Mazzeo's only plan involves a risky proposal of deploying fewer cops. Fighting crime is not just a convenient, politically expedient election-year issue. It takes tenacity day in and day out to create a safer community. My record is proof that you can count on me to keep fighting for you.
This column on crime is the second of three columns by Mayor Linda Tyer on issues facing Pittsfield.
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Seven of the eight candidates running for the four councilor at large seats are, from left, Peter White, Peter Marchetti, Auron Stark, Alexander Blumin, Yuki Cohen, Earl Persip and Jay Hamling. Richard Latura also will be on the ballot, but was not present at the debate. credit: Gillian Jones - The Berkshire Eagle
“Public services, infrastructure top issues at Pittsfield councilor at large debate”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, October 22, 2019
Pittsfield — From potholes to pitfalls, candidates for at large seats on the City Council waded into Pittsfield issues during a Monday debate.
Seven candidates participated in the debate at Berkshire Community College, but only four will win spots on the City Council during the Nov. 5 election.
At large candidates at the debate included incumbent councilors Peter Marchetti, Pete White and Earl Persip III, as well as local property owner Alex Blumin, Uncorked manager Auron Stark, Methuselah owner and financial adviser Yuki Cohen, and Jay Hamling, a nurse and city native who said he wants to help Pittsfield succeed.
An eighth candidate, Richard Latura, will appear on the ballot but was not present at the debate.
Shawn Serre, executive director for Pittsfield Community Television, moderated the event, which was also sponsored by BCC and the Pittsfield Gazette.
Notably absent from the discussion — driven by questions selected by the candidates randomly — was crime in the city, though Hamling referred to the issue of the day during his opening remarks.
He said he was taken aback on Monday to learn a BB gun had made its way into Pittsfield High School. He said he was happy to hear the weapon had been located before anyone was hurt, but still as a parent, he was concerned.
In response to a question about school consolidation in the face of declining enrollment, several candidates urged further consideration.
The city struggles to keep up with maintenance on its 12 school buildings, Persip said. Studying the issue further has been talked about for years, he said. "This is the time to do that."
Hamling said he would not want to see educators laid off in the event of a school consolidation, and White agreed, adding that he'd also not like to see class sizes increase.
Serre asked candidates where they stood on the $61.4 million wastewater treatment plant overhaul
Marchetti said the answer was an easy one, "even though it's a pretty crappy conversation."
"No pun intended," he said, smiling in response to laughs from the crowd.
The project was an inevitability that was allowed to fester for a decade, with the price tag inflating each year, he said.
"The discouraging part for me is that it sat on someone's shelf for a decade," he said.
Stark said the issue speaks to the city's need to deal with things more promptly.
"We waited, waited, waited and then the costs skyrocketed," Persip said, pointing to the city's aging school buildings as another issue that could end up the same way.
"Voting now because you don't want to spend money — it's not the way to do things," he said. "Take the hard votes. Do the homework and research."
But Blumin said he disagreed, saying the city's lack of a specialized wastewater engineer disqualifies it from properly assessing the path forward. The city should have listened to Craig Gaetani's alternative proposal, he said. Gaetani lost a recent primary bid for the Ward 6 council seat.
Serre said the mayor's administration and the council spent considerable time on revising its trash pickup policies in recent years, but very little progress was made. He asked what the candidates thought should be done.
Cohen said the city should pursue any plan that helps the city increase recycling, improve quality of life, increase efficiency and reduce cost.
The city's low 11 percent recycling rate is "unacceptable," Persip said. Meantime, costs continue to rise. "We need to work for a solution that works for most of the residents," he said.
Perhaps the city could pursue incentives that encourage recycling and reduce disposal costs for the city, Hamling said, like free pickup for one large item per year for residents who are able to increase their recycling.
"It's an equity issue," Marchetti said. "If you throw out one bag of garbage, why should you be subsidizing the person who throws out 13 bags of garbage."
The road ahead
Regarding recent outcry over the state of the city's roads, White said the city is doing a decent job, but conceded "we need to do more." The issue rose to the forefront this year because it was a tough spring for potholes, he said, "and we couldn't get out there as fast as we should."
It was a rainy spring, Marchetti said. "You can't fill potholes in the pouring rain," he said.
More dire is the long list of residents who pay the same taxes but who don't receive the same services because they live on unaccepted streets, Marchetti said.
But Stark said he sees the city fill the same potholes over and over again. "There's something that's not working," he said, noting excessive salt use could be the culprit.
To that point, Serre asked candidates if the snow and ice budget is sufficiently funded and if the roads are plowed effectively during the winter.
Blumin said spending for wintertime maintenance is "just one drop," when compared with the School Department budget, which takes up the largest single chunk of the city's overall budget. He said residents should demand a shift of funds from city schools to road repair and maintenance.
Stark said he would cut back on the city's salt spending, and spend more instead on community development.
"We should be funding into things that would generate money for the city," he said.
Marchetti said he would ideally set aside funds for the creation of a new department to address the root causes of crime — drugs, poverty and mental health issues.
Serre pointed to the mayor's fizzled proposal to implement a plan that would have given zero-interest loans to homeowners to spruce up the exterior of their homes. "Where do you stand and why?" he asked.
Blumin said he disagreed with using taxpayers money to rehabilitate private property.
"It is obligation of landlord to improve his property," he said.
But housing looks dire in some areas of the city, Cohen said, so the plan was "not a bad idea." She said the plan could improve the tax base and also lend a hand to families.
"Once you improve the value of a home, that's an asset that you can pass on to the next generation," she said.
Persip, who voted in favor of the mayor's proposal, said "It's the kind of outside-the-box thinking that Pittsfield needs." The city's housing stock is in desperate need of improvement, he said.
"A city is only as strong as its weakest link," White said. "We need to make sure that we shore up all weak links."
Amanda Drane can be reached at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
What's next ...
The Berkshire County Branch of the NAACP will host a mayoral debate between Mayor Linda Tyer and City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo at 6 p.m. Wednesday [10/23/2019] at Conte Community School, 200 West Union St. Will Singleton, former NAACP Berkshire County branch president, will moderate. Attendees will be able to submit questions on index cards.
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/61040/Pittsfield-at-Large-City-Councilor-Candidates-Answer-Questions-.html
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Letter: “Vote Tyer to keep wheels of change rolling”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 23, 2019
To the editor:
The feel of today's City Hall is refreshingly optimistic about the future, filled with diverse professionals that are about more than a simple vision statement. Truthfully, who doesn't want safe streets, good schools, happy teachers and a thriving business community?
This administration has shown they all share the responsibility to make that vision happen. Do the hard work to build a stronger Pittsfield with long-term planning and economic development that will enable us to brighten our streets, hire new police officers, and expand police presence in our neighborhoods. Securing new tax revenue and millions of dollars of investment in order to lower taxes, fix sidewalks, pave roads and attract new businesses.
This professionalism and optimism has been keeping the wheels of change, growth and advancement in full motion for the past four years. We have seen so many improvements — in the small things like special events applications, and big things like working with local community groups and state officials on the Tyler Street Revitalization.
A mayor's work is never done.
Let's give this administration four more years.
Vote Linda Tyer for mayor on Nov. 5. [2019].
Suzanne Engels, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Connell dedicated to both ward, city”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 23, 2019
To the editor:
I am writing this letter to express my thoughts regarding Chris Connell being re-elected for Ward 4 city councilor.
I moved to the Berkshires from New York 12 years ago and Chris was the first friend I made in the region. Chris went out of his way to welcome me to the area and long before he entered politics Chris showed me that he is one of the most thoughtful and genuine people you will ever meet.
He has given me business and personal advice that have been filled with wisdom and helped me on many levels. And I have watched Chris provide the same type of wisdom and assistance to the city of Pittsfield since he was first elected in 2012.
His accomplishments as councilor are numerous, but I was very impressed when Chris initiated Pittsfield having a sale of properties in tax arrears that has brought over $3 million in revenues for the city since 2015. Chris has extensive business experience and knows how to bring needed dollars back to Pittsfield. Just recently, he was able to obtain a payout to the city from Eversource in the amount of $50,000 toward the repaving of Doreen Street in Ward 4 due to their heavy truck traffic over the span of two years because they were working on the transmission lines accessed at the end of Doreen Street. I have repeatedly witnessed Chris taking calls from Ward 4 constituents who have questions or concerns. He listens with intent and follows up to help them.
It is always tempting to make a change and bring in a new person to fill a political position. I believe that this would be a mistake for our city. Chris has experience in understanding the challenges in our city and a proven track record of serving Pittsfield with intelligence, vision, and a deep concern for the well-being for all in our community.
Mike Eitelberg, Pittsfield
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"Space chamber incentives win unanimous support from Pittsfield City Council"
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, October 22, 2019
Pittsfield — For those behind an electromagnetic services company with eyes toward a space hub in Pittsfield, city incentives were mission critical.
On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously approved about $206,000 in financial incentives for Electro Magnetic Applications, or EMA. The company plans to place an aerospace testing facility at the Berkshire Innovation Center, which is scheduled to open in January.
In the package approved by councilors, Mayor Linda Tyer proposed spending $140,000 from the city's Economic Development Fund to subsidize an initial $600,000 investment by the Colorado-based company.
Justin McKennon, principal scientist for EMA, moved to Pittsfield for a job at General Dynamics and has lived here with his wife since 2013. He said Pittsfield seemed like "an ideal location."
EMA leaders and city officials have said the testing facility would draw in teams of people from leading aerospace developers, like NASA, the U.S. Air Force and SpaceX. They also have said EMA could serve as a foundation to a space industry hub in Pittsfield.
"I think this is the type of company we really want to recruit here," said Michael Coakley, the city's business development manager.
Tim McDonald, EMA's president and chief scientist, told councilors his company has been doing work in the field since the Cold War, when a discharge event killed soldiers. EMA scientists were called in to investigate the cause, he told them.
He said the planned Pittsfield facility would allow the company "to test like you'd fly."
"We have to, in a vacuum chamber, create the same conditions that we have in space," he said.
In response to questions from Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi about whether EMA had the support of BIC leaders, Executive Director Ben Sosne said it does.
"Not only am I comfortable, I'm excited," he said of EMA's future home at the innovation center.
Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo praised EMA leaders for answering questions raised about lab safety and about the company's finances.
"I hope that this is a long partnership," she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Sparks fly between Pittsfield's mayoral candidates at NAACP debate”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, October 23, 2019
Pittsfield — The city's mayoral candidates warred over words at times during a Wednesday debate, but in the end, still smiled and shook each other's hands.
Mayor Linda Tyer and her challenger, Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, are less than two weeks away from the Nov. 5 election, during which voters will make their selection.
The debate was sponsored by the Berkshire County branch of the NAACP and moderated by its past president, Will Singleton. About 200 people packed the gymnasium of Conte Community School for the event.
From race to restorative justice, crime and economic development, the candidates hit a number of hot-button issues throughout the evening.
In her opening remarks, Tyer recalled a story that ran in CommonWealth Magazine focusing on a lack of racial diversity in Pittsfield leadership. In the 2014 story, she said Mazzeo defended former mayor Dan Bianchi's slow action.
The "embarrassing" article said four percent of the city's workforce was black, Hispanic or Asian, Tyer said, and that proportion has more than doubled under her leadership.
Tyer also knocked her opponent for not supporting a petition that would have mandated cultural competency training for city councilors.
Mazzeo harked back to her childhood during her own opening remarks, telling the audience that she was raised by a single mother who struggled to make ends meet. Still, "... everyone around me, especially my mom, said I had potential," she said.
Now, she said, she sees her role in Pittsfield as paying that faith forward.
In response to a question about crime, Tyer said "we need to hire more police officers and we're making great strides in that area." She also said the city recently completed a grant application that would draw federal resources into Pittsfield to address crime.
But Mazzeo said the city is heading in the wrong direction on this issue, citing recently released statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation that rank Pittsfield among the top five in violent crime rate.
"What is it that we're doing that's not working?" she asked, suggesting the city place more law enforcement officials in the neighborhoods with the most crime.
The candidates also went toe-to-toe on the issue of restorative justice. Singleton asked Mazzeo to elaborate on a comment she'd made during the previous mayoral debate, during which she said restorative justice reforms in the city have contributed to a "culture of leniency."
She said she understands the need for this reform, but "at the same time, when you do restorative justice, there's unintended consequences."
She said she doesn't want to see kids getting into trouble and their missteps "continually let go."
"They need comfort, they need guidance, but they also need to know that there's an expectation of them to be citizens," she continued.
Tyer said it seems to her that Mazzeo doesn't understand the tenets of these reforms.
"Restorative justice doesn't mean you get a pass," she said.
Under the model, she said children who wrong their peers are taught to listen to the victims of their actions. These new practices are coming to light because old models of discipline and punishment are not resulting in improvements, especially for students of color.
"This is the only way they're going to build resilience," she said.
Rising taxes are a concern for seniors on a fixed income, Singleton said. He asked what the candidates would do to address this issue.
Tyer's administration inherited a financial crisis, she said, and so she has worked to better manage the city's debt and save dollars through modernization, as with the city's conversion to LED streetlights.
Mazzeo said being a sound fiscal steward means accountability.
"Accountability is when you're taking the hard-earned dollars of your residents and you're using them for the items that they know that they need," she said.
It's not in allowing the sand and salt budget to go over by $2 million, Mazzeo said. And it's not forgiving $2.55 million in loans paid to Beacon Cinema.
Taking the issues downtown
Later in the debate, Mazzeo again referred to the Beacon Cinema issue, saying the fact that the city wrote off the private company's debt while other business owners are left to squirm leaves "a sour taste in their mouth."
To that, Tyer said "job creation is a competitive sport" and the city has to come to the table ready to negotiate. Seeing the cinema close would have dealt a blow to the downtown economy, she said.
"We could not afford to have that theater go dark," she said. "People love the Beacon Cinema; I'm glad we saved it."
They sparred, too, over the issue of small business and how friendly or unfriendly the city is with them.
Mazzeo said she would immediately convene a roundtable discussion with small-business owners. "We are not business-friendly," she said, citing one business, but not by name, that recently left North Street because the city wouldn't allow it to accept on-street deliveries.
"We have to stop holding them to these archaic ordinances that are outdated," she said.
But Tyer said the city has doled out grants and provided business coaching and mentoring.
Still, she said, "not every business can be saved."
And the downtown parking issue again reared its head, with Mazzeo saying she would immediately pause paid parking downtown and undergo a review of the plan's successes and failures. Tyer reminded the audience that Mazzeo voted for the plan in place and she approved spending for the kiosks.
"We haven't even finished paying off the kiosks that Councilor Mazzeo said we needed," Tyer said, though she does plan to reconvene the minds behind the original plan to review it.
Singleton trained a spotlight on the North Street of yore, calling the modern-day version a"ghost town."
"I'm wondering: Is there something that can be done that will increase the foot traffic on North Street?" he asked. "During the day."
Tyer said the city has to keep nurturing what it started downtown. She pointed to efforts like saving the Beacon, and to lines out the door at downtown eateries, Third Thursday events and First Friday Art Walks. "Our theaters are thriving," she added.
"I don't really think you answered the question," Mazzeo said when it was her turn.
She said the city has to loosen regulations downtown in order to get a diversity of shops, and it needs to help them thrive. She said the city has to stop thwarting the downtown economy like it did with outdoor dining. "We need to stop doing this to ourselves," she said.
Mazzeo made crime a pillar of her campaign, Tyer noted, yet she was not present during a neighborhood meeting last year following a rash of violent crime in the city's West Side.
"Where was your outrage a year ago?" she asked her opponent.
Mazzeo said that just because she wasn't able to attend that particular meeting doesn't mean she wasn't taking calls from constituents and having conversations about it at the time. She might not have shown up for the cameras, she said as an obvious slight against Tyer, but she was working on it.
Mazzeo said that Tyer had also made crime a pillar of her own campaign four years ago.
"You went crime, crime, crime. Every question that was asked of you, you went back to crime," Mazzeo said. "You deflect that I didn't come to one meting. I've been to many, many meetings."
She in turn asked Tyer why she hasn't shown up for any of the recent meetings about helping the local homeless population. Tyer said she can't know about them unless someone tells her.
Though sparks flew between them, they acknowledged everyone is passionate about moving the city forward.
Before they nodded, smiled and shook hands, Tyer said the debate successfully made clear the differences between them, and Mazzeo said the fiery debate stems from the passion they share for Pittsfield.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Letter: “Mazzeo will replace talk with action”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 24, 2019
To the editor:
I have watched or attended forums for the mayoral candidates. With the very troubling violent crimes currently plaguing Pittsfield, we're all listening closely to each candidate's ideas. When I heard Melissa Mazzeo, I thought it was 1,000 percent more compelling than what Mayor Tyer has had to say.
Melissa talked about accountability — essentially the buck stops with the mayor. The mayor is in charge and four years ago pledged to make a difference with crime. The only difference is that crime has gone up. I'm tired of hearing, "Let me be clear ... I hear your concerns." A mayor needs to do more than hear my concerns. Take action now.
I believe Melissa and I believe in Melissa. Vote Melissa Mazzeo on Nov. 5.
Teresa Caccaviello, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Former ward councilor backs Warren in Ward 1”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 25, 2019
To the editor:
I am writing this letter in support of Kenny Warren for Ward 1 City Council.
I can do this from two important perspectives. I was the former Ward 1 city councilor for six years. I know the responsibility and the importance of this position. Being a ward councilor requires total focus on the wishes of your constituents and listening to their comments. Also, Kenneth Warren has experience as an attorney, which has given him the understanding and capabilities of representing and carrying out the requests of his clients.
Mr. Warren is very familiar with the residents of Ward 1 and I urge you to vote for him as Ward 1 city councilor.
William B. Barry, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Will lower budget, fight special interests”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 25, 2019
To the editor:
My name is Alex Blumin. I emigrated legally from Ukraine in 1994. I am a conservative Republican and U.S. citizen. I support traditional family values. I am a father of two adult daughters. I have run my own rental business in Pittsfield since 2005.
Very often I see incompetence, confusion, violation of common sense and even Mass General Laws by city councilors. For example, the $2.4 million city loan forgiveness for Beacon Cinema entrepreneur Richard Stanley (as part of the agreement to sell the Beacon.) He received loans, grants, tax breaks and was given forgiveness as Mayor Tyer requested.
Property taxes keep going up. If elected as councilor at large, I would act to freeze or reduce property taxes.
I disagree with how the Human Rights Commission works. Twice recently, HRC chair Drew Herzig asked police officers to stay, preventing people from opposing his ideas.
Crime in Pittsfield has became unbearable. You simply can't walk at night and morning hours in downtown. Drugs, gangs, violence with people being shot and even killed. City councilors refuse to approve body cameras for police patrols.
The main reason I am running is that all real power in the city is in the hands of special interest groups who support each other: the School Department, Police Department, Fire Department and city administration. They propose their candidates for mayor and City Council. They create all policies and rules in the city. They increase the city budget by asking for more money and more benefits each year. The school budget has increased, and on top of that the schools got several more millions from Boston and instead of refunding residents they hired 19 more educators. The School Department budget should be reasonable with a minimum number of employees working there.
If elected I would work for all residents, not for special interest groups. If elected I would seek new sources for the city's budget, not just property taxes and grants/donations from Boston. The city could run its own for-profit schools for nursing, plumbing, electricians and so on.
Residents need real representation. People need a city councilor who would fight for taxpayers, not special interest groups. Vote for me for city councilor at large.
Alex Blumin, Pittsfield
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10/25/2019
Pittsfield politics is always totally predictable!
Every fiscal year, they raise municipal taxes by 5% in Pittsfield.
Pittsfield has hundreds of millions of dollars in debts.
The vested and special interests always win financially, while Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski family always loses financially.
PEDA is over 21 years old, and it is a polluted, vacant wasteland.
The Good Old Boys run the show!
A majority of voters don't bother to vote in the so-called "elections".
The lovely ladies (Linda & Melissa) are both progressive Democrats who answer to the same Democrat bosses.
Pittsfield public schools are overpriced and under-performing.
Over 650 students per academic year choice out of Pittsfield public schools to neighboring school districts.
Thousands of people have moved away from Pittsfield over the years due to all of the losses of living wage jobs in Pittsfield.
If you speak out against the political corruption in Pittsfield, you lose your job and get blacklisted from future employment opportunities.
Pittsfield is one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation.
Blogger Dan Valenti bitches and moans about Pittsfield politics, but the reality is that Pittsfield will never change! Things only get worse and worse in Pittsfield every year!
- Jonathan Melle
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Linda Tyer: “Proven advocate of education”
By Linda Tyer, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, October 26, 2019
Pittsfield — In the recent education debate, Melissa Mazzeo painted a highly unflattering and false picture of our cherished public schools. During her condemnation, she described our schools as being an utter catastrophe. Listening to her, I felt enormously sorry for our teachers who pour their hearts into every child regardless of ability or circumstances. For students and families, Melissa Mazzeo diminished their accomplishments and dreams.
Her record is proof that she doesn't value public education. Mazzeo has often voted in favor of funding cuts. She vigorously fights against competitive salaries and voted against local acceptance of a state law protecting school budgets from being underfunded. This attitude of disinvestment is dangerous at a time when Massachusetts is close to passing the Student Opportunity Act infusing public schools with unprecedented state funds.
In defending our schools, I do not mean that they can't be improved. To be better, we need to stop scapegoating and find real solutions. That's what I'm doing as your mayor.
I have supported enhanced curriculum for social emotional learning that some children did not acquire during their early development. Elementary students struggling with behavior or mental health illnesses now have a specialized therapeutic program where they receive individualized instruction and social emotional support. At the Eagle Education Academy, Pittsfield is rebuilding alternative education programs for middle and high school students.
While we strengthen the school experience for students with high needs, thousands of students excel academically, shine in the arts, achieve high marks in rigorous AP courses and exams, and compete in athletics. Our graduates attend prestigious colleges. Taconic High School's Career Technical Education programs are preparing students for successful careers in the trades. We must acknowledge these victories.
NEW DISCIPLINE MODEL
For the first time in 25 years, a new Code of Conduct, Character, and Support, emphasizing restorative justice, is replacing outdated models of discipline. Obsolete disciplinary models have left economically disadvantaged and students of color further behind in academic achievement, social emotional growth, and an overall sense of well-being and belonging. This month, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education convenes 600 educational professionals at its "Leading with Access and Equity" conference. Highlighted at the conference is Pittsfield's new Code of Conduct, Character, and Support.
The most serious challenge is the national teacher shortage which is projected to exceed 100,000 teachers by next year. The NEA concludes that "the shortage is driven by several critical factors, including the teacher pay gap, stress and demoralization, and a scarcity of effective professional development, training and mentoring."
Each year for the next three or four years, Pittsfield will see nearly 40 teachers retire. Teacher recruitment and retention has become front and center. This past summer, Pittsfield hosted students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities for a one week teaching and community immersion experience. Working closely with BCC and MCLA to develop incentives for high school graduates to enter into teacher training programs will create a pipeline of future teachers. Pittsfield's New Teacher Induction program is held up as a model around the state. Addressing Pittsfield's pay gap that exists among its Berkshire County neighbors is critical for retaining teachers. Local and state officials must explore new strategies to attract highly-qualified teachers such as student loan forgiveness and incentive pay for teaching in the most challenging settings. Understanding and monitoring student progress is an essential tool and Pittsfield participates in state mandated testing. However, self-imposed district level benchmark testing has accelerated creating distress for students and hindering teacher creativity.
School safety is an essential element for school community confidence. A school resource officer is assigned to our middle and high schools providing protection and nurturing strong relationships with students and teachers.
A good leader doesn't operate from a position of fear and impending doom. Rather, starting from a place of inspiration and optimism, a good leader understands reality and brings everyone forward with actions to secure a better future. As mayor, I actively participate with School Committee colleagues to build responsible budgets for relevant programs to enhance the school experience for teachers and students. When it comes to giving every child access to a high-quality public education, the difference could not be more clear.
While Melissa Mazzeo may have given up on our schools, I will fight each and every day on behalf of every child and family in Pittsfield.
This column on education is the third of three by Mayor Linda Tyer on issues facing Pittsfield.
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Melissa Mazzeo: “Stronger leader for schools”
By Melissa Mazzeo, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, October 26, 2019
Pittsfield — Throughout my campaign for mayor I have discussed concerns over schools and teachers. One issue that I have raised over and over is the shockingly high number of teachers who are leaving our district. Connected to the large loss of educators is that the city has nearly 70 provisional teachers, teachers who don't have formal teacher training, such as the practice of Universal Design for Learning, research based reading instruction, and math pedagogy to name a few. What's worse, and cited in a recent iBerkshires article, our provisional teachers are now also leaving in droves as well.
High churn rate of teachers — both credentialed and not — are affecting our already vulnerable children. This alone is affecting the quality of our schools where we have seen seven schools in corrective action plans with the state over the past four years.
The National Education Association completed a spotlight report on teacher recruitment. After examining the research available, the NEA concluded that much of the research shows that poor working conditions and lack of on-the-job training are the root cause of this situation [new teachers leaving the field of teaching]. Many districts offer incentives, professional development..., and increased salaries, but the reality is that the factors that determine whether a teacher remains in the profession is dictated by what happens at the school site.
Our teachers need to be treated like professionals. They need leaders to support them. They need leaders to ask, "How can I help you?" rather than burdening them by cutting special education staff, reducing the number of paraprofessionals, asking them to complete work that takes away from their time to plan and teach. To address the problem of retention and recruitment I will, as mayor, create a Cabinet of Teachers and Principals. The cabinet will meet monthly to discuss all matters facing schools on a day to day basis. I will use these discussions — these first-hand accounts — as a way to guide leadership in supporting the educators on the front lines.
CULTURE OF LENIENCY
Second, there is a need for the School Committee to be regular participants in the schools. witnessing how their votes and decisions are affecting educators and in turn children. In speaking with educators, I have heard frustrations about being asked to do work that takes away from their teaching while not getting critical special education and behavior support they need in the classroom. As mayor, we need to be listening and honoring what the people on the front lines are expressing. As your mayor I will do just that.
I also want to touch on the culture of leniency that we are seeing form in Pittsfield and Berkshire County under both new juvenile offender laws and the Berkshire district attorney. Let me be clear. I believe in reform. However, I also believe reform must be done carefully and can't be rolled out in a short or reckless time period. Without prosecutorial support, our teachers and police are being forced to deal with chronic disruptions and unsafe acts again and again. We can do better. We must support them.
Pittsfield Public Schools has talented educators and staff. As leaders we need to recognize that there is a greater need for support. We need to recognize that our educators within the school buildings know about what our children need as they spend the greatest amount of time in front of them.
As your mayor, just as when I was your city councilor, I will not forget that with every decision or proposal made, it affects you. "You" are the teachers, firemen, police officers, taxpayers and residents of the city we love. Shying away from issues because they are politically unpopular is not acceptable.
Linda Tyer can make claims about how I cut $200,000 from the school budget (which was a utility bill), the STRIVE program existing (it doesn't), or carpets replaced throughout Morningside (they weren't), but to be mayor means being honest, being accessible, and accepting that really hard issues exist. All of this is to say that I have held myself accountable and accessible to you with honesty, integrity and a tireless work ethic over these past ten years. That won't change when I become mayor.
I humbly ask for your vote on Nov. 5. [2019].
This column on education is the third of three by mayoral candidate Melissa Mazzeo on issues facing Pittsfield.
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Letter: “Mazzeo listens, does her homework”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 26, 2019
To the editor:
First, I would like to thank Melissa Mazzeo for doing such a terrific job as my city councilor for 10 years. I have voted for her each and every time. I find that her genuine nature, honesty and willingness to listen have always been her strength. I have not always agreed with her but I appreciate that she has always been truthful in conversations and takes my and other people's views into consideration, then proceeds to research the facts.
Melissa has my full support and vote on Nov. 5 for mayor of "my" city . I hope you will do the same. Please vote.
Michael Lefebvre, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Stick with Tyer's successful approach”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 26, 2019
To the editor:
I came home to the Berkshires 34 years ago after eight years of college and dental school. I could have joined an urban practice somewhere else, but family and the rural beauty of the area lured me back. I adopted Pittsfield for both home and work.
Pittsfield had many changes while I was away, and more since. Not all changes have been positive. My business has gone up and down with economic changes nationally and statewide, but especially locally. Pittsfield and the Berkshires have had a tough time since GE left us. Having one giant employer was great until it closed. A better vision now is to encourage diverse small, medium and large businesses offering living wages and benefits with potential for growth in Pittsfield.
Mayor James Ruberto had, and Mayor Linda Tyer continues to have, this vision. Investments in schools, cultural attractions and infrastructure help attract outside employers and encourage those already here to stay and expand. Careful use of the GE Economic Fund and Tax Increment Financing for business growth are crucial to increasing Pittsfield's employment, which in turn helps reduce crime and increase our tax base, keeping taxes lower than they might otherwise be. Wayfair, LTI Smart Glass and Green Apple Linen are examples of such businesses, with Electro Magnetic Applications coming soon.
No matter what any candidate implies, there is no magic wand to instantly produce thousands of jobs or eliminate crime. Addressing these is an incremental process involving many factors: increased police presence (yes, already deployed as effectively as possible while we hire more officers); better street lighting; encouraging the arts to give employees fun things to do in town; and having a red carpet team to ease new and existing business growth are some steps Mayor Tyer has already taken.
Why does this busy dentist who already volunteers on two city commissions make time to help with Mayor Tyer's reelection campaign? Because I love Pittsfield; because more working people mean more customers for everyone; because I want a clean, safe, fun city. Linda Tyer has worked diligently to make Pittsfield a better place ever since she was first elected as a city councilor. Let's continue expanding on what she has already accomplished with her plans for the next four years. Let's stay with a winning team and not fall for empty promises.
Please reelect Mayor Linda Tyer on Nov. 5. [2019].
Tom Sakshaug, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Moon earns another term in Ward 1”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 26, 2019
To the editor:
I have been a Pittsfield resident for 32 years living in Ward 1 and this is the first time I have written a letter to support an individual running for office. I urge the voters of my ward to cast your vote for Helen Moon. She has done such good work in her first term on the City Council. It is good to see younger people becoming involved in our local government.
Helen is active in park clean-ups, community events at the common and maintaining a social media presence to inform residents and promote our city's positive aspects. She also holds an annual picnic at her home in our neighborhood and everyone is invited to meet and greet. I always felt she was available to hear our concerns.
Helen has also been very quick to respond to emails. I recently had questions about city sewer lines and her response helped me to determine next steps in my own situation.
As a retired educator, I feel Helen is most supportive of the school system in Pittsfeld and will do what she can to keep our schools competitive and safe.
Please vote for Helen Moon, Ward 1 city councilwoman.
Dawn Quinlan, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Still with Linda Tyer”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 27, 2019
To the editor:
When I was first elected to the Pittsfield City Council in 2007 I was fortunate to draw the seat between then-councilors Linda Tyer and Mike Ward. They both shared the positive energy, forward thinking and professionalism that I wanted to emulate. I learned how to interact and get to the heart of issues watching Councilor Tyer articulate important questions and points of views on topics without preconceived notions to make the best decisions for the city as a whole.
She worked behind the scenes as a councilor collaborating with interested parties, councilors and the mayor's office to understand the city's employee insurance program. After exhaustive research, they provided their results transparently so city union employees could make an informed decision that benefited their members and the city.
Years later, when circumstances changed, Mayor Tyer again worked to get the correct research to the right people and another consensus was reached again with the best interests of members and the city in mind.
In 2012 when I began my term as City Council president, Linda had been elected city clerk. We worked closely preparing the agenda and ensuring that all state, city and council rules were followed. Her poise, objectivity and preparedness on each meeting were critical to running productive, efficient meetings. She embraced progressive ideas in the clerk's office, encouraging digital council packets and streamlined permitting processes.
In the last four years Mayor Tyer has demonstrated all the traits that I witnessed first-hand as her colleague: professional, progressive, thoughtful, sincere, intelligent and strong. Her priorities of safe streets, strong schools, a progressive community, infrastructure and economic development have not wavered. Just as importantly, Mayor Tyer understands that these challenges and opportunities facing the city are not mutually exclusive from one another.
In my view, Mayor Tyer has provided leadership on all of these topics by managing competing priorities in a positive, proactive manner.
Pittsfield faces many challenges and I trust Mayor Tyer's ability and vision to continue to address the concerns we all share and the opportunities we all want and deserve. I was with Linda four years ago and I'm still with her today. Please join me voting to reelect Mayor Linda Tyer on Nov. 5.
Kevin Sherman, Pittsfield
The writer is a former Pittsfield City Council president.
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Letter: “Seeking chance to help build city's future”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 27, 2019
To the editor:
So many have asked me, why am I running for Pittsfield councilor at large and why should I vote for you? The simple answer to the first question is because someone really believed in me, and felt that I would make a great city councilor. Now that I am close to the finish line (make sure to vote on Nov. 5!) Educate yourself on the candidates, listen and vote for the person that closest resonates with your inner tuning fork.
That faith in me stirred something that I had buried deep between the endless crevices and folds of life's obligations. In addition to the obligations of single motherhood of two daughters in this modern era, my other obligations (mostly self-imposed, I am sure), were to running a successful and thriving business (Methuselah Bar), serving on the board of Jacob's Pillow, maintaining my circle of friends and staying in touch with my family (because I was raised growing up as an immigrant from South Korea to be a dutiful daughter.) Then the call comes from my good friend, and he says "there's an empty seat in City Council and I think you are the perfect person to fill it."
As soon as he says it, the "thing" that I buried deep inside pushes everything aside and jumps up and down and cheers "yes, yes, yes! Remember you love this city and you really want to see it keep moving forward. This city is alive, with breathtaking beauty in its mountains, lakes, ski resorts, hiking trails, and its beautifully talented people with so much heart." So here I am, warts and all, running to participate in the decision-making of this great city and try my utmost best to keep it moving forward.
The answer to "why should I vote for you?" is: I want to earn your vote because who I am and what I envision for Pittsfield is in line with what you would like for Pittsfield as well. We have much to do in order to get to the top 10 list of livable cities, mainly in keeping all our residents, engaged and inspired to realize their true potential. I know we will get to the top 10 within 5-10 years because every single resident of Pittsfield will think outside of the box to come up with elegant solutions, first for ourselves, and for everyone else as a side effect. We will all participate in the building of our prosperous future. We will all take care of each other and uplift one another.
Pittsfield has one of the most concentrated number of creative people I've ever seen. I believe it's time to create the future we know, deep down in between the folds and crevices of each of us, is right there waiting for that same call of faith to come charging out and take action.
Yuki Cohen, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Tyer has accomplishments, plans for future”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 27, 2019
To the editor:
I recently had the opportunity to meet with Mayor Linda Tyer at a coffee hour and was greatly impressed with her grasp of the issues and challenges confronting our city and how patiently and thoroughly she responded to questions posed by her audience. It afforded me an opportunity to have her summarize all the accomplishments achieved by her administration over the past four years, especially in terms of economic development and jobs creation.
Her administration has not spared any effort on the public safety challenge with the hiring of additional police officers, expanded community policing, the West Side Community Outeach Post and the ShotSpotter technology. Most importantly, I was impressed with her enthusiasm and vision for next four years.
She has plans and strategies that will keep us moving forward, because we cannot afford to fall back or stagnate.
Kristen Shepardson, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Getting things done for Pittsfield's Ward 1”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 27, 2019
To the editor:
My name is Helen Moon and I am the Ward 1 city councilor. I want to start by thanking the voters of Ward 1 for electing me in 2017. It has been my honor to serve you in my first term.
As a registered nurse, I have learned to think critically, communicate effectively, and respond compassionately to my patients. Moreover, I stand up and advocate for my patients and their needs. These are the skills that I bring to my constituents in Ward 1. In a short time, I have submitted over 500 requests for services to the city on behalf of my constituents, responded to hundreds of emails and phone calls, and have spoken to many of you regarding your concerns and hopes for Pittsfield.
Additionally, in my first term, I have submitted 11 petitions to the City Council, all of which have passed. From traffic concerns from my constituents in Walden Village and Berkshire Country Meadows, to following up with permitting concerns regarding a commercial solar field with the residents on East Acres, to chipseal concerns from my neighbors on Kittredge, to planning a dance party fundraiser at Springside Park, I have given my time and energy to improving the quality of life for the residents and businesses in Ward 1. I work hard, I work collaboratively and I get things done.
My hope as the Ward 1 city councilor, what I strive to do with every vote, is to make decisions that protect and honor those that are currently here — our families, young adults and our seniors — while preparing our city for the future. And we can only do that when we work together.
Pittsfield is not without its challenges, but when we work as a community, I believe we can continue to move Pittsfield forward. And I respectfully ask for your vote again on Nov. 5.
Helen Moon, Pittsfield
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10-27-2019
Hey there, readers. Almost there.
Expect political signs and warring ideologies around every corner this week as the days between us and Nov. 5 [2019] run dry.
This week also brings the last two debates of the election season — a final mayoral debate on Monday and a series of ward debates on Tuesday.
Tammy Daniels, managing editor at iBerkshires, is slated to moderate the Monday debate between Mayor Linda Tyer and her challenger, Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo. The event kicks off at 7 p.m. in the Robert Boland Theatre at Berkshire Community College.
The tenor between the two candidates grows more intense as election day draws closer. Last week’s debate offered some tense exchanges.
On Tuesday, candidates for contested ward seats on the City Council will get their shot at the action in a marathon of miniature debates in Koussevitzky room 111 at BCC. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and will be moderated by BCC government professor James Arpante, a former city councilor.
Ward 1 starts the show at 6 p.m., when Ward 1 Councilor Helen Moon squares off with her challenger, attorney Kenneth Warren Jr. Then, Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell will go head-to-head with Michael Merriam at 6:30 p.m.
Ward 5 candidates Patrick Kavey and Jonathan Lothrop will have it out in the 7 p.m. slot. At 7:30 p.m., Ward 6 candidates Dina Guiel Lampiasi and Joe Nichols take the stage. And finally, Ward 7 candidates Anthony Maffuccio and J. David Pope will debate at 8 p.m.
This week’s debates were organized by BCC, the Pittsfield Gazette and Pittsfield Community Television.
And as election season winds down, so goes a three-year grant funding the Working Cities Pittsfield program. Working Cities has served as a platform for community aspirations and a framework to bolster Pittsfield, especially the West Side and Morningside neighborhoods, with money from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
This week Working Cities and its funding partners will announce a new initiative aimed at improving job performance, reducing workplace turnover and strengthening workplace culture. The idea is to provide city workers with access to community-based success coaches who connect them with community resources, aimed at relieving stressors like unreliable transportation, workplace conflict, housing issues and family challenges.
Heads Up
It’s Halloween on Thursday, so get ready for trick or treat. The city asks participating households to leave lights on.
Street improvements continue this week, with work on Doreen, Plymouth, Franklin, and Essex streets, as well as Parkside Avenue.
What’s up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, or by phone at 413-496-6296.
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10/28/2019
I have followed Pittsfield politics for many decades now. In Pittsfield, they always raise the municipal budget by 5% per fiscal year. I do not know why? I believe the vested interests (Big 3 Unions - Police, Fire, and School) want their money, and they vote for the state and local Democratic candidates who will raise taxes on the proverbial Kapanski family.
I also believe Pittsfield politics has an unsustainable financial management system. Matt Kerwood is disingenuous to make interest only large debt payments to keep the tax rate lower in the short-term. Pittsfield has hundreds of millions of dollars in debts that will never be paid off in our lifetimes.
Thousands of people have moved away from Pittsfield over the years due to the toxic combination of high taxes, a distressed local economy with a huge number of living wage job loss, poorly performing public schools, an unsafe downtown full of violent crimes, and severe economic inequality.
Lastly, I strongly believe that the "Good Old Boys" have made Pittsfield worse over the years. They have done nothing but perpetuate a corrupt one political party system and a failed economic development policy disaster that features the over 21-year-old vacant and polluted wasteland called PEDA!
- Jonathan Melle
P.S. Pittsfield will never change for the better!!!!
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Letter: “Offering new ideas to benefit Pittsfield”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 28, 2019
To the editor:
Well this is it, my fellow citizens! That moment where you can read what I write to you here and make a final decision to cast your vote in my favor or not. However, the truth is that you're casting a vote in your own favor. You see, I am not doing this for the money, I am not doing this for the recognition, or for my ego, or to prove a point, or because others asked me to. I am running for City Council at large because I live here, just like you. I see what's wrong just like you. And unlike those who have come before me, I see creative and viable solutions to our city's biggest problems. My travels have shown me the very best and the very worst of our great nation and the truth is, that I know in my heart we can do better, together.
There are a lot of voices out there that scream imaginary reasons not to vote for me. But I urge you in these final moments before the election to reach out to me. Let's have a conversation. I am here now, and will continue to be here if elected, to listen to each and every one of you, and to do my very best to create, not just a city we can all over and be proud of, but a genuine community that we will be happy to call home.
I have ideas that will help heal and transition our homeless population. I have studied successful programs in other cities and countries that can potential eradicate our opiate problem, which will in turn drive down crime. I have sustainable ways to provide food to those in need, and augment our city's energy costs utilizing sustainable technologies that are new to the region. I have high hopes of using these technologies to alleviate business and residential taxes, stimulate business growth while simultaneously fostering and supporting new small/local business. This will stabilize our economy long term, and continue to allow our city to grow and evolve into something more amazing than ever before; something none of us could have imagined before.
So let us lead by example, let us be the change we need in the world. On Nov. 5, vote for honesty; vote for integrity; vote for sustainability. Vote Stark.
Auron Stark, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Tyer's efforts earn another four years”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 28, 2019
To the editor:
It takes an effective and visionary leader to bring together community efforts to enhance a more broad-based community approach to problem-solving. Mayor Linda Tyer's administration has partnered with Habitat for Humanity and resident volunteers to open a Community Outreach office on the West Side. Policing of domestic violence and mental health-related challenges now include on-scene support from the Brien Center. As for struggling youth and young adults, collaboration with Pittsfield Community Connection is in place to offer critical mentoring and job training opportunities.
Tyer's administration continues to move these efforts forward while simultaneously combating drug trafficking and bolstering school safety. Recently, her administration submitted a Federal Department of Justice School Violence Prevention grant (awaiting approval) to assist our schools. Also, Mayor Tyer is partnering with law enforcement and entering the city into a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program to enable greater access to federal resources.
Another four years with Mayor Linda Tyer ensures that we continue to include the community in these initiatives and further develop critical partnerships to keep the city moving forward.
Jason Ostrander, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Mazzeo will lead city in right direction”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 28, 2019
To the editor:
Why do I support Melissa Mazzeo for mayor? Roughly four years ago, Linda Tyer became our mayor. Like a lot of politicians, Tyer made campaign promises that have not been fulfilled. Her and our city's past four years speak louder of things she didn't do than of her promises. I don't need to list her unfulfilled promises, just look around you, drive the city streets or read The Eagle. Those answers are right in front of you.
I admire the way Mazzeo conducts herself, representing all of us in this city as a councilor at-large. On the City Council, Mazzeo has asked tough questions and maybe taken an unpopular stand or vote. Obviously, mayoral candidate Mazzeo gets it.
Pittsfield is a small city with big city problems that need to be addressed. I believe mayoral candidate Mazzeo is the right person to take the reins of our city and lead it in the right direction. That's why I'm voting for Melissa Mazzeo for mayor, and I hope all of you will do the same on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Philip Carroll, Pittsfield
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Tammy Daniels of iBerkshires, center, moderates Monday's debate between Pittsfield Mayoral candidates Mayor Linda Tyer, left, and City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo, right in the Boland Theater at Berkshire Community College. credit: Gillian Jones - The Berkshire Eagle
“Candidates clarify messages during Pittsfield's final mayoral debate”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, October 28, 2019
Pittsfield — With a series of debates now behind them, candidates for the city's corner office came in hot to a Monday debate at Berkshire Community College.
Mayor Linda Tyer painted her challenger as a naysayer who cuts funding, while Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo accused Tyer of squandering her time in office and being slow to act.
The mayoral debate was the final one of the season, as the city is now just a week away from the Nov. 5 [2019] election. Polls are open that day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The debate was organized by Pittsfield Community Television, The Pittsfield Gazette and BCC, and moderated by Tammy Daniels, editor for iBerkshires. It was held in the college's Robert Boland Theatre.
In her opening statement, Tyer said the city was in a fiscal crisis when she took control of it four years ago, and "it is in a better position today."
Mazzeo said the mayor's recent statements about past votes to cut funding for various departments are mischaracterizations. She said she's taken each measure on its merits.
Tyer has cast her as a naysayer, she said, but "a true leader will not sugarcoat things to make the city look better."
When asked about crime, Tyer said it's something she has been serious about and she continues to explore new ways to address the issue and new funding sources to apply, like with an application for a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area designation that would funnel federal resources into the city. "I'm feeling positive that we'll be able to strengthen our efforts," she said.
Mazzeo said the city's eligibility for such a designation is "not something to be proud of." She said it's not enough for the mayor to say crime has stabilized under her leadership.
"That's not satisfactory," she said. "We shouldn't be stable — we should be moving in the other direction."
Tyer pointed to her first budget proposal in 2016, which "included a significant increase" for the police department. Mazzeo voted against it, she said.
"Now here we are," Tyer said, noting the city is "constrained by a Civil Service system" that slows the hiring process for the department and makes it difficult to stay ahead of attrition in the ranks.
"We've got a lot of things that make this process a little complex," Tyer said. "It's more than just a politically convenient argument. It takes tenacity day in and day out to keep our city safe."
Of the no vote, Mazzeo said "I think you need to give me a little bit more specifics on it."
She said whatever the challenges, Tyer promised to beef up the police ranks. Over four years, there's been a net gain of six officers.
"Every single day you should be working to get more police officers," Mazzeo said. "If your initiatives were moving forward and getting the job done, then you would be getting exactly what you asked for."
Daniels asked a question about job vacancies and recruitment, and Tyer said she is working on recruitment programs to help draw in young professionals to fill vacancies at Pittsfield organizations. Her focus first has been energizing the economy, she said.
"Believe it or not, you can't finish everything all in one year, or even all in one term," she said with an eye toward her opponent.
"I'm glad you're getting around to it," Mazzeo replied.
In fact, Tyer said, she could recall a proposal to protect the jobs of 25 employees at Covanta that her opponent had voted no on.
Mazzeo said she hadn't voted no to the jobs, but no to spending $562,000 from the Economic Development Fund for a boiler at the plant that would benefit two other private companies "with skin in the game."
But the Covanta proposal was economic development in action, Tyer said. It was an opportunity to help a city company with an environmental upgrade and protect jobs.
The jobs were important to her, too, Mazzeo said, but "it was the way that you went around it." She said Tyer had not been able to answer questions about the ways in which the other companies tied into the deal, and the lack of transparency drove her to vote no on spending precious economic development dollars. "We have to be good stewards of that money," she said.
Asked about their individual philosophies behind using the specialized city fund, Tyer said she took a broader view of using the funds, as with her At Home in Pittsfield proposal, which would have used $250,000 from the fund to give residents zero-interest loans for exterior home improvements.
Mazzeo voted against that proposal, Tyer recalled.
Mazzeo said she was also philosophically opposed to Tyer's proposal to forgive $2.55 million in loans awarded through the fund for Beacon Cinema, a move she called unacceptable.
Tyer said she stood by the move, saying the cinema is important to the downtown economy, pointing to a 14 percent increase in ticket sales under the new ownership.
"I'm really glad that they're making money," Mazzeo said. "So they could have paid back that loan if we didn't forgive it."
And the two sparred again over the $61.4 million overhaul at the city's wastewater treatment plant. Mazzeo said the permit the city is building for is now a decade old and she fears more stringent requirements could be in the pipeline.
"Before we put another shovel in the ground we need to know exactly what we're doing," she said.
"We do know exactly what we're doing," Tyer said. "We're in compliance with the Clean Water Act."
In response to a question about effective leadership, the candidates went back and forth on the issue of compromise.
Tyer said her housing improvement proposal failed because several city councilors, Mazzeo included, were unwilling to compromise.
"Compromise in leadership is a two-way street," Tyer said.
Mazzeo said that as mayor she would deploy compromise and transparency to pass her initiatives through City Council.
"When the mayor talks about compromise I think it falls a little bit short," she said.
Tyer asked voters to make their choice next week based on each of the candidates' performance for Pittsfield. Compare their records, Tyer told the audience, "and the choice becomes clear."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/61080/Tyer-Mazzeo-Make-Final-Arguments-for-Pittsfield-Election.html
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Letter: “Time for a change in City Hall”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 29, 2019
To the editor:
I support Melissa Mazzeo in the upcoming mayoral election. In my opinion, her ideas on crime, business retention, job creation and realistic approach to Pittsfield's budgetary needs are spot on.
It's difficult to be critical of our local leadership when we all know we have limited resources to work with, but the promises of four years ago just haven't been addressed. Crime is up, blight isn't any better, and we've been assessed sizable real estate tax increases and ridiculous water bill increases. It is indeed now, "Time for a change."
Darren M. Lee, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Reject Mazzeo's campaign of fear”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 29, 2019
To the editor:
I read the opinion piece by Melissa Mazzeo on Oct. 23 ("An overdue program to make Pittsfield safe") and feel that I finally must say something in a public forum. This column, and a large part of her campaign, is based on fear. Yes, crime happens everywhere, throughout the country and the world. All victims deserve our respect, sympathy and justice. However, with near-universal access to the internet, particularly certain Facebook pages, any single incident can get blown out of proportion. I have seen the mayor of Pittsfield blamed for crimes in Great Barrington and Adams.
Mazzeo's statement that people fear walking their neighborhoods in broad daylight is ludicrous. On the radio the same morning, Ms. Mazzeo admitted she feels safe walking in Pittsfield. Rather than coming up with actual solutions, we have hypocrisy and fearmongering. What can a mayor do? Work with law enforcement officials to find the best ways to fight crime, hire more police officers, and give the department the resources needed to fight crime.
After 10 years as a city councilor, Ms. Mazzeo now says she will speak with the chief of police and tell him how to position his assets in the city. News flash: the current mayor converses with our Williams College-educated, experienced chief daily. They already discuss crime and how to best fight it. Crime has been an issue in every mayoral election for at least 20 years. Do you believe Councilor Mazzeo is the one person capable of stopping crime faster and better than all those who served before her? Is Ms. Mazzeo going to teach our police chief how to fight crime? What are her credentials? Reading an article about the way crime was fought 20 years ago in New York does not make one an expert. If Mazzeo is an expert on crime, where has she been for the last 10 years?
You can't name another mayor who has put more in place to fight crime than Linda Tyer. Chief Wynn and Mayor Tyer are fully aware of the approach Ms. Mazzeo suggests, and far more. Time, resources, and skill are critical. Jobs, making Pittsfield presentable, and bringing more people downtown at all hours are also part of the fight.
Let's all keep common sense intact and not give in to the hype and the impossible promises. Let's stay with a collaborative mayor who works well with law enforcement at all levels to reduce crime. Please vote to keep Linda Tyer mayor.
Kathy Lloyd, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Tyer a positive force for Pittsfield”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 29, 2019
To the editor:
I love Pittsfield! It has been my home for over 70 years and I have never thought of moving elsewhere. Do we have our problems? Of course we do, just like any other city, but, frankly, I am tired of hearing the doom-and-gloom narrative during the current election. Nothing is accomplished through negativity.
Pittsfield is a great place to live and what we need to keep it that way is a caring, informed, experienced, and enthusiastic leader. That person is our current mayor, Linda Tyer. Linda's accomplishments during the past four years are outstanding. Just think Wayfair, EMA, millions of dollars in grants, additional police officers, a West Side Community Outreach Post and many more too numerous to list here. Just imagine what else Linda can accomplish in the next four years through her positive attitude and continued hard work for the city of Pittsfield.
I supported Linda Tyer in her successful elections as Ward 3 city councilor and as mayor. I am proud of her record of accomplishments in those positions as well as city clerk. I am also proud of the professional manner in which she represents our city.
I enthusiastically support her for re-election as mayor of Pittsfield. Please join me in voting for Linda Tyer for mayor on Nov. 5.
Gloria Schilling, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Mazzeo works tirelessly for city”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 29, 2019
To the editor:
Most of you already know that for the past 10 years Melissa Mazzeo has been working tirelessly on behalf of us all on the City Council. Myself and many people I know have been waiting patiently (or should I say eagerly) for her to run for mayor.
For the past decade, I have had the pleasure of working side by side with her in The Zonta Club of Berkshire County as well as being board members of Gladys Allen Brigham Center. During this time, we have also been on numerous committees and I have seen first-hand what a hardworking, passionate and accountable person Melissa is. She leaves no stone unturned when working on a project or an issue big or small. She listens to all sides and honestly considers the best outcome for all concerned.
I will be voting for Melissa on Nov. 5, and I respectfully ask you to consider doing the same.
Carla Prendergast, Pittsfield
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With election day next Tuesday, the mayor's race in Pittsfield is proving to be the most expensive of a half-dozen contests across western Massachusetts.
As of mid-October, Mayor Linda Tyer and challenger Melissa Mazzeo had combined to spend more than $89,000 so far this year. Each candidate had gone through about the same amount of just more than $44,000.
That’s according to the most recent campaign finance records filed with the state.
The total is nearly 40% more than Tyer and then-Mayor Dan Bianchi spent at a similar point during the last election. The combined total then was nearly $55,000.
Final campaign finance totals for each of these races will be available in early 2020, after candidates file their year-end reports.
Source: “Mayoral Race In Pittsfield Most Expensive In Western Mass.” By Adam Frenier, New England Public Radio, October 29, 2019
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Our Opinion: “Linda Tyer for Pittsfield mayor”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, October 31, 2019
In the campaign, Mayor Tyer has drawn attention to her accomplishments and ideas to address unfinished business.”
The Editorial Board
There is nothing like a mayoral election to focus a city on its present and its future. The vigorous campaign by Mayor Linda Tyer and challenger Melissa Mazzeo has provided that service for Pittsfield, casting a light on crime, education, the economy and other current issues, and exploring how the city will address them going forward. On Tuesday, voters will decide which candidate they will go forward with as mayor.
In the campaign, Mayor Tyer has drawn attention to her accomplishments and ideas to address unfinished business. Ms. Mazzeo, an at large city councilor, has focused on what she regards as the mayor's failed promises and her plans to do better for the city. The campaign comes in the context of a city that appears to have belatedly recovered from its GE withdrawal symptoms and is ready to explore alternatives by building on strengths and realistically taking on weaknesses.
Violence and shootings on Pittsfield's West Side have put the spotlight on the crime issue, with the mayor citing better technology and increased cooperation among the city's police department and other law enforcement agencies as key to her efforts to combat crime. If elected, Ms. Mazzeo promises to hire more police, but she would likely run into the same obstacles as the mayor has, among them civil service requirements. Ms. Mazzeo's plans for attacking crime in general differ from the mayor's more in degree than in substance, attesting to the difficulty of confronting a problem that is hardly unique to Pittsfield and is linked to complex economic and social factors.
In terms of jobs and the economy, Ms. Tyer points to successes like the arrival of Wayfair, which Ms. Mazzeo would argue fell in the mayor's lap. We'll give credit to the mayor's red carpet team for doing the groundwork for these businesses. Ms. Mazzeo maintains that the mayor's office is unfriendly to established business, but Ms. Mazzeo opposed forgiving the debt burden that allowed the Beacon Cinema to remain in operation on North Street to the benefit of other businesses on the street. The parking kiosks have been a subject of debate since the day they were installed, but downtown parking is a method of generating revenue common to cities and it keeps employees and others from hogging valuable parking spots. Ms. Mazzeo's proposal to suspend the kiosk payment system at least temporarily would cost the city money it needs.
Mayor Tyer has opened herself up to criticism on issues of infrastructure, most notably a $2 million overrun in the salt and sand budget from last winter. She is too dismissive of the importance of repainting lines on roads and filling potholes quickly. These matter to residents, as do cracked and hazardous public sidewalks. A Mayor Mazzeo would likely be strong on these issues. A Mayor Tyer in her second term would have to do better.
By the same token, Ms. Mazzeo's 10 years on the City Council open her to criticism, and it isn't because she is not hard-working or responsive to constituents. Councilor Mazzeo is both, and she is diligent about researching the issues that come before the City Council. She asks questions of city officials, although those questions can be redundant and her good points become lost in a circular discussion.
Ms. Mazzeo's predicament is that in her 10 years in government she has made it clear what she is against but not what she is for. For example, while she has positioned herself as an advocate for teachers in the campaign, she has not been a consistent advocate for education as a city councilor. It's not that the school department is above criticism but she has not offered much beyond it. That has been the case with too many issues.
A mayor must come forward with programs to better the city, which Ms. Tyer has done. Within the last two years, as the 2019 election emerged on the horizon, too many of those proposals were blocked or stalled without merit. Ms. Mazzeo and allies on the council blocked the mayor's proposal to introduce a toter system that would have addressed the city's unseemly garbage problem. Mayor Tyer's fine proposal to make low- or no-interest loans to homeowners in low-income areas to make exterior improvements to their homes met the same fate. The mayor has shown a willingness to compromise on these and other proposals, but Ms. Mazzeo and her allies have not. Mayor Tyer succeeded in addressing the city's wastewater treatment issues, a can that had been kicked down the road for years, but Ms. Mazzeo advocated kicking it further down the road while the plant continued to emit pollution.
Pittsfield has its problems and challenges, many of them common to other New England cities. It also has its strengths, among them an emerging cannabis business with surprising potential. We've recently seen the creation of market-rate housing that will benefit current residents and ideally attract others to the city. Pittsfield will need progressive leadership going forward to take advantage of a momentum that could stall easily. There is little in Ms. Mazzeo's tenure as a city councilor or in her campaign that suggests she is that kind of leader. Pittsfield cannot afford to stall or regress at this point, to find reasons not to do things rather than to do them. We fear that might be the city's fate under Mayor Mazzeo over the next four years.
Mayor Tyer has not always succeeded in articulating her vision for the city. If reelected, she needs to do that to win over skeptics, and we urge her to be more willing to listen to allies and foes alike. But she has shown a determination to put forward ideas and programs that will benefit the city and to fight for them.
Whether Linda Tyer or Melissa Mazzeo is elected on Nov. 5, we hope the rival political camps dominating Pittsfield for so many years can call a truce long enough to allow the mayor a little breathing room. If Mayor Tyer is reelected, we believe that she will work with an appropriately diligent but not obstructionist City Council to move Pittsfield forward, to the benefit of its residents and businesses and even to Berkshire County as a whole. The Eagle endorses Linda Tyer for a second term as mayor of Pittsfield.
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Over to you, voters”
The Berkshire Eagle November 3, 2019
Hey there, readers. It's a big week.
Should Mayor Linda Tyer get another four years to keep moving Pittsfield down the path she started? Or do you feel that momentum has slowed and it’s time for a new direction?
The choice is ours on Tuesday, and the polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
From the mayor’s race to School Committee, and the hotly contested races for City Council, it’s heartening to see so many people eager to push Pittsfield forward.
Complexities abound in our city in the woods. There is new economic interest in Pittsfield, yet North Street often feels ominously quiet. Crime and its causes still have a strong foothold. The tax base grows while infrastructure issues loom large. And even as the city’s schools turn out world-class humans, the district loses too many teachers and students to surrounding ones.
In the mayor’s race, Tyer squares off against longtime City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo, who accuses the incumbent of squandering her time in office and being slow to act. In turn, Tyer points to Pittsfield’s current progress and calls Mazzeo a naysayer who fights important city spending.
Whoever wins won’t likely win by much of a margin, if neck and neck fundraising efforts and the cloud of tension hanging over Pittsfield are any indication of what’s to come.
In the race for four citywide seats on the City Council, popular incumbents Peter Marchetti, Pete White and Earl Persip III make their reelection bids alongside five fresh faces — Alex Blumin, Yuki Cohen, Jay Hamling, Richard Latura and Auron Stark.
Voters in wards 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 will be asked to choose between new and old voices in their respective races. Will freshman Councilor Helen Moon be unseated by a former councilor, Kenny Warren, who took a decadeslong hiatus from politics? Will Councilor Chris Connell keep his grips on the Ward 4 seat, or will challenger Mike Merriam prevail?
Political newcomer Patrick Kavey makes the case for new, creative thinking from the Ward 5 seat, while former councilor Jonathan Lothrop points to more than a decade of service in the ward. In Ward 6, former Ward 7 councilor Joe Nichols faces Dina Guiel Lampiasi, the DA’s operations chief. And former Ward 7 councilor Tony Maffuccio looks to reclaim his seat in a bid against political newcomer David Pope.
Seven strong candidates also make their bids for six seats on the School Committee, which will be asked to make important decisions for city schools in the coming years.
Who among the list of hopeful leaders do you feel will best handle the city’s most pressing issues? We will soon find out.
What’s up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, or by phone at 413-496-6296.
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Linda Tyer celebrates her victory, winning her a second mayoral term, at The Country Club of Pittsfield on Tuesday. credit: Ben Garver, The Berkshire Eagle
Our Opinion: “A second term for Linda Tyer”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 5, 2019
Mayor Linda Tyer's reelection as mayor of Pittsfield constitutes both a vote of approval for her first term and a challenge for the second term ahead.
The mayor earned a narrow victory over challenger Melissa Mazzeo in a hotly contested campaign that brought to the fore all of the issues confronting Pittsfield. Mayor Tyer, after winning handily in her first run for mayor four years ago, finished behind Ms. Mazzeo in the primary before getting past her in the general election. Clearly, many in Pittsfield have concerns about where Pittsfield is headed and Ms. Mazzeo, who ran a vigorous campaign, was able to exploit those concerns to make it a race against the incumbent.
Ms. Mazzeo highlighted the crime issue, and while it resonated with many voters, a significant number are comfortable with the mayor's approach to a complex issue that afflicts many communities. The introduction of some new businesses in Pittsfield in recent months surely helped the mayor. Down the stretch, Mayor Tyer began to put across her administration's strengths better than she had at any previous point. Ideally, that improved communication will continue in her second term.
The Pittsfield City Council will add three promising newcomers next session in at-large winner Yuki Cohen, Ward 5 victory Patrick Kavey and new Ward 6 councilor Dina Guiel Lampiasi. Fresh ideas and perspectives are always welcome in Pittsfield.
Ms. Cohen, a Pittsfield businesswoman, won the at-large seat vacated by Ms. Mazzeo when she ran for mayor. Popular incumbent at-large City Councilors Peter Marchetti, Peter White and Earl Persip III were all easily reelected.
Two ward councilors facing contests were reelected, with Chris Connell winning decisively in Ward 4 and Helen Moon fending off a challenge from Kenneth Warren in Ward 1. Former Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Maffuccio was returned by voters, and with Ward 2 Councilor Kenneth Morandi and Ward 3 Councilor Nicholas Caccamo running unopposed, the City Council will have a good mix of veterans and new and relatively new faces next session.
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“[Pittsfield politics 2019] Election recap”
By Jesse Stewart, Live 95.9, November 6, 2019
Linda Tyer will serve a second four-year term in Pittsfield’s corner office after winning re-election last night by a 529 vote margin. Tyer finished the night with 6,176 total votes. Her Challenger Melissa Mazzeo, who gave up her At-Large City Council seat to run for the city’s top job, garnered 5,647 votes. According to Pittsfield City Clerk Michele Benjamin, the city saw a 42 percent voter turnout.
In other local election news, all three incumbents in the Pittsfield At-Large City Council race won re-election last night. Eight Candidates were running for four available seats. Peter Marchetti was the top vote getter with 8,412 votes. Pete White came in second with a tally of 7,652 votes. Earl Persip also won re-election with 7,010 votes. Political newcomer, Yuki Cohen won the fourth At-Large seat with a total of 5,251 votes. In the Ward races, Helen Moon wan re-election over Kenneth Warren Jr. in Ward 1. Chris Connell fended of a challenge by Mike Merriam in Ward 4. Political newcomer Patrick Kavey defeated long-time former councilor Jonathan Lothrop in Ward 5. Dina Guiel Lampiasi beat out Joe Nichols in Ward 6. And in Ward 7, it was Anthony Maffuccio winning back his former seat over J. David Pope.
All four of the city of Pittsfield’s School Committee incumbent were re-elected last night. Retaining their school board seats were William Cameron, Katherine Yon, Dennis Powell and Dan Elias. Alison McGee and Mark Brazeau won the final two spots. The seventh and final spot is retain by Mayor Linda Tyer with her re-election to the corner office.
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Letter: “Pot smoke is defiling North Street”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 6, 2019
To the editor:
I understand that marijuana will provide much needed revenue for the city of Pittsfield. What I don't understand is why the assumption is being made that smoking pot on North Street is acceptable.
Too many times I have walked down the main street through a cloud of strong and overpowering pot smoke. If I understand the Massachusetts marijuana policy, it is not in fact legal to smoke in public spaces. Combine that with the cigarette smoke and North Street is a very unhealthy and unpleasant place to walk. Am I the only one whose mental and physical health is affected by this?
I don't think people should go to prison for possessing marijuana for personal use. Do I not have the same rights as pot smokers, to feel safe, happy and healthy? Must I avoid North Street because my health and well being are compromised because someone wants to be able to get stoned while standing in the middle of the sidewalk on what is basically Pittsfield's main street?
Donna Kay Denham. Pittsfield
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Letter: “Hang on to those Mazzeo for Mayor signs”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 7, 2019
To the editor:
City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo fought a valiant battle for mayor. Unfortunately, she came up short.
But she did amazingly well. She defeated Mayor Tyer in the preliminary election, which is extremely difficult to do. Then she lost the general election by only 529 votes out of 11,945 cast even though Tyer had the power of incumbency and the Democrat "establishment" behind her, along with the endorsement of The Berkshire Eagle.
Many successful political leaders have been elected on their second try, like presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, and Gov. Charlie Baker.
I predict that Melissa Mazzeo will be elected Pittsfield mayor in 2023 if she chooses to run again, which she should. She comes from a great Pittsfield family and has been a courteous and effective public servant.
Hold onto your Mazzeo for Mayor yard signs. You will need them in 2023.
Steven Nikitas, Pittsfield
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Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer smiles in her office Wednesday after a hard-fought campaign and a victory that netted her a second term in City Hall's corner office. credit: Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer gets back to work in her office at City Hall after a hard-fought mayoral campaign against challenger and City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo. credit: Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Reelection carves a `productive' path for Pittsfield under Mayor Linda Tyer”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 10, 2019
Pittsfield — With the election behind her, Mayor Linda Tyer will get to work with one fewer formidable foe: longtime Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo.
Newly reelected Councilor at Large Pete White said he is excited about what the coming two-year term has in store for the City Council.
"I think we've got a group that will wanna work together," he said. "I don't think that means everything will go through and the votes will always be the same, but from what people were talking about during their campaigns, I think we have a shot at a really productive next two years."
Tyer earned 6,176 votes Tuesday, according to unofficial tallies from City Hall, and Mazzeo earned 5,647. Mazzeo had won by 290 votes during the preliminary election, which saw a turnout of 22 percent, but the 42 percent turnout on Tuesday swung the race in Tyer's favor.
Mazzeo was a strong dissenting voice on the City Council, often standing alongside Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell to rally votes against some of Tyer's policies.
The election dealt a blow to that bloc, and come January, Tyer looks forward to wading smoother waters with new councilors.
White said the Tuesday election made clear that there is a strong undercurrent of dissent in the city. "I think the takeaway is we need to find a way to listen to the 48 percent that voted for Councilor Mazzeo over Mayor Tyer, and try to find a way to have everyone feel served," he said.
"It does say that there are still differing views of how things should be done."
Tyer said she's optimistic about the city's path forward and about her relationship with the incoming City Council. She will be looking to pursue more public safety initiatives, economic development programs and will look to bolster the city's public schools — both in terms of infrastructure and retention.
She will revisit the home improvement program rebuffed by the current City Council, she said, and will pursue a new station for the Pittsfield Police Department. "We really have to keep working on that one," she said.
After a time-consuming election cycle, she said she is eager to return her focus to city business alongside her administration.
"I'm just really honestly looking forward to getting back to work," she said. "And I'm so thrilled that I'm going to be able to continue on with this brilliant, fearless team of leaders that I work with every day."
Mazzeo said Wednesday that she'd take the coming months to focus on helping her youngest daughter choose and apply to a college to attend after she completes school in the spring. After that, Mazzeo said she'll look "to see where I can be the most help."
The city elected incumbent councilors at large Peter Marchetti, Earl Persip III and White to subsequent terms, and elected Methuselah owner and financial mind Yuki Cohen to fill the at large seat vacated by Mazzeo.
"I'm optimistic that a good council has been elected and I'm looking forward to working with them," Marchetti said.
Cohen said she is eager to get started.
"I feel like we're all going to be able to work really well together to try to figure out what's best for the people of Pittsfield," she said.
Persip said the new faces will be "a breath of fresh air" for the council. He said the newcomers — including Cohen, Patrick Kavey in Ward 5 and Dina Guiel Lampiasi in Ward 6 — will enhance the group's racial and demographic diversity.
"People with different perspectives, different ideas I think is important," he said.
All told, he said the voters fell on the side of progress on Tuesday. He said the results show the city "is really not going to go backwards in its thinking of how we should address things."
Still, Persip said it's important to get the dissenting voters on board and address their concerns. "I think Linda's opening to doing that, and I think four more years of the Tyer administration is going to be good for Pittsfield."
The night also brought narrow victories in ward races for incumbent councilors Helen Moon and Connell.
Moon bested challenger Kenneth Warren by 131 votes, earning about 54 percent of the vote. She said late-season support for Warren from the prominent Tully and Yon families hurt her cause, but in the end she prevailed.
"I think that the people who were working on Kenny's campaign were also working on Melissa's campaign," Moon said. "I am surprised by how much it swung."
But she said "we stayed positive and we focused on the issues."
"At the end of it, a win is a win," she said.
Connell won over Micahel Merriam by 233 votes to take about 52 percent of the vote. He said he is willing to meet with Merriam to discuss how to build more metaphorical bridges in the ward.
He is disappointed to lose Mazzeo's voice in city leadership, he said, but "you have to deal with the cards you're dealt and try to move forward, and that's what I plan to do." He said he's confident he'll find council allies on an issue-based basis.
"Each issue can attract different allies, and that's where you have to present your best case," he said. "If you agree or disagree with an issue you just have to try to convince some of the other councilors to your way of thinking."
Kavey, a political newcomer, claimed a decisive victory against former councilor Jonathan Lothrop for outgoing Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers' seat by 466 votes, earning 62 percent of the vote.
Kavey said his campaign was built upon uplifting the neighborhood, and "the positivity helped send it home."
Guiel Lampiasi, operations chief for the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, beat out former councilor Joseph Nichols in the race for the council's Ward 6 seat by 211 votes, earning 55 percent of the vote. "Pittsfield has a bright future and I'm excited to be part of it," she said.
And in the race for outgoing Ward 7 Councilor Tony Simonelli's seat, former councilor Tony Maffuccio bested political newcomer J. David Pope by 264 votes, earning about 55 percent of the vote. "Hopefully we have a progressive City Council with the mayor and we start seeing some changes in Pittsfield for the greater good," he said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Tax hike? And suspended police officer’s fate on the docket”
The Berkshire Eagle November 10, 2019
Hey there, readers. Amanda here.
Last year, Mayor Linda Tyer cut tax rates in the city and said the move reflected a remarkable turnaround for Pittsfield.
This week, the City Council will consider increasing rates to figures just shy of what they were before last year’s cuts — $19.99 per $,1000 of assessed value for residential properties, and $39.96 for commercial.
Last year, rates dropped from $20.01 to $19.42 on the residential side, and the commercial tax rate dropped from from $39.98 to $39.94.
If councilors approve the hike during their Tuesday meeting, the change amounts to about $106 more a year for the average residential property. Tyer proposes using $500,000 from the city’s free cash to offset the increase.
Councilors, who meet 7 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers, will also consider a letter from members of the Police Advisory and Review Board that calls for a new police station. Tyer said last week that the project stands among her priorities for her newly authorized second term.
And a new petition filed by Councilor at Large Earl Persip III looks to cut back cannabis cultivation in residential neighborhoods. Growing marijuana is currently allowed in neighborhoods under a special permit process, but after a cultivation facility on Pecks Road sparked concerns from residents, they turned to Persip for help.
Over at the courthouse, suspended police officer Michael McHugh will finally get his day in court this week. Prosecutors allege that McHugh and his co-defendant, Jason Labelle, assaulted a man in July 2016 and attempted to cover it up.
Meantime, three new police officers begin training this week with the Pittsfield Police Department. Beefing up the department’s ranks proved an ongoing challenge in recent years, and it was a recurrent theme in the race between Tyer and her challenger, Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo.
Mazzeo still has a seat on the council through the end of her term next month. Tyer and other winners of last week's election will be inaugurated in January.
Heads up
The city’s annual Veterans Day Parade kicks off at 10 a.m. Monday. It will proceed from City Hall to Veterans Memorial Park, where there will be a ceremony.
Berkshire Community Action Council will host a community conversation about poverty from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the Berkshire Athenaeum. The group hopes to hear both from those struggling to make the bills and their advocates, and will offer information from experts about barriers standing in the way and resources available to address them.
What’s up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, or by phone at 413-496-6296.
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“Mayor Linda Tyer's proposed tax rate increase tabled by Pittsfield City Council”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 13, 2019
Pittsfield — Election aftershocks rang through council chambers Tuesday during a debate over setting the current fiscal year's tax rate.
The City Council meeting ended in stalemate, with councilors shooting down the tax increase proposed by Mayor Linda Tyer.
"The residents and the commercial businesses are screaming for help," Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo told Tyer during the meeting.
Tyer told Mazzeo that the best thing for the city is to steel itself against what could be even harder times to come. "I agree with you," she told Mazzeo. "We're all trying to do the right thing by the taxpayer."
Lat week, Tyer beat Mazzeo by 529 votes in a race for mayor.
The conversation will resume during the next meeting on Nov. 26, Council President Peter Marchetti said.
Up for debate was a proposal from Tyer to increase tax rates to $19.99 per $1,000 of assessed value for residential properties, and $39.96 for commercial. The move signaled a shift from last year's tax cut, which Tyer referred to as a remarkable turnaround for Pittsfield.
Last year, rates dropped from $20.01 to $19.42 on the residential side, and the commercial tax rate dropped from from $39.98 to $39.94.
The tax rates proposed by Tyer's administration amount to about $106 more a year for the average residential property. Tyer proposed using $500,000 more from the city's free cash fund — on top of $750,000 already appropriated from the fund during the city's springtime budget process — to offset the increase.
That amount was the point of contention for councilors, many of whom wanted to see that number increase.
Councilors asked Tyer to consider using more from free cash to balance the city's budget and relieve the burden on taxpayers.
"I'm sure it's great to have a nice big, cushy savings account," Mazzeo said. "But it's their money it's their savings account."
Other councilors agreed, including councilors Kevin Morandi, Chris Connell, Donna Todd Rivers, John Krol and Tony Simonelli.
"We are saving at the expense of the taxpayers and that's the bottom line," Todd Rivers said.
And in response to points made by members of the administration that the tax shifts wouldn't offer much relief to the average taxpayer, Todd Rivers added that "sometimes it's not about the dollars. It's not about the pennies. It's about the message."
But Tyer was reluctant, reminding councilors that auditors frown upon the city's reliance upon free cash and it's important to maintain reserves.
Connell added, too, that property values keep going up, and so a tax increase on top of that shakes out to a double hit for residents.
Finance Director Matt Kerwood said economists predict a period of economic decline in the coming years. "There is a recession coming and we need to be prepared for that," he said.
Tyer said she wanted to remain firm, asserting the free cash increases councilors proposed wouldn't help the rates much.
"It's not going to have much of an impact on the rate itself," she said. "But it does start to cut into our reserves, and it also positions us for a bigger challenge next year."
The back and forth forced a 30-minute recess, after which Tyer said she was willing to use $250,000 more from free cash to offset the tax rate. But the majority of the council wouldn't approve any less than an additional $500,000.
According to documents provided to councilors, the combined assessed value of the city's 11,313 single-family residences went up by $86,790,600 between the last fiscal year and the current one, an increase of about 4.1 percent. Over the same period, the city's 742 commercial properties dropped by $1,380,830, or .4 percent.
On the residential side, the city has seen $10.5 million in new growth over the last year, resulting in $203,182 more in taxes paid to the city, the documents show. The city has also seen commercial growth amounting to $2.3 million, or $91,876 in taxes paid to the city.
Amanda Drane can be contacted adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/61176/Pittsfield-Continues-Tax-Classification-Hearing-Over-Free-Cash.html
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11/13/2019
The lovely Linda Tyer won the election. It was predictable because the Good Old Boys run the show in Pittsfield, and they all backed her. Every election year in the history of Pittsfield politics, wealthy Ward 4 decides the winner of the corner office in City Hall. The rich voters don’t mind high taxes with diminished municipal services. Melissa Mazzeo pointed out how Linda failed to deliver for the hard hit taxpayers, but what she did not factor in was that a majority of the voters aren’t affected by high taxes. The rich can afford it, while the poor don’t pay.
I don't believe Pittsfield politics wants to create living wage jobs for its working class residents. Instead, they tax their rich residents (mostly in Ward 4), and give "free" public benefits to the poor residents. It has been about 30 years since GE cut its workforce. In all that time, Pittsfield politics has done nothing for real economic development. I call it "Perverse Incentives", which is an economics term that says a firm benefits by creating deleterious societal outcomes. In this case, Pittsfield politics benefits by having increasing numbers of poverty and working poor residents. To illustrate, teen pregnancies and welfare caseloads double that statewide average in Pittsfield. The more social services programs means more money for Pittsfield politics. To be clear, there is greater benefit to Pittsfield politics by having poor and near poor local residents reliant on social services than having these same local residents working in living wage jobs. In conclusion, the "perverse" way Pittsfield politics does its public business is to raise taxes on the rich, while profiting off of social services programs for the poor or near poor.
- Jonathan Melle
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Our Opinion: “Familiar pattern to tax rate debate”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, November 13, 2019
The tax rate debate that unfolded at the Pittsfield City Council meeting Tuesday night will probably be the last major debate of this council session, and it fell along familiar lines in terms of the players involved and the perspective on the issue of tax hikes.
Mayor Tyer is proposing a tax increase to $19.99 per $1,000 of assessed value for residential properties and $39.96 for commercial. This comes a year after the rate dropped from $20.01 to $19.42 on the residential side and from $39.98 to $39.94 on the commercial. A narrow City Council majority rejected the proposal, arguing instead for greater use of reserve funds to lower the tax rate. The debate will resume at the next City Council session on Nov. 26. ("Tax rate debate tabled, Nov. 13).
The administration's proposed tax increase would add a little over $100 a year to the tax bill of the average residential property, an increase kept to that level by the mayor's proposal to employ $300,000 from the city's free cash fund. Opponents requested an additional $500,000 to be used from free cash to lower the tax rate.
In recent years, the city auditor has repeatedly recommended against the use of free cash to reduce the tax rate. Pittsfield in general has a history of using free cash to artificially reduce the tax rate and avoid politically difficult choices. On Tuesday night, city Finance Director Matt Kerwood noted that many economists foresee a national recession on the horizon, which is a strong argument for maintaining a reasonable reserve fund.
After a 30-minute recess, Mayor Tyer came forward with a compromise, offering to add another $250,000 from free cash to offset a portion of the tax increase. There was no compromise coming from opponents, however, and the debate ended in a deadlock.
Of the six city councilors opposed to the tax increase, several have been consistently against initiatives offered by the mayor, who last week was re-elected to a second four-year term. Four of the six will not return to the City Council next term, including Councilor at-large Melissa Mazzeo, who lost a close race for mayor on Nov. 5.
Councilor Mazzeo's assertion Tuesday night that "it's great to have a nice, big, cushy savings account" implies that the administration is irresponsibly sitting on a pile of money at taxpayers' expense. In fact, a healthy reserve in anticipation of the inevitable tough times ahead is to the benefit of city taxpayers. We urge the City Council to approve Mayor Tyer's responsible tax rate proposal at its next opportunity.
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“Melissa Mazzeo files for recount after losing Pittsfield mayor's race”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 15, 2019
Pittsfield — There will be a citywide recount after Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo filed for one on Friday afternoon.
Mazzeo lost her mayoral bid last week to incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer. Friday at 5 p.m. was the deadline to file for a recount.
City Clerk Michele Benjamin said Mazzeo submitted 10 signatures of support for a recount from each ward, which must now be certified. Then, Benjamin will have to schedule a meeting of the Board of Registrars, hire poll workers and gather groups to conduct the recount.
The recount will likely take place in council chambers and is unlikely to happen next week, Benjamin said. Mazzeo and Tyer will both be permitted to have observers in the room, she said.
Ballots will be hand-counted, Benjamin said, and will likely take between four and six hours to sift through.
The last recount was in 2015 and was only in Ward 5, she said.
Mazzeo was unavailable for comment.
Tom Sakshaug, Tyer's campaign manager, said the race wasn't close enough for a recount to change much. Mazzeo lost by about 529 votes.
"There is no way she can recover that," he said. "Previous recounts showed how accurate the machines are."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Look Ahead Pittsfield”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, 11-17-2019
Hey there, readers. Back at it.
Murmurings of discontent from mayoral challenger Melissa Mazzeo’s corner gave way last week to a formal request for a recount, and so this week City Hall will fall into the throes of that process.
It’s unlikely the recount itself will happen this week, according to City Clerk Michele Benjamin, who outlined the process on Friday. Still, her office will be a flurry of paperwork and preparation as it readies for the main event.
Councilor Mazzeo lost by 529 votes to incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer in the Nov. 5 election, according to tallies provided by City Hall. Tyer’s camp said there is no way for Mazzeo to recover the margin of loss in a recount process.
And between the sudden death of a beloved Taconic High School teacher and burst pipes that disrupted classes last week at Pittsfield High School, it’s been a rough week for the city’s school district. On Wednesday, the School Committee will resume its regularly scheduled meeting, which was scratched amid last week’s turmoil.
On the community development front, a controversial cell tower proposed for the old Pontoosuc Woolen Mill property will make its public debut in two meetings this week. The tower, which neighbors fear will mar the scenic lakeside area, is scheduled for review by the Community Development Board on Tuesday and the Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday.
Heads up
There will be dueling fundraising concerts on Friday for the food pantry and for immigrant justice work done by Berkshire Interfaith Organizing, or BIO.
The food pantry’s concert features two local tribute bands, Forever Man and Berkshire Beatlesque. Tickets are $25, attendees are asked to bring a nonperishable food item and the show starts at 8 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church on Fenn Street.
Around the corner at First Church at Park Square, another benefit concert will raise funds for BIO’s work for immigrants, like its sanctuary efforts and rides it provides for Immigration and Custom Enforcement appointments in Boston and Hartford. Tickets cost $12, and the show starts at 7 p.m.
What’s up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, or by phone at 413-496-6296.
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I just read the news article (WAMC). These are the allegations by Melissa Mazzeo's campaign:
According to the statement, “there is ample reason to believe that unauthorized persons had access to the area in the office of the city clerk and registrar of voter’s office where ballots were stored and maintained.” It goes on to contend “the number of absentee ballots requested and submitted for count in this precinct and throughout the city substantially exceeded the number of absentee ballots requested in any prior city-wide election for Mayor.”
Who were the "unauthorized persons" in the City Clerk and Registrar of Voter's offices? Did these "unauthorized persons" tamper with the ballots? Were the absentee ballots tampered with by "unauthorized persons"?
Source: “Mazzeo Campaign Suggests Vote Tampering In Pittsfield Recount Request”, By Josh Landes, WAMC, November 18, 2019
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“Mazzeo alleges unauthorized access to ballots in recount filings”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 18, 2019
Pittsfield — "Unauthorized persons had access" to an area of City Hall where ballots were stored, according to the text of Melissa Mazzeo's request for a mayoral recount following the Nov. 5 election.
Her petition also cites the high number of absentee ballots requested during this year's election cycle, raising questions "about the accuracy of the record."
But Mayor Linda Tyer, who won the election by 529 votes, said there was nothing to such claims.
"I'm 100% confident in the integrity of Pittsfield's elections and I am absolutely certain I won this election fair and square," she told The Eagle via email.
Mazzeo cited ongoing discussions with attorneys as she declined to comment for this story.
Mazzeo filed the citywide recount paperwork Friday afternoon challenging the outcome of the election. The petition required 70 signatures — 10 from each ward — which clerks certified on Monday, City Clerk Michele Benjamin said.
When asked to respond to Mazzeo's allegation of unauthorized access to her office, Benjamin deferred to Stephen Pagnotta, the city's attorney.
"We will not comment on Ms. Mazzeo's allegations other than to say that the City Clerk's office is confident that the recount and review of the November 4 vote will ratify the integrity of registrar's office, of the voting process and of the votes that were cast by the citizens of Pittsfield," Pagnotta said
The recount will not happen this week, Benjamin said, but it could come as early as Nov. 25, 2019.
The city will need to cover the cost of the recount, she said. She hadn't prepared an estimate as of Monday afternoon, but listed a series of expenses that include hiring a police officer for the day of the count, as well as between 14 and 18 people for three days at about $12 an hour.
"My hope is that this will be done in a day," Benjamin said, noting that during the last mayoral recount in 2009, counters were reserved and paid for three days even though the recount only took one.
The process will also require staff time from her office in the days ahead, she said. Only mayoral votes will be counted again.
Another member of the Board of Registrars must also be appointed, she said, as Thomas Hamel recused himself for personal reasons. Other active members of the board include Benjamin, William Barry and Jennifer Kerwood.
The recount will likely take place in council chambers, Benjamin said, and both Mazzeo and Tyer will be permitted to have observers in the room.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Mazzeo clarifies `significant concerns' about election integrity ahead of Monday's mayoral recount”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 22, 2019
Pittsfield — Melissa Mazzeo pushed for a recount in order to ensure that all voters had their voices properly heard, she said in a statement Friday.
"This is not a decision that I took lightly," her statement read. "However, I have been advised that it is a necessary step in the process that keeps all viable options open to address the significant concerns my campaign has about the integrity of the election here in Pittsfield."
Mazzeo filed for a recount last week, alleging unauthorized access to ballots. The recount will happen Monday, according to City Clerk Michele Benjamin, who on Friday disputed the allegations.
"No one had access to any of the ballots, except for staff," she said. "I am confident that the outcome of the recount will ratify the unofficial results."
As they stand, those tallies show Tyer won the election by 526 votes.
Mazzeo's statement said "an individual closely related to the Tyer Campaign" had access to ballots inside City Hall.
"Numerous voters complained about this individual to us," she said. "Upon hearing this, we officially contacted Secretary [of State William] Galvin's Elections Division and reported the issue."
Mazzeo also said someone reached out to her campaign to say they were marked as having voted when they hadn't.
"As a result, that individual was prevented from casting his vote," she said.
Also, there were an abnormally high number of absentee ballots in the election, she said in her statement. The volume exceeded previous elections, "and we intend to look carefully at all the absentee ballots for irregularities."
"As a candidate and voter in Pittsfield, I am seeking to ensure that issues like this are brought to light and never happen again," she said. "Until we are provided answers to these issues, I will continue to pursue every avenue necessary to ensure that the people of Pittsfield can be certain that their votes are protected and counted properly."
Benjamin said she hired 23 people to work the recount, though at least one person might turn out to be an extra. The city will pay them $12 an hour for as long as the recount takes.
"We're hoping to be done Monday," she said, acknowledging that she is prepared to extend the count into Tuesday, if need be.
Mazzeo and Tyer each will be allowed 13 observers, she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Seal via Wikimedia Commons; Graphic by Evan Berkowitz - The Berkshire Eagle file photos
“A tale of two Pittsfields: What defines its political divide?”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 23, 2019
Pittsfield — As the city's mayoral election season heads into extra innings, many say we can chalk it up to the great divide.
Unlike in national politics, the city's partisan lines are less clear. Pittsfield's political players are mostly Democrats, so, the split falls to differing visions for postindustrial Pittsfield, say those interviewed for this story.
Thus, two camps formed informally. One put fiscal responsibility on a pedestal, while the other saw the need to take financial risks in the name of progress.
The latest mayoral contenders, incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer and Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, are variations on that longtime theme, they say, and both are the newest figureheads of two political factions that, for decades, have jockeyed for the city's highest office.
The result of their Nov. 5 race, which is scheduled for a recount Monday, is the latest indication of a divided city. Tyer won the election by 526 votes, but Mazzeo, who won the four-person preliminary election in September by a 289-vote margin over Tyer, called for a recount.
`Big things are happening'
Each political camp has its forebears: Former Mayor Remo Del Gallo sits on one side, while the late former Mayor Anne Everest Wojtkowski sits on another.
Del Gallo was mayor during the late 1960s, was chairman of the city's Democratic Party for 40 years and owned a neighborhood eatery on Newell Street by his name, which long served as a social and political headquarters.
Wojtkowski was an engineer who rose to power during the late 1980s, just as the city's industrial base fell into steep decline. The city's first female mayor served two terms from 1988 to 1992, ran on an anti-establishment platform and rallied residents around what she described as the need to break up a small but powerful faction of people running city government.
Her stance against a controversial sewer user fee increase also played a role in her 63 percentage point win against Angelo Stracuzzi in 1989 and earned her a second term.
Even then, politicians saw the brewing divide and called for a united front against city problems.
"This city's in trouble. We're losing our employment base," former Mayor Paul Brindle III said after Wojtkowski's win in November 1989. "We've got to start talking with GE, because big things are happening here."
Political hardball
Though many agree that the factions took hold under Wojtkowski, state Rep. John Barrett III, a longtime mayor of North Adams, pointed to earlier roots of Pittsfield's divide under the late former Mayor Charlie Smith.
In 1979, Smith defeated Brindle, the incumbent mayor. Brindle and his supporters wanted to tear down buildings along the west side of North Street to make way for a shopping mall, but Smith and his supporters opposed that plan.
Smith took office and squashed the Pittsfield mall project and was reelected to three more consecutive two-year terms, serving through 1988.
"Needless to say, the downtown mall was never built and it went out to Lanesborough," Barrett said of the Berkshire Mall, which opened in 1988 and is now a shell of its former self. "That was really the beginning, I think."
Brindle, who calls himself a Del Gallo ally, said Smith was aligned with Wojtkowski. If the city had moved forward with Brindle's plan, he said, downtown Pittsfield would have its own Crossgates Mall.
"That destroyed downtown Pittsfield right then and there," he said, adding that the city missed out on $200 million when Smith drove the developer out of town.
Brindle said he and Smith had been friends up until that point.
Barrett said he has watched as Pittsfield elections divided neighborhoods and ended friendships.
"Pittsfield politics is hardball," Barrett said. "They take no prisoners."
Pittsfield City Council President Peter Marchetti said the split is about alliances and ideologies.
"I'd place myself on the Del Gallo side," Marchetti said, recalling a time when city government shut down under Wojtkowski because a budget didn't get passed.
Despite the obvious divide, Marchetti, a Tyer ally, said that when he ran for mayor against Mazzeo's ally, former Mayor Daniel Bianchi, "I tried to run on a platform of `one Pittsfield.'" That 2011 election, which Marchetti lost by 116 votes, was the closest race in city history.
"I couldn't even really tell you how it started," Marchetti said of the divide. "I just think it's always been that way."
In a brief conversation this week, Bianchi scoffed at the idea that city politics were divided into factions — "I'm kind of scratching my head on the fact that you think that there are two sides" — and he blamed The Eagle for fanning flames over the years.
Bianchi said the desire for power is naturally divisive.
"When you have people who want power for whatever reason, there's going to be a lack of cooperation," Bianchi said.
Passing the torch
Former Mayor James Ruberto beat Bianchi in 2009 by a narrow margin. Ruberto criticized Bianchi throughout the campaign for a lack of vision, while Bianchi supporters said their guy stood for the common man and Ruberto catered to big business.
Ruberto said his reign was marked by bold, progressive risks that moved the city forward. He asserts that Tyer follows in his footsteps.
Bianchi was "more conservative," Ruberto said, recalling how when Bianchi was a councilor, they sparred on issues like whether to invest public dollars in the Colonial Theatre redevelopment project.
"When [Bianchi] left, Melissa Mazzeo carried his torch in questioning the investments that the city makes, in many cases, in the form of matching grants," Ruberto said. "Like Dan Bianchi before her, she took his approach."
Mazzeo declined to comment for this story, citing a need to hunker down ahead of the Monday recount. Tyer did not respond to a message requesting comment.
That vision was of the "less government is good government" way of thinking, he said.
Ruberto, first elected in 2003, ran on the heels of a failed downtown ballpark, a project advanced by former Mayor Gerry Doyle.
"I, in some form, followed the Gerry Doyle approach: being aggressive as mayor and looking at opportunities all the time for ways to improve the city was the preferred route to go," Ruberto said.
When it comes to defining the divide, Ruberto said "risk is a key issue."
"There is a segment of the community that believes investments should only be made for projects that guarantee success," Ruberto said. "And you cannot find a project that guarantees success."
Investments made in projects at Barrington Stage Company and the Colonial could have turned disastrous, he said. But, without risk, there is no reward.
Pursuing these paths takes optimistic leadership, he said, while "the other side prefers to maintain the status quo."
The factions, Ruberto said, also tend to fall along another dividing line: whether to make investing in arts and culture a priority. As mayor, he asserted the need for Pittsfield to "join the Berkshires in placing arts and culture front and center," and so a new city department was developed around that premise.
Don MacGillis, a former editor of The Eagle, agreed. As he closely observed city politics through the 1980s and into the mid-1990s, he said, he saw one side reaching toward the arts and another gunning for more manufacturing jobs.
"I don't think of them as liberal and conservative," he said. "I think of them as having different visions of where Pittsfield should go."
Taxation and public spending serve as other points of contention between the two sides, Ruberto said. But, he said some investments are necessary, like those needed in our schools and in a new police station. And they need to get paid for.
Now, Ruberto said, Tyer has taken up the mantle.
As mayor, Ruberto said, he had hoped to bring more diversity to City Hall, and that is something Tyer has made great strides in.
"I think that the issue of recognizing the importance of diversity is an issue that does, to some degree, separate the two factions," Ruberto said. "Mayor Tyer has been extremely aggressive and is to be congratulated."
He said the Nov. 5 election shows the scales tipping in his faction's favor.
"I think I did well in Wards 3 and 4 and 5A, and that is the location of the, what you'd say, the younger faction, and I don't want to sound arrogant, but the better-educated elements. The people who are truly interested in making Pittsfield a better place," Ruberto said.
"What I found in this race, in areas where I did very poorly, Linda Tyer did well. That gives me the belief and the hope that the shadow of the General Electric debacle continues to moderate," he continued.
It seems to Ruberto that there is a growing base of voters wishing to advance the city, "and that requires a progressive government that is willing to take risks."
Alliances
State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, said that because of the two camps, "every mayoral race is kind of a rerun."
She said her side believes in "investing and sometimes taking chances. And then there is another group that says we have to protect the taxpayer; we have to save money."
"It's these two ways of looking at moving the city forward," Farley-Bouvier said. "I would rather invest than hunker down."
These ideological differences breed alliances, she said, which serve as the political engine needed to get candidates elected.
"Practically, you have to align yourself with one side or the other to get the support that you need," she said. "And so it keeps perpetuating itself."
It's not good or bad, "it just is," Farley-Bouvier said.
Powerful women now at the fore took a noticeable step away from the camps when they formed the group WHEN — Women Helping Empower Neighborhoods — in 2003.
Farley-Bouvier was part of the group at the time — as were Mazzeo and Tyer. The group's mission was to change the face of the all-male City Council.
"They identified a clear objective, marshaled the forces and executed it," Farley-Bouvier said. "And they did not get distracted."
In fact, Mazzeo worked on Tyer's campaign in the name of achieving the goals set out by the group. The two political camps functioned separately, she said, noting that a set of ovaries doesn't come with a certain political ideology.
The original, yet informal, name of the group was "We've Had Enough Nonsense."
Dan Bellow, who covered City Hall for The Eagle in the late 1980s, said the two factions were less evolved than the aforementioned officials described.
"I always felt like it was two clubs of people that just didn't like each other," he said.
The networks
Longtime City Councilor John Krol took a similar position, asserting that the two factions are more defined by personal relationships and networks than they are by any philosophy.
While the Ruberto camp generally likes to try different approaches to moving the city forward, and the Bianchi side generally prioritizes maintaining existing tax rates, he said, those points aren't always consistent.
"I think the difference in policy is almost negligible compared to the social network," Krol said.
And while city politics divide along these lines, Krol said voters don't necessarily follow suit.
"It's a small group of people on both sides that are in these networks," he said. "It's about the political machine of either side."
City voters usually see past it, Krol said.
Take Ward 5 in this latest election, for example. Krol pointed to the fact that its residents voted Tyer while also voting in newcomer Patrick Kavey against longtime former councilor Jonathan Lothrop, who comes from the same camp as Tyer.
"That, in a microcosm, is sort of proof that voters have the sophistication to see them for who they are, or they see them separately from those factions," Krol said.
Now, Krol said, the city's newly elected councilors are almost certainly getting courted by the opposing camps. There always will be alliances in politics, he said, but the best councilors are willing to stray from the group.
"I've seen councilors who have shifted their approach based upon positioning themselves within the group, as opposed to maybe following their true voice," he said. "And that's the unfortunate side of it."
Sometimes the fate of an initiative rides with the mayor putting it forward. Krol recalled the fact that the wastewater plant overhaul failed on the first vote.
"If Dan Bianchi had put that forward, that would have been approved," he said. "The evidence was overwhelming that that's what we had to do."
Similarly, when Bianchi was pushing for the Berkshire Innovation Center, Krol said, negotiations became necessary in order to pass it. "It goes both ways."
"I was on the council, and I was part of this; the council was tough on him," he said of Bianchi. "In part, it was based on those two factions."
Krol said the same political machines fell behind their candidates during last year's race for Berkshire District Attorney. He said Tyer supported Andrea Harrington, in part, because of the factions.
"A big portion of that was because of the knowledge that the other side was Bianchi, [Sheriff Thomas] Bowler, Mazzeo, etc.," he said.
Harrington wasn't of the club, but she drew from Tyer's side to counter the other, which had thrown its support behind incumbent Paul Caccaviello, he said.
Issues that divide
Dan Valenti, a longtime political writer who runs a blog by his name, said the city's political divide is based more on issues that divide neighbors. It traces to the 1960s, he said, when urban renewal projects stirred up discontent.
These initiatives typically involved tearing down historic buildings in hopes of making the properties more desirable to developers. One of those buildings was the old train station — "This magnificent facility made of marble" — off West Street that many still mourn.
"So, that really started a lot of rumbling," he said.
Later, the decline of GE meant fewer of its employees remained in Pittsfield. Many of those former company people had worked in politics, he said.
"That's when the factions really begin to coalesce," Valenti said.
Then, there was the controversial stadium proposed by Doyle for West Street and the proposed civic authority to go with it. Valenti said uproar followed the proposed authority, which would have amounted to "unchecked power."
"The other side said, `Look, create the ballpark — fine. But you don't need to create this legislative monster that's beyond the reach of the people,'" he said. "It's almost like the stadium became this Trojan horse."
The fight against the civic authority was one of distrust of authority, Valenti said, and it was led by the ordinary people. Bianchi, referred to by supporters as the common man's mayor, also took up the anti-authority stance, Valenti said.
When voters defeated the civic authority by referendum in 2001, he said, "That's when the split really turned nasty."
Year after year, the city recycles the same people over and over again, he said, making it hard for an outsider to gain momentum. This "civil war," as he calls it, hurts the city.
"The divide is neighbor against neighbor," he said. "And it definitely sets the city back."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
"Pittsfield politics is hardball. They take no prisoners."
John Barrett III, former North Adams mayor and current state representative
The recount
The Pittsfield mayoral recount begins at 8:30 a.m. Monday [11/25/2019] in the City Council chambers.
Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo petitioned for a recount this month, alleging that at least one person had unauthorized access to ballots kept in City Hall. City officials have denied those claims and asserted the integrity of the Nov. 5 [2019] election.
The city will pay about two dozen people $12 an hour to conduct the recount, which City Clerk Michele Benjamin said she hopes will be done by the end of Monday [11/25/2019].
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November 23, 2019
After reading the news article about Pittsfield politics’ two factions who hate each other, I believe both sides have failed Pittsfield! The Del Gallo/Ruberto/Tyer side are notoriously called the “Good Old Boys”, while the Wojtkowski/Hathaway (Nuciforo)/Bianchi/Mazzeo side are the anti-establishment naysayers. To be clear, both factions shutout the grassroots voices of the people of Pittsfield.
I have followed Pittsfield politics for decades. GE cut its workforce in Pittsfield about 3 decades ago. Currently (2019), there are zero GE jobs in Pittsfield. When the bypass was introduced in Pittsfield in the 1950’s, the city government blocked it. In the 1950’s, downtown Pittsfield was once a nice shopping and dining business district, but it all started to fall apart in the 1960’s when urban renewal tore down historic buildings, Berkshire Community College was moved from First Street to outer West Street, the proposed downtown mall was blocked in the 1980’s by the Good Old Boys faction, many thousands of people moved out of the city due to job loss, and North Street became known as “Social Services Alley” full of empty storefronts. Then, the anti-establishment naysayers faction blocked the proposed downtown ballpark about 2 decades ago. Also, we must not forget the recent shakedown by the Berkshire Museum when they sold historic and valuable pieces of art for tens of millions of dollars, which was led by Good Old Boys Jimmy Ruberto and Gerry Doyle.
My experience with Pittsfield politics is that you have to kiss the dirty behinds of the Good Old Boys. Pittsfield politics is totally corrupt because it is always a fix with the same political insiders who fight to run the show. If one speaks out about how Pittsfield politics really operates, they will find a way to take away your job. If one continues to fight the local political system in Pittsfield, they will blacklist you from ever finding any job in Pittsfield. Moreover, they will make up false allegations to the police and district attorney’s office, and when that form of intimidation fails to be effective, they will spread vicious rumors against you so you will feel paranoid and uncomfortable to live in Pittsfield. All of the above is what they did to me and my family when we lived in or near Pittsfield many years ago, and it even continued after I moved away from Pittsfield. Also, I believe Pittsfield politics is ran like a Mafia! Many of the local politicians in Pittsfield come from multigenerational, interrelated Pittsfield families. To be clear, the “Good Old Boys” are mostly related to each other. It is all in the family when it comes to Pittsfield politics.
In closing, Pittsfield politics has driven the city into the proverbial ditch. Year after year, they raise municipal taxes and public debts, some of which are not being paid in full, as they make interest-only loan payments on the new Taconic High School multi-million dollar bond, while the tax base shrinks. Thousands of people have moved out of Pittsfield over the past decades due to the thousands of living wage jobs that have been lost over the years in Pittsfield. Once jobs are lost, they aren’t coming back in our lifetime. Sadly, the people, who blogger Dan Valenti proverbially calls “the Kapanski family”, have no chance to get ahead against the two-headed monster also known as the Democratic Party controlled warring political factions or machines that runs Pittsfield politics.
- Jonathan Melle
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Tensions surround mayoral recount, tax rate debate and a police officer’s fate”
By Amanda Drane , The Berkshire Eagle, 11-24-2019
Hey there, readers. Still kickin'.
This week comes in hot and heavy with a mayoral recount first thing Monday morning.
Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, who lost her bid to incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer, according to city tallies, clarified her concerns for the election’s integrity last week. She said her campaign heard repeatedly that someone close to Tyer’s campaign had unauthorized access to ballots, and that at least one person went to vote on Nov. 5 only to find that they had already been marked as having voted.
The recount is the latest indication of a divided city — Mazzeo and Tyer are the most recent iterations of a longtime political themethat politicians and political observers spoke to last week.
The Monday recount gives way to a City Council meeting on Tuesday, during which councilors and members of Tyer’s administration will resume what were previously heated conversations about the amount of free cash that should be used to offset the tax rate, and whether to remove an on-street parking ban for the area surrounding Wayfair’s new facility on South Church Street.
Councilors sparred with Tyer during the previous meeting, with several pushing her to increase the amount of free cash she’d be willing to part with, thereby using it to pay city expenses and reduce the burden on taxpayers. Tyer agreed to up the number, but not by enough to satisfy the majority of the council.
The tax rate increase she proposed signaled a shift from last year's tax cut, which Tyer referred to as a remarkable turnaround for Pittsfield.
And we can expect a verdict early this week in the case of Pittsfield Police Officer Michael McHugh. He and co-defendant Jason LaBelle are accused of beating LaBelle's estranged father in-law and then lying about the events of the night.
McHugh was placed on unpaid suspension from the department after his indictment.
Heads up
There will be a promotional pinning ceremony for the Pittsfield Fire Department 6 p.m. Wednesday at Taconic High School. The ceremony honors the department’s new top brass, who took the reins after several high-ranking officers — including former Chief Robert Czerwinski — retired from the department.
Jim’s House of Shoes plans to end its 70-year run. We should have more for you on that this week.
And the holiday season arrives in earnest, with Thanksgiving upon us this Thursday. By the week’s end, hopefully we’ll be able to say that we’re grateful the week ended more calmly than it began.
What’s up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, or by phone at 413-496-6296.
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“Mayor Linda Tyer again the winner after picking up two votes in recount”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 25, 2019
Pittsfield — Mayor Linda Tyer picked up two additional votes after Monday's recount of the mayoral election.
After the daylong recount, Tyer ended up with 6,185 votes, 528 more than her challenger, City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo, who got 5,657.
The recount began at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall, with temporary workers and City Hall staff combing over the more than 12,000 ballots cast in the Nov. 5 election.
The election night tally had Tyer defeating Mazzeo by 526 votes, earning her a second four-year term.
As the recount began, numerous challenges were lodged by observers for Mazzeo, who were zeroing in on absentee ballots marked in Tyer's favor.
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Any ballot that was challenged is segregated and put before the Board of Registrars for review.
"They're just blanket challenging every absentee ballot that has been voted for Tyer," the mayor said.
Each candidate was allowed 12 people to observe the count, and another at the front of council chambers, where the count was taking place.
When she filed for a recount, Mazzeo alleged a person close to Tyer's campaign had unauthorized access to ballots kept in City Hall. She also pointed to an abnormally high volume of absentee ballots counted in the election. City Clerk Michele Benjamin denied those claims last week.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Tax rate tiff continues between Mayor Linda Tyer and Pittsfield City Council”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 26, 2019
Pittsfield — Every little bit counts, say those on both sides of a tax rate debate that got stretched into another meeting after a Tuesday stalemate in council chambers.
Mayor Linda Tyer and half the City Council say that the $250,000 additional dollars requested by the council's other half belongs in the city's reserves, where it can help safeguard the city from economic crisis during a possible recession. Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo and several other councilors say the mayor should take $250,000 more from the city's free cash fund to offset a likely tax increase, which they say will hurt taxpayers still reeling from increasing property values.
Councilors began the debate during their meeting earlier this month, and their continued discussion ended abruptly on Tuesday after Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi pulled a charter objection, halting the conversation — and the vote — in its tracks. Council President Peter Marchetti said he would call a special meeting for next Tuesday to ensure a tax rate is set in time for tax bills to go out at the end of December.
Tyer came down from the tax increase proposed earlier this month, which would have used $500,000 in free cash to offset the tax rate, putting rates at $19.99 per $1,000 of assessed value for residential properties, and $39.96 for commercial.
In response to pushback from councilors, she upped the number proposed to $750,000 in free cash, decreasing the proposed residential rates to $19.76 per $1,000 of assessed value for residential properties, and shifting more to commercial property owners with a rate of $40.47.
Last year, rates dropped from $20.01 to $19.42 on the residential side, and the commercial tax rate dropped from from $39.98 to $39.94.
Ward 7 Councilor Tony Simonelli said he spoke with seniors on fixed incomes earlier in the day, and they asked him to do anything he could to reduce the tax rate. Electricity goes up, prescription costs go up, "everything goes up," he said. "Except retirees pensions."
"We don't work for the mayor," Simonelli said, after councilors Earl Persip and Pete White pointed to the mayor's willingness to compromise. "We work for the taxpayers."
The city's auditor, Thomas Scanlon, reminded councilors during the meeting of the need to break the habit of using free cash to meet the city's annual expenses. But more importantly, he urged them to reach a consensus on this issue soon. "I can't stress that enough," he said.
Mazzeo said she's heard it often over her decade on the council, but sometimes "we have to" use free cash to keep tax rates down.
"This is Pittsfield — we have our ups and our down," she said. "We've survived."
Finance Director Matt Kerwood said economists predict a recession will hit within the next few years, and that could hurt the city's revenue streams.
"That is the point in time when you're going to need to use your reserves," he told councilors, reminding them there is no option for Pittsfield to do a tax override to maintain services.
The city has about $10 million in reserves, officials said during the meeting. Given the city's budget is about $150 million a year, Scanlon said he'd like to see the city's reserves reach toward $15 million.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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“Mazzeo claims Tyer's husband had access to ballots ahead of Nov. 5 election”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, November 26, 2019
Pittsfield — A day after a recount affirmed Mayor Linda Tyer's reelection, her opponent said she never expected the vote to tip the contest in her favor.
Rather, she said, it was a step toward a possible legal challenge based on reports about something that happened days before the election: Several people said they saw Barry Clairmont, Tyer's husband and campaign treasurer, behind the counter at the Registrar of Voters Office at City Hall during the early voting period.
"I had to go through the motions to secure my rights to move forward," said challenger Melissa Mazzeo, though she and her team have not yet said what form that action might take.
Clairmont, a former city councilor, denied any wrongdoing.
"At no time during this election did I have any unauthorized access to ballots," he told The Eagle.
Monday's recount validated the results of the Nov. 5 election, with Tyer winning by 528 votes, according to figures provided by the city clerk's office.
Mazzeo, a longtime city councilor, said while she was under no illusion the recount would change the outcome — "that was never our intention" — she did it to make way for further action. Ballots would otherwise have been destroyed within 30 days of the election, she said.
Tyer called the allegations "nonsense," and criticized Mazzeo for "an attempt to disenfranchise my voters."
But Mazzeo says there's more at stake than who won.
"It's the integrity of this election," she said Tuesday. "If even one ballot is tampered with, wouldn't you want to know that?"
Mazzeo filed a complaint regarding Clairmont's appearance behind the counter with the election division of the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth on Oct. 29. A response from the office corroborates her claim and places it in context.
Michelle K. Tassinari, director and legal counsel for the elections division, said in an email to Mazzeo that a colleague from her office contacted City Clerk Michele Benjamin about the complaint. Benjamin "indicated that he came to the Registrar's office to pick up a record previously requested and was waiting in the area where voters were using absentee ballots."
"Ms. Benjamin directed him to go into her office so she could give him the requested record, which would avoid him remaining within the area where voting was occurring. Upon receipt of the requested record, he promptly left the office."
"At no time did he interact with or interfere with voters or have access to ballots or other election materials," Tassinari wrote.
Benjamin, too, disputed Mazzeo's claims. "No one had access to any of the ballots, except for staff," she told The Eagle.
Still, Mazzeo said, Clairmont's presence behind the counter didn't sit well with some voters.
"These voters felt uncomfortable leaving that office with their ballots being vulnerable, because of his unwarranted presence in an office he should not be in," Mazzeo said in her email to Tassinari.
Mazzeo said it was inappropriate for him to be there.
"I don't go behind the counter and I'm a city councilor," she said.
The fact that he was behind the counter calls into question the integrity of the absentee ballot count, she said. People were actively voting, so ballots were likely nearby and accessible.
"I doubt they went into the vault every time someone does an absentee ballot," she said.
Mazzeo said she had hoped to bypass the recount, but "we were told to do the recount to preserve our rights."
She also pointed to ballots found during the recount that were not in their proper places. She said it's natural to question what she described as "irregularities" surrounding the election.
"If they were in my shoes," she said, "I guarantee you they would be doing the same thing."
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Our Opinion: “Details needed on city election challenge”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, November 26, 2019
Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer triumphed again in Monday's recount of the Nov. 5 Pittsfield election results, gaining two votes to increase her margin of victory over City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo to 528. It is apparent, however, that Councilor Mazzeo's challenge will not end there. Voters should demand more specifics as to why that is the case.
The words and phrases used by Ms. Mazzeo and Andrew Hochberg, the attorney representing her in her challenge, have been cautious and purposefully vague. "Significant concerns," "integrity" of the election process and "irregularities" have been used in recent days. The blunt truth, however, is that Ms. Mazzeo believes, or at least suspects, that the Tyer campaign stole the election. That is a serious allegation, one that could involve criminal conduct.
The Mazzeo camp's concerns center around alleged unauthorized access to absentee ballots. In Monday's recount, observers for Ms. Mazzeo challenged 386 ballots, the majority of which were cast for Mayor Tyer. They have been set aside for future review. Mayor Tyer described the challenges as "an attempt to disenfranchise my voters."
City Clerk Michele Benjamin told The Eagle that no one had any access to any of the ballots, except for staff. Does Ms. Mazzeo suspect that the office of the city clerk was complicit in election rigging?
We now know that Mazzeo suspects Mayor Tyer’s husband and campaign treasurer, Barry Clairmont, had unauthorized access to ballots at the Registrar of Voters Office in City Hall. Does she believe that Mazzeo votes were discarded and/or blank ballots filled in for Tyer? How does she believe ballots were accessed to perform this election fixing?
Our democracy can't work if there are questions about the reliability of our election process. Concerns and fears about that process at the federal level is at the core of the impeachment process being played out in Washington, D.C. The reliability of the election process is just as serious at the local level. If a candidate has legitimate concerns about that reliability he or she should pursue them.
However, in reference to the Mazzeo challenge, Debra O'Malley, a spokeswoman for the office of Secretary of State William Galvin, said "I don't know what the campaign is seeking here." Pittsfield voters don't either, which is why Councilor Mazzeo should provide more specifics about her challenge to the election and what her intended end game is. This process must unfold quickly, as it will be a disservice to Pittsfield if it is not resolved well before January, where the mayor's second term is scheduled to begin.
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Letter: “Mazzeo vendetta costing taxpayers”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 27, 2019
To the editor:
I am very puzzled and quite concerned at the charge Melissa Mazzeo is making concerning the recent mayoral election. With such a difference in votes, I thought a recount was an exercise in futility. I still do.
Ms. Mazzeo is taking this even further. Her comments concerning irregularities and the innuendos about what would be illegalities are most disturbing. This seems to be more a vendetta than a political disagreement. If so, it is being paid for by our tax dollars.
Ms. Mazzeo should consider her next steps most carefully if she hopes to continue in politics. I do not think a repeat election, which she seems to be aiming for, would change the outcome for her. It would also be an added major expense for the citizens of Pittsfield, which flies in the face of her stated fiscal concerns.
Barbara Roberts, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Mayor Smith vindicated”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 29, 2019
To the editor:
After driving around the Berkshire Mall recently, it looks to me that Mayor Charles Smith's decision to drive the developer out of town wasn't such a bad move. With the anchor stores either out of business or contracting, North Street would be an empty shell. Good job, Charlie. Rest in peace.
Dick Eastland, Hinsdale
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Our Opinion: “A divided Council debates free cash”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 29, 2019
The Pittsfield City Council is winding down this session with a familiar, but unusually testy, philosophical debate about taxes versus reserves. That the debate is unfolding in the wake of an election season that has gone into overtime may be increasing the tension.
Mayor Linda Tyer originally proposed using $500,000 in free cash to reduce the tax rate to $19.99 per $1,000 of assessed value for residential properties and $39.96 for commercial. Following pushback from some city councilors, she agreed to set aside $750,000 in free cash. It appeared that the City Council would approve that figure at Tuesday's meeting and establish the tax rate, but most of the same councilors who objected earlier in the month argued in favor of adding another $250,000 based on their comfort with the $6.3 million in free cash and $3.9 million in stabilization funds the city has set aside. After Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi ended the discussion with a charter objection, which can't be debated, Council President Peter Marchetti set a special meeting for this coming Tuesday to attempt to set a tax rate in time to get bills out before the end of December.
About half the City Council, including Councilor at large Melissa Mazzeo, who is considering legal action following her narrow loss to Mayor Tyer on Nov. 5 on the grounds that the mayor's husband and campaign manager, Barry Clairmont, was seen behind the counter at the Registrar of Voters Office in the days before the election, added that the additional funds should be used to give a break to taxpayers. Money in free cash, however, benefits taxpayers if a recession hits or an unexpected expense emerges. Mayor Tyer has been building the city's reserves to create financial security, and city Auditor Thomas Scanlon has consistently maintained that the city must break its habit of using free cash to meet annual expenses.
After Council President Peter Marchetti and Councilor at large Earl Persip pointed out that the mayor had already shown a willingness to compromise, Ward 7 Councilor Tony Simonelli declared, "We don't work for the mayor. We work for the taxpayers." The mayor, of course, works for the taxpayers as well, and for government to work properly on behalf of the taxpayers the executive and legislative branches must find middle ground. That means the City Council must also compromise and not demand that the mayor make every concession.
When the debate came to an abrupt end, it appeared that supporters of adding another $250,000 in free cash were in the majority. While this debate could stretch beyond next Tuesday, Mr. Scanlon stressed that consensus was needed soon. With that in mind, it seems likely that the advocates of increased use of free cash will get their way. And then the city can look forward to a new session in which the mayor and City Council can ideally find reasons to come together rather than divide into warring camps.
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December 1, 2019
Dear blogger Dan Valenti,
Why is Pittsfield politics going to raise municipal taxes on this Tuesday, 12/3/2019, evening when they already have nearly $10 million of Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski's hard earned tax dollars in reserves? In addition, Pittsfield will be receiving millions of additional state dollars for its public school district in 2020. Raising municipal taxes on all of the fixed and low income residents in Pittsfield doesn't make any financial sense to me!
Jonathan A. Melle
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “Tax tiff trudges on, highlighting political divide”
By Amanda Drane , The Berkshire Eagle, December 1, 2019
Hey there, readers. Happy holidays.
The holiday season is here, but we likely won’t be feeling any cheer coming from council chambers this week.
Councilors will resume their contentious discussion of a proposed tax rate increase during a special meeting on Tuesday — a meeting that Council President Peter Marchetti called after last week’s regularly scheduled one ended in stalemate.
The issue divided the council during the last meeting, and the one before it, over how to handle the tax rate increase proposed by Mayor Linda Tyer. At issue is how much of the city’s free cash base should be used to balance the budget and reduce taxpayers’ share.
The more free cash that the city’s leaders decide to use, the lower the city’s property tax rates become. Meantime, the city’s auditors discourage officials from regularly using free cash in this way, as it otherwise fuels the city’s reserves.
During the election season, Tyer outlined the need for a new police station and pointed to several school buildings screaming for attention. Addressing these issues would be costly.
The tax rate tiff also underscores a political divide decades in the making. Politicians on one side prioritize fiscal responsibility, while those on the other see a need to take financial risks in the name of progress.
As the debate trudges on, we can expect last words from outgoing councilors Melissa Mazzeo, Donna Todd Rivers, John Krol and Tony Simonelli, who will step down at the end of this month. Assuming no more special meetings become necessary this year, the City Council meeting on Dec. 10 will be the last time the body meets in its current form.
And will there be more news from Mazzeo’s corner this week? The mayoral challenger and her legal team said they would decide how to proceed regarding what they perceive as election irregularities in the days following last week’s mayoral recount. Mazzeo has raised questions about the presence of Barry Clairmont — Tyer's husband and campaign treasurer — in the City Clerk’s Office while voters submitted absentee ballots.
Heads up
The tree-lighting ceremony, set for 6 p.m. Friday in Park’s Square, will kick off a two-day Festive Frolic organized by Downtown Pittsfield Inc. Family-friendly activities include an evening edition of the Berkshire Museum’s Festival of Trees, as well as arts and crafts throughout downtown.
Festivities also include the North Pole Pub Crawl. The pub crawl schedule and a full list of Festive Frolic activities can be found online at downtownpittsfield.com.
The fun continues on Saturday, with an appearance from Santa Claus from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Beacon Cinema, snowman story time at the Berkshire Athenaeum (starting at 10:15 a.m.), a holiday craft fair at Zion Lutheran Church, and holiday-themed performances at the Colonial Theatre and Barrington Stage Company.
What’s up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, or by phone at 413-496-6296.
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December 1, 2019
Hello Patrick Fennell,
I appreciate that you respond to some of my emails about politics. Massachusetts’ many Registrar of Deeds and Sheriffs all make well over 6-figure taxpayer-funded incomes, plus other luxurious taxpayer-funded benefits such as great healthcare insurance, plus lucrative pensions when they retire. The only catch is that one has to be politically-connected to work for the state government.
I concur with your statement that the bigger a disaster a city or town is means the more taxpayer money they receive. I have long called Pittsfield politics a practice in “Perverse Incentives”. In brief, Pittsfield would rather have federal and state aid for social services programs and under-performing public schools than a middle class population with living wage jobs. Over 3 decades ago, Pittsfield decided that teen pregnancies and welfare caseloads doubling the statewide average in Pittsfield brought in more taxpayer dollars to City Hall than having a business-friendly community with low to moderate municipal taxes.
I also concur with your statement that career politicians, who have ran Pittsfield and the greater Berkshire County area into the proverbial ditch, also personally benefit from the average family’s economic and financial misery with recurring tax increases that make no sense to the average taxpayer. The career politicians always receive pay raises, job security, and they take care of themselves and their cronies.
In closing, it is a shame that the largest employer in Massachusetts are all of the politically-connected taxpayer-funded jobs. Today’s Massachusetts’ politics makes past and present Communist countries look good. It is time to give the government back to the People instead of the self-serving, one political party politicians!
- Jonathan Melle
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Mayor Linda Tyer made the announcement in her office Monday morning [12/2/2019]. credit: Josh Landes / WAMC
“Tyer Yields To Pittsfield Council Request For $1 Million In Free Cash”
By Josh Landes, WAMC, Northeast Report, December 2, 2019
Hoping to end an impasse with the city council, the mayor of Pittsfield, Massachusetts is agreeing to spend $1 million in unused tax revenue.
Mayor Linda Tyer gathered reporters Monday in hopes of ending a standoff with councilors looking to lower the impact of rising taxes in 2020.
“We are putting forward an order to appropriate an amount not to exceed a million dollars,” said the mayor.
The city already has $750,000 of free cash baked into its 2020 budget. The move comes after the council rejected Tyer’s plan for adding an additional $500,000 – as well as a compromise at $750,000 – at its November 12th meeting. The subsequent meeting Nov. 26th yielded no progress on the negotiation.
Now, before Tuesday night’s special meeting, the recently re-elected Tyer says she is unhappily agreeing to the $1 million.
“My concern has been that with every compromise we make, they change the target," said Tyer. "So we are willing to go up to a million but no more. If they insist on more than a million, they are going have a problem.”
If the city fails to send out February 2020 tax bills by the end of 2019, it risks facing a funding shortage for the first part of the year.
“I’m aware of the political dynamics that are at play here, and I’m more concerned about the risk to the city of Pittsfield than I am about winning this argument,” said the mayor.
Ward 2 councilor Kevin Morandi – who proposed the $750,000 compromise only to reject it for the $1 million plan proposed by Ward 6 councilor John Krol – made the rare procedural move of lodging a charter objection to prevent a vote on the compromise at the final November meeting.
“Obviously there’s a stalemate here," he told WAMC. "Obviously some of us really want to use that $1 million and really help the residents. We certainly have the opportunity to do that. We have the revenue – account in the stabilization fund we’re over $10 million so I think anything we can do to help the taxpayers I’m certainly willing to do.”
The projected tax rate increase under the $750,000 plan was 5.94% for the average homeowner – around $215.36. Raising the spending to $1 million in free cash will reduce that to 5.68%, saving the average homeowner around $10. Tyer says the city council is thinking in the short term, while her administration is thinking in the long term.
“It is because we are at our levy and we also have no ability to do a proposition 2 ½ override," said Tyer. "So if there is any significant emergency that impacts this community, we need those reserves in order to respond accordingly to any emergency that comes our way, because we cannot do a proposition 2 ½ override like most of communities in the commonwealth can still do.”
“Under Proposition 2 ½, communities are limited in the amount that they can raise their levy in any given year by 2.5%," said Pittsfield’s Director Of Finance Matt Kerwood. “It’s last year’s limit, times 2.5%, plus new growth gets you to your new levy limit.”
The tax levy is the amount that needs to be raised through taxation to fund the municipal budget. The city is currently projecting the levy at around $89.8 million for fiscal year 2020. The levy ceiling is the maximum amount the city can raise through taxation.
“Under the law, your levy limit can never be higher than your levy ceiling," said Kerwood. "So given that we’re at our levy ceiling, our levy limit automatically becomes our levy ceiling and the levy ceiling automatically becomes our levy limit.”
In Kerwood’s opinion, the city should keep its $6.3 million in free cash as savings in the event of a recession.
Councilor Krol – who will exit city government after a decade in January – told WAMC that he applauded Tyer’s move, and chalked up the entire exercise as a healthy representation of checks and balances.
“This is the number that I had stated right from the beginning is $1 million, so I’m completely satisfied with that,” said Krol.
Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell – who was opposed to the first two figures presented by the mayor – confirmed to WAMC that he too would support the proposal.
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“Mayor Tyer announces tax rate compromise, flags possible financial peril”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, December 2, 2019
Pittsfield — The City Council's politicking over tax rates places Pittsfield on a perilous path, Mayor Linda Tyer said Monday.
While she still thinks that using $500,000 more from city reserves to balance the budget is the best path forward, Tyer said that she is willing to increase that amount to $1 million to end the political debate in time for tax bills to go out.
"I'm more concerned about the risk to the city of Pittsfield than I am about winning this argument," she said during a news conference in her office.
Decisions over the city's tax rates divided the council over two previous meetings, necessitating a special meeting that will happen on Tuesday. At issue is how much of the city's free cash base should be used to balance the budget — set into motion after councilors approved the city's spending plan in June — and reduce taxpayers' share.
The more free cash that the city's leaders decide to use, the lower the city's property tax rates become. Meantime, the city's auditors discourage officials from regularly using free cash in this way, as it otherwise fuels the city's reserves.
The longer city leaders stay in this stalemate, Tyer said, the more the city's financial stability teeters. She said tax bills take weeks to prepare, and if they don't go out by Dec. 31 then the city can't collect on them until May 1, thereby putting the city in a tax crunch.
"This is a very serious moment and it is 100 percent the responsibility of the City Council," she said.
Tyer also said that councilors in opposition, including mayoral challenger Melissa Mazzeo, are sowing misrepresentations about her administration's intentions. She and her team were already concerned about the impacts a tax increase would have on residents, she said, which is why she proposed using free cash to offset that increase in the first place.
"This rhetoric that we're not doing anything or that we're not doing enough is simply a false narrative," she said.
Councilors have pointed to the fact that Tyer reduced tax rates last year, but the city's Finance Director Matt Kerwood said Monday that "every year is different."
Tyer said councilors have repeatedly rebuffed the attempts of Paula King, the city's assessor, to present information that should be used to help them make their decisions.
Councilors can also vote to adjust the shift factor, deciding to place more or less of the burden on commercial property owners versus residential ones. If they're interested in mitigating the impacts of increasing residential property values — a good thing, Tyer wanted to remind people, that is driven by the market — she said it could be a logical step to increase the commercial share, given commercial property values remain flat.
That said, "we are recommending the same shift as last year," Tyer said.
She said that's all part of the presentation that King hasn't been able to give.
"There was no effort to understand the basis for our recommendations," she said.
Tyer and her team said the tax rates need to increase in order to meet the budget that councilors approved in the spring. And while there will often be reserves that city leaders could use to offset rates, auditors discourage them from using reserve revenues for annual budgeting purposes and they stress the need to increase the city's reserves.
The city is one of five municipalities in the state that cannot put a tax override in place in the event of financial crisis, Tyer and her team said. The city can't legally charge more than $25 per $1,000 of assessed value per property.
While other cities can turn to the override in order to meet a community's needs in times of financial strain, Tyer said, Pittsfield has to build up its reserves to use as a safeguard against the havoc that such a crisis could wreak on city services.
Regarding the compromise in play, Tyer said she and her team crafted the order containing it to read "not to exceed" $1 million more in free cash. It is worded that way out of concern councilors in opposition might again "move the goal post."
"We are not going to agree with more than $1 million," she said.
If approved on Tuesday, that amount would join $750,000 in free cash already approved for budgetary purposes in the spring.
As for needs down the road, like aging school buildings and a new police station, Tyer said they're in the background of this debate. Part of what she has worked to do as mayor is make future needs part of present-day decision-making, she said, noting there wasn't a five-year capital plan before she took the city's wheel.
"Planning is a big part of what we're trying to accomplish," she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
related link: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/61289/Tyer-Agrees-to-1M-Free-Cash-Increase-to-End-Tax-Standoff.html
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“Pittsfield City Council OKs $1M in free cash to blunt tax rate hike”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, December 4, 2019
Pittsfield — A special City Council meeting on Tuesday ended weeks of stalemate, sealing the deal on a tax hike for Pittsfield property holders.
The residential rate will rise from $19.42 to $19.71 per $1,000 of assessed property value, or about $29 more a year for a home valued at $100,000. Commercial rates will rise from $39.94 to $40.36 per $1,000 of assessed value, or about $42 more a year per $100,000 of property value.
To offset the tax rate increases, councilors decided to spend $1 million from its free cash fund — a move that put them at odds with Mayor Linda Tyer, who had proposed using only $500,000 in free cash toward that end. Councilors overwhelmingly favored spending more from the reserve account in order to offer lower rates, while Tyer stressed the importance of building up the city's reserves.
Councilor at Large Pete White cast the sole dissenting vote on the free cash appropriation. On the vote that set the rates, Ward 7 Councilor Tony Simonelli cast the sole dissenting vote.
In previous meetings, councilors stressed the importance of mitigating rising property values that caused tax bills to rise. Accounting for the 4 percent increase in property values this year, the average city home — now valued at $194,288, versus last year's $186,600 — will see an annual tax bill that is about $206 higher than last year's, or an increase of about 5.7 percent.
The median commercial property's assessed value only increased by about $500 to $189,500, shaking out to a tax bill increase of about $100 more over last year.
The amount that the city is raising through property taxes this year increased from $86.4 million last year to $89.8 million, an increase of about $3.4 million, or about 4 percent.
Meantime, the city grows ever closer to bumping up against its levy capacity, according to documents provided by Tyer's administration, meaning the buffer between the city's annual expenses and the total amount it can raise through taxes continues to dwindle.
Before applying the shift factor that adjusts the residential versus commercial rates, the city's newly approved single tax rate is $24.37 per $1,000 of assessed value. Per state law, that rate cannot exceed $25, said Paula King, the city's assessor.
Had the mayor and City Council not infused free cash into that equation, King said the city's single tax rate would have been $24.85, a rate she described as "extremely close" to the legal maximum.
The buffer between the amount the city needs to raise this year and the amount it can legally raise is important, she said, because it allows the city wiggle room in the event of a fiscal crisis. Until it builds its tax base, the city is one of several municipalities in the commonwealth that cannot legally institute a tax override in order to increase its tax capacity in the event of an emergency, King told councilors. Based on previous years' figures, she said the city joins Holyoke, Springfield, West Springfield, Wendell, Heath and Somerset in that dubious status.
But things are on the up and up, King told councilors, pointing to $44,339,239 in new growth, or about $1.6 million in new tax revenue. That new growth includes $10.5 million in residential growth, $2.3 million in commercial, $31 million in personal property growth, and $553,233 in industrial growth.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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Re: Open letter to blogger Dan Valenti - Pittsfield's demise blog post - 4Dec2019
Pittsfield politics made Pittsfield worse off over the past 5 to 6 decades. After GE cut its workforce in Pittsfield around 1990, Pittsfield politics has done nothing of value on economic development over the past nearly 30 years. I believe Pittsfield politics makes more money from social services programs than living wage jobs; I call it "perverse incentives". Pittsfield has become one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation. Pittsfield politics shuts down civic participation in state and local government. If a citizen speaks out about Pittsfield's long demise, they will lose their job and be blacklisted from getting a new job. The people who run Pittsfield politics are called the "Good Old Boys", who are a group of multi-generational and interrelated families; I believe Pittsfield politics is ran like the Mafia. The Good Old Boys serve the vested (big 3 unions) and special interest groups. The political ruling elites in Pittsfield all answer to the "big wheels" in Boston, who are the state Democratic Party bosses. Many thousands of people have moved away from Pittsfield over the past decades. Many thousands of living wage jobs have been lost in Pittsfield, as well. The underclass has taken over inner-city Pittsfield, which has violent crimes, gangs, drugs, and poverty. There are dozens of empty storefronts on North Street. Teen pregnancies and welfare caseloads double the statewide average in Pittsfield. I have long believed that I had a better chance of winning the state lottery jackpot than finding a living wage job in Pittsfield; those are terrible odds! PEDA in over 21 years old, and it is a case study of business failure with zero private tenants on a worthless parcel of polluted land. The worst thing to happen in Pittsfield in recent years was when former Pittsfield Mayors Gerry Doyle and Jimmy Ruberto led the campaign in favor of the Berkshire Museum's unethical sales of historic and valuable pieces of art for tens of millions of dollars. There were protests locally, nationally, and throughout the World. This past week, the lovely Linda Tyer raised municipal taxes by millions of dollars, despite having about $10 million in reserves, and despite state education aid for Pittsfield's public school district increasing by millions of dollars. The latest tax hike made no economic and/or financial sense.
- Jonathan Melle
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9December2019
The Berkshire Museum wants more of your money to cover a $100k operating budget deficit. This is after they raised $53.5 million from their unethical sales of 22 pieces of historic artwork. Maybe they can request money from the GE settlement fund?
Pittsfield politics recently raised your municipal taxes, while they have $10 million in reserves, plus they will receive millions of additional dollars in 2020 from the state for their public school district. Why not soak the hard hit taxpayers, such as Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski?
The Berkshire Eagle's Amanda Drane stated: "On Tuesday, the City Council will meet for a final time in its current form. The agenda is rather light, though it does include a fresh petition from Councilors Chris Connell, Melissa Mazzeo and Kevin Morandi requesting a recalculation of the seven-year plan for water and sewer rates — given a wastewater treatment upgrade underway significantly dropped in price." So, will Pittsfield politics lower the proposed rate hikes on Tuesday night's City Council meeting?
Why is Pittsfield politics all about shaking down their local residents and small businesses?
- Jonathan Melle
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Letter: “After art sale, museum's ask for money not a good look”
The Berkshire Eagle, December 12, 2019
To the editor:
According to the front-page article in Sunday's Eagle ("Newly flush Berkshire Museum seeks public help," Eagle, Dec. 8), the Berkshire Museum is seeking public support after selling most of its art collection.
Why anyone would donate money or art — an anonymous donor is reported to be giving a collection worth $1 million — to an institution that betrayed its public trust so shamelessly is beyond me.
After disposing of its art collection in a desperate effort to make up for a gross failure of management over many years, the museum's trustees should have acknowledged their oversight failures and resigned en masse. That they have not done so speaks volumes about the museum's continuing contempt for the public it purports to serve.
William H. Vogt, Stockbridge
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Look Ahead, Pittsfield: “City closes a chapter”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, December 22, 2019
Hey there, readers. Happy holidays.
Sometimes we have to look back in order to move forward, dear reader. So while all is quiet at City Hall for the holiday, let’s take a moment to do just that.
The year began with the birth of a new industry, as the city saw its first two retail cannabis shops open for recreational business. Pittsfield still struggles to stay on top of its finances, so the new market brings the promise of a new tax revenue stream.
Wayfair, too, made the city a promise this year when it brought a call center to the Clock Tower Business Center. Pittsfield native Niraj Shah pledged to provide 300 jobs at the new hub.
And we saw progress at the Berkshire Innovation Center this year; it’s scheduled to open in early 2020.
We also saw unprecedented state support this year for the city’s schools, which received an additional $5 million to support some of Pittsfield’s most vulnerable young learners.
In Pittsfield, city police reported that two people died at the hands of others this year — Stephanie Olivieri, who was 32, and Jaden Salois, who was 18. Both were allegedly shot.
There were changes in city leadership this year, as two important city leaders retired. Robert Czerwinski, the city’s former fire chief, and David Turocy, the former public services commissioner stepped down, while others stepped up to fill their shoes — Mayor Linda Tyer appointed Fire Chief Tom Sammons in September, and Ricardo Morales stepped up in October to serve as interim public services commissioner.
And a contentious election season capped the year, starting early and ending late. It was rich with the flavor of the city’s decades-old political divide.
We saw the reelection of Mayor Linda Tyer, and we saw Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo question the election’s integrity and call for a recount. We saw several longstanding councilors step down, and new ones elected to take their place.
Heads up
A ban on single-use plastic bags that the City Council approved earlier this year will take effect Jan. 1. For any businesses struggling to meet the deadline, the city will consider hardship deferment requests that are submitted by Dec. 31.
Otto’s will host a “pay what you can” pancake breakfast Christmas morning, which is Wednesday, from 8 to 11 a.m.
The Women of Color Giving Circle invites the community to the Whitney Center for the Arts on Saturday for a Kwanzaa celebration. Tickets for the event, which includes light dinner and performances, are $15 per family or $10 per adult. Children’s tickets cost $5, though children under 12 get in for free.
Truly Independent Wrestling returns with its third anniversary event, starting 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Boys and Girls Club of the Berkshires. Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for kids aged 6 to 12, and Boys and Girls Club members get in free.
What’s up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, or by phone at 413-496-6296.
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December 20, 2019
"Jonathan Melle’s posts on Dan Valenti’s awesome blog":
The Housatonic River is already very polluted with industrial chemicals and other shit. The taxpayers should not be subject to any further shakedowns over the impractical cleanup of the dirty water that already flows from Pittsfield down through Connecticut into the Long Island Sound.
Pittsfield’s City Hall should post ads on billboards around the community telling Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski to “Assume the position!” Pittsfield politics will find ways to screw the Kapanski family out of their hard earned money.
- Jonathan Melle
I am proud to support the lovely Linda Tyer in Pittsfield politics. I supported her in politics since 2003. I believe she is a good person who stands for progressive causes. What I like most about the lovely Linda Tyer is that everybody matters to her because she cares about people and her community.
- Jonathan Melle
Pittsfield politics is a textbook case of failed municipal management. Every year, City Hall raises taxes by 5%, hikes various fees, and increases its debt load by tens of millions of dollars. Pittsfield has lost thousands of people to population loss. Pittsfield has lost thousands of living wage jobs, which are not coming back in our lifetimes. Pittsfield politics is still ran by the Good Old Boys such as Jimmy Ruberto, who led the Berkshire Museum’s terrible shakedown of sales of historic pieces of donated art for tens of millions of dollars. The Good Old Boys sold Pittsfield down the river when Gerry Doyle signed the fraudulent Consent Decree with GE’s Jack Welch. Allendale Elementary School abuts Hill 78 and exposes children to toxic waste chemicals called PCBs. Pittsfield is one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation. Welfare caseloads and teen pregnancies double the statewide average in Pittsfield. The one political party Democrats are useless and only serve themselves at the expense of Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski’s hard hit family.
- Jonathan Melle
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Our Opinion: “Gerald Lee demonstrated how much one could accomplish with integrity, dedication, sense of humor”
The Berkshire Eagle Editorial Board, December 27, 2019
In his long years of service to Pittsfield, Gerald Lee demonstrated how much one could accomplish with a combination of integrity, dedication and a sense of humor applied at just the right moment.
Mr. Lee died on Christmas Day at the age of 79 after a battle with cancer. He lived most of his life on Commonwealth Avenue, where he and his wife, Michelle, who died in 2018, raised their four children ("There for everybody: Longtime city leader Gerald Lee dies," Eagle, Dec. 27).
Mr. Lee served with the Pittsfield Police Department for 25 years, working his way up the ranks to chief. His height gave him an authoritative air but he was not intimidating, and those who served with him note that he was a go-to guy for guidance, as he could be counted upon for wise, knowledgeable advice.
After retiring as chief, he took these qualities to the City Council where he served from 2000 to 2012, first winning the Council presidency by vote of his peers in 2004. Mr. Lee's natural air of authority enabled him to rein in occasionally quarrelsome councilors and open mic speakers and keep meetings running smoothly. He spoke rarely, as is the case with Council presidents charged with serving essentially as orchestra conductors, and rarely raised his sonorous baritone when he did speak. Instead, he would employ a duly witty retort or observation to make his point or defuse a disagreement.
Mr. Lee's tenure as president coincided in part with the administration of Mayor James Ruberto, and he was instrumental in the success of the mayor's efforts to improve downtown and attract cultural institutions to the city. Mayor Linda Tyer attests to the support Mr. Lee gave her from the time she served as city clerk.
City servants who are as accomplished, graceful and admired over a period of decades as was Mr. Lee are a rarity. His legacy as police chief, City Council president and advocate of his city is secure.
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Letter: “Misplaced priorities of Pittsfield CPA group”
The Berkshire Eagle, January 1, 2020
To the editor:
I attended the city of Pittsfield Community Preservation Committee meeting Nov. 25 at City Hall. I was present in support of the application asking for funds to make repairs (uprighting toppled gravestones, etc.) at the West Part Cemetery on outer West Street. The cemetery was established in 1814.
The application, astoundingly, was denied by the committee for not meeting criteria!. One of the purposes of the Act is to preserve historical places in the city. Is that not the case with the cemetery? Meanwhile, the committee last year approved $75,000 to purchase and install bleachers at BCC, which is a state institution and not free to the public.
The insanity continued Monday night when the committee unanimously approved BCC's request for $22,000 to install a concession stand. Again, not city-owned land, but rather state-owned and not free/open to the public!!
Who are these committee members? What in the world are their qualifications to decide who gets the taxpayers' money and how much? I find it incredible that this committee, tasked with preserving Pittsfield's history and land, would initially deny funds to do just that, but unanimously OK an enormous amount of money for a big fry daddy and ice cream stand that is only going to add to the trash (food wrappers, ketchup packets, plastic forks, napkins, etc.) that already litters the place. For shame!
Carol Zullo, Pittsfield
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Letter: “CPA group recommends, City Council funds”
The Berkshire Eagle, January 3, 2020
To the editor:
I am writing in response to a letter in The Eagle on Jan. 2 concerning the Community Preservation Act and the meeting on Nov. 25 ("Misplaced priorities of Pittsfield CPA group").
That meeting was only to determine if the preliminary applications were eligible to continue to the second round. After receiving more detailed applications, the committee will make its funding recommendations at a meeting this spring.
And, yes, in fact, the West Part Cemetery was considered eligible for funding. And, yes, the project for a concession stand was also considered eligible, under the category of open space and recreation. No funding was allotted.
The Community Preservation Act is a wonderful tool for Pittsfield to improve our overall quality of life. Community groups and citizens can apply for funding to take on projects in three areas: a) historic preservation, b) open space and recreation and c) housing. The CPA Committee that reviews and recommends projects for funding is made up of citizens and members of five different city commissions. The City Council has ultimate approval over decisions on who receives funding, not the committee.
In just two years, CPA has recommended many projects, including helping the Colonial Theatre repair its roof; supporting restorations at Springside House, the Clapp House, the barn at Herman Melville's Arrowhead and the roof at Zion Lutheran Church; building affordable housing units with Habitat for Humanity; making upgrades to the track at Taconic High School, the baseball field at Clapp Park, the softball field at Doyle Park and, yes, install lighting at the turf field at BCC, not stands. Not only can nonprofits and community organizations apply, but so can private individuals, as well as city and state entities. This is a program run by the citizens of Pittsfield for the citizens of Pittsfield.
You can find out more, including names of members with a simple Google search of Community Preservation Committee, Pittsfield.
John Dickson, Pittsfield
The writer is chairman of the Community Preservation Committee.
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“Tyer, council, others will take oaths of office Monday in Pittsfield”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, January 4, 2020
Pittsfield — Mayor Linda Tyer will kick off her second term, and 18 other city officials also will be sworn in at their City Hall inauguration at 10 a.m. Monday in the City Council chambers.
Those being sworn in include City Clerk Michele Benjamin, incumbent at-large City Councilors Peter Marchetti, Pete White and Earl Persip, and new council member Yuki Cohen.
Helen Moon of Ward 1, Kevin Morandi of Ward 2, Nicholas Caccamo of Ward 3 and Christopher Connell of Ward 4 will begin another term. Patrick Kavey of Ward 5 and Dina Guiel Lampiasi of Ward 6 will begin their first terms.
Former Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Maffuccio will return to office.
School Committee members Katherine Yon, Daniel Elias, William Cameron, Dennis Powell, Mark Brazeau and Allison McGee also will be sworn in.
After Tyer takes her oath, she will deliver an inaugural address.
The City Council's president, vice president and seating arrangements will be chosen Monday.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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“Look Ahead, Pittsfield: Back to business with Inauguration Day, organizational meetings”
By Amanda Drane , The Berkshire Eagle, January 5, 2020
Hey there, readers. We're back at it this week.
The city’s newly elected leaders will get sworn in during a Monday ceremony, turning the page on a long, contentious election season.
The inauguration in council chambers covers officials selected by voters on Nov. 5, including members of the City Council, School Committee, city clerk and Mayor Linda Tyer.
The inauguration starts at 10 a.m., and will be a first meeting for three councilors — Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey, Ward 6 Councilor Dina Guiel Lampiasi and Councilor at Large Yuki Cohen. Newly elected Ward 7 Councilor Tony Maffuccio previously served as a councilor, but this will be his first meeting in several years.
The incoming councilors replace Donna Todd Rivers, John Krol, Tony Simonelli and Melissa Mazzeo. None of them wanted to keep their seats this term.
Following the Monday ceremony, councilors will take their first vote as a group as they select their president and vice president.
The event also welcomes the newly elected School Committee, which includes two new members, Thomas Brazeau and Alison McGee. The committee will have its first meeting of the year 6 p.m. Wednesday, and that’s when the group will elect its leaders.
On Tuesday, there will be a public hearing on a proposed ban on outdoor cannabis cultivation in residential neighborhoods. Councilor at Large Earl Persip III proposed the measure after neighbors of an incoming Pecks Road facility expressed concern.
The zoning amendment would draw a line between cannabis cultivation and farming, which the city allows in residential districts.
In the community
The Four Freedoms Coalition celebrates three years Sunday with a fourth annual event, which features a downtown march and a speaking roster meant to inspire. The itinerary includes speeches from U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and Hawk Newsome, president of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York.
The coalition connects dozens of community groups around the goal of protecting four foundational freedoms — freedom of religion, of speech, as well as freedom from fear and from want.
The Pittsfield Neighborhood Action Team will hold a community meeting Wednesday to discuss neighborhood safety, and feedback about a new police hub in the West Side, called the West Side Community Outreach Post. The meeting takes place at 5:30 p.m. in the Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity building at 314 Columbus Avenue.
The Berkshire branch of the NAACP will host a community conversation this week about discrimination that people of color sometimes receive from Berkshire businesses. The event starts 6 p.m. Wednesday in the auditorium of the Berkshire Athenaeum, and those who feel uncomfortable speaking publicly can ask questions or make statements through note cards.
Tyler Street Lab is still without a space, but its organizers are still working to hold community events. They’ll host a “paint and sip” event 6 p.m. Thursday at Dottie’s.
What’s up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, or by phone at 413-496-6296.
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January 5, 2020
I have followed Pittsfield politics for many decades, and it is a sad picture of population and job loss, a shrinking tax base with annual tax increases of 5% per fiscal year and hundreds of millions of dollars in municipal debts, a nearly 22 year old empty and polluted PEDA so-called business park, a dangerous downtown full of many empty storefronts that is called "Social Services Alley", a corrupt and insider group of state and local politicians called the "Good Old Boys", and overpriced and under-performing public school system where over 650 students per academic year choice out to neighboring public school districts. Pittsfield, Massachusetts is one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation because there are no living wage jobs in the community for the average working class family. In Pittsfield, you are either on welfare, disability,and/ or working 3 $12.75/hour part-time jobs, or you are already wealthy. There is no in between or middle class for a majority of the population in Pittsfield. I know because I grew up in Pittsfield and lived in the Pittsfield area for the first 28.5-years of my nearly 44.5-year-old life.
While I enjoy reading blogger Dan Valenti's commentary on Pittsfield politics, I believe he is unfair to blame the lovely Linda Tyer and Peter Marchetti for Pittsfield's sad picture. However, I agree with blogger Dan Valenti that Mayor Linda Tyer and City Council Prez Peter Marchetti should not have a blank check on power over the next 2 years. For those of us who love Pittsfield, we should give the lovely Linda Tyer a chance to produce positive results for a change. Hopefully, Mayor Linda Tyer will turn the tide in Pittsfield's favor during her second term. She has my support!
- Jonathan Melle
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Mayor Linda Tyer is administered the oath of office Monday in council chambers at Pittsfield City Hall. Tyer won reelection last November after a hotly contested campaign against former Councilwoman Melissa Mazzeo. credit: Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer sworn in for second term”
By The Berkshire Eagle, January 6, 2020
Pittsfield — Declaring "We are all Pittsfielders," Mayor Linda Tyer took the oath of office on Monday for her second four-year term. "Let us always be we and us," she said, conveying a sense of unity across the city of about 42,500, according to recent census figures.
Tyer, who defeated former Councilwoman Melissa Mazzeo in a hotly contested election last November, was sworn in during a packed ceremony at Pittsfield City Hall. Members of the School Committee and City Council also took the oath.
The council features four new members — newcomers Patrick Kavey, Dina Guiel Lampiasi, Yuki Cohen and former Councilor Anthony Maffuccio. New to the School Committee were Thomas Brazeau and Alison McGee.
City Councilor Peter Marchetti was unanimously returned to his post as council president, and Councilor Peter White will serve as vice president.
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The Pittsfield City Council takes the oath of office on Monday [January 6, 2020]. credit: Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer enters Council Chambers before she takes the oath of office for her second term on Monday [January 6, 2020]. credit: Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer sworn in for second term”
By Jenn Smith , The Berkshire Eagle, January 6, 2020
Pittsfield — "In the dawn of this new year we share one enduring belief: We are Pittsfielders."That message came during remarks by Mayor Linda Tyer on Monday after taking the oath of office for her second four-year term.
"Let us always be we and us," she said, conveying a sense of unity across the city of about 42,500, according to recent census figures.
Tyer, who defeated former Councilwoman Melissa Mazzeo in a hotly contested election last November, was sworn in by Judge Richard A. Simons during a standing room-only ceremony at Pittsfield City Hall attended by state delegates and city officials past and present.Mazzeo, who did not attend Monday's ceremony, lost by 529 votes after a recount, but she has suggested a possible legal challenge to the results. Neither Mazzeo nor her attorney, Andrew Hochberg, responded to messages seeking comment about the status of any legal action. During her inauguration remarks, Tyer made it a point to thank City Clerk Michele Benjamin for, in part, "ensuring that elections are conducted with integrity and fairness to all."
Benjamin was sworn in by Assistant City Clerk Malia Windrow-Carlotto. Benjamin in turn asked members of the School Committee and City Council to take the oath to fairly and justly serve and represent their constituents.
New to the School Committee are Thomas Brazeau and Alison McGee. They join incumbents William Cameron, Daniel Elias, Dennis Powell and Katherine Yon. The committee will elect its leaders during its first meeting of the year at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Tyer heralded several new developments within the city's schools, including a continuing effort to diversify the teaching workforce through partnerships with historically black colleges and universities, and a priority of closing teacher pay gaps. Regarding the city's student enrollment trends and projections, she said, "For the first time in Pittsfield's history we will undertake a public school master planning process to identify current space usage, determine the appropriate capacity for specialized populations of students, and provide options and alternatives for school use, renovation and construction."
Tyer also touted her administration's first-term accomplishments, including attracting new and supporting existing businesses, hiring more police officers and creating 490 new jobs — "and there's more to come," she said.
They mayor said she will look to work with the City Council and other city departments to continue to address crime and police needs, to enhance outdoor recreation, to advance communications technology infrastructure and explore the possibility of Pittsfield becoming an internet service provider.
"As we embark upon a new term, let us commit ourselves to advancing diversity while seeking unity," Tyer said. "Our City Council and School Committee reflect greater diversity than ever before. While it is a significant accomplishment granted to us by the citizens we represent, there is so much more work to do." The council welcomed four new members — Patrick Kavey, Dina Guiel Lampiasi, Yuki Cohen and Anthony Maffuccio, who is returning as city councilor for Ward 7. Peter Marchetti was unanimously returned to a third term as council president, and Peter White will serve as vice president.
Cohen, whose young daughters and friends were in attendance, gushed when she drew seat No. 1 in the new council seating order.
"I'm so excited to be here," she said.
After the ceremony, she said she had been anticipating the ceremony all weekend and now looks forward to learning more about the municipal decision-making process.
Cohen, who is the daughter of Korean immigrant parents, added, "I love the diversity, that the council added increased diversity, and I have a great feeling that we can all work together really well to move Pittsfield even more forward."
As a newcomer, Kavey said he looks forward to being a part of "positive change people, I think, need right now."
He said he feel Pittsfield is at "a tipping point for greatness."
Marchetti echoed the sentiments of wanting unity and cohesion as expressed by his city government colleagues.
"I think one of the things that stands out to me is disagreement and debate is healthy and OK, but we need to be able to forge forward and forge compromise," he said. "I think some people will tell you that trying to compromise makes you weak. I think trying to compromise makes you stronger and actually gets you further down the road, closer to what you're trying to do."
Also sworn in Monday were incumbent councilors Earl Persip III, Helen Moon, Kevin Morandi, Nicholas Caccamo and Christopher Connell. The reorganized council will meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 14.
To read the full text of Tyer's inauguration remarks, click here.Jenn Smith can be reached at jsmith@berkshireeagle.com, at @JennSmith_Ink on Twitter and 413-496-6239.
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January 8, 2020
The Bottom Line - Pittsfield politics is totally predictable! Every fiscal year, Pittsfield politics raises municipal taxes by 5%. Every fiscal year, Pittsfield politics borrows over ten million dollars for its capital budget. Pittsfield politics has hundreds of millions of dollars in debts, liabilities, and opeb costs. Pittsfield politics tax base is shrinking due to losses in population and living wage jobs, which ain't coming back in our lifetime. In Pittsfield, the taxpayers, proverbially named Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, always lose, while the Good Old Boys and their vested/special interests always win. That means that if you are politically connected, Pittsfield politics takes good care of you. But, if you are an average taxpayer, you are getting screwed each and every year. In closing, Pittsfield politics is a case study on how not to run a municipality!
- Jonathan Melle
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Letter: “Join rally for freedom Sunday in Pittsfield”
The Berkshire Eagle, January 10, 2020
To the editor:
Stand up to protect and preserve our freedoms: Join the Four Freedoms coalition march and rally this Sunday (Jan. 12) and, following a brief welcome by Mayor Tyer and U.S. Senator Markey, the march begins promptly at 1:30 p.m. on the steps of the Pittsfield City Hall, and continues to the Colonial Theatre, for a program of great speakers and inspiring music.
Please join us: say NO to bigotry and hate; say YES to Franklin Roosevelt's famous freedoms: Freedom of religion, Freedom of speech, Freedom from want, and Freedom from fear.
The stakes have never been higher.
Sherwood Guernsey, Williamstown
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“Look Ahead, Pittsfield: New council takes on waste management hike”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, January 12, 2020
The city's newly elected leadership takes the wheel this week during the first full City Council meeting of the year.
The agenda includes review of a new 10-year contract with the Springfield Materials Recycling Center, which plans to impose new fees on communities in Western Massachusetts in light of recycling market shifts. Considering the 17,000-ton commitment included in the contract, those new fees shake out to at least $1.6 million in the first year alone that the city didn't pay previously.
The processing center does not currently charge fees per ton of recycling — for many years the money gained from resale of the recyclables floated the operation, as well as communities like Pittsfield that use it — but that will change come July. That move follows the dramatic drop-off in sale of the nation's recyclables to China.
Despite the new fees, the city's Resource Recovery Committee recommends that the council approve the contract.
Also on the docket for the meeting are new subcommittee appointments, put together by Council President Peter Marchetti.
Perhaps most notable among the roster changes is the ousting of Ward 4 Chris Connell, an ally to former mayoral challenger Melissa Mazzeo, from his long-standing post as chairman of the Public Works Committee. Marchetti additionally took Connell's seat on the Finance Committee, which is one of the council's most powerful committees and one that Connell had served on for several years.
Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi, also an ally of Mazzeo's, lost his role as chairman of the Public Health and Safety Committee.
The appointments are already producing some grumblings from the city's dissenting voices, and Connell says his appointments amount to political payback. They hark back to a longstanding divide in Pittsfield politics.
Heads up
There will be a closed-door grievance hearing between the Pittsfield Federation of School Employees' paraprofessional unit and the School Committee's negotiations team at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Council Chambers.
The Berkshire Athenaeum will host a job fair on Saturday for those curious about census jobs during the upcoming census season. The fair runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
And an ice fishing derby at Pontoosuc Lake will frost off the week. The Lanesborough Volunteer Fireman's Association sponsors the annual event, which features cash prizes and a live leaderboard with the day's catches.
The derby kicks off at 6 a.m., with day-of registration available for $10 behind Narragansett Park. Children under 12 can participate for free.
What's up in Pittsfield? Tell me via email at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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January 13, 2020
Re: Mayor Linda Tyer
I support the lovely Linda Tyer in Pittsfield politics because she stands for nearly everything I believe in when it comes to government and politics. That does not mean that I agree with all of her decisions. Also, that does not mean that I agree with her all of her political bedfellows.
I do, indeed, believe the lovely Linda Tyer is the best Mayor of Pittsfield (Mass.) – my native hometown – EVER! She is progressive, fair, and cares about all of Pittsfield’s residents. She shows interest in Pittsfield’s poorest neighborhoods, attends diversity events throughout the community, and has shown compassion when violent crime, gangs, and drugs has hit Pittsfield’s inner city. She speaks at progressive rallies like the “Four Freedoms” marches, and she speaks out for Human Rights for homosexuals. My heart warms when I think that such a good and decent person as the lovely Linda Tyer works in public service. I wish there were more politicians like Mayor Linda Tyer!
Per Pittsfield politics, the fact remains that Mayor Linda Tyer inherited a total mess from the recent past failed administrations of the last two decades. Not one negative issue or problem has begun on her watch as Mayor of Pittsfield. She was not able to assume the corner office in City Hall and magically undo the string of failed policies she inherited as Mayor.
My disagreements with Mayor Linda Tyer include that she is too close to the Good Old Boys such as Gerry Doyle and Jimmy Ruberto. It seems like she owes the G.O.B.’s for her political success. She should be more independent as a leader.
Yesterday and today, January 12 – 13, 2020, I was upset to read that City Council Prez Peter Marchetti chose to marginalize Melissa Mazzeo’s supporters – City Councilors Chris Connell and Kevin Morandi – by ousting them from their previous committee assignments where they had oversight over the Tyer administration’s projects and related fiscal policies. If Mayor Linda Tyer was a true leader, she would speak out against Marchetti’s retribution, and she should speak out for the need to unite the political divide that has plagued Pittsfield politics since the 1960’s.
Mayor Linda Tyer should not have given millions of dollars worth of tax breaks to out-of-town and out-of-state millionaires, as well as politically connected businesses. Instead, she should have worked to lower the annual 5% tax increases on Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski and the many other hard-hit city taxpayers. The vested and special interests always win in Pittsfield politics, while the common taxpayers always lose. Mayor Linda Tyer has not reversed this long-standing terrible trend!
In closing, I support the lovely Linda Tyer for her progressive beliefs in politics and government, but I disagree with some of her decisions and political allies.
- Jonathan Melle
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Letter: “Mayor Tyer seeks refugees for city”
The Berkshire Eagle, January 13, 2020
To the editor:
My opinion piece that appeared on Jan. 11 in The Eagle urged Pittsfield to sign up for refugee resettlement ("In fact, we do want to help refugees"). Just hours after The Eagle landed on doorsteps, I received a very nice phone call right from Mayor Linda Tyer. She informed me that she had already written Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to join other states and localities around the country willing to host refugees in need of resettlement.
The bad news is I was wrong. The much, much better news is that the mayor and the city are on board in offering to accept refugees. We certainly have the resources and social service organizations that could support this effort. And now we have the will. Thank you, Mayor Tyer.
John Dickson, Pittsfield
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“Pittsfield City Council leader divvies up committee appointments”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, January 15, 2020
Pittsfield — The new City Council formally fell into new committee assignments on Tuesday, but not everyone was pleased with where they landed.
While several councilors voted against Council President Peter Marchetti's communication containing the appointments, Marchetti said the roster doesn't require the group's approval.
Still, he promised to reconsider the power breakdown.
The assignments provide a framework for the 11-member group's decision making processes. Most of the council's decisions get vetted first in subcommittee — sometimes for months at a time —- before they land on the full council floor for a vote.
The Finance Committee and the Committee on Ordinances and Rules tend to handle most of the legwork, though important topics can land in any committee. Other committees include the Public Works Committee, the Committee on Public Health and Safety, the Community and Economic Development Committee, and the Public Buildings and Maintenance Committee.
Councilors Helen Moon, Chris Connell and Kevin Morandi voted against the appointments. Morandi and Connell, who were both ousted from chairman posts, said they were not asked about their committee preferences like they had been in previous years.
Moon declined to elaborate on the nature of her displeasure.
Connell also told The Eagle last week that he suspected Marchetti, an ally to Mayor Linda Tyer, removed him from his role at the helm of the Public Works Committee out of political retaliation for his support of Melissa Mazzeo for mayor.
Marchetti said after the meeting on Tuesday that while seniority plays somewhat of a role in committee assignments, it's also important to make sure less-tenured councilors get experience running committees.
He also had civility in mind as he drafted this term's committee roster, he said.
"I think it's vital for the City Council to be respectful and act in a professional manner," he said.
The City Council's first full meeting of the year also brought its first executive session. Councilors met with members of Mayor Linda Tyer's administration for about an hour behind closed doors, with the officials saying only that the meeting's purpose was "litigation."
Typically a public body must be specific about the legal matter it plans to discuss in executive session, according to the state's Open Meeting Law, unless public knowledge of the case at hand would hurt the city's litigation strategy.
In other business, councilors also voted to refer a new contract with the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility to the council's Public Works Committee, which will meet 7 p.m. Thursday to review the contract.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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January 15, 2020
Re: My dissent against Eagle Editorial on Marchetti’s retribution
The Berkshire Eagle Editors endorsed Mayor Linda Tyer twice (2015, 2019) now. The Eagle’s editorial backing City Council Prez Peter Marchetti’s political act of retribution against outsider City Councilors Chris Connell and Kevin Morandi, both of whom backed Melissa Mazzeo for Mayor, is predictable and shows the Eagle’s so-called journalistic bias.
I have followed my native hometown’s “Pittsfield politics” for decades. It is always the same insider’s game where the outsiders are shut out of the decision making process. Marchetti predictably used retribution against the City Councilors who didn’t back Tyer for Mayor by ousting them from their prior committee assignments.
It interests me that state and local candidates all say they will change the way the public’s business is done by the same old political insiders, but once they get elected, things not only never change for the better, but rather, things get even worse than ever. It frustrates me because these local political insiders seem to know better than to shut out outsiders from our democracy when they run for office, but then they do just that when they win and become incumbents.
In closing, in our democracy, all voices should be heard! Political retribution should be denounced! The Eagle Editors should be inclusive of everyone who participates in state and local politics. Marchetti was wrong, and he should be denounced for not including everyone, including the political outsiders, in his selection of committee assignments on the new Pittsfield City Council.
- Jonathan Melle
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