Pittsfield begins first cultural plan for city

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Mayor James M. Ruberto announced today the creation of a steering committee to guide the community in the formation of a three-to-five-year cultural plan. The Steering Committee members represent a broad spectrum of the community. The committee is co-chaired by Elie Hammerling, Chair of the City’s Cultural Development Board and former vice president for planning at the Berkshire Medical Center and Cory Hines, a management consultant specializing in strategy implementation, who has worked with major organizations in the U.S., Canada, and South Africa. “As arts and culture continue to help drive economic revitalization in the City of Pittsfield, it is critical that we plan to establish a firm foundation for continued success and growth,” said Mayor Ruberto. “The development of the cultural sector not only improves the quality of life for our residents, it also makes our city more attractive to new businesses and residents, and generates jobs and new income to our economy.” “This plan will help us celebrate and expand Pittsfield’s rich cultural heritage, due in no small part to immigrants past and present, our schools and community groups, and the many excellent artists and cultural institutions we have here.” Committee members include Mary Beth Eldridge, an art teacher at Taconic High School; Pam Rich, marketing director for Paul Rich & Sons, a longtime anchor store in downtown Pittsfield; and Hope Sullivan, the executive director of IS183, Art School of the Berkshires. Other members of the Cultural Plan steering committee are Peter Lafayette, Director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation; Shirley Edgerton, Director of the Youth Alive Drum & Dance Group and co founder of the Women of Color Giving Circle; Mary Rentz, a longtime community volunteer and board member of cultural organizations, who chaired 2004’s Sheeptacular public art project; and Jenny Hersch, professional musician and interim Artistic Director at the Mahaiwe Theatre. The City’s Director of Cultural Development, Megan Whilden, serves as staff support to the committee. All members live and/or work in the city of Pittsfield. “We are looking forward to a broad-based thoughtful approach to putting together a cultural plan that will best serve this wonderful city,” commented Hammerling, a Pittsfield resident for over thirty years who also serves on the Board of Directors of Sinai Academy of the Berkshires. “There are a number of other key initiatives moving forward in Pittsfield and the Berkshires," noted Megan Whilden. “They include the City’s updating of the Master Plan and the Creative Economy Strategy Project for Berkshire County. We are closely coordinating our work with these initiatives so that they enrich each other and so there is no redundancy." It is believed this will be the first time that a citywide cultural planning process has been done in the city of Pittsfield. The committee has been reviewing plan from other cities, as well as the Downtown Pittsfield Arts & Entertainment District Plan developed in 1999 by Downtown, Inc., a local downtown improvement association. Hammerling added, “We were impressed when we reviewed Downtown Inc.’s plan how many of the action items are in progress or have been accomplished. The plan was right on target in many respects and we look forward to continuing and expanding the work they have done.” The cultural plan’s process is designed to create a ‘roadmap’ to establish Pittsfield as a center of culture, arts and entertainment in Berkshire County and beyond. The plan will identify strategies to increase access to arts and culture for all Pittsfield residents; foster the continuing vitality and expansion of the City's cultural sector; and attract new individuals and businesses interested in participating and investing in the City's creative economy. The Cultural Plan steering committee is planning to undertake a number of one-on-one interviews, as well as focus groups and a community meeting to gather public input in early 2007. For more information on the committee or the planning process, please contact Megan Whilden, Director of Cultural Development for the City of Pittsfield, at 413-499-9348 or mwhilden@pittsfieldch.com.
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Pittsfield Road Cut Moratorium

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city's annual city road cut moratorium will be in effect from Nov. 29, 2024 to March 15, 2025. 
 
The road cut moratorium is implemented annually, as a precautionary measure, to ensure roads are kept clear of construction work during snow events and to limit the cuts in roads that are filled with temporary patches while material is unavailable.
 
During this period, steel plates are not to be used to cover open excavations in roads. Also, the Department of Public Services and Utilities will not be issuing the following permits:
 
• General Permit
• Sewer Public Utility Connection Permit
• Stormwater Public Utility Connection Permit
• Water Public Utility Connection Permit
• Trench Permit
 
Limited exceptions will be made for emergency work that is determined to be an immediate threat to the health or safety of a property or its occupants.
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