Roger Fachini, Former North Adams Assessor, Dies at 65

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Roger J. Fachini
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Roger John Fachini, 65, of 189 Stratton Road died Thursday, June 25, 2009, at Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center following a cardiac incident on Friday, June 19, while on the 11th hole of his beloved Taconic Golf Course. Mr. Fachini was assessor for the city of North Adams for 11 years.

Born in North Adams on Oct. 6, 1943, son of John J. and Rena Colo Fachini, he was raised in Williamstown and was a member of the first graduating class from Mount Greylock Regional High School in 1962. He attended the Williams College School of Banking and the Robert Morris School of Commercial Lending at the University of Massachusetts.

He served in the National Guard for seven years.

Mr. Fachini was first employed by First Agricultural Bank in North Adams, and went on to spend more than 15 years in various management roles in the land development industry. He was appointed North Adams assessor in 1995 and chairman of its Board of Assessors, a position he held until his retirement in 2006.

After retiring, he renewed his real estate license and joined longtime friend Thomas Elder at Elder & Associates Real Estate in Williamstown.

He was the current president of the Stratton Hills Association Trust and had served on the board since moving there in 2005. He was active in the Berkshire County Assessors Association, serving as vice president from 1998 to 2000, as president from 2000 to 2002, and as a member of the executive board until his retirement.

Mr. Fachini had a passion for golf, snowshoeing, walking, fly fishing and anything that got him outdoors. He was a long-standing and supportive member of Taconic Golf Club, and a regular at Williams College football games, Clark Art Institute events, and Board of Trade functions. He was a true native son of Williamstown and had a deep and abiding appreciation for the beauty of the Berkshires, said family.

They described his as a generous and loyal friend, ready to lend a hand, do a favor, offer thoughtful advice, an honest opinion, and always armed with a quick-witted and humorous comeback, and respected and loved by his co-workers. He counted his family and friends as his richest treasures, they said, and was greatly loved in return and will be missed by all who knew him.

His favorite role was that of a loving, proud, and devoted father. The times he cherished most were spent with his daughter, Jennifer Helies, and her husband, Brad, at his home in Williamstown or with them in New York City.

Besides his daughter and son-in-law, he leaves his former wife, Judith Dawson Fachini of Bennington, Vt., and numerous cousins throughout the area.
 
FUNERAL NOTICE — A celebration of Mr. Fachini's life will be conducted Thursday, July 2, at 4 p.m. on the lawn of his home at 189 Stratton Road by the Rev. Mr. Bruce Ziter, deacon of St. Elizabeth's Church in North Adams, officiating. A reception will follow at Gala Restaurant at the Orchards.

In lieu of flowers are suggested for the Village Ambulance service or The Fund for Williamstown through Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, MA 01247.
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Pittsfield Council Passes $232.7M Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council unanimously approved a $232.7 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year. 

It is a modest, almost 2.9 percent increase from FY26. 

"I do want to give the community kind of a heads up as we move forward on budgets. What we see coming out of the federal government that's trickling down to the states, it's going to be harder and harder for us as a community to meet our needs under the Proposition 2 1/2," Councilor at Large Alisa Costa said. 

"We're going to have challenges, as we've seen communities across the state trying to override the Proposition 2 1/2, because we have dwindling amounts of money coming from the state and federal government." 

She pointed out that, at the same time, utility bills are going up for both residents and the city, as are the costs of pavement and other items. 

The amended budget of $232,777,720, down from the $232,782,090 originally proposed, includes cuts to the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the restoration of funds for councilors to attend the annual Massachusetts Municipal Association conference. 

The Pittsfield Public Schools' $86,855,061 budget includes $68,886,061 in state Chapter 70 funding and $18 million from the city. With $345,000 in school choice and Richmond tuition revenues, it totals $87,200,061 and is an approximately $300,000 increase from the Pittsfield Public Schools' FY26 budget of $86.9 million. 

The district's budget will fund 13 schools, as Morningside Community School will retire in the fall, and includes the middle school restructuring. 

Councilors also approved the use of $2 million in certified free cash to reduce the tax rate, and appropriated $450,551 for parking-related expenditures. 

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