Tyer Outspending Bianchi So Far In Pittsfield Mayoral Race

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Preliminary fundraising reports show mayoral candidate Linda Tyer has raised more and spent more thus far in the 2015 election campaign.
 
The reports filed last Monday show the city clerk raised $23,110 so far. However, she also spent, a total of $16,191.21, leaving her with a balance of $8,431.99. 
 
Incumbent Daniel Bianchi started with $12,077.43 in his campaign account and so far has raised an additional $9,200. He's spent $7,918.47 leaving him with a balance of $13,358.96.
 
The other two candidates in the preliminary field, Donna Walto and Craig Gaetani, both filed saying they haven't raised any money.
 
Tyer reported donations from 59 people, including some large donations from the likes of former Mayor James Ruberto, former City Councilor Christine Yon, City Councilor Barry Clairmont, Allen Harris and Stacey Carver, both from Berkshire Money Management, Tyer's campaign manager, Thomas Sakshaug, Ernest Weider of E. Weider Mechanical, and retired residents Rosemary Casey, Pamela Casey, Lawrence Casey, and Anne Pasko. All of them donated $1,000.
 
Laurie Tierney, David Tierney, Walter Pasko, Courtney Addy, Eric Hill, Alf Barbalunga, and Diane Clairmont all donated $500. Peter Sibner, Edwin Stevens, and Normalyn Powers donated $250; Marilyn Herrman donated $215; former City Councilor Peter Marchetti and former state representatives Denis Guyer and Daniel Bosley each donated $200.
 
Denice Yon donated $150. Bernard Auge, Paul Gamache, Jean Hughes, Lorranie Moresi, Dawn Dellea, Mary McGinnis, Patricia Simonetta, Jeffrey Hunt, George Keator, Steven Como, Christina Barrett, Lois Forsley, Suzanne Engels, Lynette Cornwell, Louis Robesch, Michael Merriam, James Wilusz, Mike Ward, Robert Vaughan, John Massey, Tony Massery, Michael Macdonald, Judith Hodgkins, Gary Scarafoni, Jennifer Stokes, Beverly Millenski, and Janet Fiske all donated $100.
 
Sally Chavarry donated $75. Mary McGinnis, Marilyn Hermann, Bernard Auge, and Peter Marchetti all donated another $50. And Patricia Simonetta donated made a second donation of $25.
 
Tyer also reported raising $515 from a fundraiser. 
 
Topping the expenditure list is $2,000 for office space on East Street. Tyer paid two bills of $1,965 each to Mib Research, for work from political consultant Matt Barron.  The rest of the expenditures are for printing expenses, supplies, deposits on venues for events, one newspaper ad with the Pittsfield Gazzette, and reimbursements to campaign staffers.
 
She also purchased software from the Democratic party and donated to the Pittsfield Parade.
 
Bianchi's report shows 60 donations this year but only one was for $1,000, which came from Brian Harrison of Fidelity Investments.
 
He received $500 donations from Shaun Harrison, Merrilyn Wojkowski, Deborah Haddad-holmes, Floyd Passardi, and Patrick Muraca. Donna Mattoon and Alan Righi each donated $300. The local carpenters union, Matthew Jarck, Patrick Muraca (a second donation), and  Michael Basil all donated $250.
 
Patrick Larkin, James Mazymillian, and Pamela Sullivan each donated $200. Berkshire Community College President Ellen Kennedy donated $150. Former City Councilor Louis Costi donated $150.
 
Mark Hayer, James Penna, Joan Callahan, Judith Hodgkins, Joseph Pierre, Richard Stanley, Miriam Maduro, Susan Santolin, Barbara Clary, Richard Bordeau, Hugh Holland, Gornon Dinsmore, Michael Conti, Jane Bresnahan, Perri Pertricca, Paul Zdanis, Eugene Dellea, Albert Ingegni, Edward Reilly, Scott Robinson, the local electrical workers union, Robert Eckart, and Jeffrey Whitehouse all donated $100.
 
Arnold Perris, City Solicitor Kathleen Degnan, Robert Race, Maryellen Therrien, Mary O'Brien, Alice Jones, Alexander Blumin, John Betters, Margaret Loehr, Glynis MacVeety, Dawn Betters, Faisal Ali, Michael Supranowicz, Maria Sibley, Kurt Hospot, and Leona Serafino all donated $50.
 
City Councilor Lisa Tully and her husband Mark Tully each donated $25, Sheila Irvin and Marilyn Larkin also donated $25.
 
Bianchi's largest expense was $1,475 for lawn signs. He also paid Get Set Marketing $1,250 to design his website and candidate cards. His office is listed as an in-kind contribution from the landlord Jay Newhouse. He paid his own consultant, RMC Strategies, $450.
 
The majority of the expenses are for printing, supplies, and phone bills. However, he also made contributions to a number of other campaigns include U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, Sheriff Thomas Bowler, and City Councilor Kathleen Amuso. There are also a series of donations to organizations like the Pittsfield Suns, Barrington Stage, the Deputy Sheriff's Association, and the National Association of Mental Illness. He also purchased a directory from the Democratic Party.

Tags: #PittsfieldElection,   election 2015,   

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Dalton Board & Police Facility Panel Emphasizes Need for Community Engagement

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — Several aspects surrounding the proposed police facility are unclear, but one thing is for certain: the need for community engagement and education. 
 
The Select Board and the Public Safety Advisory Committee attended the presentation. Although they did not fully agree on public engagement methodologies, they acknowledged the importance of public engagement and education in gaining community support and ensuring the project's smooth progression.
 
There will be another joint meeting in the next two weeks to a month, so the board can discuss next steps and ways to engage voters. 
 
Select Board member Dan Esko emphasized that when other towns have undertaken similar projects, they did a lot of community surveying and polling engagement. 
 
"I feel like that's what's missing here in Dalton right now, if we're going to focus on one thing as a priority, put that to the top is my advice, my thinking," he said. 
 
"There's other things too, certainly it's not exclusive to working on other items."
 
Don Davis, co-chair of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, demonstrated that the committee has recognized community engagement as a necessary strategy since the beginning of this process.
 
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