Berkshires Awarded Fair Share Amendment Grants

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Berkshires Awarded Fair Share Amendment Grants 
 
BOSTON - The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that it is delivering a total of $100 million to the state's 351 cities and towns to support local infrastructure. 
 
The awards come from revenue generated by the Fair Share Amendment.  
 
In Berkshire County:
 
Adams: $164,272 
Becket: $152,417 
Cheshire: $122,439 
Clarksburg: $44,745 
Dalton: $120,797
Egremont: $97,200  
Florida: $106,215
Great Barrington: $229,932
Hancock: $41,765 
Hinsdale: $97,435
Lanesborough: $132,353
Lee: $162,458 
Lenox: $154,189
Monterey: $128,942 
Mount Washington $46,244 
New Ashford: $28,124
New Marlborough: $223,334 
North Adams: $221,622  
Otis: $114,172 
Peru: $94,180
Pittsfield: $657,293
Richmond: $105,554  
Sandisfield: $215,178  
Savoy: $130,337
Sheffield $223,494 
Stockbridge: $119,251 
Tyringham: $68,187
Washington $112,132 
West Stockbridge: $97,267 
Williamstown: $160,575
Windsor: $165,000
 
"Our administration said from day one that we were going to make sure that Fair Share revenue was used to improve transportation and education for our communities, as the voters intended," said Governor Maura Healey. "This funding is particularly impactful because we are empowering cities and towns to decide how to use it to address their unique needs. We are grateful to the Legislature for making this funding available and look forward to seeing how the municipalities will use it to strengthen their communities."  
 
Letters have been sent to each municipality certifying that community's Fair Share apportionment for Fiscal Year 2024. The Fair Share Amendment funds are being distributed according to two formulas. The first $50 million is being distributed using the traditional Chapter 90 formula based on local road mileage (58.33 percent), population (20.83 percent), and employment (20.83 percent). The second $50 million is being distributed using a formula based on each municipality's share of road mileage. 
 
Each community is receiving a different total amount according to how the two formulas apportion the money.
 
Communities may use Fair Share revenue for construction, preservation, and improvement projects that create or extend the life of capital facilities. This includes costs for highway projects and pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Projects that are eligible would include installing sidewalks, bicycle lanes, new pavement, sidewalks, retaining walks, crossing signals, and other transportation infrastructure features.  

Tags: grants,   infrastructure improvements,   

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Berkshire Planning Commission Approves 'Conservative' FY25 Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has a "conservative" budget for fiscal year 2025 with a nearly 6 percent increase.

On Thursday, the commission approved a $6,640,005 budget for FY25, a $373,990 increase from the previous year.  The spending plan saw less growth from FY24 to FY25, as the FY23 to FY24 increase was more than $886,000, or over 16 percent.

Executive Director Thomas Matuszko said there aren't any dramatic changes.  

"This is very much different than a municipal budget in that it's not a controlling budget or a limiting budget," he said. "It is really just our best estimate of our ability to afford to operate."

The increase is largely due to new grants for public health programs, environmental and energy efforts, economic development, community planning, and the transportation program.

"We have a lot of grants and a lot of applications in. If any of those are awarded, which I'm sure there's going to be many of them, we would shift gears and if we have to add staff or direct expenses, we would," office manager Marianne Sniezek explained.

"But the budget that we have now is conservative and it covers all our expenses."

The budget was endorsed by the finance and executive committee before reaching the full planning commission.

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