Mill Town Forms New Advisory Board

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mill Town, a community revitalization and economic development platform, announced it has formed a new Advisory Board to support the company's management team and contribute insights to further its mission and strategic planning. 
 
Formed in 2016, Mill Town's mission is to improve the quality of life in the region as part of a broad economic and community development strategy.
 
"We are thrilled to convene this high-caliber group of professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This group will support the Mill Town team as we continue to pursue transformative economic development and community partnerships in the region," said Tim Burke, Mill Town's CEO.
 
  • The members of the Advisory Board are:
  • John Bissell, President & CEO of Greylock Federal Credit Union
  • JD Chesloff, President & CEO of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable
  • Jason Cuyler, Executive Director, Second Street Second Chances
  • Ben Downing, Vice President of Public Affairs at The Engine
  • Ellen Kennedy, President of Berkshire Community College
  • Caitlin Pemble, Head of The Living Balance Sheet at Guardian Life Insurance
 

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Berkshire United Way to Massachusetts: Early-Learning Educators Need Better Wages

By Katherine von Haefen Guest Column
As reported in iBerkshires, state education officials met with Western Massachusetts childcare and early education advocates at Berkshire Community College recently. I had the opportunity to share the following testimony on behalf of Berkshire United Way and our community partners. 
 
Early childhood education provides tremendous benefits to our region. High-quality child care dramatically influences brain development and the future health and success for children in school and life, as well as provides a safe and secure space for our youngest community members so their parents or caregivers can work and provide for their families. 
 
Berkshire United Way has invested in improving early childhood development opportunities in the Berkshires for decades. We fund high-quality nonprofit child-care centers that provide slots for income-constrained families. We also support the sector by co-hosting monthly child-care director meetings to work on shared challenges and collectively propose solutions. We advocate for early childhood education and have a great partner in this work, state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier. 
 
Staffing is a key component of high-quality care. The research shows that skilled and consistent educators in a classroom create long-lasting change for children. However, wages are stagnant and frequently do not provide educators with basic financial stability. We often hear that educators have left the field because they are unable to make their finances work. Wages need to improve to better reflect the expertise and indelible impact teachers have in the field. 
 
When we look specifically at our region, our data is concerning. 
 
As Berkshire County emerges from the pandemic, we are struggling with transportation, affordable housing and lack of mental health resources, much like the rest of the state. We are also seeing a rise in economically challenged households. 
 
After nearly 10 years of decline, Berkshire County has experienced a significant jump in income inequality, now exceeding the state and national trends and far above comparable counties, according to the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. Over half of our population are "economically challenged," meaning they are working but struggling to make ends meet. A single parent with a school-aged child needs between $70,000 and $80,000 in income and public benefits just to meet their basic needs. 
 
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