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Dalton Commits ARPA Funds Toward Police Station Repair, Design

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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The police station has had to deal with toilet backups; the tiles in the bathroom next dispatch have asbestos. 
DALTON, Mass. — Cost estimates have come in to address some of the Police Department's building issues. 
 
The town needs to address safety issues within the police station, including plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and cell damage.
 
During the Select Board meeting on Monday, Building and Grounds Superintendent Jeff Burch informed the Select Board that the floor tiles, mastic, and the right exterior wall in the bathroom next to the police dispatch office are contaminated with asbestos. The flooring in the dispatch office tested negative. 
 
The Select Board approved using $4,925 of the American Rescue Plan Act funding to address this. 
 
It also approved utilizing ARPA funds up to $82,000 for the design and engineering of the police station's sanitary plumbing upgrade and ventilation system installation. 
 
Burch received quotes from Hill Engineering of $35,000 for the plumbing upgrade and $47,000 for the ventilation system. He is still seeking one more engineering quote at a potentially lower price.
 
The asbestos will need to be removed in a single day, and the town will have to coordinate with the state inspector so that they can confirm it has been removed. During that time, dispatchers would not be able to use the bathroom. 
 
To avoid disrupting dispatch operations, Burch recommended that the toilet be placed on a small temporary platform until a new floor can be installed. 
 
If the asbestos removal work is done on a Monday, which is the dispatch center director's administration day, the director can cover for the dispatch temporarily so they can use the bathroom on the other side of the station.
 
The board also approved the appointment of the five voting members of the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee. 
 
The town has received 10 applications for the committee. Chair Robert Bishop Jr. and Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson reviewed them to balance the qualifications and experience. The list leans more toward contractor and construction experience.
 
The voting members are Don Davis, Ryan Flanders, Dave Martindale, Tony Pagliarulo and Craig Wilbur. 
 
The ex-officio seats are John Boyle as the Select Board representative, Burch, Police Chief Deanna Strout, and Hutcheson. 
 
The board also recommended sending an invite to Fire Chief Christian Tobin to see if he is interested in serving as an ex-officio member. Tobin said in a follow-up that he is interested in serving on the committee.
 
The committee will examine all the options for a new police station or combined public safety facility.
 
"Issues include, but may not be limited to, whether and where to lease, buy, or take property, or to use existing Town property, including whether to build a new building; and to issue a preliminary report and recommendation on these questions to the Select Board by December 30, 2025," the committee charge states. 
 
"If and when Town Meeting approves the proposal, and together with the Town Manager, the Committee will work with an Owner's Project Manager to design and implement any renovation or new building." 
 
The Dalton Fire District is considering different options for the future of the fire station. These include renovating the current space or purchasing and modifying the former Dalton Garage.

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District Moving On From Allegations Against PHS Administrator

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The district is "moving on" from unsubstantiated allegations against two Pittsfield High School administrators, saying there is no threat.

Dean of Students Molly West returned to work last week after being put on leave in December. The Department of Children and Families has cleared West and Vice Principal Alison Shepard of misconduct claims that surfaced after another PHS dean was arrested and charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for allegedly conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine.

School Committee Chair William Cameron on Wednesday emphasized that when such an investigation finds no evidence of wrongdoing, fundamental fairness and due process prohibits taking punitive action simply because of allegations. Reportedly, West was also investigated and cleared in the past.

"The circumstances of Mrs. West being placed on administrative leave don't need to be recited here," he said.

"Social media allegations made against her in December, which then regrettably were widely publicized, were not new. They had been heard, investigated, and found meritless by other school districts many years ago, nevertheless, they were disinterred recently by someone providing neither evidence nor a credible source and then reinvestigated twice in the last three months."

Senior Emma Goetze said she was "appalled, deeply disappointed, and frustrated that an administrator who has been placed on leave, someone who has caused significant discomfort and distress to so many students, has been allowed to return to our building."

"I understand that there is an investigation and acknowledge that this individual was cleared but it feels incredibly unjust to me and to many of my peers that despite everything, this person is being given the opportunity to come back," she said. "It's important to recognize that even though an investigation may have found no wrongdoing, that doesn't change the reality of how this individual's presence makes many students feel."

Investigations led by DCF and retired Superior Court Judge Mary-Lou Rup concluded that there is no evidence to substantiate the accusations.

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