Pittsfield Seeks Proposals for Human Services Funding

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield announced that applications are now available for funding to public service agencies to provide human service programs to benefit Pittsfield residents. 
 
Funding is for the program year beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
 
Annually, the City undertakes a process through its Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC), an 11 member volunteer committee, which reviews the proposals and submits its recommendations
to the Mayor. 
 
Last year's recommendations resulted in 21 human service programs receiving a total of $206,250 from the City general fund and from the federal Community Development Block Grant Program. Programs and consumers assisted with those funds cover a wide range of services for a diverse population. 
 
Programs include but are not limited to: services for families with children, affordable child care vouchers, homeless services, housing stabilization programs, programs for residents with disabilities and senior citizens, and arts programs.
 
Applications can be obtained by email request to njoyner@cityofpittsfield.org. Applications are to be submitted to the Department of Community Development, Room 205 at Pittsfield City Hall no later than 4:00 p.m. on January 6, 2025.
 
In addition to submitting a written proposal, applicants will be invited to come before the HSAC to make a presentation during February or March that will be televised locally.
 
The Department of Community Development will be holding bidder's conferences to assist applicants with the application process. 
 
Conferences will be held on Monday, Nov. 18 at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 10:00 a.m. All conferences will be held via zoom. To register for a conference, contact Nate Joyner at
(413) 499-9358 or at njoyner@cityofpittsfield.org. New applicants are strongly encouraged to attend one of these three conferences.
 

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BRPC Releases Draft Safe Travel and Equity Plan for Streets

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Nicholas Russo, senior transportation planner with BRPC, presents findings from the action plan on Thursday.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With the help of federal and state funds, the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission is trying to make streets safe and equitable for all modes of transportation.

Last week, a draft action plan was released for the Safe Travel and Equity Plan for our Streets (STEPS.) The long-term project aims to reduce fatalities and serious injuries in traffic and non-modal accidents.

Community members gathered at the Berkshire Innovation Center and virtually for a public meeting on the effort on Thursday.

"In 2021 almost 43,000 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes across the United States. Of which, 7,300 were walking," Senior Transportation Planner Nicholas Russo explained.

"And millions more were injured — sometimes permanently — each year."

Five-year averages for Berkshire County show a consistent upward trend, with 13 fatalities from 2018 to 2022 and a 0.94 fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. For the same period, there were 59 series injuries at a rate of 4.26 per 100M VMT.

Between 2018 and 2022, 12 vulnerable or non-motorized road users were killed or serious injuries.

"So what are we doing about it? We're adopting the safe system approach through the Safety Action Plan. A safe system looks at our transportation system from more angles than just people and their vehicles and behaviors," Russo said.

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