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Police Officer Chelsea Eichstedt, center, with her colleagues after being commended for her actions in saving a choking resident.
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Left, Eichstedt gets a hug from Police Chief Deanna Strout; right, Eichstedt poses with her family.

Dalton Police Officer Receives Commendation

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — Police Officer Chelsea Eichstedt received a commendation and a life-saving award during the Select Board meeting on Monday for her professionalism and empathy demonstrated during a call on Feb. 4.
 
Eichstedt was dispatched to the home of a 39-year-old man with Down syndrome who was choking. 
 
She successfully cleared his airway using the Heimlich maneuver, and his mother expressed appreciation for how Eichstedt handled the frightening situation with empathy.
 
According to the mother, "You spoke with him on his level and informed him about everything you were going to do," Police Chief Deanna Strout said in reading the commendation.
 
"You even told him you were going to give him a big hug so he would understand what it would feel like. According to his mom, she was so grateful because you treated him as a person."
 
Strout said Eichstedt not only handled herself with professionalism and competence but also used empathy and kindness to add her successful resolution.

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Dalton Finance Makes Reserve Fund Transfers

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Finance Committee made two reserve fund transfers last Wednesday night. 
 
The reserve fund balance is currently $60,000. This is the first reserve fund transfer the town has made this fiscal year, committee clerk Karen Schmidt said. 
 
A transfer to the vocational education tuition account for $16,000 was approved. The original appropriation was $605,020 and the present balance is $4,527. 
 
It had been previously demonstrated that setting the budget for this account can be challenging due to the uncertainty about how many students will choose to attend vocational education programs.
 
The vocational education account was reduced by $90,000 during a September special town meeting; however, a spot opened up at a vocational program, so a student decided to transfer after the start of the second quarter. 
 
A transfer for the employee fringe benefits account was approved for $10,000. The original appropriation was $64,180. 
 
The present balance is $4,412.77 and is not sufficient to cover the vacation payouts and sick buy backs of the six employees who left this year. 
 
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