Pittsfield Community Meeting On Rest of the River Project

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will be hosting a community meeting on Wednesday, March 27 at 6 p.m. at Herberg Middle School, Auditorium, located at 501 Pomeroy Avenue.
 
Representatives from the EPA will be presenting an overview of the Rest of River cleanup project and the plans to date for the Pittsfield stretch of the river. There will be focus on hearing from community members about quality of life concerns including construction noise, air quality, truck safety, transportation of materials and other related concerns.
 
Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on the proposed plans.
 
The public is welcome and residents in Ward 4 neighborhoods are especially encouraged to attend.
 
For those that are unable to join in person, Pittsfield Community Television will be airing the meeting live on CityLink Channel 1303 and on PCTV Select available at pittsfieldtv.org, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.
 
For more information, please contact Parks, Open Space and Natural Resources Program Manager, Jim McGrath, at (413) 499-9344.

Tags: community meeting,   EPA,   

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Hinsdale OKs Police Department Audit After Fatal Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

HINSDALE, Mass. — The town has approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the police department, more than two months after police fatally shot 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil during a mental health crisis. 

Town Administrator Robert Graves said the shooting on Jan. 7 is not the only focus of the audit, and it will be several months before the Select Board receives a final report. 

During a special town meeting on March 11, an article appropriating $25,000 from free cash for an independent consultant to conduct a professional evaluation and audit of the Town's Police Department was approved. The audit includes a review of the department's policies, protocols, operations, and procedures, and concludes with a written report. 

"The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the shooting, and we await their conclusions.  As we look to move forward, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, our insurance company (MIIA/Cabot Risk), and our legal counsel have recommended that the town hire an independent law enforcement consultant or firm to conduct a comprehensive administrative review of our police operation," Graves wrote in an email to iBerkshires on Friday. 

"This event is not their focus; they will assess the overall operation. We want a written assessment of our police operation's strengths and weaknesses to help Hinsdale make future changes and improvements." 

He said after completing the procurement process and signing a contract with a reputable consultant or business, it will most likely be several months before the Select Board receives the final report. 

"Still, it will help the town and police department move forward," Graves wrote. 

Last weekend, family and friends of Kauvil stood in Park Square asking for justice. A flier for the standout reads "Biagio was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Now, over seven weeks later, authorities have not yet provided any updates.

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