Berkshire County Transportation Enhanced by Over $400 K in State Grants

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Healey-Driscoll Administration has awarded funding to the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority and Great Barrington (BRTA) to enhance transportation access within Berkshire County. 
 
BRTA and the Town of Great Barrington have received a combined total of over $400,000 through the Community Transit Grant Program (CTGP).
 
"Every investment we make in public transportation is an investment to connect more individuals and households to opportunities and to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts," said Governor Maura Healey. "We commend everyone who competed for funding available through this program and made a strong case for the importance of connectivity and transportation education in their respective communities." 
 
The BRTA has been granted $160,312. Specifically, $9,300 will support the continuation of its travel training program, empowering individuals to use public transportation confidently. Additionally, $151,012 will expand paratransit services for seniors in underserved rural towns, building on the BRTA's previous medical transit pilot.
 
Furthermore, the Town of Great Barrington has been awarded $252,000 to provide demand-response transportation services across seven rural towns within the county. This initiative will address critical transportation gaps in these areas, ensuring residents have access to essential services and destinations.
 
These grants are part of a broader $5.8 million investment by the Healey-Driscoll Administration to improve mobility for older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals throughout Massachusetts.
 
MassDOT received 79 applications from 59 organizations with a total request of over $14 million. Community Transit Grant Program awards are funded using $4 million from the Education and Transportation Fund through the Fiscal Year 2025 state budget, as well as $1.8 million in Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 funding

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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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