There was an overflow crowd for the Bigfoot talk, with people coming from Vermont and around Western Mass.
DALTON, Mass. — The library's "Bigfoot! In The Northeast" event last week was a success, attracting more than 60 people from all over the county.
The Vogel brothers, Eric and Tim, presented and answered questions about their almost 20 years of experience and investigations into bigfoot, or sasquatch, a hairy folklore creature said to inhabit dense forested areas.
"The Dalton library is simply located in a great area, the environment, the Appalachian Mountain ecosystems, productive farmland, streams, rivers, and wilderness areas," Tim Vogel said.
"Locally, it checks all the boxes and has enormous potential for providing what a bigfoot's needs are, for something that large."
People filled the main floor and looked down on the discussion from balcony on the mezzanine. The audience was respectful and attentive, and many of them were believers and had many questions, Tim Vogel said.
"It was pleasantly surprising to have that many people interested in the topic enough to drive to Dalton, traveling from out of town to listen and possibly participate in a subject not typically talked about, openly, anyway," he said.
The Vogels retired from outdoor education and now do research and investigations of Bigfoot as the Cobble Mountain Critter Project in Russell, which raises funds for outdoor programs for youth.
The event exceeded its scheduled time as participants from various regions, including Vermont, spilled into the library's parking lot and continued the discussion on bigfoot in their communities, Vogel said.
Library Director Janet Forest said when she looked out into the audience, she saw many new faces, which is not a common occurrence.
"Anytime you get new people to come into the library, it is a win," she said.
The audience was diverse, welcoming, and fun, full of believers and skeptics, Forest said.
"The atmosphere was light, it was fun. People were engaged with the topic of Bigfoot. We had many people discussing and sharing their own stories before the talk even started," Vogel said.
"They were eager to hear our story, they were there to get information, and we provided as much as we could through our almost two decades of experience. We believe it was well received, and at the end of the night, everybody enjoyed their time."
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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Rename
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.
The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to rename the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.
The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.
Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.
Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.
At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."
Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.
The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.
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