Public Meeting on the Kirvin Memorial Park ecological Improvements

07:50AM / Thursday, June 05, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield, Housatonic River Natural Resources Trustees, and General Electric Co. will be hosting a public meeting on Wednesday, June 11 at 6:00p.m.

This meeting will take place at Herberg Middle School located at 501 Pomeroy Avenue in the auditorium.

At this meeting, the presenters will review the significant floodplain and habitat restoration and enhancement plan for Kirvin Memorial Park. A team of specialists will be working to improve the conditions of approximately 17 acres in the flood plain of Sackett and Ashley Brooks in the south end of Kirvin Memorial Park by removing invasive plant species and establishing native vegetation.

In addition, there are plans to expand wetland conditions in a portion of the floodplain area. These invasive plants collectively impair the overall habitat diversity and functions of the ecosystem.

The public is encouraged to attend to listen to the presentation and provide feedback on the proposal.

This project is slated to start in the fall of 2025. During this project, the park will remain open to the public.

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Restructure

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

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 restructure 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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