Pittsfield Council Backs Community Media Funding Legislation

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council is backing state legislation that updates the funding model for community media, including Pittsfield Community Television, to account for declining cable revenues. 

Last week, the City Council supported House Bill H.91 and Senate Bill S.2556, "An Act to Modernize Funding for Community Media Programming." The legislation aims to support public, educational, and governmental access to media centers as more people cut the cord from cable and switch to streaming services.

Councilor at Large Peter White, who petitioned for his fellow councilors' support of the bills, thought that was "pretty easy for us to look at." State Sen. Paul Mark is one of the sponsors of the Senate bill, and state Rep. Leigh Davis is a sponsor for the House bill. 

"The state Legislature will hopefully pass a model where streaming services that use our public infrastructure would be charged a similar fee to what our cable companies negotiate with communities, because having community access television is extremely important," he explained. 

"Anyone watching us at home is doing it through what was created through that cable access fee that was charged, that we used to pay on our cable bill, however, is no longer there for anyone who's cut the cord." 

The legislation would establish a PEG Access Facilities Revenue Advisory Board that recommends an annual assessment rate for streaming services to ensure PEG access facilities maintain revenue levels, and a Streaming Entertainment Fund to collect and distribute the funds. It would apply to services with annual statewide revenues over $250,000. 

Since 2019, Pittsfield Community Television has lost more than $969,000 in inflation-adjusted revenue and has been forced to reduce staff, Executive Director Shawn Serre said. He said these bills would help replace some of those losses by "bringing the funding model up to date with viewing habits of today." 

Allendale Pines North Affordable Manufactured Homes Sell Fast

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:17PM / Saturday, August 22, 2026

Developer Teton Management cut the ribbon on the first six hopes in the manufactured housing community earlier this year. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Just a few months after Allendale Pines North cut the ribbon on its first six homes in the new manufactured home community, units in the planned development are selling fast with both first and second phases all but sold out.

 

For several years, Teton Management Corp. has been planning to expand its existing Allendale Pines Mobile Community with the development of 22 planned manufactured housing units. The new development has its own entrance at 395 Cheshire Road. 

 

The need for attainable housing has never been higher, Teton President George Whaling said. 

 

"And where we sought the opportunity to help with that demand is, we can get folks into a home at Allendale Pines North for essentially a couple of $100 less than what it would cost for someone to rent a three-bedroom of the same quality," he said. 

 

The corporation took over Allendale Pines, now referred to as Allendale Pines South, about 6 1/2 years ago, Whaling said. 

 

Since then, the corporation has invested $1,000,001 in infrastructure improvements, including replacing all water and sewer lines, paving the community and installing the infrastructure needed for 10 additional units, he said. 

 

Additionally, it has been working to clean up and improve the community, which was lacking during previous ownership, said Jason Nocher, owner of Nocher Realty, which has been hired to help sell the units.