Berkshire Regional Planning Staff

Assists Executive Director in administration and budgeting. Responsible for preparation of regional policy and other plans, coordination of comprehensive planning activities, particularly in areas of land use, environmental and natural resources and economic and community development planning. Develops grant applications and seeks other funding. Works with local and regional governments and organizations to determine their needs and coordinates BRPC responses to those needs.

Ensures that BRPC is meeting all federal and state requirements for its transportation planning program and is liaison with federal and state agencies. Provides guidance to other staff on technical aspects of transportation planning program. Responsible for variety of transportation planning projects and technical activities including traffic forecasts, alternatives evaluation and environmental impact reviews. Provides technical assistance to municipal governments on transportation related matters.

Assists in Community Development Block Grant projects, local economic development projects, regional brownfields program, and provides local zoning development assistance.  Current projects include Becket CDBG application, Dalton Redevelopment Authority assistance, and Peru wind energy bylaw.

EDownes@berkshireplanning.org

• Agency Administration
• Transportation
• Community Development
• Environmental

Administers contract and billing requirements for multiple Berkshire Regional Planning Commission contracts.  Working under the direct supervision of and in close cooperation with BRPC Project Managers and the BRPC Bookkeeper, prepares invoices and requisitions for multiple Commission contracts, (according to the required schedule, i.e. monthly, quarterly), manages on-line financial reporting requirements associated with specific contracts / projects, processes vendor or subcontractor invoices/payment requests for payment by the BRPC Bookkeeper, including monitoring compliance with the terms of the contract / agreement, adherence to required public procurement processes and managing project/contract budget tracking requirements / monitoring and is responsible for ensuring the agency contract files are current and complete.

Provides various support functions, focusing on environmental and scenic byways plans and projects. Conducts field investigations, research, analysis, data searches, and report writing. Facilitates municipal and public participation in assessment plans. Manages BRPC's support to the Western Massachusetts Homeland Security Council.

Assists in efforts to improve local government service delivery through collaboration and consolidation of services.  Current projects include a study of potential service coordination between Lee, Lenox and Stockbridge and a potential expansion of the regional Group Purchasing Program.

Responsible for providing member communities with comprehensive planning assistance.  Coordinating District Local Technical Assistance Program which provides support of local economic development and expedited permitting projects and regional services program.  Prepares semi-monthly Common Ground newsletter.

Develops and coordinates transportation and other planning projects. Specifically responsible for managing major transportation planning studies in areas of regional concern, involving highway, transit, bicycle and pedestrian planning. Coordinates public outreach efforts in conjunction with those studies. Occasionally has lead role in other projects that bring together transportation and land use, such as scenic byways, corridor access management, and bicycle/pedestrian trails. Provides transportation analysis for local planning projects. Responsible for transit element of Regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and management of TIP database.

Processes payroll and employee withholding and insurance, enters monthly bills and prepares payments, sets up computer to receive new grants and contracts and to bill customers. Prepares monthly reports showing hours staff has devoted to various tasks, overhead and income. Also provides back-up for Office Administrator for general office tasks.

Coordinates and manages GIS (Geographic Information System) services. These include data analysis, data conversion, and mapping for environmental, natural resource, demographic, transportation, infrastructure, land use, economic and community development planning. Provides technical assistance to communities regarding GIS and mapping. Also provides support services for BRPC's network, web page and computer hardware and software. Provides GIS planning assistance to the Town of Adams through the Commissions Outsource GIS Planner program.

Responsible for providing member municipalities with planning assistance related to community development.  Currently managing Great Barrington CDBG project and developing CDBG application for Becket.

DPlachcinski@berkshireplanning.org

Melissa Provencher

Provides assistance on both a variety of environmental and regional planning projects. Responsible for writing grant proposals and reports, as well as coordinating communication among non-profits, the general public, and other project partners. Works closely with various lake and pond associations on developing and implementing lake management plans.

msniezek@berkshireplanning.org

• Agency Administration