Clarksburg Kicking Off Master Planning Process

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town is embarking on its first master planning process in more than 60 years.

Residents are encouraged to attend the first meeting on “Envisioning Clarksburg 2040” on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. at the Community Center.

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission is facilitating the process through a $55,000 grant from the state’s One Stop Program, which BRPC has matched from its District Local Technical Assistance Program.

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Rehabbing homes is expensive, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission’s new program could help

SHEFFIELD — Elmer and Maria Orobio, both retired teachers, knew it was time to replace their home’s old, drafty windows that let in the cold New England air.

But when a contractor quoted them a price they couldn’t afford, they decided to live with the chill instead.

That was until the Orobios found out about the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission’s home rehabilitation project.

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Pittsfield High School is undertaking a pilot program that will better equip students to help each other through struggles adults don’t understand

A new grant will fund a youth mental health initiative in the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, public school system. As WAMC reports, the support comes at an urgent time.

The golden dome of Pittsfield High School — a grand, ivy-covered edifice built in 1931 — shines above Berkshire County’s urban hub on East Street, just steps from the city’s core. The public school serves over 700 students, making it the largest high school in the Berkshires.

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Berkshire Regional Planning Commission head Matuszko to step down next spring

The head of Berkshire County’s Regional Planning Commission is preparing to step down after almost 30 years with the organization.
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Thomas Matuszko has been fascinated with planning for decades.

“My entry point to this kind of work was basically in the 1980s when I saw what was happening to the landscape in Western Mass,” he told WAMC. “There was a lot of sprawl being done, and so I was interested very much in trying to do preservation of both the land and the landform, but also the communities too, so that we had some of the small communities. So, my background was in regional planning at UMass, but it had a rural resource concentration on it.”

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Berkshire County’s regionwide planning body has released its annual report on the rural, westernmost section of Massachusetts.

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Thomas Matuszko says the metric he’s proudest of in the group’s 2025 annual report is the number 32.

“We’ve worked in all 32 of the Berkshire County communities over this past year, and some communities have used our program areas. We have eight different program areas, and they’ve used all eight,” Matuszko says. “It really feels good to provide those services to our communities.”

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Things you can do this autumn to help your nonprofit prepare for the holiday season

When fall rolls around, nonprofits are propelled into year-end fundraising mode. It’s akin to retailers planning Christmas displays while Halloween sales are still going strong. Here’s a list of things to tackle now before your annual appeal goes out.

Check in with your top donors. They be wondering how you’re faring in this challenging landscape. It would be more than a little awkward to be radio-silent all year only to show up again in December with a request for a donation. Call, email, send a little update, or have a board member reach out to personally thank the donor for their support.

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Mass. Public Health officials call on residents to get vaccinated ahead of COVID, flu, RSV season

Public health officials in Massachusetts are encouraging commonwealth residents to get their flu and COVID shots as respiratory disease season gets underway.
As the days grow colder and darker, the school year continues, and get-togethers shift indoors to close quarters, state officials say it’s once again time to get vaccinated.

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BRPC Honors Retiring Local Leaders with Kusik Award

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two outgoing leaders were recognized with Kusik Awards at the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission’s annual meeting.

Ellen Kennedy, Berkshire Community College’s retiring president, and Jane Winn, retired executive director of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team, were recognized for outstanding contributions to Berkshire County.

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