Mayor James Ruberto has announced the city has entered into a new partnership with Attorney General Martha Coakley to address abandoned residential properties in Pittsfield. 

According to a press release from the Director of the Department of Community Development, Deanna Ruffer, through this partnership, abandoned properties will be turned over to third party receivers who assume responsibility for bringing the property into compliance with state and local regulations. 

Pittsfield is one of 25 communities in the Commonwealth participating in this program.  Attorney General Coakley’s Abandoned Housing Initiative (AHI) uses the receivership provisions of Massachusetts’ Sanitary Code to assist municipalities in addressing neighborhood problems created by abandoned or foreclosed housing.

Wild Oats Market in Williamstown is celebrating Earth Day free fun events open to the public on Saturday, April 23.

From 12 to 4 p.m the organic food market will have craft events for kids crafts, samples from local food producers, workshops, and the co-op’s first BBQ of the season, featuring local and organic foods on the grill.

Local and regional organizations and businesses with an environmental focus, such as The Northern Berkshire Beekeepers Association,  the Williamstown COOL Committee, and Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, will also participate in the event.

The store's General Manager, Michael Faber will also be leading a Composting Workshop at 2 p.m.

Baby goats from Polymeadows Farm in Shaftsbury, Vermont will also be at the event. Jay Walsh from Northern Berkshire Transition will be on hand to help children and their parents build a Berkshire Mason Bee Box out of reclaimed scraps. These boxes are designed to the Mason bee, an excellent pollinator that can be very beneficial to the home flower or vegetable garden.

Lisa MacDougall of Mighty Food Farm in Pownal, Vermont will also be on hand selling  locally and organically grown seasonal plants.

The Department of Public Utilities of the City of Pittsfield is asking for the cooperation of all city water users to  reduce non-essential use of water during our recent period of hot, dry weather.  The city does not anticipate the need for another ban on sprinkler use, however, during these next few days of hot weather, we are requesting that city residents continue with some water conservation efforts.    “If we all take some simple steps to curtail the wasting of water, we can ensure that all residents and businesses in the city will have sufficient water pressure even as we see a return to high temperatures.”  says Mayor James M.