Dan’s vision for a better Pittsfield starts with a better city government. Above all, Pittsfield needs a government that is informed by the voice of every citizen, and a government that is motivated by well-defined goals and objectives.

SEE THE FLYER ABOUT DAN’S PLAN FOR PITTSFIELD

Action Plan for Pittsfield 2011

My overall vision for Pittsfield includes:

The creation of a business development and marketing plan to create new revenue and jobs in Berkshire County.
The implementation of measurable planning objectives to guide growth.
Intensified participation in ongoing efforts to combat crime.
Efforts to ensure that our public schools are strong, vibrant, and provide a great education.
The advancement of energy conservation, waste reduction, and other green initiatives.
Establish an open, fair, and transparent government through transparency and inclusion
Review of city charter to improve management functions and service delivery.

My specific platform includes specific action items:

Taxes:

Form a Tax Panel to recommend ways to improve services while reducing costs.
Provide financial incentives for small businesses by creating a $500,000 loan fund with GE Economic development funds.
Develop balanced city budgets that provide critical funding for police, fire, public works, education and other services citizens depend on every day.
Make prudent investments in our critical infrastructure like our roads, sidewalks and school buildings.
Host neighborhood forums so that citizens can help me create a budget that reflects the diverse needs and values of our community.
Form a multi unit home owner commission so that together we can set reasonable expectations and make unified decisions on how to address issues like blight, garbage removal and adequate housing.

City Services: (do more with less)

Pursue new ways to streamline delivery of services and save money.

Recruit the best talent to work at City Hall.

Continue the internal operational audits of city departments to be sure that we are maximizing resources and delivering services.
Hire based on qualifications not political consideration

Consider technology investments that improve the ways citizens communicate with city government. I will consider smart technology applications and social networking options. Smart technology will lead to smarter government, cost saving and expedited services for contractors and private citizens.
Create ways that cities and towns across Berkshire County can work together to regionalize some services to provide a higher quality of service while saving tax payers money. For example, we should look closely at information technology systems, and various public works and school applications.
Work with other municipalities to identify ways that we can continue to support green initiatives in our city. I will encourage a green Berkshire initiative.

Education:

I will continue my strong support for education and high-quality public schools.

Keep teachers in the classroom. I will request the school committee to consider administrative functions that could be shared with other districts.

Work with school building needs commission to prioritize investments in infrastructure, based on need and community support, particularly the three elementary schools which are in desperate need of upgrade.

Promote the thorough examination of the feasibility to establish a successful vocational program or a regional trade school.

Establish bi-annual workshops that will educate parents about the MCAS and Mass Frameworks and give them an opportunity to talk about their concerns. Along the way, parents have asked that their voices be heard

Strong collaboration between the city and schools to promote and market our unique schools.

Revisit workforce development and training objectives by becoming an active member of the BREB and collaborating closely with Berkshire Works.

Economic Development:

Create an Economic Development Advisory Commission to foster a more organized and pro-active approach to regional economic development.
Appoint myself to be an active, voting member of the PEDA board.
Support tourism, including cultural and eco-tourism, is a key to Berkshire County and Pittsfield’s economy, I will work with the Visitors Bureau, the Cultural Commission to do more to promote our city throughout Berkshire County and beyond.
Create a business improvement district in downtown Pittsfield that will better serve the needs of our residents, businesses, and visitors while decreasing downtown Pittsfield reliance on tax payer dollars.
Work with local banks to develop programs and incentive packages that will help attract new businesses, help current businesses grow and help ensure that there is an access to capital in Pittsfield

Open Government:

Support ways to improve our public policy and decision making processes by streamlining permitting processes and develop 21^st century web-based interaction with city agencies.
Appointment of a special charter review committee to review our overall governmental structure.
Fill department head vacancies with permanent appointments. I will also begin the process of filing the City Solicitor position and the Personnel position.
Organize periodic meetings with city councilors in their wards to make sure the city of Pittsfield is responsive to the needs and concerns of our neighborhoods.
Host public office hours, once a month to allow anyone to come into my office to share a concern or an idea to make Pittsfield better.
Fill vacancies on city boards and commissions with citizens of Pittsfield.

Public Safety:

I am proud to have earned the endorsement of Berkshire County Sheriff Tom Bowler
Work with local law enforcement officials to examine and pursue a program for serious potential offenders.
Dedicate municipal personnel to an effort of expanding neighborhood crime watches in Pittsfield. These civic committees are working and we need more of them.
Collaborate with Berkshire County Sheriff Tom Bowler to expand his community service program in creative ways that will benefit Pittsfield residents.
Search and advocate for additional grant funds to put new officers on the streets to make sure we are keeping our streets safe.

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City Hall

As mayor, Dan will increase access by offering regular “office hours,” when citizens can come to City Hall and express their concerns directly to the mayor, his staff, and various heads of city departments.
Best practices at City Hall will benefit everyone. In particular, Dan will work with departments to establish clear, written, long-term goals that inform everything they do.
Dan will build a good working relationship with City Council members, and welcome every voice and every perspective. Fostering a culture in City Hall that accepts and welcomes differences of opinion is key to our community’s well-being.

Jobs, Business and Our Economy

Building a smart, comprehensive plan with measurable goals to bring new jobs to town is critical. The plan should focus on identifying prospective employers whose needs match our citizens’ skills.
We need a Business Development Officer, a salesman for the city who can devote his or her energy to bringing new and expanding businesses to Pittsfield.
Making our North Street city center a destination for folks from all over the Berkshires is possible – the key is smart development and giving existing businesses the resources and incentive to expand and improve.
Creating a full package of services and amenities that the city can offer to potential new businesses is a vital part of putting together a quality “sales pitch.”

Education, Arts and Culture

We must renovate and modernize Taconic High School in order to give this generation and future ones the education they deserve.
Our high schools should partner with local businesses to offer internships to students that prepare them for college and employment.
Dan supports Third Thursdays – they’re good for our economy and they help build a sense of community among our citizens. We should look for every opportunity to expand our city’s arts and cultural offerings – there’s no downside, and we all benefit.
State and national standardized testing systems like MCAS and Leave No Child Behind put Pittsfield’s students and teachers at a disadvantage. Dan will pursue assistance from the state Department of Education to make sure our schools aren’t being punished unfairly for testing outcomes that reflect lack of funding, not failures on the part of our teachers or our kids
While times are tough and not every budget demand can be met, teachers deserve good-faith negotiations with City Hall. That means keeping promises and not missing deadlines, as in the past.

Law Enforcement and Public Safety

Pittsfield Police should have the authority to pursue criminals with all available resources. Police should be focusing their energies on stopping real and substantive threats to our community.
Dan will make sure that the police have the tools and the funding they need to keep drug dealers off our streets, and protect our city from a criminal element that is degrading our quality of life.
Dan supports programs like the Berkshire County Drug Task Force, and believes that we need to find more opportunities for our police department to collaborate with those in neighboring towns.

The Platform