Common Ground E-Newsletter

May 2026

A Newsletter for Community Planning in the Berkshires

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• BRPC Executive Committee Meeting - May 7th at 4pm
• BRPC Commission Meeting - May 21 at 7pm
• BRPC Executive Committee Meeting - June 4th at 4pm

Laura Brennan moves into Executive Director role

On May 1st, former Assistant Director and Economic Development Director, Laura Brennan, began serving as BRPC's Executive Director, the fourth director in the agency's nearly 60-year history.

Laura began at BRPC in 2017 as a Senior Planner for Economic Development. Responsibilities included supporting localized economic priorities through a shared economic planning program and regional initiatives, and developing Berkshire County's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for 2023-2027. She also led the successful pursuit of an Economic Development District (EDD) designation for Berkshire County.

Laura became the Economic Program Manager in 2021 and added Assistant Director responsibilities to her role in 2023. Laura’s background includes extensive non-profit management in marketing, operations, programming, and fundraising. She is a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, and holds an MMA/Suffolk University certificate in Local Government Leadership & Management. She can be reached at lbrennan@berkshireplanning.org.

Downtown Bike Breakfast

Join BRPC, the Berkshire Bike Path Council, and Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. during Go by Bike week for a chance to fuel up and meet with fellow bike commuters downtown! Breakfast will be served from 7-9am on Wednesday, May 13, at Dunham Mall in downtown Pittsfield. Hot and cold items will be available for grab-and-go or to enjoy at the Bike Breakfast tent.

Free for everyone who shows up on a bike!



When: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 – 7-9am (rain date Friday, May 15)

Where: Dunham Mall, Pittsfield (between North St and City Hall)

What: Free breakfast and beverages for cyclists as part of Go by Bike Week and Bay State Bike Month

Free AI Training for Every MA Resident

The Massachusetts AI Hub and Google have joined forces to unlock new opportunities for residents across the Commonwealth, so you can gain the skills you need to thrive in today’s digital economy. 

Massachusetts residents will receive no-cost access to the following Google programs until December 31, 2027:

• Google AI Professional Certificate
• Google AI Essentials
• Google Agile Essentials
• Google Career Certificates (e.g., Data Analytics, IT Support, Project Management)

Learn more about the Google AI Professional training and how to earn a certificate.

Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP)

The Economic Development Incentive Program fosters the creation of quality full time jobs through attractive tax credits to businesses committed to starting and growing in Massachusetts.

Application Deadline: May 6, 2026

Learn more about submitting an application.

Climate Smart for Agriculture Grants | Mass.gov

The Climate Smart Agriculture Program (CSAP) combines several MDAR grant programs into one streamlined application to help Massachusetts farms invest in projects that strengthen their operations and improve sustainability. These grants support practices that address vulnerability to climate change, mitigate climate change, safeguard natural resources, increase energy efficiency, promote renewable energy, and improve economic resiliency. 

Application Deadline: May 7, 2026

Submit applications here. Questions? Please contact Laura Maul for more information.

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) is a Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant program that makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, federally recognized Tribal Nations, and local governments for hazard mitigation activities. Sub-applications are currently being accepted.

Sub-Application Deadline: June 8, 2026

Learn more on COMMBUYS and how to apply.

FY27 Municipal ADA Improvement Grant | Massachusetts Office on Disability

Opening May 1, these grants support capital improvements to:

·   improve programmatic access

·   remove physical barriers for people with disabilities

· or both of the above

Learn more about the ADA grant and how to apply.

Social Determinants of Health, Youth Vaping and the Role of Support

Youth vaping is hard to understand or prevented by focusing on individual choice alone. Social determinants of health play an important role in shaping whether a young person is exposed to, experiments with or continues to use nicotine products. Factors such as family economics, housing stability, neighborhood safety, school resources and access to quality healthcare influence stress levels, coping skills and perceptions of risk. When young people grow up in environments marked by chronic stress or limited support systems, nicotine products such as vapes, cigarettes and pouches may appear to offer temporary relief or social acceptance.

Education, peer dynamics and community factors further influence vaping behaviors. Schools with fewer resources may struggle to provide consistent, evidence-based education about the risks of nicotine addiction, especially as nicotine and vaping products continue to evolve. Peer influence can also normalize vaping, while aggressive marketing, both in physical establishments and on social media often portray vapes and e-cigarettes as harmless. These influences are not evenly distributed, meaning that some youth face a much higher level of exposure and risk based on where they live and learn.

Parents, caregivers and other trusted adults are a critical line of prevention. Open, judgement free conversations and modeling healthy coping behaviors along with prosocial interactions help protect youth from nicotine and substance use.

As adults, we must also shift our mindset; nicotine and vape use is not simply a habit, it is an addiction. Youth who use nicotine products deserve the same compassion, understanding and evidence-based support that we would offer any adult facing substance use. By addressing social conditions, supporting youth mental health, engaging families and treating youth vaping and nicotine used as a health issue, we can better support young people on their path to recovery and long term well being.

Learn more about how to talk to youth about vaping.

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE)

At the recent three-day virtual Preparedness Summit put on by NACCHO (National Association of County and City Health Officials), there was plenty of useful information on a variety of topics, however, a popular topic was wastewater testing across many of the presentations. It’s not anything new and many are probably familiar, but the applications are widespread in Public Health. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) involves analyzing sewage for biological and chemical markers from human excretions, such as viruses, bacteria, and pharmaceuticals. It allows us to capture data from substantial portions of a population relatively easily while being cost effective and non-invasive to the public.

It's earliest applications date back to the 1940s where it was utilized to track Polio in major cities like Chicago and New York. Although it has been used frequently since then, for many years it was more of a niche tool used by researchers and environmental chemists. In the early 2000’s it became more prevalent in tracking pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs. It was really the COVID-19 pandemic that brought it into heavy use as a powerful Public Health tool.

During the pandemic scientists detected viral RNA in sewage, often before there was a surge in infections. This early warning system allowed health officials to respond proactively, guiding their testing, vaccination and policy decisions. Beyond COVID-19, wastewater testing has identified outbreaks of norovirus, influenza, and polio among others, demonstrating its extensive relevance.

WBE also plays a role in tracking antimicrobial resistance which is an ever-growing concern. By identifying genes in sewage that indicate antibiotic resistance, public health officials can gain insight into resistance trends as they rise in the population in conjunction with hospital-based surveillance. In addition, wastewater testing helps to monitor substance use. Measuring drug presence in sewage provides real-time insights into community consumption patterns, which helps to inform prevention programs. It has also been used to identify when new, extremely deadly substances are cut into the existing drug supply such as Xylazine, Nitazenes, Carfentanil and Medetomidine. This detection can be a powerful tool in preventing unnecessary overdoses due to people not knowing what they are using.

This is a rapidly expanding field with hopefully many new applications to still be discovered. It will be widely used during the upcoming FIFA World Cup events across the continent to track infections and monitor for potential outbreaks that can be common in mass congregation events.

Learn more about wastewater based epidemiology from the CDC and wastewater surveillance reporting.

May is Bike Month



With the winter season officially over and we enter spring, residents across the region are celebrating the start of Bike Month! As part of this annual event, BRPC promotes bicycling as a healthy, affordable, and sustainable way to get around, and encourage Berkshire residents to… Go by Bike!

Whether it be for fun, fitness, work, or errands, you may be surprised at what you can accomplish by bike! In addition to these benefits, Bike Month is an important time to raise local awareness about bike safety, encourage more people to try biking for transportation and recreation, and highlight the need for bike-friendly streets and communities.

Celebrate Berkshire Bike Month with us this May! To help get you in the spirit, save the date for some flagship events this May:

All Week Long, May 10-16 – Go by Bike Week!

Share your ride HERE to be entered into a prize drawing.

Friday, May 1 in Pittsfield – Bike Rodeo at First Fridays at Five, 5pm

Made possible with the support of AAA and Safe Routes to School, the rodeo will be held in the Palace Park parking lot; enter from Renee Ave across from the Lichtenstein Center.

Friday, May 8 in Pittsfield – Conte Elementary Bike Bus, 8am

(Volunteer Chaperones Needed!) Contact Nick Russo nrusso@berkshireplanning.org if you would like to volunteer.

Saturday, May 9 in Pittsfield – Downtown Mural Bike Tour, 3-5pm

Starts & Ends at Hot Plate Brewing Co., 1 School Street, Pittsfield

Thursday, May 14 in Pittsfield – Conte Elementary Bike Rodeo, 5:30-7pm

(Rain Date: Thursday, May 21) Email Renee MacKay at renee.mackay@aecom.com if you would like to volunteer.



Wednesday, May 13 in Pittsfield – Downtown Bike Breakfast, 7-9am

Dunham Mall, between City Hall and North Street

 Saturday, May 23 in Pittsfield – Ashuwillticook Community Ride, 10am

(Rain Date: Saturday, May 24) Starts at Crane Ave Trailhead in Pittsfield

UMass Road Scholar – Ryan Griffis

BRPC is proud to announce that Transportation Planner, Ryan Griffis, was recently recognized as a Road Scholar for his completion of 35 contact hours of eligible Baystate Roads workshops. The University of Massachusetts Transportation Center (UMTC) Road Scholar Program is a career development initiative designed to share transportation research and best practices with professionals across the region. Through online courses and workshops on transportation issues, such as stakeholder engagement, maintenance best practices, and road safety fundamentals, this program connects regional transportation staff with practical tools to address real-world transportation challenges and make informed, efficient decisions. We look forward to seeing Ryan put these new skills to use for the benefit of our communities.

Western Massachusetts Historical Commission Coalition Virtual Meeting

BRPC is hosting the next Western Massachusetts Historical Commission Coalition meeting on Local Historic Districts Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 10am. Learn more about establishing and maintaining a Local Historic Districts and hear from other communities’ successes and challenges.

The meeting will be held on Zoom. Please register in advance or by contacting Stacia Caplanson, Preservation Massachusetts, scaplanson@preservationmass.org.

This meeting will be recorded and available in the WMHCC Presentation Archive on the Preservation Massachusetts YouTube channel.

2026 State of the County Update

Berkshire Benchmarks has released the 2026 State of the County Update. This 2026 update builds on the Berkshire Benchmarks State of the County Report published in May 2022 and subsequent updates. This overview highlights notable changes in regional indicators. You can find the report online at Berkshire Benchmarks. Check out significant changes to our regional indicators, such as industry employment, plans for high school graduates, average single-family property tax bills, foreclosures, and Chapter 90 aid, to see how our region is doing and what has changed in the last year.

While you’re reviewing the State of the County Update, take a look at all the regional indicators or the latest municipal data.

For more information, contact Mark Maloy.

LAST CALL FOR REGISTRATIONS! ArtWeek Berkshires

The annual county-wide, crowd-sourced celebration of all things creative is back from May 15th through the 25th.

Attendees can enjoy 100+ hands-on or behind-the-scenes events and open studios across the region, including gallery shows and live performances, poetry readings, and painting demos.

ArtWeek is presented by the Cultural Districts in Great Barrington, Lenox, North Adams, Pittsfield, and Williamstown, in partnership with BRPC and 1Berkshire. All artistic disciplines, ages, and skill levels are welcome.

Register by Friday, May 8th (it's free!) on the event website.

The Regional Small Business Resource Expo returns on May 21st!

The Berkshire/Western Massachusetts Small Business Resource Expo will be held on Thursday, May 21st, from 9am - 3pm at the Stationery Factory in Dalton.

This free event brings together a variety of resource providers, small business-specific informational panels, on-site expert consultations, networking opportunities, and a professional headshot photo booth to support small businesses in the Berkshires and from across Western Massachusetts.

A regional partnership of 1Berkshire, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC), Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation (PERC), Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, and Common Capital collaborate to produce this event.

This event is free, but pre-registration is required for attendees - register online.

DEP Awards BRPC a MS4 Municipal Assistance Grant

BRPC, in partnership with Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and Waterstone Engineering, will expand an existing Green Infrastructure BMP Library by adding 3 – 4 additional BMP designs and guidelines for siting and construction. Input into the designs will be provided by an Advisory Group made up of DPW staff and City Engineers from multiple towns in the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley. This library provides an avenue for municipalities to more easily implement water quality improvements, providing best design strategies for control of polluted stormflows that are easy to maintain. While it supports our MS4 communities (Adams, Cheshire, Dalton, Lanesborough and Pittsfield) in their goal to reduce nutrient loading, it can also support any municipality looking to mitigate stormwater runoff.

Virtual trainings will be scheduled in late June prior to the project’s conclusion. We welcome municipal officials, members of permitting boards and consulting engineers to attend. For further information, please contact Alison Dixon (adixon@berkshireplanning.org).

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission

www.berkshireplanning.org