Berkshire County goes away

By The Associated Press

PITTSFIELD -- After 239 years, Berkshire County's government is history. County commissioners met for the last time yesterday afternoon -- hours before the county, abolished by a vote of the state legislature in 1998, formally flickered out of existence at midnight.

Berkshire was the last county in western Massachusetts and the seventh in the state to go.

But if supporters have their way, the demise of regional government here will be only temporary.

In November, Berkshire County voters will decide whether to recreate the county as a regional council of governments that would take over many of the regional planning, purchasing and other functions of the old county government. Two years ago, two-thirds of the county's voters supported retaining a countywide government in a nonbinding referendum.

The state is assuming operation of the county's courthouses, jail and registry of deeds and taking over its assets and liabilities.

By its calculations, Berkshire County is closing out its books with $8.5 million in assets, including its buildings and $700,000 in cash, and $2.5 million in liabilities, mostly in pension funds.

"We have no debts," said Berkshire County Commission Chairman Thomas Stokes.

Two of the three other western Massachusetts counties that were abolished -- Franklin and Hampshire -- have re-established countywide Councils of Government.

"Although some in the legislature have said we are a waste of money and not worth saving, obviously there is a strong need for a regional government," Stokes said.

A countywide entity can provide joint services, such as group insurance, group fuel oil purchasing and planning to communities too small to afford them on their own, he said.

"It also provides a forum to discuss issues and developments that transcend town boundaries," he said. "We have a magnificent rural landscape, but if we don't have coordination in economic development and don't put our roads, shopping malls and industrial parks where they make sense, we will lose much of our character."

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