The 311 desk: how to report a problem
The city website lists no 311 number, so there is nothing to dial. Potholes, missed pickups, graffiti and similar problems go through PittSMART, on the web or as an iOS or Android app. You get an email when the request moves and can track it to the end. To talk to a person, call the City Hall main line.
No services match that search. Try a shorter word, or call City Hall at 413-449-5600.
Phone directory
| Office | Phone |
|---|---|
| City Hall main line (70 Allen St.) | 413-449-5600 |
| Mayor's Office | 413-499-9321 |
| City Clerk (elections, licenses, bulky-item stickers) | 413-499-9361 |
| Public Works | 413-499-9330 |
| Police Department | 413-448-9700 |
| Fire Department | 413-448-9764 |
| Health Department | 413-499-9411 |
| Building Inspectors | 413-499-9440 |
| Tax Collector | 413-499-9431 |
| Assessor's Office | 413-395-0102 |
| Parks & Recreation | 413-499-9371 |
| Veterans' Services | 413-499-9433 |
| Community Development | 413-499-9368 |
Numbers come from the city's online directory. In an emergency dial 911. Confirm a number on pittsfieldma.gov before relying on it.
The basics
- Carts go out by 7 a.m. on collection day. Anything left beside a cart is not collected.
- Each home gets two free 48-gallon carts, one for trash and one for recycling. Recyclables go in loose, with no bags.
- Your street's day is on the 2026 recycling calendar or in the Casella app.
- Yard waste goes to the Casella Transfer Station, 500 Hubbard Ave., with proof of residency.
- Public Works 413-499-9330. Casella customer service 413-453-0098.
Holiday delay checker
When one of six holidays lands on a weekday, pickup for that day and every later day that week slips one day.
Bulky item pickup
Each item needs a $20 sticker from the City Clerk (70 Allen St.), Public Works (100 North St.), or Carr Hardware, Elm Street Hardware or Market 32. Put items out Monday of the pickup week, then call Casella to schedule.
Everyone with this page open right now appears here as a dot. Move your pointer (or tap, or use the arrow keys) to walk around. Say hello, wave, and see who else is in town.
The land was called Pontoosuck before it was Pittsfield. From a frontier plantation it grew through wool mills and electrical engineering into the seat of Berkshire County. Pick an era to filter the timeline.
People worth knowing
Rev. Thomas Allen
Known as the "Fighting Parson" for his role in the Revolutionary War.
Herman Melville
Wrote Moby-Dick while living at Arrowhead, his Pittsfield farmhouse.
William F. Bartlett
Rose to major general during the Civil War at age 24, which the city calls the youngest in the war.
Charles W. Whittlesey
Earned the Medal of Honor commanding the "Lost Battalion" in World War I.
Samuel Harrison
Pittsfield pastor who pressed for equal pay for Black soldiers and served as chaplain of the 54th regiment.
Postcards from the Berkshires
Drawn on the fly in the current palette. Click a postcard to re-dither just that picture.
Sources: City of Pittsfield, Berkshire Athenaeum, Wikipedia. The postcards are illustrations, not photographs.
In 2017 the Arts Vibrancy Index ranked Pittsfield and Berkshire County first among medium-sized communities in the country for the arts. Most of it is within a short walk of North Street.
Colonial Theatre
Opened in 1903 and still known for its acoustics.
Barrington Stage Company
Professional theatre with a downtown stage and a Musical Theatre Lab. barringtonstage.org
Berkshire Museum
Art, history and natural science in one downtown building. berkshiremuseum.org
Berkshire Athenaeum
The public library, with a Local History Department for deeper digging. pittsfieldlibrary.org
Arrowhead
Melville's home from 1850 to 1863, now a museum. mobydick.org
Wahconah Park
Professional baseball was played here from 1894 to 2003. The Pittsfield Suns have called it home since 2012.
Pittsfield State Forest
About 11,000 acres of trails, camping and a swimming beach.
Onota and Pontoosuc Lakes
Swimming, boating and fishing within city limits.
Canoe Meadows
A 264-acre Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuary along the Housatonic.
Baseball, 1859
Pittsfield hosted what is called the first intercollegiate baseball game. Amherst beat Williams 73 to 32.
Music on South Mountain
The Berkshire Music Festival began here in 1918 under Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge.
Learning
Pittsfield High, Taconic High, Miss Hall's School, and Berkshire Community College.
How the city is run
Pittsfield uses a mayor-council form of government. The mayor serves a four-year term. Peter Marchetti took office in January 2024, and the next mayoral election is Tuesday, Nov 2, 2027. The eleven-member City Council has seven ward seats and four at-large seats.
Coming up
- Nov 3, 2026: statewide general election. Ask the City Clerk (413-499-9361) about polling places and early voting.
- Now: a draft city Master Plan is posted for public reading on the city website.
- Nov 2, 2027: next municipal election, per the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
City Council
| Councilor | Seat |
|---|---|
| Earl G. Persip III | Council President |
| Peter White | Council Vice President |
| Kathleen Amuso | At-Large |
| Alisa Costa | At-Large |
| Kenneth G. Warren Jr. | Ward 1 |
| Cameron Cunningham | Ward 2 |
| Matthew Wrinn | Ward 3 |
| James Conant | Ward 4 |
| Patrick Kavey | Ward 5 |
| Dina G. Lampiasi | Ward 6 |
| Kathy Moody | Ward 7 |
Representation
- State House: Tricia Farley-Bouvier, 2nd Berkshire District
- State Senate: Paul Mark
- U.S. House: Richard Neal, Massachusetts 1st District
Who is registered (Feb 1, 2025)
31,284 registered voters. "All others" is the remainder after the three listed groups. Source: Wikipedia, citing state figures.