Councilor Eyes Morningside School For New Police Station

Pittsfield Ward 2 Councilor Cam Cunningham is calling on the city to take a serious look at a building that's about to go empty.

Morningside Community School at 100 Burbank, due to its inadequate learning conditions (outdated open floor concept), is closing at the end of the academic year.  However, this creates an opportunity to solve a problem that's been lying dormant for a while now.

Pittsfield needs a new police station and Cunningham wants the city to do a feasibility study into how much it would cost to move it to Burbank St. The petition comes on the heels of a homicide in close proximity to the school, a building that serves one of the city's most challenging neighborhoods.

I spoke with Cunningham on the phone on Thursday and he said, "I think we need to be careful to separate the 'we are asking for more information' from the 'we want to do this'". He wants the city to seriously explore the option, not commit regardless the cost to the taxpayers.

"We may get information back that this is gonna cost us 100 million dollars, but if the study comes back and it's two, three, or four million - that's gonna complete change whether it's worth it". -Cam Cunningham

His vision, if a study proved it feasible, would place a police headquarters alongside youth programming, violence prevention resources, and community services - all under one roof, right in the heart of a neighborhood that has repeatedly asked for an end to the cycle of violence.

"Morningside families deserve to feel comfortable and safe in their neighborhood," he said in a Facebook post announcing the petition. "This is the kind of structural change that Morningside needs."

When I asked Cunningham what it would cost to do the study he said that from his understanding, it would only be manhours and not a ton of associated costs. The Ward 2 councilor plans to join us on the air on Monday morning.

Cunningham Petition