Former Mayor Linda Tyer of Pittsfield
Recipient of the Canon Brian S. Kelley Public Servant Award
Linda M. Tyer was inaugurated as the Mayor of the City of Pittsfield for a second-four year term in January 2020. Mayor Tyer holds the distinction of being the first mayor to be elected to a four- year term in Pittsfield’s history. Her administration is centered on six core principles: shared responsibility, how can we, proactive long-term planning, communication, professional development, and small things.
Under Mayor Tyer’s strong and decisive leadership, the City of Pittsfield has and continues to advance its economic development initiatives, foster robust collaborations with state and federal partners, and is committed to strengthening community pride.
During her tenure, initiatives have included the preservation of 25 jobs at Covanta and necessary steam energy for two local manufacturers, the creation of 113 jobs using the city’s economic development resources, and securing $12,000,000 in Mass Life Sciences funding to build the state-of-the-art Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield. Mayor Tyer facilitated new market-rate housing at the historic St. Mary’s Morningstar and Powerhouse Lofts; advanced Community Preservation projects for historic preservation, open space, and recreation; and paved 41 miles of road in her first term.
At the height of the pandemic in the spring of 2020, Mayor Tyer assembled the City of Pittsfield’s COVID-19 Task Force. For more than a year, this team, comprised of city and school officials, law enforcement, first responders, leadership from the Sheriff’s Office, Berkshire Medical Center, and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, dedicated their efforts on ensuring Pittsfield had what it needed to remain safe and protected during this unprecedented public health crisis.
In April 2020, Mayor Tyer established the City of Pittsfield COVID-19 Economic Recovery Program, a $1.1 million package of local and federal funding to support residents, small businesses, community organizations, and cultural institutions impacted by the pandemic. In the first round of funding for businesses, the city awarded a total of $682,000 to 90 small businesses in Pittsfield.
Overseeing a once-in-a-lifetime $43,000,000.00 fund from the federal American Rescue Plan, Mayor Tyer provided the tools and resources to recover quickly from the negative consequences of COVID-19. Under her leadership, the city’s ARPA team listened to the expressed needs of the community and built an investment plan spanning multiple categories. These investments will benefit Pittsfield for years to come.
For Linda, whose family roots are in the city, and date back to her grandparents, creating a safe, vibrant and thriving Pittsfield is work that both honors the legacy of past generations of hard- working Pittsfielders, and recognizes the needs and aspirations of present and future residents.
It is this strong work ethic and community pride that has influenced Linda’s work through the years and motivates her to keep moving the city forward.
Since 2004, Linda has continuously served the people of Pittsfield. Her previous elected roles include Ward 3 City Councilor and City Clerk. As a city councilor, Linda served as a member of the City Council’s committee on Ordinances & Rules, Finance, and Public Health and Safety; she also served as the City Council representative on the Community Development Board.
In January 2022, Mayor Tyer was elected president of the Massachusetts Mayors’ Association. Additionally, as a member of the MMA Board of Directors, Mayor Tyer also serves on the statewide Local Government Advisory Commission (LGAC), which meets throughout the year with top state leaders to discuss issues facing cities and towns. Her previous role with the MMA included that of First Vice President.
Linda was also a founding member and past president of the Samuel Harrison Society in Pittsfield, a cultural preservation group. Past affiliations include the Massachusetts City Clerks’ Association, MassINC Gateway Cities Neighborhood Stabilization Working Group, Notary Public, and Justice of the Peace (Commonwealth of Massachusetts).
She is an alumna of the Leadership Institute for Public Policy and Impact (LIPPI) and a graduate of Bay Path College.
In January 2024, Mayor Tyer stepped down as Pittsfield’s mayor. She is now the Executive Director of Workforce Development and Community Education at Berkshire Community College.