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Berkshire County, pronounced Berk-sher, is a county located on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2010 census, the population was 131,219.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/25/25003.html )〕 Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield.〔(【引用サイトリンク】accessdate=2011-06-07 )〕 The county was founded in 1761〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Berkshire County History )〕 and abolished in 2000. Berkshire County comprises the Pittsfield, MA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Berkshire Hills are centered on Berkshire County, and the county itself is often referred to simply as the Berkshires. It exists today only as a historical geographic region, and has no county government. ==Law and government== Of the fourteen Massachusetts counties, Berkshire County is one of seven that exists today only as a historical geographic region, and has no county government. Berkshire County government was abolished effective July 1, 2000, and all former county functions were assumed by state agencies, and there is no county council or commission.〔(Official Audit Report - Issued December 16, 2011 ) - Berkshire Sheriff's Office As of January 5, 2011.〕 The sheriff became a Commonwealth employee, but remains locally elected to perform duties within the county region and retains administrative and operational control over the Berkshire Sheriff’s Office, an independent state agency that was created after the county government was abolished. The Berkshire Sheriff’s Office runs the county jail and house of correction.〔 Local communities were granted the right to form their own regional compacts for sharing services, and the towns of Berkshire County have formed such a regional compact known as the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. Berkshire County has three Registry of Deeds Districts, one for each district. * Berkshire Northern District is located in Adams and contains records for the city of North Adams and the towns of Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, Hancock, Lanesborough, New Ashford, Savoy, Williamstown, and Windsor. * Berkshire Middle District is located in Pittsfield and contains records for the city of Pittsfield and the towns of Becket, Dalton, Hinsdale, Lee, Lenox, Otis, Peru, Richmond, Stockbridge, Tyringham and Washington. * Berkshire Southern District is located in Great Barrington and contains records for the towns of Alford, Egremont, Great Barrington, Monterey, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, Sandisfield, Sheffield and West Stockbridge. Berkshire County is located in the , a primarily rural district that makes up most of Western Massachusetts. Berkshire County has four (4) districts and elected Representatives in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. * First Berkshire. - Consisting of the towns of Adams, Clarksburg, Florida, North Adams, Savoy and Williamstown, all in the county of Berkshire; and the towns of Charlemont, Hawley, Heath, Monroe and Rowe, all in the county of Franklin. Gailanne Cariddi (D) is the current Representative. * Second Berkshire. - Consisting of the towns of Becket, Cheshire, Dalton, Hancock, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, New Ashford, Peru, Richmond, Washington and Windsor, and precinct B of ward 1, of the city of Pittsfield, all in the county of Berkshire; the towns of Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Colrain, Leyden, Northfield and Shelburne, all in the county of Franklin; and the towns of Cummington, Middlefield and Plainfield, all in the county of Hampshire. Paul Mark (D) is the current Representative. * Third Berkshire. - Consisting of precinct A of ward 1, all precincts of wards 2, 3, 4, precinct A of ward 5, and all precincts of wards 6 and 7, of the city of Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire. Christopher N. Speranzo (D), was the Representative, but has left for another position. A special election to fill his unexpired term has Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D) as the current representative. * Fourth Berkshire. - Consisting of the towns of Alford, Egremont, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Monterey, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, Otis, precinct 5B of the city of Pittsfield, the towns of Sandisfield, Sheffield, Stockbridge, Tyringham and West Stockbridge, all in the county of Berkshire; and the towns of Blandford, Chester and Tolland, all in the county of Hampden. William Smitty Pignatelli (D), is the current Representative. Berkshire County is located in one (1) district for the Massachusetts Senate. The district consist of all of Berkshire County and the following cities: Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington, in the county of Hampshire; and Ashfield, Charlemont, Conway, Hawley, Heath, Monroe and Rowe, in the county of Franklin. Benjamin B. Downing (D), is the current Senator. The Massachusetts Governor's Council, also known as the Executive Council, is composed of eight individuals elected from districts, and the Lt. Governor who serves ex officio. The eight councillors are elected from their respective districts every two years. Berkshire County is located in the 8th District. The Council generally meets at noon on Wednesdays in its State House Chamber, next to the Governor's Office, to act on such issues as payments from the state treasury, criminal pardons and commutations, and approval of gubernatorial appointments; such as judges, notaries and justices of the peace. See also the (League of Women Voters of Massachusetts page on counties ). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Berkshire County, Massachusetts」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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