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The silt fencing along the revamped Meadow Loop at the Greylock Glen is unsightly but needs to stay in place until the project is completed, say town officials.

Adams Con Comm Assures Meadow Loop Fencing Will be Removed

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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The Conservation Commission last week cautioned about touching the Meadow Loop silt fence and applauded John Duquette for his compliance in remediating areas near the river. 
ADAMS, Mass. — The Conservation Commission is asking residents to not touch the silt fence on the Greylock Glen's Meadow Loop. The fence will be removed when the project is finished.
 
Commissioner Thomas Robinson responded at last Thursday's meeting to a comment made to the Board of Selectmen. A resident asked when the silt fence would be removed and the grass mowed along the newly developed 1.8-mile loop.
 
"That fence must remain as long as that project continues," he said. "It is not fully finished and the state will request its removal when it is time. I am just trying to educate people."
 
Stanley's Lumber owner John Duquette also attended to update the commission on what remediation was done at Stanley's Lumber along the waterfront. 
 
Duquette, who owns lumber yard on North Summer Street, was asked to move business operations away from the waterfront, build a berm and clearly identify the buffer zone. He provided a plan in August that was accepted by the commission.
 
Duquette said much of the work has been done and he just has to move some jersey barriers.
 
"Everything is pretty much done," he said. "It will all be done in two weeks." 
 
The commissioners thanked Duquette for complying and said they will lift the enforcement once the remediation is finished. 
 
"I think I speak for everybody when I say we are satisfied with what you have done," Chairman James Fassell said. "Personally I have to congratulate you for holding up your part of the bargain."  
 
Before adjourning, the commission voted to hire wetlands scientists William Lattrell, principal of Lattrell Ecological Consulting in Heath, as its official conservation consultant 
 
"I would like to make it a more permanent agreement where he is almost a per-diem employee," Fassell said. 
 
Robinson said as long as Lattrell notifies the commission of how much a project will cost and how long he will be working on it before starting, he did not have a problem with the agreement.
 
Lattrell has consulted on several conservation commission projects. 

Tags: conservation commission,   Greylock Glen,   trails,   

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Adams Community Bank Holds Annual Meeting, Announce Growth

ADAMS, Mass. — The annual meeting of the Community Bancorp of the Berkshires, MHC, the parent company of Adams Community Bank, was held on April 10, 2024, at Charles H. McCann Technical School in North Adams.
 
The meeting included reviewing the 2023 financial statements for the Bank, electing directors and corporators, and highlighting upcoming executive personnel changes.
 
"In 2023, the Bank experienced another year of growth in assets, loans, and deposits, noting the Pittsfield branch reached $26 million in customer deposits from its opening in December of 2022," President and CEO of Adams Community Bank Charles O'Brien said. "Those deposits were loaned out locally during 2023 and helped drive our #1 ranking in both mortgage and commercial real estate lending, according to Banker and Tradesman."
 
At year-end 2023, total assets were $995 million, and O'Brien noted the Bank crossed the $1 billion threshold during the first quarter of 2024.
 
Board chair Jeffrey Grandchamp noted with O'Brien's upcoming retirement, this will be the final annual meeting of the CEO's tenure since he joined the Bank in 1997. He thanked him for his 27 years of dedication to the Bank. He acknowledged the evolution of the Bank as it became the premier community bank in the Berkshires, noting that branches grew from 3 to 10, that employees grew from 40 to 135, and that assets grew from $127 million to $1 billion. 
 
An executive search is underway for O'Brien's replacement.
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