The Conservation Commission is hoping more pedestrians on the hiking trails will deter people from riding ATVs.
ADAMS, Mass. — The Conservation Commissioned is concerned with motorized vehicles on the developing Greylock Glen trail network.
The commission had only good things to say about the new $3 million trail system currently under development by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, however, it noted that all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes have been damaging the trails.
"I have been on the board just about 20 years and for those 20 years, we have gone through many different glen proposals," Commissioner Thomas Robinson said. "Now we settle on something that benefits the town and the environment and we have some people intent on destroying it."
The biggest concern is the recently completed 1.7-mile stone covered Meadow Loop that was created for foot traffic and cross-country skiing.
Robinson said the Conservation Commission worked with local snowmobile riders to design trails that were both people and snowmobile friendly. He said they even offered to help pack down the snow on the trails for cross country skiers.
However, the stone pathway specifically was not intended for wheels.
Commissioner Zachary Bantle agreed off-road vehicles should stay off the trails, especially the Meadow Loop trail, but noted there is no place in town to legally ride.
"It is going to happen and you will never be able to stop it because there is no legal place to do it here," he said. "Unfortunately, it is one of those things where you have one hotshot on a dirt bike who is peeling out everywhere. That ruins it for everybody."
Commissioner Corey Bishop felt the problem could solve itself: more people on the trails, less room for vehicles.
"If you get a lot of people up there getting in their way they will stop," he said. "The more people using the trail system the less problems they will have up there."
In other business, the commission voted to issue Stanley's Lumber's riverfront violation as a reclamation instead of a Notice of Intent.
"We felt as though that was a reached a compromise in that a lot of that property has been degraded and we felt that it was a good way to resolve the problem so that it was a win-win for everyone," Robinson said. "We protect the riverfront he, in turn, has use of his property."
Owner John Duquette has been operating his business too close to the waterfront. The commission suggested planting a green 30-foot buffer and removing cinder blocks from the riverfront area.
Duquette will have a plan for the Conservation Commission in early August.
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Adams Review Library, COA and Education Budgets
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — The Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen reviewed the public services, Hoosac Valley Regional School District and McCann Technical School budgets on Tuesday.
The workshop at the Adams Free Library was the third of four joint sessions to review the proposed $19 million fiscal 2025 budget. The first workshop covered general government, executive, finance and technology budgets; the second public works, community development and the Greylock Glen.
The Council on Aging and library budgets have increases for wages, equipment, postage and software. The Memorial Day budget is level-funded at $1,450 for flags and for additional expenses the American Legion might have; it had been used to hire bagpipers who are no longer available.
The COA's budget is up 6.76 percent at $241,166. This covers three full-time positions including the director and five regular per diem van drivers and three backup drivers. Savoy also contracts with the town at a cost of $10,000 a year based on the number of residents using its services.
Director Sarah Fontaine said the governor's budget has increased the amount of funding through the Executive Office of Elder Affairs from $12 to $14 per resident age 60 or older.
"So for Adams, based on the 2020 Census data, says we have 2,442 people 60 and older in town," she said. "So that translates to $34,188 from the state to help manage Council on Aging programs and services."
The COA hired a part-time meal site coordinator using the state funds because it was getting difficult to manage the weekday lunches for several dozen attendees, said Fontaine. "And then as we need program supplies or to pay for certain services, we tap into this grant."
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School history teacher Alla Chelukhova has been selected as the April Teacher of the Month. click for more
Desroches graduated from the Police Academy on March 22 in the top tier in his class. He's currently in the field training program and assigned to Sgt. Curtis Crane.
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Michael Wynn, who was selected in January to run the center, submitted a level operating budget of $57,500 but said he could pull funding from different lines to ensure there was money for advertising this fall.
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The Selectmen on Wednesday night voted to award the bid to Mackin Construction Co. Inc. of Greenfield, which plans to invest $11 million to build out 20 or more one- and two-bedroom apartments in the three-story classroom wing that parallels Columbia Street.
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