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Community Development Director Donna Cesan answers questions about the town's CDBG application.

Adams Seeks Funds for Parking Lot, Building Rehabs

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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The Selectmen wanted a longer term lease for the proposed parking lot on Summer Street because of the amount of the investment.
ADAMS, Mass. — The Selectmen on Wednesday approved a community block grant application of $921,016, more than a third of which would be used to carve out a municipal parking lot behind the former Albert's Hardware on Summer Street.

They also unanimously approved an updated community development strategy to accompany the application. The deadline for the Community Development Block Grant is Dec. 10; the town can apply for up to $1 million.

Some $285,155 would be targeted to demolish several dilapidated buildings behind Albert's at 92-94 Summer St. for a fenced-in, 14-15 space lot with landscaping and drainage. Another $61,362 would go toward "program delivery," such as legal costs.

"I think, importantly, it would continue the positive impact and momentum started by the Summer Street project and begin to have that positive impact on the interior neighborhoods that are kind of bordered by Winter Street and Summer Street," said Community Development Director Donna Cesan, adding "It would be a good, attractive neighbor to surrounding properties."

The town has been putting effort into reviving the Summer Street neighborhood, including a nearly complete streetscape project along the commercial end of the street and plans to demolish the vacant Sweet Shoppe building at 82 Summer St. Waterman Excavation was recently awarded the contract to take down the Sweet Shoppe.

The new lot would more than make up for the loss of a handful of spaces from the street reconstruction and would likely use a parking kiosk, rather than meters, allowing the town to assess the kiosk's potential elsewhere. The land would remain in private hands and be leased by the town.

Cesan said the town is also looking into using Chapter 90 road funds for repairing and repaving Kearns Lane in that neighborhood.

The grant application also includes housing rehabilitation funds of $397,500 and program delivery costs of $90,200. The owner of the Albert's Hardware building has been encouraged to apply for rehab funds, said Cesan.

The final piece of the application is $86,799 for general administration, such as salaries. Cesan cautioned the Selectmen that the numbers are "very preliminary."

The seven-page town strategic plan for the grant proves the community is defining needs and priorities and has set out a plan of action for using both CBGD and other funds, said Cesan. The application requires as much detail as possible to prove that the town is not only aligned with its own priorities and the state's sustainable development guidelines, but is ready to move forward immediately.


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"Every year it's kind of upping the ante, requiring more," said Cesan. "And as municipal budgets have gotten tighter, it's become a much more competitive program."

The town lost an earlier grant for the Summer Street project because it only had schematics, not hard enough numbers. This time, the Community Development Office has been working with several engineers to have appropriate estimates ready. When questioned by Chairman Michael Ouellette of when a reguest for proposals would be ready, Cesan said: "At 11:59 on Dec. 10."

The three selectmen present, Oullette, Scott Nichols and Jason Hnatonko, expressed some concern that the proposed lease of the parking lot property would only be 30 years. They asked Cesan to find out if it could be lengthened to 50 years.

"I think this is the most crucial piece of property bringing this all together," said Daniel Paciorek, owner of The Grille across from Albert's Hardware. He was glad the landmark front building, owned by the late Albert M. Abraham, had a chance for rehabilition. "Leh's Lane, Kearn's Lane, Weber street, you tie together these three streets and you're really going to have something."

In other business:

♦ Town Administrator Jonathan Butler said the town is reviewing three very detailed bids for installing a solar array at the landfill. "This could really yield significant cost savings to the town of Adams in the coming decades," said Bulter, adding it "could put Adams really on the map in New England."

♦ Town Clerk Haley Meczywor, on behalf of the Events Planning Committee, said the annual tree lighting will be held Sunday, Nov. 28, from 2 to 5 at the Town Common. Santa Claus arrives around 3:30 and will light the tree at 4. Hot cocoa, cookies and doughnuts will be provided by the Adams Elks and Lions. There will also be hayrides and other activities. Santa will then he'll light the tree at 5:15 on Summer street.

♦ The tree on the common was donated by Albina Cirone of McKinley Street and the Summer Street tree by Dave and Paula Randall of Harbor Road in Cheshire.

♦ Town meeting member Jeffrey Lefebvre expressed concern over the number of properties the town has been taking. He also said he'd received complaints about the new sidewalk bumpouts on Summer Street. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but that we should look at it," he said, because there have been difficulties with trucks unloading and traffic.
Adams Community Development Block Grant Strategic Plan
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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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