Two Adams Buildings Awaiting Demolition

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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An apartment building on Commercial Street was ordered to be destroyed. Owner Susan Elbaum was ordered to have a contractor in place to plan the removal by May 11.
ADAMS, Mass — Two buildings with collapsed roofs are awaiting demolition.

The two properties that partially collapsed on the same January weekend are slated to be demolished in the upcoming weeks.

An apartment building at 137 Commercial S. owned by Susan Elbaum and a six-to-eight bay garage on Kearns Lane owned by John Swistak were ordered to be torn down by Code Enforcement Officer Scott Koczela.

Last Wednesday Koczela told the Board of Health that Elbaum was ordered to remove the structure but has yet to take steps toward it.


A contractor is ordered to be in place to plan the demolition by May 11 or else the town will be going back to court to force the demolition.

As for the Kearns Lane building, Swistak has informed Koczela that it will be removed in the next few weeks.

Both building's roofs collapsed under the weight of snow in January. The Commercial Street structure was condemned for being structurally unsound after the collapse forced residents on the first floor to find alternative housing. A few days later, a neighbor of the Kearns Street structure – that was used for storage – reported a partial roof collapse. There were no injuries in either incident.
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Cheshire Town Meeting Oks Budgets, Debates Potential Prop 2 1/2 Override

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Moderator Carol Francesconi, left, and Anne Marie Furey were presented flowers in memory of the Rev. William Furey, their brother and husband, respectively. The town report was dedicated to him. 
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Town meeting on Monday approved all 35 articles on the annual meeting warrant, including a total spending for fiscal 2027 of more than $8.5 million. 
 
Some 77 of the town's more than 2,500 registered voters filled the Cheshire Community House meeting room, debating on a number of articles during the meeting that lasted nearly three hours
 
The town dedicated its annual report to the Rev. William David Furey, longtime pastor of First Baptist Church and more recently Berkshire Union Chapel in Lanesborough. Furey died last year at age 77.
 
His wife, Anne Marie Furey, and his sister, Town Moderator Carol Francesconi, were presented with a bouquet of flowers in tribute to him. 
 
He was an exemplary member of the community who left a lasting impression in each and every life that he touched, said Town Clerk Whitney Flynn. 
 
Voters approved several warrant articles that make up an operating budget of $3,840,314 for fiscal 2027. Of this amount, $1,642,481 is allocated for the general government budget, which was approved after clarification of a few questions.
 
One item was the administrative assistant's salary. Prior to the annual meeting, the town eliminated the executive assistant salary of $54,309 in favor of a part-time administrative assistant salary of $27,155, to reduce costs considering the financial constraint the town is in. 
 
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