North Adams Health Board Marks Chairman's Retirement

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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David Polumbo was honored for his 21 years on the Board of Health.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — After 21 years of looking over the health of the city's residents, David Polumbo attended his final Board of Health meeting on Wednesday.

Polumbo joined the Board of Health in 1990 in place of Gregory Betti and has since been credited as being the driving force behind an array of public health decisions — from the removal of cigarette vending machines to last year's "Solid Ground" temporary housing at DiSanti Field during Wilco Weekend. With his last meeting and his family in attendance, his fellow board members emotionally let him retire with kind words and a plaque.

"From the bottom of my heart, I just hope my fellow board members can do half of what you did," Board of Health Director Manuel Serrano said. "I'm going to miss you greatly. I really am."

The board highlighted his efforts to rid the city of cigarette vending machines — starting with City Hall. Polumbo knew high school students were buying cigarettes from the vending machine and despite outrage by many and people saying the students weren't, he stuck to his convictions and succeeded.

"I was crucified on that," Polumbo said as he recalled the story. "It was difficult and boy did they jump all over me."

Mayor Richard Alcombright said the board is behind the scenes but makes a lot of "heavy duty" decisions regarding the public. It takes "a certain amount of guts" to be a public servant for as long as Polumbo has.

"This is not a board, like the licensing board, that does not always make a popular decision but I want to thank you on behalf of the entire city of North Adams for everything you've done," Alcombright said. "You've stood tough for the city of North Adams and I really, really appreciate it."

But it wasn't just those tough decisions that warranted most of Wednesday's meeting. The board members all thanked him for their personal connections. Polumbo was credited with helping the others through "difficult times" and being a "father to the Board of Health."

While the board members raved about how him, Polumbo turned it back on them. He said he always supported and fought for the board's decisions because he knew his fellow board members were being "fair."

As for Wednesday's limelight, Polumbo said he didn't really care for it.

"I did my job," Polumbo said after receiving the plaque. "What am I going to do? Stand up and pat myself on my back?"

But, for the city and his fellow board members, Polumbo did a lot more than his job.

"It's been an honor to have been associated with Dave. He has been a rock when it came to the health and safety of the people of North Adams," Serrano said. "Dave always took the high road when it came to voting on regulations, keeping his focus on one thing — the health and welfare of the citizens of North Adams."

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Companion Corner Grey Boy at No Paws Left Behind

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There's a cat No Paws Left Behind still waiting for his forever home.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home. He was previously highlighted but he now has new information.

Grey Boy is 10 years old and is a gray and white domestic shorthair and was previously highlighted on Companion Corner.

The shelter's Executive Director Noelle Howland introduced us to him and his long journey to be ready for adoption.

"He's been here a couple months. He was a transfer from a rescue in Bennington. They were out of space, so we had taken him in with a few other cats. So he's been here a couple months. He came in with what we believed was a respiratory infection," she said. "So it took us a little bit to get him ready, and then he also needed a dental. So he has nice, clean teeth. He had some teeth removed, and then he has to go back in and have one more dental. So he'll be all ready to go."

It was previously thought that he has feline herpes but he was recently diagnosed with a palette fracture because of how bad his dental disease was, which is what is causing his sneezing. He can now go home with cats, a cat-savvy dog and children.

"He has had two dentals since being with us. Due to the palate fracture he will be sneezy for the rest of his life, not contagious sneezing, but that doesn’t stop him from living a perfectly happy life. He should be on wet food with chunks due to this and since he has had many teeth removed," Howland said.

Grey Boy loves to play with toys and enjoy treats. He would also love to have a window to lounge or bird-watch in.

"He is not afraid of anything. He's very curious, so I'm sure he'd love if you have windows for him to look out of. He still plays, even though he's 10 it does not stop him. So any home would be a good fit for him."

Now that he is ready to be adopted, he is excited. When you walk into the room with him he will rub up against your leg introducing himself and asking to be pet.

"Usually, I would say, when you're walking, he'll bonk into you so he might catch you off guard a little bit. He constantly is rubbing against you," Howland said. "He really, I would say he's lazy when you want him to be, and he's active when you want him to be. He'll play with toys. He's usually lounging away. And then when he comes out he'll play. He loves it. So, very friendly, easy going cat."

He is now perfectly healthy with his dentals all done and veterinary care up to date and is ready to find his forever family.

"I would say the friendliest, easiest cat you could have. He's just, he's just gonna be a little sneezy sometimes, but that doesn't stop him from doing anything," she said.

Grey Boy's adoption fee is sponsored by Rooted in Balance Counseling LLC.

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