Adams Proposing Sprinkler System For Valley St. Field

ADAMS, Mass. — The town administrator will be proposing spending about $15,000 to upgrade the Valley Street field.

The sports field is used for practices and games from the Adams Soccer Club, Little League and the Adams, Cheshire, Savoy Youth Soccer Association.

Last June, Adams Soccer Club President Stephen Vigna asked the Parks Commission to help because the field had suffered damage from increased usage, neglect and abuse — such as vehicles driving on them.

Vigna said his club, the Little League and the travel teams would contribute toward fixing the lawn watering system that was installed in 1999 but no longer functioning and hoped to the get field into a regular maintenance schedule. The Parks Commission then decided that upgrading the field would be a priority.

But on Monday, Town Administrator Jonathan Butler said he will instead ask the town to pay for the entire cost of upgrades. The leagues will be asked to stay off the field completely from July on so it can be reseeded. Additionally, he wants the town to take control of the irrigation system so it isn't neglected. The leagues have been responsible for it.

"The town would like to have responsibility of them. We have a full-time staff to take care of it rather than have the leagues do it," Butler told the Parks Commission. "I am willing to put it in my proposed budget."

According to Dave Nuvaille, parks supervisor, the sprinkler system for the Little League field would cost about $3,100 and the soccer fields would cost more than $9,000, according to estimates he received. Butler said those would be the capital costs and the reseeding will be taken out of the Department of Public Works budget.

ACS Youth Soccer Association President Mark Piacenti said the leagues are still willing to chip in for the cost but having the town cover the entire amount would allow them to invest more into their own operations.

Cheshire Town Meeting Oks Budgets, Debates Potential Prop 2 1/2 Override

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
10:12PM / Monday, June 08, 2026

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.