Cheshire Finds Guard Rail Contractor, But Losing Trees

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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The Selectmen reported a bid for replacing guard rails was delivered by Federal Express in time to be considered.

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Cheshire was disappointed last week when a bid solicitation to replace guard rails on Windsor Road damaged by June's heavy rainstorm came up empty

If the Selectmen could not find someone to do the job, the town could lose the state funds given to them to replace the rails.

But it turned out there was a bid — just no one to accept it.

Federal Express attempted to deliver the single bid, said Chairwoman Carol Francesconi, however, no one was there to receive it at Town Hall. Because there was an attempted delivery before the bid openings occurred, Cheshire can consider the bid.

Aldo Bartlett Consolidated from Plymouth was awarded the job for $44,710. This is within the available Chapter 90 road funds

Highway Superintendent Peter LeFebvre said the amount is "just what they planned."

In other business, Francesconi said she was disappointed with the tree work done on Depot Street by Asplundh Tree Expert Co.

"They massacred those trees; it is disgusting," she said. "They have ruined the whole street, and all of those trees need to come down.

Because the trees were interfering with the power lines, National Grid hired the service to cut the trees away from the power lines.

LeFebvre said although they did a bad job, they did do what they were asked.

"I am not sticking up for them. I think they are doing a lousy job, but they are doing what they were asked by the electric company," he said. "We are going to try to save two or three of them on the street and that's probably it."

Cheshire cannot plant new trees in the area because of the power lines and most of the remaining trees will have to be cut down. 


Tags: electrical,   road work,   severe weather,   trees,   

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Hoosac Valley Hears Educational Study Process, Timeline

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Hoosac Valley School Committee got an update Monday on the North Berkshire Education Sustainability Study, now two months into its yearlong process.
 
This was the first school committee presentation, with the second planned for the North Adams School Committee on Tuesday. The Steering Committee will meet publicly at Mount Greylock Regional School on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
 
The study is investigating the state of secondary education in North Berkshire, its challenges and potential restructuring. It covers Hoosac Valley, North Adams Public Schools, Mount Greylock and the Northern Berkshire School Union.
 
Jake Eberwein, project lead with consultant Berk12, explained that baseline data would gathered over the next several months including through community forums to be held in late fall.
 
"We're not here to audit or evaluate," said Eberwein. "Our goal is to collect, curate and share it. Of course, there's always a process where, as a researcher, you have to decide how to share it and organize it, and that can certainly have a bias in itself. We're going to do our best and work with the subcommittees."
 
The data will include New Ashford and Hancock because even though they are not participating in the study, they tuition their students to North Berkshire schools, but not Rowe because it sends its high school students to Mohawk Trail Regional School.
 
"The charge really is to evaluate sort of the long-term sustainability option for the four districts that are involved in the project," Eberwein said. "It's really mostly about how do we provide the best quality, highest quality education for students in Northern Berkshire County, in light of the fact that there are some pressures: shifting enrollments, demographic shifts, and ongoing fiscal pressures."
 
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