Butler Bids Farewell to Adams Selectmen, Employees
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ADAMS, Mass. — Town Administrator Jonathan Butler said his final goodbyes during his last Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Wednesday night.
He said Adams is in good shape for a transition into a new town administrator.
Butler’s final day is Saturday, Aug. 23; he will then become the CEO of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce.
"I wanted to thank the community; the last five years have been a tremendous experience for me personally working to try to improve the community I grew up in," Butler said. "I love Adams, and it has a place in my heart and it always will. I am not going to leave it behind in my next job; Adams will always be one of my major interests and one that I am always paying attention to."
Butler, hired in 2009, thanked the selectmen and prior members of the board who "took a chance on a 27-year-old kid" and for always supporting him.
He also thanked his department heads and town employees for all their efforts.
"I would take my department heads and town employees in Adams and put them up against any staff in any municipality in the country," he said. "All of what we were able to accomplish in my mind is the result of those people, and I think whoever comes in to replace me will automatically be in a position to be successful because of the people they are surrounded by."
Selectman John Duval wished Butler the best of luck in his new position.
"I want to that Jonathan for his hard work and dedication to our community, and…I want to thank him for the solid financial foundation he has left the community," Duval said. "I am sure you are going to be a strong positive voice in the community going forward."
Butler said he believes the town is ready for him to transition out and is in good shape.
"I think things right now are really well buttoned up, and I feel strongly that the town is in a good place come next week with good people," he said. "I believe budget-wise we are in good shape for the coming fiscal year, and I think we are in good shape moving out of this fiscal year."
In addition to Butler's goodbyes, he updated the board on the progress on some town projects.
He said the Department of Public Works director has been overseeing the inadequate road conditions left during the construction on Commercial Street.
"We are working on it constantly and even more hands on now than we have been," he said. "Our new DPW director has been down there daily monitoring construction, but also the condition of the construction at the close of the day."
He said the workers have been required to replace all of the steel plates with higher quality steel so they are more stable. He also said the temporary pavement left overnight has been improved.
Selectmen Jeffrey Snoonian said he has noticed great improvements.
"Two or three days ago I was ready to shut it down because it had gotten worse not better," Snoonian said. "We are in a much better spot than we were a month ago."
Snoonian said he was concerned with construction workers on Park Street using parking spots for their vehicles. He said this can't happen because the business owners depend on these available spots for business.
"They are downtown businesspeople, and they are brave people," he said. "It doesn't take much they could have a bad couple of months and their business is gone … we want them to be there when this project is over and to enjoy the fruits of this project."
The board agreed to ask construction workers to be mindful of this.
Tags: Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, town administrator,
