Adams Signs Lease To Move Forward With Greylock Glen

ADAMS, Mass. – The Board of Selectmen signed a lease agreement Wednesday to make the Greylock Glen “shovel ready.”

"This is what we have been waiting for and without this we have not been able to issue requests for proposals for the campground or any of the other components,” said interim Town Administrator Donna Cesan said.

“This will allow us to move forward to the development phases of the project.”

Cesan said the complicated agreement with the state is a critical step in the project which is believed to revitalize Adams as well as add a new destination to the Northern Berkshires.

The latest plan calls for campgrounds, hiking trails, conference center and an amphitheater. The town has already built utility infrastructure up to the property and is looking to build out the campgrounds next.

Selectman Joseph Nowak said the glen will be a great asset to the town not only for financial reasons, but for the health of the community.

“I think more and more as time goes on people are looking for an outlet and people are coming more in tune to stay in shape and exercise,” Nowak said. “I think it has all the components that we need, and I hope people see it.”

Cesan said the first projects to take place in the $40 million project will the campgrounds and phase one of the trail network.

In other business, the board approved spending up to $1,800 on bathroom renovations at the former Adams Memorial Middle School to facilitate the Holiday Market Farmers Market to take place in November.

The restorations are based on an estimate from Adams Plumbing and Heating. If it is over budget the event will be held at the Visitors Center instead, which the Selectmen fear will dramatically decrease the amount of vendors.

“If we hold this event at the Visitors Center we would only allow 10 to 12 vendors,” Cesan said. “She (tourism director Samantha Talora) already has 25 vendors that have signed up with the intent to participate, and she feels with advertising she could get another 10 vendors or more.”

The town will spend $1,200 to ensure the bathrooms on the first floor are operational. An additional $600 will insure the bathrooms are winterized.

Selectmen Richard Blanchard said he is concerned with spending that amount of money for one day. Cesan said the repairs go beyond a one-day use and is something they would have to look at further down the road.

“I think it provides us with knowledge about the building as we move forward to advance the use of the building for different purposes,” she said. “I think this helps us achieve something beyond the one day event.”

She said the money can come from a maintenance account for the building and the events account.

Also on Wednesday, the board decided to meet with a representative from Colonial Power Group for a public hearing during either the Oct. 29 meeting or Nov.1 meeting to see if Adams is interested in opting into a municipal aggregation program with other surrounding municipalities. 

Ten other Berkshire towns recently went out to bid for residential electric rates in a group bid and received a contract lower than National Grid's recently announced rate increase.

The Selectmen asked why Adams wasn't part of the last bid. Cesan said they were given the option and thinks former Town Administrator Jonathan Butler decided against it.

“It sounds like a sure bet but there is a lot of mixed reviews on this,” Cesan said. “So it was my understanding a decision was made not to participate; it is like oil and it can go up and down.”

The board decided to research the proposal before the meeting and to ask surrounding municipalities their opinions.

If the Selectmen decide to opt in it will need a favorable town meeting vote.

Adams also received up to $64,000 in grant assistance from the Berkshire Brownfields program to fund the removal of underground storage tanks and other debris at the 350 Commercial St. garage. The money also covers environmental testing and permitting.

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