Clarksburg Declares Emergency to Clear Off Municipal Roofs

Clarksburg has declared a state of emergency to allow it to deficit spend to remove ice and snow from municipal buildings.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town officials have declared a state of emergency to deal with snow piling up on the roofs of its municipal building, particularly the elementary school and the Senior Center.

Clarksburg School will be delayed three hours on Wednesday so children will not be inside the building will snow is removed.

Town Administrator Carl McKinney on Tuesday afternoon said the decision was made after discussions with the Jeffrey Levanos, chairman of the Selectmen and the School Committee.

The declaration will allow the town to use emergency funds to hire a contractor and use deficit spending to clear roofs of the nearly foot of snow and ice built up over the past several storm systems.

"One foot of snow over 1,600 square feet is 14 tons," said McKinney, referring to the school roof. "We're trying to be proactive here. We've got another potentially another 10 to 12 [inches] coming on Thursday. This is not acceptable."

He said he had been in contact with the Department of Revenue and Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency about the procedures. He anticipated the cost of removing the snow from the school roof at $2,500 or less.

MEMA on Jan. 29 released an alert "for large accumulating snow build-up or snowdrifts on your roofs," encouraging the safe removal of snow and ice to prevent overstressing flat roofs.

The parade of snowstorms has been chewing up snow days for the region's school systems. The town administrator was hoping the work could be done in the morning so the school wouldn't lose another day.

The school is the primary focus but other town buildings also need clearing.The Senior Center is closed until at least next Monday. That building will also be cleared off but ice dams have caused water damage inside the building already, said McKinney.

Town Hall's slate roof, in combination with the mild temperatures, has been shedding ice and snow all morning. But a heavy buildup of potentially damaging ice has covered the portico on the less frequently used front entrance.

The town's state of emergency runs from Tuesday at 11 a.m. through Friday at noon, or until the issues have been addressed.

Pittsfield ZBA Member Recognized for 40 Years of Service

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:23PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Albert Ingegni III tells the council about how his father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo who died at age 94 in 2020, enjoyed his many years serving the city and told Ingegni to do the same. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's not every day that a citizen is recognized for decades of service to a local board — except for Tuesday.

Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.

"It's not every day that you get to stand before the City Council in honor of a Pittsfield citizen who has dedicated 40 years of his life serving on a board or commission," he said.

"As we say that, I know that there are many people that want to serve on boards and commissions and this office will take any resume that there is and evaluate each person but tonight, we're here to honor Albert Ingegni."

The honoree is currently chair of the ZBA, which handles applicants who are appealing a decision or asking for a variance.

Ingegni said he was thinking on the ride over about his late father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo, who told him to "enjoy every moment of it because it goes really quickly."

"He was right," he said. "Thank you all."

The council accepted $18,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation and a  $310,060 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program.