Berkshire County in Line for $1M in Pothole Money

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Gov. Baker is authorizing up to $30 million to help towns and cities across the state deal with a plague of potholes.

ADAMS, Mass. — Towns in Berkshire County are getting some $1 million pothole relief for the second year in a row.

Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday authorized the release $30 million from the 2015 transportation bond to help communities across the state fill in the pavement chasms left behind by this winter's wild weather.

All work must be completed by June 30 and all work invoices have to be provided to the state Department of Transportation by July 31. MassDOT will reimburse cities and towns as invoices are received.

"The amount Adams is getting is just over $43,000," Adams Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco said. "It's a big help to us this year — with the winter we just had it will go a long way toward bringing roads back into functional condition."

Berkshire County is getting a total of $1,192,205, with each town getting a portion of the funds based on the Chapter 90 calculation of population, employment and road mileage.

"I know that the governor, lieutenant governor, and Secretary [Stephanie] Pollack listened to our concerns and provided these important funds to the cities and towns to make the necessary repairs to roads," said Lisa Blackmer, town administrator for Sandisfield and vice president of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

Sandisfield is receiving $49,778 to help with its 82 miles of road. Blackmer pointed out the state's four westernmost counties did not qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement from the series of winter storms that pummeled the state.

"It was a difficult winter throughout the state. Product costs have risen in recent years adding to our already strained budgets," she said.

North Adams will receive $66,312, on par with what it received in last year's Winter Recovery Assistance Program.

"We have significant pothole issues throughout the city that need to be addressed after this winter," Michael Canales, the city's administrative officer, said. "In addition to just potholes, there was also numerous digging up due to water line freezes that have happened.

"Having money to specifically address potholes will help us so we can use what remaining funds we have to cover those water line breaks."

Mazzucco said Adams would focus on crack sealing and pothole patching and use whatever was left for some blacktop.

"The challenge with a tough winter is how much you have to play catch up just to get your roads to where they were before the winter," he said. "We have not identified roads as of yet for blacktopping. If there are funds left over ... we would focus on roads hit particularly hard by this winter. That way in both instances, we are repairing infrastructure in accordance with the governor's intention for the use of the funds."

Pittsfield will receive $207,177. Mayor Daniel Bianchi said that amount should keep crews working on finding and filling holes for an extra month.

"That's going to be a great help," he said. "This will allow us to purchase more product and keep those crews working longer."

For the last three weeks, the city has had two in-house crews and two contracted crews filling the city's worst potholes. Those four are expected to be joined by a crew from the Berkshire County House of Correction.

"We've had four crews working for the last three weeks and we've spent just over $30,000," Bianchi said. "So $200,000 should go a long way."

At this point, frost is still deep in the roads so the city is looking to patch up the worst holes and then return later to do more comprehensive fills, Bianchi said. The city also has a Bagela 7000 Asphalt Recycler that grinds up pavement for reuse, which will extend the amount of material the city has, allowing more of that $200,000 to help pay for labor.

"Since day one, we promised to partner with our cities and towns to provide them with the support needed to keep local infrastructure in reliable shape," Baker said in a statement. "After an unprecedented winter of heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures, this additional support will allow municipalities to patch up potholes and address local repairs as needed."

Blackmer said she wanted to thank the governor and Lt. Gov. Karen Polito for responding to municipalities' needs.

"I think their experience in local government gives them an understanding of the impact these monies mean, particularly in our smaller towns," she said.


Tags: potholes,   road work,   state aid,   

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Adams Sees No Races So Far

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — With less than a week left before nomination papers are due, there are currently no contested seats.
 
Only selectman incumbent John Duval has returned papers. Selectman Howard Rosenberg has decided not to seek re-election. 
 
Rosenberg, who was elected in 2021, said he has chosen not to run again to make room for younger candidates.
 
"I feel strongly, we need younger people running for public office,  as the future of our town lies within the younger  generation. The world is so fundamentally different today and rapidly changing to become even more so. I believe we need people who are less interested in trying to bring back the past, then in paving the way for a promising future. The younger generation can know that they can stay here and have a voice without having to leave for opportunities elsewhere," he said.
 
The only person to return papers so far is former member the board Donald Sommer. Sommer served as a selectman from 2007 to 2010 and before that was a member of the School Committee and the Redevelopment Authority. He ran unsuccessfully for selectman in 2019 and again in 2021 but dropped out of before the election.
 
Incumbent Moderator Myra Wilk and Town Clerk Haley Meczywor have returned papers for their respective positions.
 
Assessor Paula Wheeler has returned papers and incumbents James Loughman and Eugene Michalenko have returned papers for library trustees.
 
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