North Adams Welcomes New Officers, Firefighter
 Firefighter Collin Boucher is pinned by his father, firefighter David Boucher, at Tuesday's City Council meeting. The Bouchers have now served the North Adams Fire Department for three generations. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Two new police officers and a firefighter were sworn in Tuesday's City Council meeting.
Officers Kyle Cahoon and David Sherman, and firefighter Collin Boucher, took their oaths from City Clerk Marilyn Gomeau in front of a crowd of family and friends in the council chambers.
All three had previously been sworn in and had begun their duties but Mayor Richard Alcombright has made it a point to present new public safety employees to the council and the audience watching on Northern Berkshire Community Television.
"Keep yourself safe," he told the three new city employees. "It all comes down to training and instinct. ...
"Stick with your training and your instincts and you'll do fine."
Both Cahoon and Sherman, who completed their academy training in July, were on duty and wearing Kevlar, giving the mayor some trouble in pinning on their badges. Both were congratulated by Police Director Michael Cozzaglio.
Normally Fire Director Stephen Meranti pins the firefighters under his command, but not in this case. Instead, firefighter David Boucher welcomed his son Collin into the Fire Department, making him the third generation of Bouchers to serve the city in that capacity. His late grandfather, Joseph Boucher, served with department for 25 years, retiring in 1990.
Alcombright said later that the two new police officers are filling vacancies in the force. Two more permanent candidates are at the academy and another two are in queue to attend as the department prepares for upcoming retirements.
The council also unanimously approved transferring $65,000 from the landfill reserve account for repairs at the transfer station. Both Councilors Kate Merrigan and Jennifer Breen were absent.
The matter had been taken up earlier this year by the Public Services Committee, which at the time had recommended waiting to see if the usage of the transfer station would change. The city had anticipated that large haulers would begin using the large transfer facility being opened in Pownal, Vt.
Questioned about the volume, Alcombright believed only two haulers were now using the station and volume had dropped about 20 or 30 percent.
The initial estimates had been about $40,000 to skin the metal buildings and do some other repairs but the mayor said structural issues had been found that needed to be addressed as well.
The funds would address the two sheet-metal buildings, one of which was donated to the city by Maxymillian Construction that had been used during the reconstruction of the roads up to Mount Greylock. The buildings have to be "buttoned up" to prevent the blowing of recyclables and other debris. An area used for brush and clippings also has to be regraded and hard packed.
All these things are required for permitting by the state Department of Environmental Protection, the mayor said.
"These things will have to be bid but based on what we know, we think these figures are very accurate," Alcombright said. "If they come in under, [the money] will go back to the landfill reserve."
The account currently has $211,000; the transfer would leave about $150,000. He anticipated the project would be completed by early fall.
A new trailer has also been donated to the station.
"When that's done, we're going to put in some sort of green light/red light [for the scale]," said the mayor. "When you're going up the scale, you don't know who's on the other side."
In other business, the council:
• Adopted unanimously changes to the school zoning to accommodate the opening of Colegrove Park Elementary School.
• Approved the date for the preliminary election of Sept. 22 and the elections officers. Elections wardens are paid $10 an hour and inspectors, $9. The last day to register to vote is Sept. 2.
• Heard from Councilor Nancy Bullett and Airport Commission member Trevor Gilman about regulations on drones and other remote aircraft determined at last week's commission meeting. Gilman pointed out that the regulations promulgated by the Federal Aviation Administration will likely be updated and only cover areas within 5 miles of the airport.
Councilor Eric Buddington said it may behoove the council to consider ordinances for the use of drones within the city to provide police with enforcement ability.
Tags: North Adams Fire, north adams police, swearing in,
