Adams Board Of Health Updating Tobacco Regulations

ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Health last week agreed to update all the town's tobacco regulations during the process of increasing the legal age of buying tobacco from 18 to 21.

The board determined at its workshop meeting Tuesday that the tobacco age increase would not be a new regulation, but an amendment. Board members decided that working with Tri-Town Health Department was a chance to make sure all of the tobacco regulations are up to date.

"They said they would help us and walk us through this as we needed them," Chairman Allen Mendel said. "I would like to have them go through our regulations ... and make sure we have updated regulations and definitions."

The board said Tri-Town representatives will go through the proposed amendment and make changes; if any changes need to be made throughout the regulations, the board will hold another workshop meeting.

Board member Bruce Shepley read the town of Needham's "Tobacco 21" amendment that he thinks Adams could mirror. The regulation states the age change and evidence proving that it would benefit public health.

As for the public hearing not yet scheduled, the board decided to open the floor up to all those who want to share their opinion.

"This will not be a debate. We are here to listen to both sides and take all of the facts under advisement," Mendel said.

The board also agreed to allow letters to be sent to them from those who may not be able to attend the meeting.

Shepley added that he does not expect to hear from too many retailers because there are few businesses in Adams that sell tobacco products.

"The bottom line in Adams is that we don't have a lot of retail places selling tobacco," he said. "Just a few general stores, and we really we are pretty limited and pretty small."

In other business, the board discussed how it will operate in the interim while the town searches for a new code enforcement officer.

Mendel said a clause in the Board of Health's regulations states that after a property owner files for a pre-rental inspection and after seven days without an inspection, the tenant can move in. However, the property owner takes all liability and must follow the board's rules and regulations.    

"The Board of Health is not held liable or responsible," Mendel said. "But at some point when we do get a code enforcement officer they have to go inspect the apartment and cite any violations."

He added that the board members will continue to check on reported cases and handle them as they always have. If they find a violation, they cannot enforce it will be filed until a code enforcement officer is hired.

"I would think 80 percent of what we will deal with can be resolved by simply knocking on the door and telling them to take care of it," Mendel said. "If that doesn't work we will leave it to the code enforcement officer when we get one."

Adams Firehouse Shored Up While District Seeks Options

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:51AM / Monday, April 13, 2026

Officials say the 60-year-old fire station is obsolete in terms of space and conditions to house the Fire and Water Departments. 

ADAMS, Mass. — Like many public safety organizations in the Berkshires, the Adams Fire District is looking for ways to address its building's deteriorating condition. 

 

The 65-year-old firehouse on Columbia Street houses both the fire station and Water Department and has myriad issues including leaking and rotting windows, improper ventilation, outdated and obsolete electrical panels, minimal storage, two undersized bays, no sprinkler system or carbon monoxide detectors, and no space for training. 

 

Last year, the Fire Department worried its new engine would fall through the floor of the firehouse so the district invested in renting a shoring system to hold the structure up. 

 

Prior to installing the system, the 2026 ladder truck could not be housed inside the station; with the temporary fix in place, it can now be stored indoors and is fully in service. 

 

Voters can expect warrant articles addressing the situation, including $8,000 for a space needs assessment and $44,000 from free cash to purchase the station's shoring support system.

 

Renting the system costs about $2,000 per month, and with long-term solutions — such as repairing the deteriorating building or relocating departments — expected to take several years, officials believe purchasing it may be the more feasible option.

 

Although the system holds up the structure, it also exacerbates another issue — space.