Rail Trail Extension Nearing Completion
ADAMS, Mass. — The Ashuwillticook Rail Trail extension from Hoosac Street to Lime Street should be complete by the end of the month.
"Almost all of the paving is done except for some of the tight things they need to fix up and there is a lot of landscaping to be done," Selectman Arthur Harrington told the Selectmen Wednesday. "But basically they are looking to have it done soon which is great."
Harrington noted that the surface of the trail is largely complete and said people have been using it. He said that even though most of the construction equipment has been removed, people should stay off the trail until it is ready.
In other business, the board appointed Pam St. John, Ann Scott, William Kolis, Wayne Piaggi and Joseph Nowak to 100th Anniversary of Suffrage/Susan B. Anthony Committee.
"Thanks to everybody, and I think this is going to be very exciting and the timing is right on," Chairman Jeffrey Snoonian said. "I think this is great committee and there is a lot of potential."
Last month the town decided to start the process of organizing and preparing for the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment in 2020.
The 19th Amendment, that gave women the right to vote, was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920. Civil rights activist Susan B Anthony, who was born in Adams, was an important figure in the women's suffrage movement.
"It is going to be a big, big deal, and I know countrywide they are planning on doing a lot of things," Snoonian said. "We are going to do things here so we are putting together this board."
The board voted to elect St. John as chairwoman.
During public comment, the Selectmen heard from resident Jeff Lefebvre who said he was concerned about the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District and their decreasing standardized test scores.
ACRSD is rated a Level 3 district because of decreased standardized test scores.
Selectman Joseph Nowak said it may be disheartening but because of the many transient students and poverty in the district, ACRSD is fighting an uphill battle.
"Everyone at the school knows something has to be done and I am around the teachers a lot and I know that they put their heart and soul into it," Nowak said. "I want people to know it’s at no fault of our teachers or administrators it’s a matter of our circumstance."
Nowak said he was in general frustrated with standardized tests and he felt they were unfair to poorer communities.
Snoonian agreed and said the towns shrinking tax base does not keep up with skyrocketing costs. He added that the town should still be proud of the district and those in it who are working hard to improve.
"These kids are getting into great colleges and when the graduate they are getting good jobs and just to sit here and call us a Level 3 school I think is unfair," he said. "I think our school has a long way to go but there are a lot of great things about our schools and people need to find the good even with the bad."
Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco said the Greylock Glen request for proposal for the development, construction, operation and management of a 140-site Campground at Greylock Glen has been pushed out to December.
"We have extended it to mid-December," Mazzucco said. "We have been working with a few vendors and talking with a few but a few of them indicated that they were not ready to submit an RFP."
Nowak said he thought it was disrespectful to dress up the President McKinley statue in the center of town as a wizard.
"I know everyone’s intentions are good," Nowak said. "But think it is every discourteous to do that to a monument of a President of the United States who was assassinated. I just don’t think it’s in good taste. I may be a fuddy-duddy but I don’t like it."
Event organizers stuck a wizard hat and a magic staff in the former president’s hand to advertise this weekend’s Mount Greylock Ramble and Ramblefest. Because J.K. Rowling, the author of the "Harry Potter" book series, chose Mount Greylock to be the home of her fictional North American wizardry school, ProAdams chose to go with a wizarding theme this year.
He said he feared other people would dress up McKinley to advertise their events.
"I am with the Aggie Fair, what if we wanted to dress him up like a farmer?" he said. "That just does not seem right to me."
Tags: Ashuwillticook Rail Trail,
