NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday will be asked to authorize a borrowing of $783,910 for a number of upgrades, including an engineering study of the city's two reservoirs.
"This borrowing will allow for the necessary upgrades at the water facility and watershed and I don't think it will suprise anyone that the city is in desperate need of a new street sweeper," Mayor Richard Alcombright wrote in his communication to the council detailing the funding allocations.
The money will be used for:
An upgrade of the computer system used to operate the water treatment facility ($255,100)
New media filters for the treatment facility ($83,200)
An Elgin Broom Bear street sweeper ($269,010)
Phase 2 inspections and studies of the Mount Williams and Notch reservoir dams ($176,600)
The city's Capital Improvement Plan from 2016 cites the reservoirs as in poor condition based on a study of the water system by Tighe & Bond in 2011. Of greatest concern has been the failing aqueduct that links the two reservoirs and the deteriorating conditions of the reservoir dams.
The water treatment plant has been struggling with obsolete and antiquated equipment for some time. The operating system is out of date and cannot be updated; Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau said he's been searching for castoff parts to keep it running. The new media filters at the 23-year-old plant were hoped to be replaced two years ago.
The administration expects about $1.1 million in debt and interest to fall off the books by 2020.
The mayor will also ask for a transfer of $42,891.36 from the Parking Meter Reserve Account to the public safety department to buy a Ford Utility Police Interceptor.
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MassDOT Warns of Toll-fee Smishing Scam
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation was alerted that a text message-based scam, also known as smishing, is fraudulently claiming to represent tolling agencies from across the country. The scammers are claiming to represent the tolling agency and requesting payment for unpaid tolls.
The targeted phone numbers seem to be chosen at random and are not uniquely associated with an account or usage of toll roads.
Customers who receive an unsolicited text, email, or similar message suggesting it is from EZDriveMA or another toll agency should not click on the link.
EZDriveMA customers can verify a valid text notification in several ways:
The FBI says it has received more than 2,000 complaints related to toll smishing scams since early March and recommends individuals who receive fraudulent messages do the following:
1. File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov; be sure to include:
The phone number from where the text originated.
The website listed within the text
2. Check your account using the toll service's legitimate website.
3. Contact the toll service's customer service phone number.
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