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The Airport Commission was updated about the progress of multiple ongoing improvement projects.

North Adams Hangar Project To Be Extended

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Shamrock Hangar renovation project, although moving along, will be completed later than expected.
 
Peter Enzien of Stantec, the engineering firm overseeing the airport improvement projects, told the Airport Commission Tuesday that instead of completing the Shamrock Hangar by December 4, as agreed upon, the project will be pushed out towards the end of the month.
 
"They are hoping by the end of this week to have the windows in and do some of the electrical work," Enzien said.
 
"The ultimate goal here is to get the space wrapped up by Christmas to a point where there may be a few miscellaneous things that need to be addressed but the space is mostly complete."
 
The city purchased the hangar this summer and through Non-Primary Entitlement Funds from the Federal Aviation Authority, the city is renovating the space.
 
Enzien said the project is being held up by materials that have not yet arrived such as the windows. He said much of the plumbing is complete and the interior walls have been framed.
 
Enzien said while removing old sheetrock, they found that a portion of the lower wall was rotting but they were able to correct the issue.
 
"The bottom portion of the wall was rotted right out about 8 inches from the floor so water coming in from the outside over the years had caused a lot of the wood to rot," he said. 
 
Enzien said although the hangar is anticipated to be largely complete by Christmas, the hangar door installation will likely be complete sometime in the early new year because the contractor must work in tandem with the door manufacturers. 
 
Chairman Jeff Naughton asked that the contractor submit an official request for an extension.
 
Enzien said not much work has been done on the administrative building project, which is also planned to be renovated, however, the gate improvements are mostly complete.
 
Enzien said gate eight and gate ten have been motorized and although both gates seem to be functioning, there is a slight issue with the remote-control operation of gate ten. The remote should be able to operate within a 500-foot radius of the gate.
 
"They don’t know if it is the plantings that are causing a line of sight issue, but I spoke with Berkshire Fence and they are looking at other options," he said. "Hopefully in the next week or so we will have a solution and then we can close out the project." 

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Northern Berkshire United Way: 1980s Sees Double the Growth, Double the Need

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Northern Berkshire United Way is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. Each month, we will take a look back at the agency's milestones over the decades. 
 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Northern Berkshire United Way rolled through the "Me Decade" on a high. 
 
The "Massachusetts Miracle" ushered in a boomtime — despite gloomy local indicators like the relocation of Sprague Electric, loss of Adams Print Works in a massive blaze, and Photech's bankruptcy.
 
The agency failed to reach its fundraising goals only two times during the decade even as the region's needs grew. For the first time, homelessness and substance abuse were listed among its allocations.
 
Fundraising grew by leaps and bounds as critical human service relief agencies asked for more. An estimated 36,000 people in North County were being served by the agency's affiliates. The funds went to support between 14 and 17 agencies over the decade for health services, youth support, mental health, child care, and family needs. 
 
NBUW was making enough toward the end of the 1980s that it could provide help to nonmembers such as the Dalton Community Chest, a rape crisis center and two homelessness initiatives. It also worked with the Piton Foundation of Colorado on venture funding, including for a peer mentoring program at Drury High School 
 
Mary G. Dailey had given her first dollar to the original Community Chest in 1935 as a worker at Arnold Print Works. As keynote speaker at the 1981 kick off, she credited North Berkshire's generosity as "enthusiasm."
 
"I'm all for enthusiasm," she told the 150 gathered at the Eagles Hall that fall, with her sister, Catherine, as toastmaster. "No other characteristic, with the possible exception of kindness, has contributed so much to happy and successful living."
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