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Adams Needs Funding Source for Cemetery Shed

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — The Cemetery Commission may dip into its Perpetual Care Fund to purchase a shed for Bellevue Cemetery.
 
Commissioner Bruce Shepley told the commissioners Wednesday that although they may have found a proper storage shed to meet cold storage needs at Bellevue Cemetery, actually purchasing it may be a problem.
 
"If it is what we want we still have to come up with the money," he said.
 
The project was initiated after the commission agreed that a dilapidated shed used for cold storage needed to be knocked down. This would lead to less storage at the cemetery.
 
The commission looked at building completely new or adding on to a standing garage, however, both options were expensive. The commission ultimately decided to run down its cemetery fund and expend approximately $100,000 to make repairs to the garage.
 
This still leaves storage needs at the cemetery with the white shed on the verge of falling down.
 
"We never addressed what's happening to the space in that building that will be torn down," Commissioner Jim Taylor said. "That is how this whole thing got started. We know we need the building."
 
Shepley said the commission,  to his knowledge, cannot touch the principle in the Perpetual Care Fund only the interest. 
 
"We are a town with over $400,000 in principle and I want to find out where it is written that we cannot touch that," he said. "If indeed can we get a legislative action or some language that will allow us to?"
 
Shepley said it may be advantageous to change the parameters of the Perpetual Care Fund and, for example, only allow the commission to draw 1.5 percent of the total amount as long as it does not go below $400,000.
 
The rest of the commission agreed that the shed needs to be replaced and Shepley said he would contact town counsel.
 
"We have winter coming on and they can't use that building for another winter," Taylor said. "It is being broken into and is dangerous."
 
In other business, Shepley suggested the commission update its regulations -- specifically ones outlining where plants and urns can be placed.
 
"I think we need to have some language that clearly states where plants and flowers can be planted and that we are the ultimate authority in that," he said. "I think the board is going to change all of the time there has been a cemetery commission for decades and for some reason whatever we know is different than what the public thinks."
 
This has been a constant struggle at the town cemeteries and Shepley said it would be good to have some concrete regulations to point too when questioned by the public.
 
Before closing, Shepley said he would like to pass on a plot sale issue to town counsel -- although he believes he has gotten to the bottom of it.
 
Shepley said a woman came into the office recently claiming that some of the lots she had purchased were occupied by someone else.
 
"She said she went up to Bellevue and some of the lots she claimed she bought had stones on them belonging to another family," he said. "
 
He followed the paper trail and back into the early 2000s and found the individual only committed to the purchase of multiple lots and never paid for them.
 
"The commission sent her a letter saying we have not yet received commission for the lots," he said. "…Another year went by so they sent another letter with a drop-dead date that said you must pay or they are getting turned back in."
 
Shepley said there seemed to be a partial payment but said the evidence brought forth by the person seemed "fishy."
 
"I made a copy of all of the information and I am putting them in a folder and in order," he said. "I want to submit it to town counsel just to make sure I am following a process."

Tags: bellevue cemetery,   cemetery commission,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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