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The Planning Board was a member short on Monday, leading the only special permit applicant to ask for a continuance.

Adams Planning Board Continues Solar Array Hearing

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — The Planning Board took no action on a proposed Grove Street solar array after the applicant asked to continue the hearing until a full board is present.
 
Pat Jackson, senior vice president of business development for SunRaise LLC of Portsmouth, N.H., preferred to not gamble Monday with his special permit request because with a board member absent, he would need all four present to vote in the positive.
 
"In lieu of that, we will request a continuation," Jackson said.
 
SunRaise proposes to install a ground-mounted solar array at 101 Grove St., Duke's Sand & Gravel Pit, and is requesting a special permit and site plan approval. The company leases land and roofs to develop solar projects.
 
Jackson did ask if it was possible to at least to discuss the project, however, the board said this would not be a possibility.
 
"No. You have to decide now. You have to do it now or not," Planning Board member Sandra Moderski said. "You can't present something with our fifth member not here then continue. We would have to do it all over again."
 
He also asked if he could just solicit site plan approval, which would only need a majority vote.
 
However, the planners said it had to be all or nothing because if there was a change in the special permit, it would also change the site plan so a second approval would be needed. 
 
The board did extend a call to absent member David Krzeminski but there was no response. They agreed to give him five minutes to respond but he did not call back.
 
The Planning Board voted to continue the hearing to next week. 

Tags: Planning Board,   solar array,   

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Adams Picks Select Board Candidates; Cheshire Nixes Appointed Assessor

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — Voters chose incumbent John Duval and newcomer Ann Bartlett for the two open seats on the Selectmen.
 
Bartlett, a co-owner of the former Red Carpet Diner, garnered the most votes at 791, more than 300 above the other three challengers, and Duval was returned for another three-year term with 685.
 
Incumbent Howard Rosenberg's decision sparked a five-way race for the two seats. Coming in third was Jerome Socolof with 465, Mitchell Wisniowski with 446 and former board member Donald Sommer with 367.
 
All results are unofficial.
 
Wisniowski did win a seat on the Parks Commission and Michael Mach outpolled challenger Timothy Kitchell Jr. 887-407 to stay on the Planning Board. 
 
Frederick Lora appears to have bested Jennifer Solak as Adams representative to the Hoosac Valley Regional School District by 10 votes. The unofficial tally is 814-804, with Lora gaining 674 votes to Solak's 620 in Adams; the voted flipped in Cheshire with Solak winning 184-140 but not enough to overcome the gap. Robert Tetlow Jr., running unopposed, was returned as the Cheshire representative. 
 
Write-ins for Board of Health and Redevelopment Authority, which had no candidates, were still being tallied. 
 
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