North Adams Being Audited on Disability Policies

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
12:36AM / Wednesday, October 27, 2010Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Department of Justice is planning to audit this city next month to see how it's complying with the Americans With Disabilities Act, prompting the city to revive the dormant Commission on Disabilities.

Mayor Richard Alcombright said he'd received a letter from the DOJ requesting information on the city's policies and procedures on accessibility, assistance and employment. It will be auditing all city buildings and building used for the public except for schools.

"We don't have a well-designed plan nor do we have any policies or procedures," said the mayor, largely because the commission has been inactive for so long. "I hope this slate [of committee members] brings positive change."

At the mayor's request, the City Council approved the appointment of Mark Patenaude, Ashley Benson and Nancy Rumbolt-Trzcinski, and the reappointment of Randall Kemp dand William Meranti. The committee will make recommendations to the city on accessibility and policies.

What was disheartening, said the mayor, was that DOJ doesn't provide any linkage back to funds to help rectify any shortcomings.

The council also gave final approval to a borrowing order for $150,000 for improvements at Windsor Lake after about 15 or 20 minutes of discussion. The funds will be used to build a new concession and bathroom at the Fish Pond, relocate the playground and renovate the bathrooms at Historic Valley Park Campground.

The matter had been on the council's agenda for Oct. 12 and was referred to the Community Development Committee. Lisa Blackmer, chairman of the committee, said it had met last week and quite a few people had shown up for the meeting.

"We need to spend money to make money is what we concluded," said Blackmer, pointing out the facilities had had no serious work since they were constructed in 1958 and 1969.

Frequent gadfly Robert Cardimino said the council was borrowing without being fully informed of the itemization of costs. Windsor Lake Recreation Commission Chairman George Forgea listed off some of the main line items; most of the cost is materials with labor being provided by city workers and McCann Technical School students.

Councilors voted unanimously to pass it to a second reading, saying the investment would aid in marketing the campground and bring in new revenue in the long term.

In other business, the council:

► Authorized the borrowing of $650,000 toward the airport runway reconstruction that was passed to a second reading last meeting.

► Referred a zoning change to the city solicitor following a public hearing with the Planning Board before the regular meeting.

► Passed to a second reading an ordinance change boosting waste-hauler licenses from $85 a year to $100, a change passed by the Board of Health. However, confusion over whether the board wanted the hauler or the commercial waste disposal license changed led the council to request Health Inspector Manuel Serrano appear the next meeting to clarify the issue.

► Adopted a so-called stretch code for new construction after a second reading as part of the city's pursuit to fall under the state Green Communities Act. The new code requires builders to use certain materials and the building be tested in terms of energy efficiency; it also allows the city to apply for grants.

The matter passed 8-1, with Councilor Alan Marden voting against. "I don't think it's time to put more mandates on the private sector," he said.

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Your Comments

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Not to be rude and off subject but when is this administration and city council going to put job creation first? I think its time to put on a game face and go out, be creative and try to lure more manufacturing companies to the city before its too late. Honestly, I'm sick of hearing of handouts, tax increases, fee increases. I may be in the minority but I am voting YES, NO, YES on the three ballot questions. Maybe it is TIME to start helping tax payers and make some serious cuts to fluff and get some real jobs in the city.
from: Concerned citizen	on: 10-27-2010 08:29AM I Agree (20) - I Disagree (6)

The city council meetings give Bob Cardimino a purpose in life. As of the ADA stuff, it sounds like Maryanne (speaking of gadflys) finally got someone's attention.
from: G.	on: 10-27-2010 08:38AM I Agree (5) - I Disagree (0)

wait till the ADA checks out the "public" safety department, this outta be good......
from: na	on: 10-27-2010 09:38AM I Agree (4) - I Disagree (0)

If you vote Yes No Yes on the ballot questions, there will be no need for job creation around here as our city will crumble. The state is already running a budget deficit and Question 3 (in particular) will cut billions more from the treasury. North Adams depends on 53% coming from the state just to survive... that will mostly disappear. You don't like the fees and local tax raises? Then you surely don't want to vote Yes on question 3. The city has to make it up some how... and it will come from the city population of 14,000 rather than the state population of 6,500,000. It just doesn't make sense.
from: NA Resident	on: 10-27-2010 09:42AM I Agree (6) - I Disagree (5)

It's too bad someone who chooses to exercise his first amendment rights is referred to as a gadfly by the editor. We could have used more of those when Mr. Barrett was in office considering how many legal issues the city now needs to catch up on.
from: Huff	on: 10-27-2010 10:04AM I Agree (5) - I Disagree (6)

Regarding concerned citizens comments. The city has spoken very strongly that that low wage retail jobs are the number one priority. The public has expressed its overwhelming support for a super wal-mart. The people have spoken, the politicians have acted. The jobs issue was settled.
from: Sad Citizen	on: 10-27-2010 10:08AM I Agree (4) - I Disagree (8)

I am glad the park and campground are getting attention. It's long overdue.
from: camper	on: 10-28-2010 12:30AM I Agree (5) - I Disagree (1)

just another case where the former mayor dropped the ball, and we will have to pay for it.
from: jackson	on: 10-28-2010 07:13AM I Agree (4) - I Disagree (5)

To respond to sad citizen re: Walmart jobs... it's a capitalist country. Walmart meets all the requirements to build -- on what basis would you have said no? (Hint: there IS no basis that the city could deny them a permit, that would stand up in court.)
from: not sad	on: 10-28-2010 11:16AM I Agree (5) - I Disagree (1)

I think this whole thing stinks...keep taking from the low class..think we might just as well hand over our pay checks, we are working people that work hard for our money and cannot afford to gas our vehicles or pay our bills...this is sad for alot of people...people that need help dont get it and the people who get it have enough...just never understood that. Sorry I have feelings too...I think all these cost hikes and tax increases is for the birds! Just sayin.
from: north adams	on: 10-31-2010 09:28PM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

North Adams Becomes a Purple Heart Community

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
05:16AM / Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Veterans Service Officer Kurtis Durocher, a Purple Heart recipient, tells his own story of how he was wounded in Iraq.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — City leaders last week held a ceremony marking the city as a Purple Heart Community to honor local military service members wounded or killed in combat.

"This designation is much more than a sign that will stand at the entrances to our city," said Kurtis Durocher, Northern Berkshire veterans service officer at City Hall on Friday. "It is a lasting commitment and a promise to this community. We'll never forget the sacrifices made by those who are wounded or killed while serving our nation. It is a public declaration of the courage and sacrifices of combat wounded. Veterans will always have a place of honor here in North Adams."

As a Purple Heart Community, North Adams will place signs throughout the city acknowledging the designation. The city will also hold a ceremony every Aug. 7 on National Purple Heart Day.

During the inaugural ceremony, Durocher said he was asked by the Military Order of the Purple Heart to find a keynote speaker for the event, preferably a Purple Heart recipient. But he was unable to find someone willing to speak. With the date approaching, he decided to tell his own story.

"I don't like standing up and telling my own personal story ... But I realized, in my position as a VSO, I get so many ... children of veterans who will say, 'I didn't know anything about my father until after he passed because he just didn't talk about it,'" Durocher said. "... I have been that way until I've gotten into this position, and so, now, I try to tell my story as much as I can when it is brought to me."

Durocher served in the Army for 20 years and retired as a master sergeant. On Friday, he recalled a time early in his career while serving in the 82nd Airborne Division deploying to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. On Sept. 12, 2003, his squad was conducting a patrol on Route Irish in Baghdad. He was serving as a gunner on an LMTV when it was struck by a 155-millimeter artillery shell. He said the explosive had been hidden behind a guardrail and detonated using nothing more than a washing machine timer.

"In an instant, everything changed. The blast knocked me unconscious. When I regained consciousness, I instinctively was removing my helmet," he said. "Almost immediately my training took over. We had been taught repeatedly that attacks like this were often followed by a secondary attack or an ambush. I quickly put my helmet back on and began searching for my machine gun."

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