CLARKSBURG, Mass. — McCann Technical School students are giving Town Hall a facelift using donated funds.
With tighter budgets through the years, Town Administrator Carl McKinney said it has been hard to keep up with the aging and deteriorating building that was constructed in the 1930s as the Briggsville School.
"We were looking at Town Hall and its many needs," McKinney said. "It is a solid structure, well built but it has had a level of neglect and it really needed some attention."
McKinney said about 15 months ago, with the blessing of the Select Board, he started a fundraising campaign and was able to raise $3,200.
"Citizens of the town of Clarksburg donated as well as the Adams Community Bank, and the town put up some money," McKinney said. "If it wasn't for the generosity of the community, we would not be doing this because the budget is where it is."
McKinney said he was in contact with the McCann carpentry program to see if it was interested in doing the work. McCann students three years ago put a new roof on the Police Department's one-car garage and last year built an oak case for the some of the town's historic pieces, including its scale.
The department was busy with other projects last spring but kept Clarksburg Town Hall on the radar for the fall.
McCann teacher Fran Kruzel said projects like the Town Hall are great learning experiences for the students.
"It’s great to get them out on a job," Kruzel said. "It really is the best learning experience."
McKinney said the main focus of the project is the building's façade. He said the town purchased grey vinyl siding that he hopes will be long lasting.
The front will also receive a new coat of paint where necessary.
One of the main drivers behind the project was to provide a better backdrop for the Clarksburg Veterans Honor Roll, McKinney said. The honor roll is installed on the front of the building.
"We wanted to create a respectful and appropriate memorial that was long lasting and historically appropriate," he said.
The town plans to hold a rededication ceremony on Veterans Day.
McKinney said the project also addressed some energy efficiency problems in the building with the addition of a house wrap underneath the building and the sealing and insulating of some upper-level windows that were unusable.
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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
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