ADAMS, Mass. — Town officials say they are committed to repairing the failing roof on the elementary school boiler room. 

 

The condition of the roof has become another point of contention in the tense school district relationship between Cheshire and Adams. 

 

Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco said on Wednesday that the town will receive engineering documents for the roof project by the end of the month.

 

On Tuesday, Cheshire officials had expressed their displeasure that the problem hadn't been dealt with months ago, as Adams had promised. 

 

"I know it has been taking some time but proper engineering and proper management take time and we are focusing on quality," Mazzucco said. "But we will get those out to bid as soon as we can." 

 

The town agreed to allocate some $130,000 a little over a year ago for the roof after a change in the state funding formula caused Adams' assessment to the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District to drop. Since then, the school district has closed Cheshire Elementary and is turning what is now Hoosac Valley Elementary in Adams into an early education school. 

 

Mazzucco said the town has been working toward the project but it was delayed by factors including having to switch engineering firms. 

 

"The former firm was not delivering in terms of cost control and cost containment and weren't concerned with state prevailing wages," he said. "So the town agreed to go in a different direction and with a more reputable firm." 

 

He said the roof is secure and although it will be done as soon as possible, the town made no commitment to having it done before the school year started. 

 

"I don't know where this need to rush came from all of the sudden everyone is calling it a priority project," he said. "For some reason, there are these arbitrary deadlines floating around. We never made those statements and we will get it done but we aren't going to rush. We want quality work."

 

In other business, Selectman Joseph Nowak asked Mazzucco when the LED street lights for the downtown purchased with Green Community funds will arrive.

 

Mazzucco said the town is using an expedited program that allows it to bypass the public bidding process and use a local vendor.

 

He said the vendor so far has not been reliable.  

 

"We are trying to keep this local because it is a near $70,000 job but I have been in touch with them every week and can't get answers," he said. "I am quite angry with them."  

 

Police Chief Richard Tarsa asked that residents only use the drug kiosk in the station for prescription medication. He said people have been using it to dispose of over-the-counter medications and applications that can be thrown in the trash.

 

"We aren't just getting prescription medicine but vitamins, Band-Aids ... cuticle tools," he said. "We are getting stuff that can go right in the trash."  

 

He added that the station no longer takes syringes.

 

"They do not go in the drop box but people put them in there and we have had an officer that did get stuck one time," the chief said. "We no longer accept them."

 

Syringes can be dropped off at Tapestry Health in North Adams but police will still pick up needles if they are found in public.