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Rice, Nowicki Vie For Adams Treasurer in Monday's Town Election

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Kelly Rice was elected as treasurer/collector in 2014.
ADAMS, Mass. — The only race on this year's election ballot is is for treasurer/tax collector, with incumbent Kelly Rice being challenged by Paul Nowicki, who held the post years ago.
 
Rice was elected in 2014 to finish the final two years of a three-year term. She then won a three-year term in 2016 and she wants to continue her work.
 
"I love being the treasurer collector for the town an I love this town," Rice said. "I live in this town, I own property in this town, and I want to see it grow."
 
Rice has a long history working for Adams in various capacities and says that over the her five years as treasurer/collector, she has brought the tax collection rate up to 98 percent. She added that outstanding checks are up to date, she passed her certified collector test and is on track to take her treasurer test.
 
Rice said she aggressively goes after delinquent taxes but is flexible and willing to work with people.
 
"Some can't afford it right off the bat so they go on a payment plan and I've got quite a few properties on a payment plan," Rice said. "They've been really, really good about keeping up their payment plans and a lot of them are really catching up. I like to give everyone a chance, sometimes two chances, but you can only do so much."
 
She pledged to continue her work and help keep the town financially solvent.
 
"I have the knowledge and I respect this town," Rice said. "I honestly think I am doing a good job and am a good asset and I hope the people feel the same."
 
Nowicki, who was first elected in 1983 and held the post until 2000, said after some time in Watertown and Palmer he has returned to Adams and has decided to run again because he thinks he can do a better job.
 

Paul Nowicki is looking to return to a post he held for nearly 20 years in the 1980s and '90s.
"I ran a pretty tight ship, and I had a 99 to 99.5 percent tax collection rate," he said. "A low collection rate will hurt the budget and it will hurt the tax rate, which has been going up ever since so I want to give people a choice they can either vote for me or continue to have higher taxes."
 
Nowicki said he has continued in the field and now has 31 years experience and knows what it takes to do a good job.
 
"I want to increase the tax collection rate and I have 31 years in the business," he said. "I have become familiar with the department of revenue employees ... I know them all and they all know me I have a good repertoire with these people."
 
Nowicki said he is very familiar with the municipal information system the town uses and has installed it in other communities. He said, if elected, he could essentially walk right in and do the job. He added that he has run tax auctions that have made over $1 million and has worked on efforts to reduce fraud.
 
Nowicki said his family lives in Adams and he wants to see the community succeed.
 
"I'm qualified and my family grew up here," he said. "I own a house here in Adams with my daughter and my whole family is here so I want to make the town better more than anything else and it can happen."
 
The annual town election will be held Monday, May 6, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the town garage. 
 
Running unopposed are Richard Blanchard and Joseph NOwak for two seats on the Board of Elections; Myra L. Wilk for moderator; Lorraine Kalisz for assessor; James Taylor for cemetery commissioner; Peter Hoyt for Board of Health; Virginia Phelps and Karen Kettles for two library trustee seats; Michael Mach for Planning Board; Joseph Allard for McCann School Committee (Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational School District); and Jennifer Gageant for Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee. Precincts will also be voting for town meeting members. 
 
Write-in candidates are needed for three seats on the Housing Authority (two one-year and a five-year term); and a second seat on the Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee. 

Tags: election 2019,   town elections,   


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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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