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Moderator Myra Wilk leads Monday's annual town meeting. Illustrations of the proposed Greylock Glen are set up along the stage. Town meeting voted to approve the creation of a commission to oversee development and for the town to be the master tenant and developer.

Adams Town Meeting Approve All Articles on 2019 Warrant

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Longtime town meeting members were recognized for their service, including Starr Baker who has been a member for 50 years. 
ADAMS, Mass. — Town meeting approved all 30 articles on the annual warrant, including the fiscal 2020 budget of $15.8 million. 
 
It was a pretty straightforward meeting Monday night with much of the articles passing in bulk. Before running through the warrant, Town Clerk Haley Meczywor thanked town meeting members present and past.
 
"This town report is dedicated to all of you sitting in the center of the auditorium," she said. "Your service to the town is remarkable and without your commitment and dedication the town of Adams cannot function .. .you are the voice of Adams."
 
Adams has a representative form of government in which 150 town meeting members are elected by precinct to weigh the community's decisions. 
 
Meczywor said the town report is dedicated to all town meeting members and recognized those who have served continuously for more than  20, 30, and 40 years.
 
Town meeting member Starr Baker was asked to stand and Meczywor said he has continuously served for 50 years.
 
The rest of the meeting went by quickly and clocked in well under an hour.
 
There was only discussion on some of the early articles that represented the $15.8 million budget but ultimately Articles 7 through 15 achieved safe passage.
 
Article 6, which fixes the salary and compensation of all elective officers, was amended to reflect some salary increases not correctly written on the warrant. Article 28 was also amended to clarify some language having to do with rededicating the Town Common.
 
Article 10, the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District budget, was held by town meeting member John Cowie, who had questions about the assessment of $5,792,649.
 
Many of his questions centered around education, however, because the superintendent was not present at the meeting, they went unanswered.
 
The school district's Business Manager Erika Snyder did attend the meeting and was able to clarify some of the assessment mechanics.
 
Some of the larger articles such as Article 22, which amends the ACRSD agreement and changes its name to the Hoosac Valley Regional School District, passed with ease. Article 24, The special tax agreement with B&B Micro Manufacturing, also passed without pause.
 
One hundred and fifteen town meeting members attended the annual meeting, or 77 percent.
 

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Adams Review Library, COA and Education Budgets

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — The Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen reviewed the public services, Hoosac Valley Regional School District and McCann Technical School budgets on Tuesday. 
 
The workshop at the Adams Free Library was the third of four joint sessions to review the proposed $19 million fiscal 2025 budget. The first workshop covered general government, executive, finance and technology budgets; the second public works, community development and the Greylock Glen. 
 
The Council on Aging and library budgets have increases for wages, equipment, postage and software. The Memorial Day budget is level-funded at $1,450 for flags and for additional expenses the American Legion might have; it had been used to hire bagpipers who are no longer available. 
 
The COA's budget is up 6.76 percent at $241,166. This covers three full-time positions including the director and five regular per diem van drivers and three backup drivers. Savoy also contracts with the town at a cost of $10,000 a year based on the number of residents using its services. 
 
Director Sarah Fontaine said the governor's budget has increased the amount of funding through the Executive Office of Elder Affairs from $12 to $14 per resident age 60 or older. 
 
"So for Adams, based on the 2020 Census data, says we have 2,442 people 60 and older in town," she said. "So that translates to $34,188 from the state to help manage Council on Aging programs and services."
 
The COA hired a part-time meal site coordinator using the state funds because it was getting difficult to manage the weekday lunches for several dozen attendees, said Fontaine. "And then as we need program supplies or to pay for certain services, we tap into this grant."
 
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