Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation Names Winner of Environmental Leadership Award

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Amelia Murphy of Williamstown is the 2020 Mt. Greylock senior recipient of the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation  Mathias J. Bartels Environmental Leadership Award.

The award was presented at the Mt. Greylock Regional High School class night on June 6.

WRLF has long recognized the importance of fostering a sense of place and awareness of the natural environment in the next generation and in support of that, in 2000 established an annual environmental award for a graduating senior at Mt. Greylock Regional High School.  The award was renamed in 2004 to honor the exemplary leadership shown by former Mt. Greylock student Mathias Bartels.

The WRLF is a nonprofit, member-supported land conservation trust committed to preserving ecologically valuable habitat and working lands, and provides natural and cultural history education programs at its Sheep Hill headquarters.

Williamstown Fire Committee Talks Station Project Cuts, Truck Replacement

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Friday, April 26, 2024

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Prudential Committee on Wednesday signed off on more than $1 million in cost cutting measures for the planned Main Street fire station.

 

Some of the "value engineering" changes are cosmetic, while at least one pushes off a planned expense into the future.

 

The committee, which oversees the Fire District, also made plans to hold meetings over the next two Wednesdays to finalize its fiscal year 2025 budget request and other warrant articles for the May 28 annual district meeting. One of those warrant articles could include a request for a new mini rescue truck.

 

The value engineering changes to the building project originated with the district's Building Committee, which asked the Prudential Committee to review and sign off.

 

In all, the cuts approved on Wednesday are estimated to trim $1.135 million off the project's price tag.

 

The biggest ticket items included $250,000 to simplify the exterior masonry, $200,000 to eliminate a side yard shed, $150,000 to switch from a metal roof to asphalt shingles and $75,000 to "white box" certain areas on the second floor of the planned building.

 

The white boxing means the interior spaces will be built but not finished. So instead of dividing a large space into six bunk rooms and installing two restrooms on the second floor, that space will be left empty and unframed for now.