image description

Adams Selectmen Approve Police Chief Contract

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story
ADAMS, Mass. — The Selectmen approved new Police Chief Scott Kelley's contract and his first day on the job will be Tuesday, Jan. 19
 
The three-year contract was approved after a brief executive session at the tail end of Wednesday's meeting.
 
"He is good to go," Town Administrator Jay Green said. "He has a sergeants' meeting scheduled for that week and is raring to go." 
 
Interim Police Chief Troy Bacon had declined to move into the permanent position leaving the Selectmen to undergo another search for a permanent chief. In early December, the  board voted to appoint Kelley, who is chief of police at South Carolina's Spartanburg Community College.
 
Kelley's starting annual salary will be $88,317.
 
In other business, the selectmen approved a payment in lieu of taxes agreement for the construction of a 5.6-megawatt solar field on Duke's Gravel Pit on Grove Street.
 
"Thank you for coming into our town to help us out," Selectman Joseph Nowak said. "That money will sure come in handy."
 
Green said this project goes back some years with Sun Rays Energy, which sold the project to Engie North America in 2019
 
He said the project has gone through the Planning Board and the developers are in pursuit of a building permit.
 
Per the agreement, the town will receive $64,464 annually for 20 years.
 
Engineer Matt Singer said the array would take up the bulk of the gravel pit and anticipated that further use of the pit would be minimal. 
 
"Any future activity would be limited just because of the available land," he said.
 
He said the array will work as a solar garden, and residents will have the ability to subscribe to it.
 
"We will be looking to get residential subscribers ... to subscribe directly to the energy from this project," he said. "They will receive credits in a way not dissimilar if they had solar on their roof."
 
The PILOT agreement has to be approved by town meeting.
 
The Selectmen referred to an open meeting law complaint to town counsel. Selectman John Duval asked that counsel share his response during their next meeting.
 

Tags: police chief,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

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.
 
View Full Story

More Adams Stories