image description — William "Billy" Evans, a Capitol Police officer, was laid to rest at Adams' St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in April.

Adams 2021 Year in Review

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
04:28PM / Friday, December 31, 2021Print Story | Email Story

In yet another year burdened by a global pandemic, the town of Adams continued on at a swift pace.

Despite the problems posed by COVID-19, 2021 was a busy year for the town. Several projects made significant progress during the year, new officials were sworn in and developments in town seemed to be continuous.

Looking ahead to 2022, Adams is poised to continue at this speed, with several projects, including the Greylock Glen Outdoor Center, still ongoing.

Here are a few of the biggest stories from Adams over the past year.

Greylock Glen

The Greylock Glen project has been in development in one form or another for over 50 years. The Greylock Glen Outdoor Center represents a major step forward in the proposed plans. The project is finally nearing the construction phase heading into 2022.

Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito visited Adams in July after the state set aside $6.5 million in funding for the project. Following the commitment of state funding, approval from town boards and committees soon followed to push the project into the construction phase.

The Adams Fire District approved articles related to the project in August, while the planning board and conservation commission followed in September and December respectively.

When construction on the outdoor center is complete, the 9,200 square-foot facility will feature exhibit space, classrooms and a restaurant.

Memorial Building Project

The former Memorial School building, which had, for the most part, sat dormant since the school's closure began the process of renovation and conversion into residential and commercial space in 2021.

The Adams Board of Selectmen chose Rhode Island-based Developer Wayland North to convert classroom spaces into apartments.

Additionally, the Adams Council on Aging began work to move its operations from the Adams Visitor's Center to the Memorial Building.

Susan B. Anthony Monument

A bronze statue of Susan B. Anthony, an Adams native and one of the most significant figures of the woman's suffrage movement, was unveiled to the public in 2021.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, state Sen. Adam Hinds, state Rep. John Barrett III, Berkshire County District Attorney Andrea Harrington and the town's elected women officials attended the ceremony for the statue.

The Funeral of Billy Evans

In April, William "Billy" Evans, a Capitol Police officer, was laid to rest at Adams' St. Stanislaus Kostka Church.

Evans grew up in North Adams and graduated from Drury High School. Evans passed due to injuries sustained when a car crashed into a checkpoint he was guarding at the Capitol in April.

Numerous public officials attended the service, including Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, U.S. Rep. Richie Neal, state Sen. Adam Hinds and more.

The Swearing in of Police Chief Kelley

Adams chose and swore in K. Scott Kelley as the town's new police chief in January of 2021.

Before taking the job, Kelley had more than 25 years of law enforcement experience in South Carolina. During those years, Kelley served in various roles for several towns and organizations, from a sergeant in Anderson, S.C., to Chief of Police at Spartanburg Community College.

Kelley replaced former Chief Richard Tarsa, who served with the Adams police force for 36 years.

Election 2021

In May, Adams elected Howard Rosenberg and John Duval to the Adams Board of Selectmen.

Duval, an incumbent who had been on the Board of Selectmen since 2012, received 572 votes.

Rosenberg, a newcomer who is served his first year as a select board member in 2021, received 727 votes.

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Letter: That's Who We Are, Adams

Letter to the Editor09:00AM / Friday, September 18, 2026

To the Editor:

That's Who We Are

I wanted to say something about Sept. 12, 2026. The day we celebrated the with the Alerts 150th anniversary parade.
I want us to recognize that our community is built on, and sustained by, an amazing force: volunteer organizations and the people who give their time, energy and passion to make Adams a better place.

Our community is not defined by naysayers, keyboard warriors, problem creators, or those who seem intent on finding fault with every effort. It is defined by people who step up, get involved, solve problems, learn from our mistakes, add value where they can, and lift each other up when times are difficult.

We live in what I like to call "our little piece of heaven." And Sept. 12 was a wonderful reminder of who we really are.

Our community is built on amazing volunteers and first responders, as was so clearly demonstrated by the celebration of the Adams Fire Department's 150th Anniversary. It was a glorious parade, planned and executed flawlessly, and made even more special by the participation of more than 30 fire departments and first responder organizations from throughout the area. Thank you, Mike Therrien and your entire team, for giving all of us the opportunity to celebrate with you. That's who we are.

Our community is built on newcomers like Yina Moore, who came to town with a vision and is executing it beautifully. She continues to curate amazing performances. The Adams Theater surpassed its $100,000 fundraising goal this year. That kind of accomplishment doesn't happen by accident. It happens because people believe in Adams and are willing to work for it. That's who we are.

Our community is built on supporting the incredible work at the Greylock Glen Outdoor Center; an amazing facility that grew from a concept championed by our Community Development Director Donna Cesan, and made possible in part through extraordinary state support led by Representative Barrett, who believed in the project and believed in us. That's who we are.

Our community is built on four people sitting on a porch one day and deciding that they didn't want Adams to be defined by negative stories. They decided that creating a group called Pro Adams could be part of changing that narrative. Fifteen years later, they are still going strong. This year, they are continuing to innovate with projects to help promote economic growth, like Bears on Parade. Thank you, Pro Adams, for keeping that dream alive. That's who we are.

Our community is built on another conversation between two women who believed our town needed an uplift. There are no words to adequately express our gratitude to Mary Parker, Deb Nowicki, and the entire team that has made such a difference in such a short time. Our Adams Beautification team did just that! It's beautiful. That's who we are.

Our community is built on dedication to preserving the history of Adams. Through newsletters, reenactments, church tours, the Quaker Meeting House and the continued preservation of artifacts and stories, the Adams Historical Society remains an important part of our community and our identity. That's who we are.

Our community is built on organizations like Berkshire Harm Reduction and Berkshire Health Systems that work to address the needs of all our residents. You may have noticed the new naloxone boxes appearing in locations throughout town. That is what a community does; it recognizes a need and works together to address it. Thank you to BRPC, Berkshire Harm Reduction, Adams Police Department, and the HEAL Community for being part of that effort. That's who we are.

Our community is built on the steadfastness and hard work of the team that calls itself the Adams Street Fair. We all know that it is about much more than the Street Fair itself. When the Adams Events Committee disbanded after more than 40 years, this group stepped up and took on the movies and concerts. They didn't simply continue them; they expanded them. No complaints. No excuses. Just hard work, coordination and commitment to the community. That's who we are.

Our community is built on the hard work and passion of the Thunderbolt Ski Runners, who for years have maintained and groomed mountain bike trails on our side of majestic Mount Greylock. They continue to put in the work and create events that give all of us opportunities to enjoy this incredible place we call home. That's who we are.

I am leaving out so many others that this letter could go on forever; the Adams Lions Club, the American Legion, Friends of the COA, Friends of the Library, our churches, our civic organizations, our businesses, and countless individuals who quietly volunteer their time without ever asking for recognition.

That is the Adams I know.

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