Adams Board of Health Working to Improve Public Health Messaging

ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Health is looking for ways in which it and other town officials can better promote public health and wellness in town. 

Board Chair David Rhoads said they are working on community outreach and cooperation with other boards to improve health messaging. He mentioned the state's yearly county health rankings, which ranked Berkshire County 13 out of the 14 counties in health outcomes and 11 in health factors. 

"Reading the overall report, what struck me is, they were talking about the larger social-economic issues, is that what's wrong with our health is income inequality, lack of access to health care, other supportive services," he said. 

One example from the report Rhoads mentioned was the cost of child care. That cost burden in the county, the report says, is more than 40 percent of total income, compared to the 25 percent national average. 

Selectman Howard Rosenberg said the town should do more programming to encourage fitness and change people's behaviors. He used the Mayor's Fitness Challenge in North Adams as an example of this in practice. 

"It's very affordable and approachable. And so I think that's a place to start," Rosenberg said. "And it's very public because the mayor is promoting it and it doesn't cost anything ... We've got to involve the youth because their habits are being formed now." 

One thing the Board of Health is already doing to promote wellness is setting up a booth at town events. Members of the board were at the recent Berkshire Mountain Faerie Festival and plan to have a booth at the Adams Street Fair on July 24. 

In other business, the board heard an update from the Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District. 

When asked by Rhoads about glass recycling, Linda Cernik, the program coordinator for the district, said there is not enough glass to recycle currently, but it is a topic that has come up in the past.  

"You need a lot of glass to make it a commodity. So maybe if we could partner with Pittsfield or North Adams and maybe make it one joint effort for glass recycling," she said. 

Cernik said getting grants from state Department of Environmental Protection for improving recycling programs is becoming more difficult as time goes on. The district received $40,500 in grant funds for recycling programs last year, $4,900 of which went to Adams. 

"We don't always have the resources that the cities do, but we work hard," she said. "And I have to say that I think northern Berkshire does a great job at recycling and keeping our communities clean as best we can."

The board will meet next on Aug 3. 

Aisling Mountain Farm Owners Say Town Scrutiny Has Damaged Business

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
07:21AM / Sunday, November 08, 2026

Christian Rowe with Sofie, one of its therapy horses. One of its herd had to be sold off because the farm had to pull back on therapy services. 

ADAMS, Mass. — What began as a dispute between neighboring property owners has escalated into a prolonged conflict spanning multiple town boards and departments, leading Aisling Mountain Farm's operators to question whether some officials have overstepped their authority.

 

Farm owner Kathryn Foley purchased the 22-acre property at 185 West Road in 2019 to establish an equestrian facility at the base of Mount Greylock. The farm offers horse boarding and leasing services and, until recently, also provided riding lessons and equine therapy.

 

For several years, Foley and her boyfriend, Christian Rowe, who serves as the farm's estate manager, say they have faced a pattern of harassment, false reporting, and alleged misuse of authority by certain municipal employees. 

 

These actions have been compounded by a separate dispute with the company that constructed the riding arena over unforeseen permitting requirements, which have interfered with the farm's ability to provide some of its services, resulting in the closure of its animal-assisted psychotherapy services and riding lessons. 

 

"I have done everything to try to work quietly with the town, with the company … I am not about causing drama … My whole profession is helping people, and that's all I want to do, and I want to do things right, and I want to do my job the right way for people because that's what they deserve," Foley said. 

 

"It breaks my heart that nobody's getting their services, and the last thing I want to do is create a bunch of extra drama around this."

 

The farm had to sell one of its horses, May, who was frequently used in therapy. Its remaining horses include Guinness, Monty, Asher and Sofie, along with miniature therapy horses Latte and Knick Knack.