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. 

Adams Officials Seek Action on Decaying Harmony Street House

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
06:41AM / Saturday, May 16, 2026

The town's owed more than $72,000 in taxes and interest since 2011 but the owners have died and the heirs don't want it.

ADAMS, Mass. — The town is re-initiating legal steps to address a neighborhood eyesore on Harmony Street. 

 

Neighbors of the property located at 6 Harmony St. have expressed concerns surrounding the deteriorating and unsafe condition of the conventional single-family residence.

 

"This is a house that is sort of collapsing in on itself. It's probably in need of demolition," said Town Administrator Nicholas Caccamo. 

 

To do that, there are two steps that need to occur — the creation of the Board of Survey and the appropriation of funds, he said. 

 

"We'd be moving an article to town meeting for an appropriation for slum and blight costs that demolition might occur," Caccamo said. 

 

"So, that's an item that we'll be bringing forward, as requested by the board, for consideration when you sign the warrant.

 

The town does not own the property. It previously attempted to place a lien on the property for $16,167.08 in unpaid taxes accrued between 2011 and 2017.