Williamstown Town Digest for week of July 31

12:00AM / Wednesday, July 31, 2002Print Story | Email Story

Red Cross Blood Drive Next Week The American Red Cross will hold its summer blood drive Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 6 and 7, from noon to 5 p.m. at the First Congregational Church on Main Street. The goal for the two-day drive is 100 units, or 50 units a day. Donors must be age 17 or older. Appointments may be arranged by calling 458-3540, but walk-ins are welcome. As in the past, the canteen for donors will feature refreshments from a local restaurant. Blood donors are advised to allow about one hour. Mid-afternoon is generally the least busy time. The deadline for starting donations is 5 p.m. Organizers say the demand for blood in the region's hospitals fluctuates but does not shrink. More newcomers will be needed to meet the growing demand for blood, they said. For more information, call Sheila O'Neill, 458-3540. Tours of New School in August Tours of the new elementary school are scheduled for students and parents, beginning Aug. 20, Superintendent Rose Ellis and Principal David Rempell have announced. Tours are arranged by grade level so particular areas of the building can be emphasized, according to the students' ages. The schedule is as follows: Aug. 20, a Tuesday,: 9 a.m., pre-kindergarten and kindergarten; 10:30 a.m., Grade 1; 1 p.m., Grade 2. Aug. 21, a Wednesday, 9 a.m., Grade 3; 10:30 a.m., Grade 4, and 1 p.m., Grade 5. Aug. 22, a Thursday, 9 a.m., Grade 6; 10:30 a.m., elementary school 2002 graduates, and Aug. 27, a Tuesday, at 9 a.m., students and families who could not join their scheduled tours. Community tours will be scheduled, beginning Aug. 29, a Thursday, at 9 a.m., the first of several planned visits. The dedication ceremony for the new school will be announced soon, according to school officials. School HazMat Removal Behind Schedule The Ludlow-based contractor removing hazardous materials from Grant and Mitchell schools is behind schedule, delaying the schools' date with the wrecking ball. Town Town Manager Peter Fohlin and Director of Public Works Timothy Kaiser were scheduled to meet last night with Town Counsel Edward Reilly to discuss legal options regarding the contract dispute with Safe Environment for America (SEA). Fohlin said the buildings' demolition has been delayed a week, from tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 1, to Aug. 8 by problems with the company's performance. Fohlin has set the company has failed to meet its claims for, for example, the number workers it would have on the job at specific times.The company is being paid $133,330 for the work. Hazardous materials such as floor tile, ceiling tile and fluorescent lights must be removed before the buildings can be razed, and a delay will cost the town money and possibly complicate scheduling equipment for subsequent phases of the project. In addition, the contractor and the town differ on precisely which materials SEA is to remove. Fohlin said SEA is seeking more money for certain unspecified materials, while the town believes those are covered by the contract. Demolition delays would, in turn, delay the construction of athletic fields and parking lots. Police Officer Suspended After Domestic Violence Incident A 12-year part-time police officer has been suspended pending the results of an internal investigation and the disposition of criminal charges after being arrested for assault and battery in an incident of domestic violence last Friday. Officer Robin Hart, 43, was arrested after his estranged wife complained that he had grabbed her after he stopped at their house while on duty. After making her complaint to the police, Debra Johnson-Hart sought and was issued a restraining order against Hart. Officer Hart has been a member of the department since March, 1990; he works part-time. His case was continued until Aug. 14 in Northern Berkshire District Court. Chief Arthur A. Parker Jr. has suspended Hart pending the results of an internal investigation and the disposition of criminal charges. PUBLIC MEETINGS A schedule of public meetings in or about Williamstown, as provided by Town Clerk Mary C. Kennedy, 458-9341, from official postings. Meetings are held at the Municipal Building, 31 North St., unless otherwise indicated: Wed. July 31, HWQD special meeting 8 a.m., plant; recreation committee, 7 p.m. HARPER CENTER Elder Services Nutrition Program serves hot meals. Please call 458-8250 or 458-5156; 48-hour notice is appreciated. Voluntary donations for van transportation are 50 cents one way from Williamstown and $1 one way from North Adams. Service is available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Wed., July 31: 1 p.m. bridge. Thurs., Aug. 1: 10 a.m., tai chi; 11 a.m., van to Wal-mart; 11:30 a.m. lunch; 1 p.m. crafts. Fri., Aug. 2: 10:30 a.m. exercise; 11:30 a.m. lunch; 1 p.m., bingo. Sun., Aug. 4: 11:30 a.m. lunch. Mon. Aug. 5: 10:30 a.m. exercise; 11:30 a.m. lunch; 1 p.m. line dancing. Tues., Aug. 6: 9 a.m.,oil painting; 9:45 and 10:45 a.m., van to Stop & Shop; 12:30 p.m., Bill Bradley, "Wrap and Roll," recipes. DEATHS Dorothy Evelyn (Wiles) Martel Moody, 86, Retired Williams College Employee Dorothy Evelyn (Wiles) Martel Moody, 86, of 86 Nutmeg Lane, died Saturday, July 27, at the Bennington Health & Rehabilitation Center in Bennington, Vt. Born in North Adams Sept. 24, 1915, she was the daughter of Joseph T. and Violet (Lamphier) Wiles. She attended Williamstown schools and graduated from the former Williamstown High School in 1933. For several years she was business manager of Buxton School. She had previously worked for General Cable Co. She was employed at Williams College as secretary to the director of the alumni office and, until her retirement in 1979, as assistant to the comptroller. After her retirement, she worked as part-time bookkeeper of the Taconic Golf Club. She was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church and a longtime member of its altar guild. She also was a volunteer at the Women's Exchange. She was a member of both the Richard Ruether Post #152 American Legion Ladies Auxiliary of Williamstown and the Post #90 American Ladies Auxiliary of Pownal, Vt. She also was active in the Masonic Order of Eastern Star #137 Mountain Chapter, Williamstown, and was a former Worthy Matron. Her first husband, Ralph William Martel, died in 1981. Her second husband, Willard Moody, died in 1999. She leaves a daughter, Kathleen Ann LaCosse of Williamstown; three sons, Ralph W. Martel Jr. of New York City; Bruce J. Martel of Pownal, Vt., and Keith F. Martel of Saratoga, N.Y., nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, and a sister, Myrtle Geist of Williamstown. The funeral is this morning, Wednesday, July 31, at 11 a.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Peter Elvin, rector, as celebrant. Burial will be in Eastlawn Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Shriners Children's Hospital through the Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams Mass. 01247. Alberta B. "Bert" (Butterfield) Normandeau, 71, of 21 Harwood St., died Wednesday, July 24, at home. Born in Readsboro, Vt., Nov. 23, 1930, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin and Rachel (Bishop) Butterfield. She attended schools in Haverford, Pa., graduating from Haverford Township High School in 1949. She graduated from the University of Vermont in 1953. She was employed for several years by H & R Block in Bennington, Vt. For most of her life she was a homemaker, a devoted mother and loving grandmother. She was active as a volunteer in civic activities. A longtime member of the Williamstown Garden Club, she participated in many of the club's programs held at the Harper Center. She was a volunteer for the Williamstown Council on Aging, helping residents manage their household finances and driving cancer patients to the Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield for treatments. She was an avid golfer, and a longtime member of the Taconic Golf Club, where she organized many tournaments and events. Mrs. Normandeau was a Friend of the Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute and worked in its information booth. She was a communicant of St. Patrick & Raphael's Parish, and collected for Catholic Charities for several years. She also volunteered at the Women's Exchange. Her husband, Joseph Edward Normandeau, died in 1983. She leaves a daughter, Denise Ann Gebbie of Waterford, Vt.; five sons, Joseph Edward Normandeau II of South Salem, N.Y., Michael Andrew Normandeau of Wilbraham, David Lewis Normandeau of Hopkinton, Daniel Arthur Normandeau of Waitsfield, Vt., and James Edwin Normandeau of Deerfield, N.H.; 12 grandchildren, and one brother, Carl George Butterfield of Winter Springs, Fla. The funeral was Saturday, July 27, with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Patrick's Church, with the Rev. William F. Cyr, pastor, celebrant. Burial was in Eastlawn Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Williamstown Garden Club or to the V.N.A. & Hospice of Northern Berkshire through the Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, Mass. 01247. Evelyn Maude (Thompson) Giorianni, 88, of 66 Bachand Ave., died July 23 at North Adams Regional Hospital. Born in Jamaica, N.Y., April 8, 1914, she was the daughter of Thomas and Andrea (Abrahams) Thompson. She attended schools in Springfield Gardens, N.Y., and graduated from Jamaica High School in 1932. She was employed for several years as a secretary at Radio City in New York City, most recently by the European-American Bank until her retirement in 1975. She moved to Williamstown that year, the same year she married her husband, Anthony Salvatore Giorgianni. She was a member of The Spruces Club. Besides her husband, she leaves two stepdaughters, Anita O'Brien and Mary Giorgianni, and a stepson, Anthony Giorgianni. At the request of the deceased, there will be no services or calling hours. Burial will take place at a later date. The Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, is in charge of arrangements.

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

RIBCO Supply

Check out our great lineup of Boss Plows, and spreaders. 2 Locations Clarksburg & Pittsfield!

ribcosupply.com

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

Budhaus Cannabis Store

Open 9:00am Mon–Sat An elevated cannabis company providing highly crafted product & personal touch

www.budha.us

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

Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:57PM / Friday, December 19, 2025

The home prior to renovations.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Are you looking for a newly renovated home with great space? Then this might be the perfect fit for you!

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 100 Autumn Drive.

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was built in 1965 and is 1,396 square feet on 0.32 acres.

The house was completely renovated recently. It includes a one-car garage, and comes with appliances including a dishwasher and stove/oven, and other major appliances.

The house is listed for $359,500.

We spoke with owners Michael Zeppieri and Chris Andrews, who did the renovations. Zeppieri is an agent with Alton and Westall Real Estate Agency.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Zeppieri: I purchased this home to do a full renovation flip and saw tremendous potential in this mid-century split level home that had not been updated since it was built in the 1960s, in a great North Adams neighborhood.

Andrews: The house was a much different house when we first purchased it in 2022 (photo attached is from about 2010.) The interior was painted all in dark colors and we brightened it up with neutral colors. The transformation makes you feel like you are in a totally different house.

What were the recent renovations, any standout design features?

Zeppieri: The house has had a complete reconfiguration including new kitchen with high-end appliances, ceramic tiled baths, hardwood floors, new windows and roof ... just to name a few. All a buyer has to do is move in and enjoy.

Andrews: Yes, we renovated the entire house. New windows, new roof, all new custom black gutter system, new blacktop driveway, hardwood floors were installed through out the house. New kitchen and bathrooms as well as painting the exterior and interior of the house. New paver patio in the back yard.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

Zeppieri: The buyer for this home could be a first-time homebuyer or a retiree ... the location is close to attractions in North Adams ... and the property is located in Autumn Heights, which is a very small residential development with several long-term owners.

Andrews: This home is truly ideal for a variety of buyers. Whether a first-time homebuyer, a small family or even someone looking to downsize from a larger home.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Zeppieri: The location, price and move-in condition of this home make it a true market leader in the North Adams Market.

Andrews: This house is completely renovated and in a desirable location of North Adams. The natural light in the home really makes the interior pop. And with all the upgrades the home stays quite cool in the summer months.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?

Zeppieri: This home was built for the Gould family in 1969 and they lived there till 2010. It was always a family home during that time in which the Goulds had two children ... and Virgina Gould managed Mohawk Forest Apartments and was a very active resident of North Adams.

Andrews: Built in about 1965.

What do the current owners love about this home?

Zeppieri: As the current owner it was a fun project to transform this home and get it ready for its next adventure with a new family to enjoy for many years.

Andrews: No one has lived in the house since we purchased the home. The new owners would be the first to live in the house since the renovations have been completed.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

Andrews: I would suggest seeing the house either on a sunny day or at twilight to really get a vision of how special the home feels.

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

View Full Story