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An image provided to the commission of a failing concrete wall on Pine Street.

Adams Con Comm Approves Emergency Certificate for Damaged Wall

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — The Conservation Commission has approved an emergency certificate for work on damaged concrete channel walls between 16 and 20 Pine St. 

Waterflow is undercutting the wall, which is at risk of collapse because of the damage. Board member Jeff Randall visited the site and said it was in rough shape. 
 
"The framing walls were in pretty tough shape," he said. "They look like they're all overturning ... It's going to need some work in the future. I don't know whose going to foot the bill for it." 
 
Board Chair James Fassel said the wall likely needs significant work. He noted the area is in a geographical low spot. 
 
"That place, where that water comes out, is the lowest place in town," he said.
 
In other business Thursday, the board continued a certificate of compliance for the town for removal of a damaged culvert pipe at the intersection of Davis and Lime Streets. 
 
Randall was an engineer for the project and had to recuse himself, meaning the board did not have enough members present to approve. He said he will help present the work at the next meeting. 
 
"We completed it in April of this year," Randall said, speaking as the engineer. "I thought it came out pretty good, I sent out a bunch of pictures ... I just wanted to let everybody know that that's well handled until next time."  
 
The board also continued a notice of intent from White Engineering, for B&B Micro Manufacturing for a driveway and parking lot extension. The Planning Board approved site plan approval for the project on Monday. 
 
The applicant requested a continuation to the board's next meeting, which was granted. Randall said there was still work needed before the application could be approved. 
 
Selectman Joseph Nowak brought the concerns of a resident about a damaged retaining wall near Richmond Lane. He also mentioned another damaged wall along East Hoosac Street. 
 
The board said it would look further into both issues. 
 
The board received a notice of intent from the state to the Department of Conservation and Recreation for trail improvements. The application, however, was received too late to be on the meeting agenda. 
 
The board's next meeting is on Oct. 20

Tags: conservation commission,   

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Adams Welcomes New Officer; Appoints Housing Authority Board Member

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

Officer Cole Desroches recently graduated from the Police Academy. 
ADAMS, Mass. — The Selectmen welcomed the newest member of the Adams Police Department, Officer Cole Desroches, on Wednesday evening. 
 
Desroches graduated from the Police Academy on March 22 in the top tier in his class. He's currently in the field training program and assigned to Sgt. Curtis Crane. He attended Hoosac Valley High School and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. 
 
"He's going to serve and protect the town of Adams very well," said Crane, who with Sgts. Matthew Wright and Gregory Onorato stepped in to introduce the new officer while Chief R. Scott Kelley was on vacation. 
 
"We don't often get an opportunity to kind of talk about, frankly, some of the positive things that are happening in town and one of the many things that I feel are positive with are the Adams Police Department," said Town Administrator Jay Green. "We are right now at full staff. We have a full complement of officers. We have a chief who just resigned a three-year contract. ... We have four very capable sergeants (including Donna Malloy)."
 
The force consists of the chief, the four sergeants, a full-time detective and 11 patrol officers. It also has a new position in Cpl. Joshua Baker who is responsible for training and keeping staff equipped. 
 
"We're on the cutting edge of ensuring that we have proper training in a very changing environment with law enforcement," continued Green. "And we have a nice complement of officers and we have a well-respected detective who handles some very complicated cases."
 
He called out the half-dozen officers who attended the meeting for the work they're doing as well as the K9 unit. 
 
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