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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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North Berkshire School Study Encouraging Stakeholders to Take Survey

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The consultants behind the education study for North Berkshire are hoping for solid responses to its recently released survey. 
 
The survey, released last week, can be found here. 
 
"Our goal is somewhere between 5 and 10 percent overall survey responses, which is somewhere between 2,000 and 4,000 responses," project manager Jake Eberwein told the steering committee for the North Berkshire Educational Sustainability Study at Wednesday's meeting at Hoosac Valley High School. 
 
This is the next phase of the study of secondary education in North County being undertaken through state funding and conducted by Berkshire Educational Consulting Group, Berk12.
 
"Our first phase was project awareness, and that was really our you know attempt to meet the school committees, select boards, and we wrapped that up this past Monday in Williamstown," Berk12 researcher Brendan Sheran said. "And certainly, we'll be doing more of that going back out probably in the midyear or springtime. But in terms of info gathering, really, the data collection — that's where we are now."
 
The community survey was launched through sharing on social media, the group's stakeholder list, the press, and the district partners, which are distributing it to educators, parents and students. The window is expected to close on Friday, Oct. 9, but Sheran said they can be flexible with the date. 
 
The survey takes about seven to 10 minutes and is open to those in the Hoosac Valley Regional and Mount Greylock Regional school districts and in North Adams, Clarksburg, Florida and Savoy.
 
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