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The hopes to have the water system completed this year in time for the projected opening of the outdoor center in October.

Contractors Attend Conference for Greylock Glen Water System

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — Several contractors visited Town Hall on Thursday morning to attend a pre-bid conference for the water system at the Greylock Glen. 

 

The prospective bidders received a brief overview of the project, what work it will entail and background on the entire glen development. The scope of the work consists of, among other things, a water storage tank, a water main, electrical work, piping and instrumentation work. 

 

Project manager Edward Whatley of Wright-Pierce Engineering said they hope to get work done on the water system as soon as possible. The town will accept bids on the project until 3 p.m. on Jan. 24. 

 

"There's a real impetus to get this project done as quick as possible," he said. "Ideally, we would have had it out a year ago, but it is what it is. Definitely, the sooner this can get done, I think everyone would really benefit because that building is really waiting for the water from this project." 

 

When asked about potential supply-chain issues for some items, such as ductile iron piping, Whatley said they would deal with it if any problems arise. Town Administrator Jay Green said the target opening for the outdoor center is some time in October, but supply and other problems could always impact that date. 

 

"That's the nice time that we think it would make sense to open the building. But I don't think there's anyone who doesn't understand supply-chain issues, constructability, weather, things like that," he said. "We just need to take it one step at a time, but we want everyone to know that, in a perfect lovely world, it would be nice to have this being wrapped up in early September so we can get water to the building. If that's just physically not possible, then we understand that, and we'll do what we need do to make sure the public understands this is just the way it is." 

 

Donna Cesan, the town's special projects coordinator, said work on the outdoor center is going smoothly. She said the town plans to work closely with the contractor to solve any issues during the project, as they did with the outdoor center. 

 

"I think most of the infrastructure in the ground has been completed," she said. "The site contractor will come back in the spring, when conditions allow, to do parking areas and that type of thing. But the building, they're working now on getting the walls up, and the trusses for the roof are all done so they're moving along." 

 

The estimated cost of the entire water system is about $3.8 million. In May last year, the project got $2.9 million in federal funding for water infrastructure at the glen. This funding is in addition to the $7.3 million the state has committed to the outdoor center's construction.


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Adams Prudential Committee Evaluating Truck Replacement

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — The Fire Department's Engine 2 is suffering from rust and the Prudential Committee needs to decide if it should be fixed or run until it can be replaced. 
 
Fire Chief David Lennon told the Prudential Committee on Monday about the condition of the 20-year-old truck and acknowledged it's going to be an costly endeavor. 
 
"If we choose to do this, it's going to be so expensive that it would have to be put out for multiple people to look at and possibly bid on, but moreover, we have to look at what the long-term plans are to decide if we want to spend that money on that truck," he said. "If we're going to replace it on its usual schedule, which would be in under 10 years now, so we have to decide."
 
Lennon said his thought was that it was similar to getting a medical diagnosis: since they've got one opinion, "it'd behoove us to get a second opinion to see.
 
"We see that it's rusting, but is that rust going to be completely detrimental to running that for the period that we want to run it for, and have somebody else look at it now," he said. "As far as who that would be, I don't know, but I think that's what we should discuss and see moving forward."
 
The committee set a workshop for Friday, Sept. 11, at 4 p.m.
 
Superintendent John C. Barrett said he plans to install a new system and water main for the Adams Housing Authority's 64 one-bedroom units in the Columbia Valley facility, which will mean a new suppression system for all of the buildings.
 
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