Berkshire Communities Awarded Mass Save Municipal Energy Manager Grants

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BOSTON, Mass. — As part of their commitment to energy efficiency for cities and towns throughout Massachusetts, the Sponsors of Mass Save today announced the recipients of the inaugural Mass Save Municipal Energy Manager Grant program. 
 
The funding will be used to hire 24 energy managers across the state, each of whom will lead efforts to reduce energy use and cut carbon emissions in municipal buildings. 
 
In Berkshire County, Becket, Dalton, Lanesborough, North Adams and Williamstown were awarded funding.
 
As a dedicated resource to help each municipality receiving funding become more energy efficient and lower their carbon footprint, the energy managers will leverage Mass Save programs and incentives for energy efficiency projects with a particular focus on K-12 school buildings. 
 
Furthering the Sponsors' commitment to delivering programs and incentives that all can access, the 24 energy managers will support 63 municipalities and four regional planning authorities across the Commonwealth. Out of the 24 energy managers, 22 will support designated environmental justice census blocks and seven will represent designated Gateway Cities. By working with these communities, the Sponsors will drive participation in energy efficiency and building decarbonization projects that will bolster the municipalities' role in delivering the Commonwealth's climate goals. 
 
"This grant is an incredible opportunity for cities and towns from Hampden to Barnstable Counties to invest in their communities while simultaneously pushing Massachusetts to a more energy-efficient future," said Christopher Porter, Director of Customer Energy Management at National Grid. "The work of these energy managers will provide resources to create healthier and more sustainable schools and municipal buildings across the state." 
 
To ensure that the needs of each community receiving funding are appropriately met, the Sponsors will be working with four regional planning authorities to train the energy managers and share services around planned use and economic development. In Berkshire County, this organization is the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. 
 
Grant recipients will also receive:? 
  • Financial incentives for building energy upgrades      
  • Technical assistance to identify building energy improvement opportunities and support capital planning 
  • Hands-on training and professional development 
  • Training and clean energy curriculum for K-12 teachers and students 
 
"Residents and businesses throughout Massachusetts will benefit from increased energy efficiency that these 63 municipalities will experience through this impactful program," said Tilak Subrahmanian, Vice President of Energy Efficiency and Electric Mobility at Eversource. "We are committed to working with participating communities over the next three years to complete projects that immediately lead to energy savings and improved sustainability of community fixtures like schools, fire departments, and public spaces." 
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Main & Mill: A Vibrant New Restaurant on Main Street

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — You can now enjoy another eatery on Main Street by well-known restaurant siblings Colleen and Sean Taylor.

Their restaurant Main & Mill opened for the first time Tuesday, bringing their vision of creating something vibrant and new to downtown North Adams.

"We have created Main & Mill to be part of our day. It's very seasonal ingredients, thoughtful cooking, beauty, beautiful presentation and dishes. And we really wanted to be part of the community, the downtown area, and start a vibrant area on this end, which has been shuttered for a while," said Colleen.

The building is owned by Ginko on Main Street LLC, which has granted 20 years exclusive possession of the property to Latent Builds as the developer. Jack and Suzy Wadsworth, behind Ginko, are development partners with Karla Rothstein and Salvatore Perry of Latent.

The bank closed in early 2021 and was purchased by Ginko late that year. Plans for the property unveiled three years ago envisioned a restaurant, retail, a park and rooftop bar. 

Colleen saw potential and said she initially wanted the building when it first went up for sale. Being good friends with Rothstein and Perry, she helped them design the kitchen and the bar before learning in March that she could lease it as a restaurant space, something she told them would be a great idea.

She said one of the most important things about the restaurant was the collaboration between Rothstein, Perry, and the Wadsworths, who put a lot of time and energy into the building.

"If Sean and I had done it, we would not be able to do what the collaboration supported. The collaboration of the three of us being able to really have that kind of money to put in down here. The design that the architecture firm that Carla and Sal own is stunning," she said. "The time and effort, everyone came together to do this in a really trusting manner."

The two wanted the restaurant to be an all-day venture, so people could eat at any point throughout the day, all week long.

"We wanted it to be open for coffee and socialization in the morning where people can meet, have their cup of coffee, have a quiche, a vegetarian quiche, or croissant or yogurt. Something intentional with their coffee," she said. "Then move into a lunchtime for the downtown business or anybody, and then go into supper, dinner, with drinks later into the evening. So have it really be open all day long, so that there wasn't a void on any particular day."

They also wanted to do something different than the other restaurants they owned.

"We didn't want to mimic any other restaurant in town. We wanted to bring something that was inspiring, something that had some familiar things that people would see, and other things that we would bring to them for them to experience," she said.

As a woman business owner, Colleen said she wanted to bring a female chef into the kitchen. 

Colleen brought on Chef Anna DeRose, who she said puts twists on a lot of her dishes.

"So we have a creme brulee, but our creme brulee is topped with marshmallow," she said. "Our creme brulee is like almost two desserts in one. It's a s'mores creme brulee. So you could have a s'mores, and you could have a creme brulee - but when you put both of them together, fireworks go off."

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