Adams Fire District Election OKs Appointed Posts

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ADAMS, Mass. — After several years of trying, the voting members of the Fire District have approved making the clerk and treasurer appointed positions. 
 
The measure passed 96-69 at the Tuesday's annual election and will take effect as of July 1. 
 
There were no races on the ballot but the election will see a new fire chief with David J. Lennon winning a three-year term. John Pansecchi, who served three terms as chief, has retired. 
 
Taking Lennon's place as first assistant engineer is Edward B. Capeless; second assistant is Dylan Grimes; third assistant Timothy Ziemba; and fourth assistant David A. Lennon. 
 
Incumbent Richard Kleiner won re-election on the Prudential Committee and will be joined by Pansecchi, who will complete the final two years of Thomas Satko's unexpired term. 
 
The Prudential Committee has for years been advocating to make a number of its elected positions appointed as a way to ensure they are filled by qualified, professional candidates. 
 
But while passing several times as a warrant item, they've failed the two-step process at the ballot box. 
 
In February, a special meeting of the district again overwhelming supported making the fire chief and clerk/treasurer appointed positions. 
 
Officials held off on putting the fire chief post on the annual ballot over concerns that voters would be confused by the voting for chief and assistant engineers. They plan to put the chief's post on next year's annual election ballot. 

Tags: appointments,   election 2026,   fire district,   

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Cheshire Gets Grants for Bridge and Culvert Repairs

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The town has been awarded two grants to address the decaying condition of a bridge and a culvert on Lanesborough Road. 
 
The funding comes through the Municipal Small Bridge Program and the Community Culvert Program, both of which the town applied to last year. 
 
The state Department of Transportation will be reconstructing Good Life Bridge, as part of its Municipal Small Bridge Program, and repairing a deficient culvert on the same street over an unnamed stream as part of its Community Culvert Program.
 
The projects are being advanced by an engineering firm selected by MassDOT, which will develop a needs assessment and scope of the project, which will be reviewed and approved by the town and state before work begins. The firms selected for the project will invoice the state directly for all work conducted. 
 
According to the state website, Good Life Bridge was last inspected in January 2025, and rated as structurally deficient. Its deck and superstructure are in poor condition and the substructure is in fair condition. 
 
The steel stringer/girder bridge carries traffic along an east–west roadway and was built in 1916, then subsequently widened to the north shortly thereafter, a state Structures Inspection Field Report from January 2023, said. 
 
The report said that records indicated repairs were performed in the 1990’s when several beams were installed. 
 
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