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Repaving of the south end of Middle Road is expected to start this summer.

Clarksburg Awards Bid for Middle Road Work

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
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CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday awarded the contract for paving and drainage improvements on south Middle Road. 
 
Rifenburg Construction Inc. of Troy, N.Y., had the winning bid of $1,142,420. 
 
The other four bids were Clayton G. Davenport Trucking of Greenfield, $1,373,700; Palmer Paving of Brewster, N.Y., $1,193,983; Warner Bros. of Sunderland, $1,280,782.50; and J.H. Maxymillian Inc. of Pittsfield, $1,470,056.
 
The estimate for the project was $1,113,165. Bids were opened on June 15 for review. 
 
The town received a $1 million MassWorks grant last fall to address resurfacing and drainage from the Four Corners south to the town line. A couple years ago, another MassWorks grant provided funding to redo Middle Road from River Road to Wood Road. 
 
The work will cover 3,950 feet, or about three-quarters of a mile. 
 
Bidding documents anticipated a start date near the end of July.
 
"Our highway superintendent is working with them on a timeline of when to get started on that, and we will let everyone know when we have future updates on that," said Chair Daniel Haskins.
 
The board on Monday also formally changed Amber Holland's title to assessor and town clerk. Holland was hired as town clerk in March, with the additional duties of assessor's clerk. The assessor has since left, and Holland will step into her place on the Board of Assessors and sworn in that night by Moderator Seth Alexander, who is also a Select Board member. 
 
Also approved was changing the treasurer/tax collector position from hourly rate to salary. Haskins abstained from discussion and voting as his wife, Kelly Haskins, currently occupies the post.  
 
In other business, the board approved cemetery lots to Deborah A. Calnan and to Tracy and Ronald T. Pierce.

Tags: MassWorks grant,   road project,   

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Companion Corner: Ellie at No Paws Left Behind

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There is a spicy orange tabby looking for her new home.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home. 

Ellie is a 5-year-old domestic shorthair who has been at the shelter for about a month. Kennel assistant Claire Morin introduced us to her.

"The family's living situation was changing, and so they surrendered her on that day," she said.

Like a typical orange, Ellie can have a "spicy" side to her and may hiss or growl. But she is also in a shelter setting which can cause more stress.

"Ellie is a very sassy girl. She's been a little bit challenging to handle here because she hates all cats, so ideally she would want to be in a single-cat home," Morin said. "When we get her out, she enjoys being out, but she starts to smell the other cats that are here, and she becomes very antagonistic. The cats are antagonistic toward her as well, but overall she's a very sweet girl." 

While Ellie is not a fan of other cats, and since she is in a room with other cats, it can be hard to show off how great she can be without the stress.

Ellie is big on food and likes her wet treats. She also likes being brushed with a toothbrush.

"Ellie loves wet food, which she is devouring right now because it's lunchtime. She loves catnip. She loves being brushed with this giant toothbrush-like brush, and she loves treats," she said.

She can be in a home with older children who can understand her boundaries.

"Ellie would do beautifully if she was the only cat in the house. It would take her a few minutes to warm up with whoever adopts her."

She would also do best as the only one getting attention on her terms and to be respectful of her boundaries. But once out of the shelter setting she may find herself more comfortable and more loving with one-on-one attention. 

"We think she would do fantastic in a home where she was the only one getting the attention. She'd be much more comfortable on her own terms."

If you think Ellie could be your companion, be sure to fill out the form on the shelter's website and email or drop it off to No Paws Left Behind on Hodges Cross Road.

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