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The recently resurrected ski club at Hoosac Valley High has more than a dozen participants this year.

Hoosac Valley Ski And Snowboarding Club Returns

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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CHESHIRE, Mass. — There may not be any snow for the cross country skiers, but the Hoosac Valley High School ski and snowboarding club has found luck on higher ground. 

For the past three weeks, Hoosac Valley snow enthusiasts have made their way up to Berkshire East in Charlemont.

Club organizer and physical education teacher Jason Sniezek said he wanted to bring the program back to give students more sports options.

"I wanted to start it up to give kids something different to do during the winter," Sniezek said. "Basically, all they have is basketball."

He said it has been nearly 12 years since the school has hosted a ski program.

"Luckily this year the principal was on board with it, and I just organized it and we ended up 14 kids this year," he said. "Hopefully we can grow next year."

Sniezek said the students pay for their ski time and Berkshire East provides them with discounts, even on rentals and lessons.

They get free range of the mountain, but he has no interest in becoming more than a club.

"It's just a casual outing. The kids are on their own on the mountain, and they can go ski and snowboard and we meet back up at 8," he said. "It’s just a good social outing and all around fun. ... The kids are having a blast."


Tags: ACRSD,   Hoosac Valley,   skiing,   

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Adams Clerk, Treasurer & Assessor Ask Request Raises

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen has begun a deep review of the fiscal 2026 budget of $19,548,441, up $717,916, or 3.7 percent over this year.
 
The annual budget workshops started with a preliminary review and presentation of the budget books last week and continued on Tuesday with the Executive, Finance and Technology and General Government sections. 
 
That included the elected town clerk, assessor and treasurer/collector who all asked for a 5 percent raise to start bringing their salaries closer to other department heads and citing increased responsibilities and workloads in their offices.
 
Each began with reading a statement that they had emailed interim Town Administrator Kenneth Walto, Chair John Duval and Finance Director Ashley Satko on Feb. 27 requesting the raises that would amount to $7,000 total in the budget.
 
"This 5 percent increase would help to align these three positions with the salaries of the other department heads throughout the town of Adams. The average of these other department positions is approximately $89,000," said Assessor Paula Grover. "It would bring our salaries to $81,933, which is still well below the average salary."
 
Town Clerk Haley Meczywor said, "this disparity raises questions about fairness and equally, the allocation of resources." 
 
Treasurer Kelly F. Rice noted that raises of between 4 and 10 percent had been given to other departments and positions, above the regular 2 percent cost of living. 
 
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