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Adams Board of Health May Enhance Signage at Transfer Station

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — The town will pursue a state recycling program that will provide it with better signage to promote the transfer station.
 
Board of Health member David Rhoads told the rest of the board last week that he recently attended the Mass Recycling Center Workshop where he was updated on initiatives available to communities to help promote recycling.
 
"They discussed the promotion of recycling within a town," he said. "Effective recycling and reduction of trash as well as signage."
 
The town reopened its recycling center as a full transfer station last year. Town officials have said they want to advertise the transfer station and attract more users.
 
Rhoads said this program could provide signage to help with this endeavor and also make the station more user-friendly.
 
"We can also get signage for the transfer station so that is something that we can apply for," he said. "Our transfer station is in need of some direction and instruction."
 
In other business, the board heard from resident Bill Martischnig who had concerns about what's left of 60 Maple St.
 
"It is all wide open and nothing is fenced off from the sidewalk or passers-by," Martischnig said. "Stuff falls off the roof when the wind blows … it's all wide open on top and you can see stuff moving up there."
 
Both Adams and Cheshire firefighters responded to the April fire that engulfed the century-old four-unit building. The fire forced out three families and killed at least three pets. 
 
Code Enforcement Officer Thomas Romaniak said the town cannot really do anything until the insurance companies complete their findings.
  
"I am sure something will be done but we can't do anything until the insurance companies finish," he said. "It still may be tied up in that."
 
Board of Health member Bruce Shepley added that the property actually falls under the building inspector's purview.
 
"I feel that we always pass the buck, but we can't speak on behalf of the building department," he said. "Our issues of safety are different."
 
The board moved through new and current cases and although they were able to close quite a few cases, Romaniak said he still has to figure out who dumped trash on a vacant lot on the corner of Melrose Street and Marmon Street.
 
"The guy that came in said someone was moving out and they just dumped there," he said. "I am trying to get a hold of the owner of the lot even though it is not his stuff. I am going to try to figure out who did it the best I can."
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Solar Carports Approved for Greylock Glen Outdoor Center

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — The Greylock Glen Outdoor Center will be getting its power from solar carports in the parking lot.
 
The Selectmen last month approved the design and siting of the 148-kilowatt solar array.
 
"We're attempting to do this without any investment essentially from the town, that is the goal of this," said Town Administrator Jay Green. "We're looking for an organization that can front the capital cost to install the solar."
 
Solar had always been part of the conversation around the outdoor center but as a separate construction from the building itself. It has included a cost benefit analysis to determine if solar was worth investing in. 
 
The town paid for an impact study of $11,100 by National Grid, required before the utility would give interconnection approval. The request for proposals was issued by PowerOptions of Boston, former state entity turned private not-for-profit that procures energy services nonprofit organizations and governmental entities.
 
"The [town] is a PowerOptions member and so ultimately, can choose to move forward under the provisions of the letter of intent and per the agreement between PowerOptions and Solect Energy as the winner of the solar RFP put out by PowerOptions a couple of years ago," Andreas Schmid of Solect Energy, in a presentation to the board on Sept. 18.  
 
"In terms of the panel capacity, things are a little flexible, so we could add a few more panels or take a few more panels out, as long as that AC system size."
 
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