NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A presentation by Margo Jones Architects and Strategic Building Solutions on the proposed school building project to the City Council on Tuesday veered little from recent ones to the public and School Committee, and many of the questions covered similar ground.

City councilors and residents quizzed representatives on the costs, efficiency and process. The four options presented stem from a $680,000 feasibility study approved in 2008 that was required for any project approval and reimbursement by the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

The city is hoping the MSBA will allow a two-school project to fulfill the state's charge of finding educational solutions to 620 students. Of those options, the preferred one is the construction of a new Greylock School and the renovation of Conte Middle School, both to serve kindergarten through Grade 7.

But the proposed resurrection of the old Drury High School as an elementary school hasn't been welcomed by everyone.

"A fifth option does exist," said John Bedard of Meadow Street. "The same exact solution of the Greylock School by putting a new school at the Sullivan site."

Bedard said the West End has gotten new fields and lighting, and now would get a new school so its property values would go up. But the Kemp Avenue area would lose its neighborhood school and see its the property values go down. And he's argued that downtown Conte isn't safe or appropriate for younger children.

"I see this feasibility study as a last-ditch effort to save that building on Main Street," he said. "... this should be about the children ... anyone who says the children would be better off downtown is either an idiot or a liar."

Councilor Keith Bona, a member of the School Building Committee, said there was no expectation the feasibility study would find a solution in Conte, which was closed as a middle school in 2008.

"Clearly, we thought Conte was off the board," said Bona. "At no point was anyone given any instructions to save Conte ... We thought it was going to be too costly."

Kristian Whitsett of Margo Jones Architects also said Conte wasn't really considered an option but the architects were surprised to find it worked well with the "clustering" configuration for teaching and also offered a way to be "green" in terms of reuse.

The Sullivan site, too, had been studied extensively, he said, in terms of additions and building a new structure but the steep terrain around the site limited location, parking, bus drop-offs and "we couldn't figure out where to put the ballfield."

The SBA will only cover site work up to 8 percent of the construction

Renovating and adding on to the current school would mean five levels that would require children and residents going up and down stairs to get from one end of the school to the other, making it difficult for the gym to be used by the community.

Diane Parsons said she was "biased" against using Conte and council President Ronald Boucher, "a fan of neighborhood schools," asked if there was an option to build a new Greylock and fix up Sullivan if the SBA rejected a two-school project.

Wittseg said they couldn't "spend a little bit" on Sullivan because it would trigger more expensive renovations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Bedard was not convinced of the argument against Sullivan and was getting signatures on a petition to keep the school open.

Mayor Richard Alcombright said another public session on the project would be held on Tuesday, April 28, at 7 p.m. at Sullivan School.  "We need people, we need people to give their input."

In other business,

• The council approved a tax incentive agreement that would allow Scarafoni & Associates to purchase the North Adams Transcript building on American Legion Drive and renovate and lease it to the nonprofit Brien Center.

The agreement sets the property's assessment at $767,200, guaranteeing about $21,000 a year for the next 10 years. Abstaining from the discussion and vote were Councilors David Bond (who works for Scarafoni) and Keith Bona (who rents from Scarafoni).

• The council approved a transfer of $83,000 from the technology account to upgrade the city's aging servers, particularly for the Department of Public Safety. The transfer will leave $50,000 in the account, which is replenished through a percentage of the contract with Time Warner Cable.

Information technology officer Kathy Wall said last week that the funds would be used to replace equipment more than a decade old.

"It's hardware that's going to position us so we can handle all of the infrastructure we have now and in the future," Wall told the Finance Committee last week, including the coming installation of fiber optic in the region. "It's a smart purchase because it's going to let us look at our hardware ... it's looking at all of the infrastructure we have, all of the servers that we have. It is going to give us flexibility for technology coming down the road."

• Set a joint public hearing of the City Council and Planning Board on a proposed zoning change on Curran Highway for Monday, May 9, at 6 p.m.

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A man trying to an open art gallery found himself in the midst of an ongoing dispute Monday night over how businesses should be permitted in the city.

The Planning Board has been accepting letters of intent for conforming businesses opening in the appropriate zones but some planners and councilors think those businesses should be required to go through a more extensive site plan review. And if businesses don't need Planning Board approval, then why, asked others, is the board even getting letters?

Timothy Tague, son of the late photographer Bill Tague, who wants to open an art gallery at 16 Eagle St., became the case in point when Planners Joseph Gniadek and Wayne Wilkinson complained that his letter was skimpy on facts and "more like a memo."

"We have two letters tonight, both of who give very little in content whatsoever," said Wilkinson. "At least when we were doing site plan reviews, we would get specific information on signage, specifics on other items that were necessary — hours of operation, what they were going to be doing. 

"We're really getting, 'Hi, I'm opening for business.'"

Building Inspector William Meranti said the determination of who requires a site plan review was made through his office and in consultation with the Office of Community Development. With the administrative officer position still vacant, Meranti said he's been left to decide whether there's a change of use that the Planning Board should review.

"In this case, the determination is that it does not," he said of Tague's gallery. "This letter is simply for your information. Everyone that I've requested to send us something has sent us something at various stages."

How much information is provided varies, he said. "Typically, what I ask for are the bullet points on our checklist."

Planner Brian Miksic asked if something could be put together to elicit more information, even if only as a courtesy.

"If they are a by-right use and are not required by law to come before the Planning Board, what right do we have to tell them what information to bring to us," said Chairman Michael Leary. "That's the queston I would have."

It's also a question of money. Business owners submitting site plans are charged about $120 and must provide a package of parking, interior layouts, signage, hours, number of employees, and other information that once recorded can only be changed by petition to the board.

A confused Tague said he'd submitted what he thought was needed — he wasn't sure what his hours would be and he hadn't decided on a name yet. "Call it the Tague Gallery, if that's the name you want to give it," he said.

"I'm rehabbing the space ... it's time-consuming so I don't expect I'll be ready to open before June, maybe in May," he said. "That's as close as I can get for hours, probably later morning to early evening and closed on a weekday."

Planners said their complaints weren't specific to Tague but about the process.

Councilor Marie Harpin, liasion to the Planning Board who was sitting in the audience with Councilor Alan Marden, objected that the city was violating proper procedures by not following the site plan review process.

Harpin, who raised the issue at a City Council meeting two weeks ago, said the site plan review is supposed to be required at all times. Meranti said they'd discussed the issue before and "that's not the way it is."

Miksic noted the matter is before the city solicitor at the City Council. Harpin responded, "We should be going on the ordinances that are on the books until we get a ruling from the solicitor."

Chairman Michael Leary cut off discussion, saying the issue was already in the appropriate forum.

"We have been going by the recommendations of the city's Community Development Office, which issued recommendations when Mr. [Jay] Green was here based on his legal expertise in the area," he said.

In the end, the board voted 6-2 to accept Tague's letter and that from Sara Stefanik to open a social media and Internet consulting office at 47 Eagle St., with Wilkinson and Gniadek voting no. The vote had no bearing on either business's opening. Planner Donald Keagan was absent.

In other business:

• The board voted to approve 30 parking spots for customer vehicles for Berkshire Transmissions Inc. on condition owner Mark Piechowski remove a dozen unregistered vehicles parked behind a fence on the 758 Massachusetts Ave. property within the next 120 days.

Piechowski had requested more parking spots last month. A spike in customers had led to an overflowing lot of up to 40 vehicles, he said. "It's the most I've had in five years."

Planners had visited the site shortly before Monday's meeting. While they did not want to make it difficult for him to do business, they said the number of unregistered vehicles set aside for parts plus the trailers being used for parts storage were in violation of city ordinance.

The vehicles would have to be "completely hidden from public view," said Meranti. "Where you are it would be very difficult unless they were in a garage."

• The board signed a previously approved Form A mylar plan from Fred Thompson for American Financial Resources Inc. for property located on the westerly side of Brown Street, southerly side of Massachusetts Avenue and River Street, northerly of the Boston & Maine Railroad right of way that describes the existing parcels.

• The proliferation of businesses at the Beaver Street Mill that have not appeared before the board and the condition of the car wash behind Monroe Muffler were referred to the compliance committee.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — We know everybody is tired of street construction after last year, but it's not over yet.

A message from Albert Brighenti, project manager for Gagliarducci Construction Inc., says street work will start on April 25 along Eagle Street.

The work will include removing street lights, bases and sidewalks and installing new bases and conduits followed by sidewalk replacement.

Finishing work from last year will be continued, including relocating the fire hydrant at American Legion Drive and Main Street and, running counterclockwise through the city, removing bituminous patches and installing concrete sidewalk panels as required.

The process is expected to take three weeks. Pavement milling and overlay will begin in June.

The $2.2 million refurbishment of lighting, roads and sidewalks in the downtown began last spring. The bulk of the work was done through last fall and is considered 75 percent complete by state Department of Transportation.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The scene Friday night was in stark contrast to Richard Alcombright's announcement almost exactly two years ago that he would run for mayor.

Then it was three brave supporters and two reporters — and an impromptu lectern in his Williams Street living room.

How things have changed. On Friday, more than 75 people including community and business leaders crowded into the little Eagle Street Pocket Park and spilled onto the sidewalk to hear Alcombright sum up two years in office and plans for two more.

It's been a tough 16 months, he acknowledged.

"Upon taking office this country was still reeling from the first economic crisis since the Great Depression," Alcombright said. "During my debates with former Mayor [John] Barrett, he said that the next two years in the city of North Adams would be the most difficult since the 1930s — unquestionably, he was right."

The popular five-term city councilor knocked the state's longest-serving mayor out of the Corner Office in 2009; but victory has been tempered by the city's budgetary struggles. But it's a challenge the former banker said he loves.

Alcombright has been upfront on the fiscal shortfalls facing the state's smallest city. Rising costs and significant reductions in state aid over the past four years — some $2.2 million — has officials scrambling to close a $1 million budget gap and maintain services. Fisal 2012, he warned, "will be a turbulent ride."

Last year, Alcombright increased property taxes 10 percent, hiked water rates and instituted a sewer fee. He alluded to those efforts in his speech, saying citizens acknowledge the need to raise revenue.

"This city has accepted and understood the need to maintain services, and in order to do so, we needed to pay for those services," he said. "Until the state can fund communities again at a higher level, we need to take care of ourselves, we need to weather the storm."

He said he'd worked "tirelessly" to institute sound fiscal practices and pointed to partnerships with citizens and businesses, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and groups like the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, Partnership for North Adams, Develop North Adams and the local chambers of commerce.

He mentioned his efforts to create regional partnerships — a success that could be determined by the appearances at the rally of Williamstown Town Manager Peter Fohlin and Town Administrators Jonathan Butler of Adams and Michael Canales of Clarksburg. Also at the kickoff were Berkshire Chamber of Commerce President Michael Supranowicz and state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, along with City Councilors Keith Bona, Lisa Blackmer, David Lamarre, David Bond, Michael Bloom and Michael Boland.

Despite the fiscal difficulties, he said, "2010 was a year of the revitalization of the democratic process in North Adams with openness and participation in many levels."

From answering questions on Facebook (3,500 friends and counting) to reinvigorating subcommittees and boards, and engaging citizens, Alcombright said these efforts have "instilled a new and vibrant sense of commuity spirit and volunteerism." Citizens also felt free, he said, to vigorously oppose (if unsuccessfully) the proposed Super Walmart.

Looking forward, he pointed to continuing and beginning work on the armory, Windsor Lake, Historic Valley Park Campground, using events such as the upcoming Solid Sound Festival for future growth, and the pursuit of Green Community status and installations of cost-saving solar arrays at Drury High Scholl and the landfill and, of course, the development of Walmart on Curran Highway that is expected to spark development on the south end.

"Growth is the only catalyst that will ensure a healthy future for those that follow us," he said, and took a swipe at critics who have called the master plan proposal "useless." "I am very much commited to following through with our work toward a community master plan ... through public opinion, and strong governement and private partnership."

Alcombright was applauded several times before concluding his remarks. He hosted a reception next door at Desperados.

"Your support is what put me here, your support is what brings me back," he said, summing up his campaign. "And although we don't agree on all things, we have agreed on most things. And that's what brought me to this day."

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Mayor Richard Alcombright has made it clear before he's planning on a second term. On Friday, he'll make it official.

The mayor will have a formal announcement on his candidacy on Friday, April 8, at 5 p.m. in the new Eagle Street Pocket Park.

The former city councilor and McCann School Committee member was elected in November 2010, ousting Mayor John Barrett III, who was trying for a record 14th term. His re-election campaign kickoff is almost exactly two years to the day he first announced he would seek the office.

The mayoral election and that of the nine councilors will be held in November. So far, no one other candidate has announced his or her intention to run for the Corner Office.

A number of the city councilors are expected to run for re-election and council gadfly Robert Cardimino said in January he would mount a run for the council after being passed over for the vacant seat of just-elected state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi. David Lamarre, 2010's "10th councilor," was appointed to complete Cariddi's term; he said he would know by the time nomination papers are due whether he would run again.