Have a the perfect Christmas tree on your property — that you'd like to get off it?

The city needs two big fir trees to bookend Main Street for the holiday season. The trees must be between 25 and 35 feet in height; they will be placed at the traffic island on near City Hall and at Monument Square.

The annual lighting is usually held the first week in December with caroling, cocoa, and music from the Drury High School band. Mr. and Mrs. Claus are also known to make an appearance.

Trees will be sought from the Northern Berkshire area through the first week of November. To donate a tree, call Fire Director Steve Meranti at 413-662-3103 or 413-662-3155. The latter number is available 24 hours a day. Leave a message and someone will return the call as soon as possible.

A city woman has left the North Adams Public Schools a $40,500 bequest to aid its enrichment programs.

Frances R. "Frankie" Jones was a Pittsfield native who spent most of her life in North Adams. She died last year at the age of 69.

Her estate donated the money to the Gateway Fund administered by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.

"We are so grateful to Frances Jones for her generous bequest," said James Montepare, superintendent of the North Adams Public Schools, in a statement. "Thanks to her, North Adams students will benefit for years to come with exceptional educational enrichment programs that might not otherwise be possible. In this era of budget cutbacks, the timing of her gift is especially welcome."

Some of the more recent projects aided with grants from the 8-year-old Gateway Fund were a digital photograhy book and a Kidspace residency.

Drury High School photography teacher Phoebe Pepper was given $1,000 to work with students on a high-quality book that incorporates original writing as well as images. The students will develop, write, edit and print stories inspired by their digital photos.

Kidspace, at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, also was awarded a $1,000 to have artist Portia Munson work in the schools with seventh-graders to create art installations at the schools and in empty storefronts in the city.

Berkshire Taconic established the Gateway Fund in 2002 and an advisory committee has built the endowment to more than $130,000 through contributions from the community. More than $25,000 has been awarded in grants since that time.

Jones was born in Pittsfield on Sept. 29, 1939, and moved to North Adams with her family as a child. She worked as a radiologist in the X-ray department of North Adams Regional Hospital for several years and was employed for 15 years in the Alumni Relations Mail Services Office of Williams College. Before retiring and becoming a full-time caregiver for her disabled sister, Dianne Petri, she was employed with Turbo Prop International Corp. She enjoyed gardening, decorating and traveling. Her husband of 32 years, Richard H. Jones, died in 1995.

To make a donation to the Gateway Fund, visit berkshiretaconic.org and click on "make a donation" or call 413-229-0370.

We don't have Mrs. Jones obituary listed, for some reason, and we'd like to know more about her and her family, and why they thought it was important to leave such a significant amount of money to help the city's schoolchildren. Post away!

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Department of Revenue has concluded its review of the city's financial management. The study was undertaken at the request of Mayor Alcombright after his taking office this year.

The report, not surprisingly, urges the city administration to come up with some long-term strategic plans to improve the financial structure. Other findings include "the most precipitous decline in population of any community in Berkshire County" that bode ill for its financial health, according to a summary letter from the mayor, who is expected to discuss the findings at Wednesday's City Council meeting.

The meeting was delayed a day to accommodate the Tuesday primary, during which City Councilor Gailanne Cariddi was elected the Democratic nominee for 1st Berkshire District. The council may also touch upon the replacements process for Cariddi, who will take her new seat halfway through her current council term.

Also on the crowded agenda is request to revise the classification and salaries for the new commissioner of public works and two related positions and discussion of  the takeover of the water treatment plant; amendments to the fire scale compensation plans; the appointment of Russel Durant to the Housing Authority, and the application of a taxi license for Kevin Delisle to drive for Lori Smith.

Among the review's findings was:
• The city's equalized property values per capita in 2008 were 34 percent of the state average of $165,919.
• The per capita income was $14,668, the ninth lowest in the state.

The DOR also looked over the responsibilities of the financial officers, coordination among boards and the performance of financial operations.

The city has been dealing with a massive budget caused by reductions in state funds and an agreement with the public unions on fully funding the health insurance plan. Special legislation was filed to allow the city to dip into land account reserves to reduce the budget gap, leaving it with limited cash assets.

The mayor said his administration has pushed forward with developing advisory and semi-autonomous economic groups; created a "Finance Team" and encouraged the Finance Committee to actively engage over the budget; made changes to budgeting, including building around revenues; and developed regular meetings between department heads to discuss cost savings. The DOR has recommended that these procedures be adopted as ordinance.

"[The director of accounts] commended this administration for the bold and tough moves that we made while dealing with our budget even as we face a structural deficit for FY2012 of over $1 million dollars," wrote Alcombright.

The report has 30 recommendations, including adopting long-range planning processes; consolidating operations; establish an audit committee; and review and revise the city's classification and compensation plans and review personnel ordinances and create an employee handbook.

It also advises reconsidering benefits for part-time board members — specifically insurance benefits — currently enjoyed my a number of board members. The benefits were adopted many years ago when medical insurance was far less costly than it is today. The discovery of the benefits during this particularly painful financial crisis has enraged a number of citizens who say their taxes shouldn't be raised to overly benefit others.

Alcombright said several months ago he wanted to work on the issue but because of the budget's June 30 deadline, it was too late this year to tackle the matter. It also, he said, would be unfair to peremptorily dump people off insurance to which they were currently entitled.

NA Financial Recommendations

The Planning Board on Monday accepted with no discussion a report by the Compliance Committee that found no issues with Tunnel City Auto.

Abuttor Susan Lefaver of 690 State Road and other neighbors have complained consistently about the automotive repair shop for some years, saying owner Mark J. Laveriere has failed to attain or maintain a number of conditions placed on the property.

Lefaver finally brought her complaints to the City Council last month, armed with photos, and had the matter referred back to the Planning Board.

Last month, Building Inspector William Meranti said he had been called to the property a number of times but other than mild violations - such as a car left for pickup past working hours - nothing was out of order. Some of the complaints of the shop being open past business hours seemed to center on the owner doing work on his own car, which was allowable, he said.

The Compliance Committee did a site check on Sept. 10 and found the garage substantially in compliance with the 30 conditions set by the board in 2002. The committee also found no issues with visibility on exiting Chantilly Avenue, another issue the neighbors have raised.

In other business during the brief meeting, the board:

Continued a hearing on the application of Thomas Snow, perating as Snoford LLC, to reopon the former Crystal Hard Hat at 176 Union St. as a tavern until Snow appears before the Licensing Committee.

Signed off on the aesthetics of a new privacy fence with black slats to replace a decripit stockade fence at Price Chopper on State Road; new signage for Mount Williams Greenhouse and the reopening of The Alley at 23 Eagle St. under David Atwell on condition that a signage plan be submitted.

The city is taking over the operation of its water treatment plant in hopes of saving $35,000 and resurrecting the long-vacant position of superintendent of public services.

A message from Mayor Richard Alcombright said the city will end its contract with United Water and beginning operating the Reservoir Road facility effective Oct. 1 and hire the plant's current manager, Timothy Lescarbeau, as superintendent of public services. The plant's operation and management has been contracted since its construction in 1992.

"This is one of the largest items in our budget. We took considerable time looking at the numbers to determine whether it's more cost effective to continue to outsource the operation or bring it in-house," said Alcombright in the statement. "We can effectively operate the plant and do it cheaper."

The mayor said he had "lengthy discussions" with the staff, the state and engineering consultants. The idea was also one of those discussed during Finance Committee meetings earlier this year.

The water system plant includes the Mount Williams and Notch Road reservoirs, the Greylock well, watersheds and dams, the treatment plant, three storage tanks, pumps and stations and 80 miles of pipes in North Adams, Clarksburg, Williamstown and Pownal, Vt. The treatment plant produced 601 million gallons of water last year.

The Water Division of the Public Services Department maintains the entire infrastructure with the exception of the plant. United Water has been paid about $285,000 a year to provide staff, chemicals, preventative maintenance, janitorial and office supplies, and other related items. The city is responsible for the cost of utilities and capitol-item replacements.

Alcombright has identified the city's aging infrastructure as a priority. Some pipes in the water system date back a century. Lescarbeau has been charged with doing a complete assessment of the city's infrastructure, developing a five- and 10-year capital improvement plans and reducing costs.
 
"Our infrastructure is deteriorating. Last year, we had over 20 water breaks and we haven't had any significant pipe replacement in over 10 years. Additionally, our sewer infrastructure still suffers from inflow and infiltration problems, which affects our Hoosac Water Quality District assessments," said the mayor. "As our infrastructure continues to age, reacting to these problems will not solve them — we need to be proactive and begin to develop solutions."

He said taking over the plant will aid in that endeavor. The budget for the plant will allow the hiring of two people for its operation and a superintendent of public services — a position that hasn't been filled in 20 years.

The last superintendent and city engineer was Gene Breda, who retired in 1990. The post has been filled part time by Guy LaBonte, who has been with the city since 1962.

"Guy's institutional knowledge is invaluable and it should be imparted to someone with an engineering background before Mr. LaBonte chooses to retire a second time," said the mayor. "As [retired Highway Superintendent] Leo Senecal did before him, Paul Markland spends the majority of his time keeping things maintained, addressing public concerns and supervising projects — it's a job requiring him, like Leo did, to wear many hats which does not allow time to think long term. Paul hasn't taken a vacation since he started."

Lescarbeau is a city native and holds a civil engineering degree from Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute. Alcombright said he also has the necessary licensing from the state Department of Environmental Protection, and the required background in managerial and engineering experience. He will be responsible for all infrastructure improvements, with emphasis on the Water Division, and all operations of the Public Services Department, including Water and Sewer, Parks and Recreation, Cemetery, Transfer Station and Engineering.

The duties are consistent with Chapter 7 of the city ordinances; the city's classification plan lists it as S-27 with a starting salary of $62,767 and max of $64,463.

"We are lucky to have someone with this experience who can step in and take on this huge responsibility," said Alcombright. Lescarbeau had applied for Senecal's job last year, he said. Markland, who got the job after also working in the Building Department, will continue as assistant superintendent, overseeing the city yard and field work.