Adams Historical Commission Talks Susan B. Anthony Signage

The Historical Commission is hoping to raise Susan B. Anthony's profile with better signage.

ADAMS, Mass. — Susan B. Anthony may be getting more visibility in the town of her birth.

The Historical Commission met Wednesday afternoon with commission liaison Selectman Joseph Nowak to discuss signage that would make tourists more aware of the civil rights activist.

"I just think Susan B. Anthony being so prominent in our history, there should be a little more focus put on her in this community," Nowak said.

Anthony was born at the family home on East Road in 1820; her family later moved but the house was converted into a museum about her a number of years ago.

Nowak said there has been additions to the "Welcome to Adams" signs that notify people driving through that Adams is the birthplace of Anthony, but Nowak advocated for something with more information on it that is "historic looking in nature."

"I'd like to see some really classy signs when you come into Adams saying 'This is The Birthplace of Susan B. Anthony,' " Nowak said. "It would be nice to have a plaque with a picture of her that tells a little bit of history because it is certainly a drawing card."

Commissioner Eugene Michalenko said the birthplace museum has been pushing for more signage and he attributed much of the neglect of Anthony to conflict between the town and past managers of the museum.

Nowak said he thinks a lot of the conflict came from the strong pro-life stance the museum's organizers felt was representative of Anthony, a newspaper editor and women's suffrage advocate.

Chairman Ryan Biros said this perspective has diminished with new management.

"They are trying to, not bury it, but get a little bit away from it," he said.

The commission agreed with a new town administrator they may be able to rekindle the conversation.

Nowak also asked the commission if they would be opposed to installing a lightning rod on the 1782 Quaker Meeting House (which Anthony attended) in the Maple Street Cemetery to prevent any damage to the building.

"It would just be a shame if it ever got hit by lightning, and … it's out there in the open," Nowak said. "I don't think it would be anything too intrusive that would diminish the character of the house."

The commissioners agreed it was a good idea and said they would look into it.

Cheshire Rejects Override, Votes Reduced School Budget

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:32AM / Tuesday, August 13, 2024

The decision to vote on the budget by secret ballot on Monday night was overwhelming. An override to fund the school budget failed in Monday's election. 

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Voters on Monday rejected a Proposition 2 1/2 override and passed a motion that would level fund the town's fiscal 2025 school assessment.

 

They also voted down a debt exclusion to purchase a $67,000 police cruiser 228-267, but approved an exclusion for an $850,000 fire truck 296-200. An article to separate the positions of town tax collector and treasurer failed 230-261.

 

All four questions had passed at the annual town meeting.

 

Question 1 on the warrant would have added $150,534 to the town's levy limit to cover the town's $3 million portion of the $23 million Hoosac Valley Regional School budget.

 

The question failed 141-355. At the special town meeting following the vote, Selectmen Chair Shawn McGrath motioned to level fund the assessment at $2,948,462, the same assessment as last year, and that passed 47-20 on a secret ballot.

 

The failure of the school budget means the School Committee has the choice to make cuts or resubmit its budget to a districtwide vote. The budget passed in Adams, the other town in the two-town school district.

 

Hoosac Valley's Business Manager Erika Snyder said the school district will request a meeting of all voters in the school district, which would decide the budget by majority vote.