Adams Officials Tour Curtis Paper Mill
ADAMS, Mass. — The town is currently in legal negotiation with the owners of the former Curtis Paper Mill.
At Wednesday night's Selectmen meeting, Chairman John Duval said he along with the health and building inspectors toured the Howland Avenue mill that the town is currently going through the process of taking for unpaid taxes.
"I don't want to get into too much of this because it's a legal matter, but we went through the whole building … there are negotiations going on in regards to the site but no decision has been made," Duval said. "I have concerns with what I saw that the Dellaghelfas are aware of and further discussion will happen with legal counsel form both sides."
The town officially began the process of taking the property last year and pulled MJD Real Estate's operating permits. Owners Norman Dellaghelfa Jr. and Roberta Dellaghelfa, who used the facility for their trucking business, owe the town more than $450,000 in unpaid real estate and personal property taxes.
Earlier that day, the Board of Health held a meeting during which members voted to close the issue per Health Inspector Thomas Romaniak's recommendation.
"Although the flag was raised and brought to us, what part of this currently falls under our jurisdiction?" board member Bruce Shepley asked. "There is nothing we can really do today, and I have no problem placing this on the back burner and if something comes up we can always start over."
The Board of Health was brought into the process after residents complained of debris and dumpsters on the premises.
Romaniak said much of this has been cleaned up.
"A lot of the outside has been cleaned up and most of the cars are gone," he said. "There are still a few things but a lot of the stuff that was there is gone."
Romaniak added that he still had major concerns about the interior of the building but at this point in time there is little that board has the power to do.
"We went through the building and it is a mess," he said. "It is going to take a lot to get it back up and I think we will need federal or state money."
Romaniak said it will likely be some time before the town can take the property and the town is working to secure the premises.
He agreed that there still appeared to be some sort of activity on the property, however, this does not fall under the board's authority.
"I don't have answers to those questions and I do not completely know the situation," he said. "But that falls under zoning."
Tags: delinquent taxes, mills,
