North Adams Seeks Input on School Project

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The community is being asked to weigh in on grade options for the Brayton/Greylock school project. 
 
A survey available at www.napsk12.org via SurveyMonkey offers two options to choose from —two elementary schools with Grades prekindergarten through 6 or one school with preK-2 and another with Grades 3-6.
 
The city has been engaged in a feasibility study for a new or renovated elementary school with the Massachusetts School Building Authority since 2022. As a result of this work so far, MSBA has given the city permission to consider the two different options for pursuing either a renovated or new elementary school on the west side of the city.
 
The NAPS School Building Committee is seeking community feedback about the options being considered and strongly encourages all community members to participate in the survey so their input can be included. 
 
Community forums on this topic will take place on Aug. 8 and Aug. 22 at a time and place to be announced. More information about the forums will be available on the district website and through North Adams Public Schools social media.  
 
Regardless of the option selected, the school project will, through redistricting, impact all elementary school students by changing where they attend school in grades preK-6. This project will not affect the grades currently taught at Drury High School, which are Grades 7 through 12.
 
The School Building Committee meetings are open to the public and the next scheduled meeting will be on Aug.15 at 4:30 pm via zoom. Additional information can be found at www.napsk12.org.

Tags: brayton/greylock project,   school project,   

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North Adams Takes Possession of Historic Church Street Houses

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The porch collapsed on 116 Church several years ago. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The state Land Court in February finalized the city's tax taking of four properties including the brick Church Street mansions.
 
The prestigious pair of Queen Anne mansions had been owned by Franklin E. Perras Jr., who died in 2017 at age 79. 
 
The properties had been in court for four years as attempts were made repeatedly to find Perras' heirs, including a son, Christopher. According to court filings, Christopher reportedly died in 2013 but his place of death is unknown, as is the location (or existence) of two grandchildren listed in Perras' obituary. 
 
Mayor Jennifer Macksey said the next steps will be to develop requests for proposals for the properties to sell them off. 
 
She credited Governor's Councillor Tara Jacobs for bringing the lingering tax takings to the Land Court's attention. Jacobs said she'd asked about the status of the properties and a few days later they were signed off. 
 
It wasn't just the four North Adams properties — the cases for three Perras holdings in Lanesborough that also had been in the court for years were closed, including Keeler Island. Another property on Holmes Road in Hinsdale is still in the court.  
 
The buildings at 116, 124 and 130 Church St., and a vacant lot on Arnold Place had been in tax title since 2017 when the city placed $12,000 in liens. 
 
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