Letter: Vote for Right Team for North Adams

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To the Editor:

Hi there! How many North Adams folks know that Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 7? How many residents realize that the current mayor is up for re-election? Luckily for us, the signs on the lawn of City Hall remind us of our civic duty.

Me, I voted early right there in City Hall, for nine members for City Council (phew!) plus the city mayor. I'm eager to earn bragging rights for electing the right team. Because, coming soon, North Adams will be reviewing the 10-year update to our Vision 2030 Comprehensive Plan.

We have made progress, despite the COVID-19 setback, and now we are looking ahead to a prosperous future. Vote, and get the right team on board in City Hall. Thank you.

Alice Bojanowski
North Adams, Mass.

 

 

 


Tags: election 2023,   


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North Adams Finance Committee Warned of Coming Sludge Costs

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Waste treatment plan supervisor Brad Furlon warned the Finance Committee last week to expect a future 500 percent increase in sludge disposal.
 
"Even though the district is still has the approval of suitability to apply compost to land, we no longer do it, primarily because of the contaminant, PFAs," he said. "Compost plant supplies is a $200,000 increase this year. There's no way around this cost whatsoever. ...
 
"Unfortunately, these costs are going to go up. They expect this sludge disposal cost in the next five to 10 years to increase 500 percent."
 
PFAs, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are considered "forever chemicals" because of how long it takes for them to breakdown. They are used in numerous products and have become endemic in air, soil and water.
 
The Hoosac Water Quality District, a shared regional waste treatment system between North Adams and Williamstown, had planned to accept sludge from other communities and sell off the resulting compost through waste hauler Casella. But that proposal ran into opposition; Williamstown has a citizens petition on its annual town meeting warrant this year that would prohibit the use of contaminated compost. 
 
The district is still producing compost, which has to be removed. 
 
"We had a backlog of about 2,500 yards of compost that was on site," Furlon said. "We worked on a plan to dispose of our compost. Even though the district is still has the approval of suitability to apply compost to land, we no longer do it, primarily because of the contaminant, PFAs. ... the most feasible way and economical that we looked at was to be able to take our compost to a landfill in Ontario, N.Y."
 
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