NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The library trustees are leery of drawing down the Cariddi bequest to cover repairs to the belvedere on the historic Blackinton Mansion. 

 

They also want to better informed on the city's decisions regarding grants and restoration work. 

 

Chair Tara Jacobs said at Thursday's meeting she had spoken that day with Mayor Jennifer Macksey and administration officials regarding a $75,000 grant from Massachusetts Historical Commission and the timeline on the work for the library's tower. 

 

"I requested that the trustees become far more involved in this process and updated more regularly," she said. "I asked the mayor first, at that meeting, to set a regular series of involved meetings to stay connected on what's happening."

 

Jacobs said the mayor was apologetic for not looping them in earlier. She also asked for a revision on the letter amended to the grant as it is signed by a person who has not been chair, or on the board of trustees, for some years. 

 

The engineer with the project is now tentatively scheduled to attend the trustees' January meeting to provide a review of the design work, the plans and the next steps in the process. 

 

Jacobs said she thought the timeline for repairs was optimistic.