Michael Nuvallie updated Community and Economic Advisory Board on the process of various grants and the appointment of the permanent part-time planner.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Michael Nuvallie of the Community Development Office revealed at Community and Economic Development Advisory Board meeting on Tuesday that Mackenzie Greer of the Berkshire Regional Planning Committee will take over as the permanent part-time planner.

 

Greer, a Lanesborough resident, will work with the planning and zoning boards to put the city's master plan into action.

 

She was selected by Mayor Richard Alcombright, Zoning Board Chairman Donald Pecor, Planning Board Chairman Michael Leary and Nuvallie.

 

Nuvallie said she's worked with many communities, as well as North Adams, including work with the skate park study.

 

"She's been working now, for however many years she's been at the BRPC, working with all these communities, building plans and doing these different things, and for her bringing them to a point and never seeing them through. You know, never being able to say, 'alright I've done all this but now I want to bring it to the next level, make it happen.'"

 

Nuvallie said the city is in the final segment of its master planning process, hoping to finish it by the end of the calendar year.

 

Greer will leave BRPC and begin to working roughly 20 to 30 hours per week for the city starting in August, funded by this year's Community Development Block Grant, which the city has yet to receive.

 

"In theory we're supposed to have known by July 1 whether or not we got our $900,000 grant," Nuvallie said. "True to form, [Housing and Community Development] is a little behind schedule."

 

Hiring Greer is just one of many project the Community and Economic Advisory Board is looking to do with CDBG funds. The biggest project next year eyed to be funded through CDBG funds is continuing renovations on the Armory, an ongoing project that's seen many phases for renovations. 

 

Currently, the first floor offices are ready and most of the upstairs is complete. This year's expected $400,000 upgrades include finishing the second floor and start work on the basement — which needs pipe work and American With Disabilities Act compliance.

 

Nuvallie said he thinks next summer the discussions on programming and tenants "really kick in," but first-floor tenants can begin.

 

Other expenses from the fiscal year 2013 block grants includes $50,000 in a social service campaign, $42,000 for the site selection and design of a skate park, demolishing five more abandoned, unsafe buildings, and meeting ADA compliance for the bathrooms at the Alcombright Athletic Complex.

 

In other grant news, the Historical Commission received $20,000 to work on updating and digitizing its site inventory.

 

As for the MassWorks grant to help renovate the Western Gateway Heritage State Park, the mayor heard back from Secretary Greg Bialecki on the status of the grant and it remains under review.