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North Adams Council Moving Forward With New DPW Building
By Tammy Daniels, iBerkshires Staff
12:25AM / Wednesday, September 14, 2016
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The City Council voted 7-1 to enter into a purchase-and-sale agreement to buy the former anodizing plant at 59 Hodges Cross Road.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city will enter into a purchase-and-sales agreement to purchase the former Berkshire Anodizing plant.

Tuesday's vote by the City Council comes after three weeks of debates over the cost and condition of the 85,000 square-foot shell building the administration plans to turn into a public services building.

Mayor Richard Alcombright had presented the proposal as a way to consolidate the several public works departments that are now operating out of obsolete, aged and deteriorating structures around the city.

The results of the vote weren't too surprising Tuesday, although some councilors had expressed more concern about the cost of the building at $995,000, than the half-million additional to renovate the space.

"I'm strongly in favor of this purchase," said Councilor Eric Buddington. "From everything I know, I think it's providing something very much needed. I think it will in the long term provide us reliability of equipment and save us money from consolidating services from one building."

Several other councilors have spoken out in the support of the purchase, noting Public Services Commissioner Timothy Lescarbeau's estimates to build new — and take care of only some of the departments — were $3 million or more.

And a tour of the current facilities — some dating to the late 1800s — brought councilors face to face with the conditions some 25 public works employees have deal with every day.

"Councilor [Nancy] Bullett hit the nail more about why we need a new facility, and it's really about a safety issue," said Councilor Keith Bona, referring to Bullett's statements at Monday's Finance Committee meeting. "We have many employees working in very unsafe conditions.

"I think if these were buildings elsewhere, I think the city wouldn't be allowing them to stay open."

Councilor Joshua Moran read a letter from Jason Moran, a local contractor and chairman of the Conservation Commission, who stated his support for the purchase. "The total price for this project and the work required to outfit for use of the DPW facility appears to be a great deal for the city of North Adams."

A number of residents, however, have been objecting to the price for the 50-year-old building at meetings and by contacting councilors. Resident Mark Trottier called for the council to put the purchase to a public vote in November. "I think we're paying way too much for it," he said.

Councilor Robert M. Moulton Jr. was the lone vote against. He said he'd weighed the pros and cons and while the space, location and consolidation were strong pluses, he couldn't get over the price and the loss of a potential tax-paying employer moving into the building.

Picking up on real estate agent Nathan Girard comment's on Monday that a client bringing in 100 jobs had passed on the building largely because of water issues, Moulton said the city should let the plant stay in the private sector.

"It concerns me that we've lost a 100 jobs ...to lose 100 jobs is real significant," Moulton said, adding he'd rather the city had spent money helping a business come in. And the city paying $107,000 for the seller to do work on it pushed the price above the appraised value. "This is definitely advantageous to the buyer ... I think the price is still too high."

Alcombright said he had not heard of the jobs or water issues until mentioned Monday, and seemed skeptical owner Arthur Grodd would not have contacted him if it was a serious offer.

On the other hand, he said, there are private concerns interested in the current City Yard, which is a prime location on Ashland Street.

"Something that would provide services, jobs and pay taxes," Alcombright said. "The real thing is [the plant] provides us a real solution, provides a safe and more productive place for us to work."

Councilor Lisa Blackmer, who also expressed dissatisfaction with the price, said she would vote for it after speaking with knowledgeable people outside the city.

"I still think we're overpaying for it," she said, adding that the anodizing building also had rot and other issues that will have to be addressed.

The vote came after about a half-hour of discussion. Councilor Kate Merrigan was absent.

Alcombright said he would be coming forward with a financing plan for approval once several conditions, including environmental testing, were completed.

Bona reminded the audience and viewers that this was not a done deal.  

"Something can come up and the council can pull back on the funding," he said. "Approving this is not our final OK."

In other business:

• The council confirmed Allyson Holmes, an attorney with Smith Green & Gold who formerly worked in municipal law for the city of Boston, to an unexpired term on the Planning Board to end Feb. 1. Holmes replaces Joanne DeRose, who is moving to Williamstown.

• Heard presentations from Amanda Chilson of Mass in Motion on the city's Complete Streets program related to walking and biking to school and from Kathy and Joseph Arabia on Child Cancer Awareness Month, for which the mayor read a proclamation.
 

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