CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday awarded the contract for paving and drainage improvements on south Middle Road.
Rifenburg Construction Inc. of Troy, N.Y., had the winning bid of $1,142,420.
The other four bids were Clayton G. Davenport Trucking of Greenfield, $1,373,700; Palmer Paving of Brewster, N.Y., $1,193,983; Warner Bros. of Sunderland, $1,280,782.50; and J.H. Maxymillian Inc. of Pittsfield, $1,470,056.
The estimate for the project was $1,113,165. Bids were opened on June 15 for review.
The town received a $1 million MassWorks grant last fall to address resurfacing and drainage from the Four Corners south to the town line. A couple years ago, another MassWorks grant provided funding to redo Middle Road from River Road to Wood Road.
The work will cover 3,950 feet, or about three-quarters of a mile.
Bidding documents anticipated a start date near the end of July.
"Our highway superintendent is working with them on a timeline of when to get started on that, and we will let everyone know when we have future updates on that," said Chair Daniel Haskins.
The board on Monday also formally changed Amber Holland's title to assessor and town clerk. Holland was hired as town clerk in March, with the additional duties of assessor's clerk. The assessor has since left, and Holland will step into her place on the Board of Assessors and sworn in that night by Moderator Seth Alexander, who is also a Select Board member.
Also approved was changing the treasurer/tax collector position from hourly rate to salary. Haskins abstained from discussion and voting as his wife, Kelly Haskins, currently occupies the post.
In other business, the board approved cemetery lots to Deborah A. Calnan and to Tracy and Ronald T. Pierce.
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North Adams Housing Authority Director Steps Down
Staff Reports
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Jennifer Hohn, the longtime executive director of the North Adams Housing Authority (NAHA), has stepped down after 24 years with the agency.
The Berkshire Eagle reported that Hohn resigned from her position on Thursday. The NAHA Board of Commissioners is currently developing a transition plan.
Her resignation follows rising tension between Hohn and the tenants association. Residents—particularly at the Spring and Ashland Park apartments—have raised specific concerns regarding building security, drug activity, and trespassers.
This summer, Tenants Association President Corey Fortin posted a video on social media demonstrating that door alarms in some of the buildings were not functioning.
Shortly after the video was posted, the tenants association's office was locked. Members alleged Hohn locked the space in retaliation, while Hohn maintained it was a matter of tenant safety. Hohn also stated that NAHA does not officially recognize the association because it has yet to go through official channels for certification—a claim the tenants association disputes.
The dispute culminated in plans for a formal grievance hearing between Hohn and the association. Both sides agreed to hold a meeting on Oct. 3, but the hearing had not yet been scheduled at the time of her resignation.
During her tenure as director, Hohn oversaw significant changes at NAHA, including expansion and the dissolution of Housing Opportunities Incorporated, a program founded over 30 years ago to assist first-time homebuyers. Most recently, she led efforts to transition NAHA properties from traditional public housing models to the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. She also directed the rebuilding of a Greylock Valley Apartments building after it was severely damaged by a fire.
The NAHA Board of Commissioners meets monthly, typically on Mondays.
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