ADAMS, Mass. — Town meeting members will decide nine articles at a special town meeting next week, including the disposition of the 72-year-old Memorial Building. 

 

It will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. at the Memorial Building, a former school building. 

 

Mackin Construction Co. Inc. of Greenfield plans to invest $11 million to build out 20 or more one- and two-bedroom apartments in the three-story classroom wing that parallels Columbia Street. 

 

Article 5 on the special town meeting warrant would authorize the Selectmen to sell the school to Michael Mackin for $50,000 and negotiate a 20-year lease with options to renew for a portion of the building that includes the gym and auditorium. The town has long planned to move the Council on Aging on the building and to continue to use it as a voting and meeting location. 

 

The former Adams Memorial Middle School was built in 1952 as a high school and was later an elementary school. It was closed in 2009 because of budgetary and building issues and reopened for a year during the renovation of Hoosac Valley High School.

 

The article was one of only two that were not held for further discussion or comment by the Selectmen at their meeting Nov. 20. The other was Article 6, a 10-year special tax assessment for the Adams Theater. 

 

Theater owner Yina Moore plans to invest $1.5 million in completing the Park Street theater for year-round use by 2026.

 

The exemption the first year would be 100 percent, followed by two years each of 75 percent, 50 and 25, and then 10 and 5 percent for the final years. The total value is estimated at $204,000.

 

Both were recommended by the Board of Selectmen, the first unanimously and the latter with one no vote and one abstention.

 

Article 1 on the warrant is perhaps the simplest. It asks town meeting members to approve a change in definition for an accessory building or use as being "subordinate or incidental" to the primary building or use, and being on the same lot or under common ownership on an adjacent lot. 

 

Article 2 is more expansive in replacing the current home occupations bylaw; it makes some occupations by-right to streamline applications but also extends the Zoning Board of Appeals' ability to consider factors such as neighborhood character.

 

Article 3 and 4 deal with establishing a stormwater bylaw and in imposing liens on those who violate their stormwater permits. Selectman Joseph Nowak was the lone no vote when the bylaw was first presented and again on recommending it to town meeting. He believed it too complex and difficult to understand and did not see how it would address climate change. He also voted no on giving the town the authority to place liens on scofflaws.

 

Article 7 sets the expenditure limit on the Greylock Glen revolving fund at $50,000. The fund was established by town meeting in June. The fund is replenished through rental fees and can be used for maintenance and upkeep. Nowak abstained from voting.

 

Article 8 authorizes the board to enter into a solar power purchase agreement for the Greylock Glen. Solect Energy will build, operate and maintain the system for 25 years, at which time the town can purchase the array, extend the contract or have it removed.

 

Article 9 is a citizen's petition for the town to present a home-rule petition to the Legislature to create a Greylock Glen commission. A commission has always been part of the planning for the glen but previous bills have died in committee. 

 

The Selectmen and the town administration has pushed through the development and officials say a commission will be in place once the outdoor center and proposed campground begin bringing in revenue.

 

Selectwoman Christine Hoyt held the article for discussion, saying the language was out of date. 

 

"I agree that we should have a Greylock Glen commission, but the language that is stated here is over five years old from a time period before we had a building, before we had things in place," she said. "I am actually concerned about some of the language that is listed here in the way that things progressed in the last five years."

 

Nowak asked what was specific about the language that had her concerned. Hoyt said she wanted to speak to the town's attorney before clarifying her concerns but she would bring those to the special town meeting. 

 

The citizen's petition did not require a vote to be placed on the warrant.