Lee — Town officials moved forward on August 20 with the purchase of 1185 Pleasant Street, formerly occupied by Daley & Sons Trucking, to serve as the town’s new Department of Public Works.
“I have to say this is actually a very important step for all of the townspeople,” said Select Board Chair Gordon Bailey, who signed the $3 million quitclaim deed on behalf of the town. The contract is in conjunction with Lee’s efforts to construct a public-safety complex as approved by voters earlier this year. That contract can be found here.
The tally for both the DPW and public-safety projects is about $36.7 million.
By relocating to the Pleasant Street site, the DPW will gain storage for the agency currently housed in a structure that has exceeded its life expectancy. “It’s probably the best location that the Department of Public Works has ever had as far as how new it is, how well it has all the features we need for a Department of Public Works building,” Bailey said of the Pleasant Street site.
At the meeting, with Select Board member Robert “Bob” Jones attending via Zoom, the group signed a letter of support to place a maximum of two Naloxbox sites on town property. The action was prompted by the local Kiwanis Club that is seeking a grant for the lifesaving project, with the medication used to reverse an opioid overdose. “We believe that taking proactive measures to address this crisis is essential for the health and safety of our residents,” Bailey said as he read the letter aloud.
Resident Kathy Hall agreed, calling the project “fabulous.”
The Naloxbox locations are yet to be determined.
The Select Board also approved Heather Perkins as a per diem firefighter/emergency medical technician to serve as a fill-in for department members on vacation or absent. Lee boasts a full-time firefighter staff along with volunteers, and Perkins’s experience includes serving with County Ambulance in Richmond.
Sean Regnier was appointed as an alternate to the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission’s executive committee, and Lee Police Department Officer Robert Wood was promoted to a vacant sergeant position within the agency.
Select Board members approved a temporary sign permit extension and waiver to the Lee Chamber of Commerce and Farmer’s Market; waived inspection fees for the Lee Youth Commission; and granted gas permits at 40 Prospect and 105 Canal streets.
