The Recorder from Greenfield, Massachusetts • c3

Greenfield, Massachusetts The Recorder Monday, February 2, 2015 C3LOCAL REGIONAL Bedell Construction workers move to hose down dust during demolition of Putnam Hall in Orange on Saturday. they preserved the artwork that hung on the exterior of Putnam Hall. The hand-paint- ed panels, thought to be cre- ated by town schoolchildren, are being stored at Town Hall. Officials sure of exact- ly who created the pieces, but encourage anyone who knows its history to contact the Community Development Office at Town Hall. The parking lot in down- town, adjacent to Putnam Hall, is closed for the duration of the demolition.

The closure an inconvenient but neces- sary, safety measure will also provide needed space for construction equipment and workers. Local business owners say they understand the need for safety, but pleased about how the proj- ect is affecting clientele. When the cranes were brought in and put into place, access to the center of town was unavailable for some time. Paul Anderson, owner of Trail Head, was caught off guard by the interruption of traffic and said he was not notified before the equipment came in. Many residents are upset by the removal of the long-standing building, erect- ed in the 1870s.

The Orange Community Development Facebook page lit up with conversation regarding the fate. Residents have been posting pictures of the demolition and one local business, Tech 1 Computers, has a live camera relaying the building removal in real time on their website tech1comput- ers.com. Building Inspector Gale along with Kevin Kennedy, says there are no plans for development of the soon to be vacant lot at this time. J.R. Vinagro, the contractors on the job, will fill in the hole left by the building and how the lot will remain for the near future.

Kennedy says the building should be down and hauled away over the course of the next three weeks. Demolished: Orange landmark gone From Page 1 Bedell A crane chips away at Putnam Hall in Orange on Saturday. DEERFIELD Historic Deerfield Inc. has received a $6,000 grant to buy environ- mental monitoring equipment for the 12 histor- ic houses, collection storage areas and exhibition galleries in the Flynt Center of Early New England Life. col- lection of historic buildings and New England decora- tive arts is a treasure of the Connecticut River said Amanda Lange, Historic Curatorial Department director and project manager for the Preservation Assistance grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities grant.

grant will help ensure that these important struc- tures and objects are moni- tored and preserved with the latest technology for genera- tions to With more than 30,000 objects in the col- lection and 12 historic houses open to the public, the addi- tion of monitoring equipment with reporting and tracking capabilities will allow the museum staff to gain a better understanding of these envi- ronments, analyze that data using state-of-the-art online programs, and then make changes to improve these environments. The grant also provides training with a conservator on the use and placement of these monitoring devices as well as interpre- tation of this data by experi- enced professionals. Historic Deerfield gets $6K grant to monitor its collections NORTHFIELD The town has changed its collector for delinquent vehicle excise taxes. Effective immediately, deputy collector is Point Software. Residents are advised to stop sending checks or making EZPay online payments to Kevin Bolduc Enterprises.

Point Software can be reached at 413-526-9737. Northfield changes excise tax collector By BOB KATZEN Beacon Hill Roll Call BOSTON The House 45-109, voted against re-in- stating a rule that prohibits any member from serving as speaker for more than eight consecutive years. The rule was originally adopted by the House as part of a rules pack- age that was approved in 2009. There was not a specific roll call vote on the limit itself in 2009. elimination of the limit allows current House Speaker Robert DeLeo to run again for speaker in the 2017- 2018 session and beyond.

If the term limit had remained in place, this current 2015- 2016 session would have been last. DeLeo was a champion of the eight-year limit when it was approved in January 2009. He had just been elected as speak- er following the resignation of former Speaker Sal DiMasi, who is now serving time in a federal prison after being convicted of charges that he received $57,000 in payments from Cognos, a Canadian soft- ware company that he helped land nearly $20 million in state contracts. At the time, DeLeo told the Boston Globe that voters some- times are concerned about political figures getting stale and argued that term limits for the speaker shows opportunity for change. He con- tinued, important in a posi- tion such as speaker for there to be an opportunity for fresh ideas, and the only way you can ensure that is to put term limits on the DeLeo told reporters that his new position against term limits has during his six-year tenure as speaker that began in 2009.

say going back on my word as much as the fact that over six years, rightly or wrongly, I feel I have learned in terms of what the importance is of doing away with the term limits we have in the DeLeo told reporters. He highlighted some of the accom- plishments during his reign as speaker. members have approached me about the i a of staying on and complet- ing this type of work and i i this roll of suc- DeLeo said that every two years he and other House members take a look and decide whether to run for re-election to the House. He said the chatter that he sup- ported abolishing the limits so he could extend his reign is not true. He noted, state that this amendment was due to the fact I have some idea in mind that I want to be here for a certain period of time just true I look at it as important relative to the insti- tution and probably even more importantly for whomever the next speaker may Rep.

Garrett Bradley, D-Hingham, a key member of leadership team, said that term limits would make a speaker serving his final two years a lame duck. He noted that this would reduce the power in dealing with Gov. Charlie Baker and Senate President Stan Rosenberg. Rep. Jim Lyons, R-Andover, spoke in favor of the limits and criticized those who are flip-flopping on the issue.

He said, is supported by everyone until it becomes inconvenient. (Term limits) was a good move then (in 2009) and just as important Referring to the indict- ments and convictions of the three prior speakers, Charlie Flaherty, Tom Finneran and Sal DiMasi, Lyons said, much power in office, we know from history what that has done. So now that we understand that we should not go a Wilmot of Cause said that term lim- its are import- ant for legisla- tive leaders who are not elected state- wide but have statewide She con- tinued, limits restrict the amount of power than can be amassed by a leader and ensure predictable, stable tran- sitions of power. The fact that the current team is working well is not a reason to remove term Gov. Baker tried to stay above the fray.

a big believ- er in letting the House and the Senate make their own deci- sions with respect to how they want to manage their affairs, and make whatever (decision) they think makes sense for How local reps voted how local represen- tatives voted on the eight-year term limit. (A vote is for the eight- year term limit. A vote is against the limit.) Rep. Stephen Kulik No Rep. Paul Mark No Rep.

Susannah Lee Yes Copyright 2015 Beacon Hill Roll Call. All Rights Reserved. House repeals 8-year limit on serving as speaker of the house is supported by everyone until it becomes Rep. Jim Lyons R-Andover 33 16 88 9 No Problem Come in and ask about our Pay be combined with insurance or any other offer or discount 489 Bernardston Road Greenfield 772-5800 Save 15 to No Insurance coverage Still Offering Our Guarantee 38 BANK ROW, GREENFIELD 413-475-1310 The gift should take their breath away NOT THE PRICE! 33 13 39 7 33 17 25 8 Comfort You Can Count On 400 Chapman Street, Greenfield ma Sandri.COm 413-772-2121 Need a Fuel Delivery? Call Sandri Today! COmpeTiTive priCeS 24-7 emergeNCY ServiCe DeliverY equipmeNT iNSTallaTiON, repairS TuNe-upS HeaTiNg OilS prOpaNe pelleTS Ask About Our PrOmPt PAy multi-Fuel user Discounts! 33 18 45 2 Residential Commercial Pick Up Rug Wash Upholstery Insured Green Cleaning.