Deerfield panel advances St. James hazmat removal RFP
Other Committee · Meeting of June 17, 2026
Deerfield's Ad Hoc Senior Housing Committee advanced a hazardous-materials removal bid for the former St. James rectory and previewed a state ADU tool with a septic-system blind spot. Committee member Carolyn Ness said the Select Board approved pursuing the removal RFP, with consultant Christopher Dunn's draft folding in Brownfield-study hazmat findings before publication, held until developers respond by July 9.
Members Lily Dwight and Pam Predmore joined Ness in a unanimous 3-0 roll call approving June 10 minutes and later adjourning at 6 p.m. Guest Sharon Pechora, a Franklin County Sheriff's Department Triad volunteer, said "I'm really worried about people not being able to heat their homes this winter" echoed Ness, who is separately pitching state Sen. Jo Comerford's office on a farmland set-aside for future senior-housing units.
Ness cited Northampton's 90-unit project on under 1.5 acres to argue Deerfield's site could support roughly 30 units.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,666 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of June 17, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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