The Select Board met at Town Hall for the first time since closing in early March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some board members and staff have been in the building, the meetings had been held remotely.
Clarksburg Sets Special Town Meeting for PILOT Authorization
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town hopes to come to an agreement with two solar installations for payment in lieu of taxes.
The Select Board will need authorization to enter into any PILOT and a special town meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m. at the Senior Center for that vote.
"The town has to say, yes, you have permission to enter into an agreement," Town Assessor Ross Vivori told the Select Board on Wednesday. "Once that's in place, it should be good for future stuff that comes up as well."
There are two large commercial arrays off River Road and a third off Gravel Bank Road. Only one, Clean Energy Collective on River Road, has already agreed to a PILOT.
Vivori explained that there were two assessing elements to the arrays: one is the real estate underneath them that can be assessed as industrial and the personal property side — mountings, panels, inverters, etc.
"The law hasn't caught up with a lot of this stuff yet," he said. "The law was so broadly written that, technically, they're exempt from personal property tax on installed equipment."
Several towns had attempted to tax arrays but a ruling by the Appellate Tax Board has found in favor of industrial solar based on the state law.
The town has been frustrated in trying to develop agreements with the two arrays. The Planning Board balked at expanding the current solar overlay zone largely because it felt the town was getting no benefit from the industrial power generators.
Last year, the Select Board voted to bill the arrays but, as Vivori predicted at the time, both appealed to the tax board, which found in their favor.
However, in negotiating the abatements, the arrays indicated they may be agreeable to PILOTs.
The details are still being worked out but Vivori estimated the town could get around $10,000 annually for 20 years.
"It's not huge money but it's either this or nothing," he said.
In other business, Town Administrator Rebecca Stone reported that she has been working on several grants, including a MassWorks grant for improvements on Middle Road. She said she will be reaching out to surrounding communities and the state of Vermont to help "beef up" the application. Middle and River roads are main roads into Vermont.
• The new fire alarm system at Town Hall has been completed. It was last upgraded in 1973. Weatherization is still being worked on.
• The town garage addition and renovation has been pushed back because of availability of materials.
• The town has renewed its search for an administrative assistant and is now accepting applications. The town also needs someone to fill a vacant seat on the three-person Board of Assessors.
• New England Regional Dispensaries, planned for 34 Cross Road, will be holding a community outreach meeting on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. at the Senior Center. Representatives of the proposed pot production greenhouse and retail outlet will hear residents' concerns and answer questions.
• The next meeting of the Select Board will be Wednesday, Aug. 12.
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Teacher of the Month: Cindy Chevett
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
Cindy Chevett has been with Head Start her entire career. She says teaching is challenging but also very rewarding.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County Head Start preschool teacher Cindy Chevett has been selected as the August Teacher of the Month.
The Teacher of the Month series, in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, will run for the next nine months and will feature distinguished teachers nominated by community members. You can nominate a teacher here.
To Chevett, the best part of being a teacher is seeing her students achieve even just the little things, such as writing the letter E or their name.
"It is the best job ever," she says with a smile and tears in her eyes as she says, "I love seeing them achieve."
She said although teaching can be challenging, the classroom environment is very fun and the job is very rewarding.
"There's children that come in and can't really speak so that you can understand them, and modeling, and when they leave the classroom, you can understand them. That was one of my best achievements with the child," Chevett said.
In Chevett's classroom, the students take control of their learning, instilling in them a love of learning.
The game-winning rally started when Pittsfield junior Jack Abel led off by crushing a 1-1 pitch to left-center and racing all the way to third base, sliding in just ahead of the tag to give the Generals a sterling scoring opportunity. click for more
The Pittsfield baseball team Saturday rallied for five runs in the top of the sixth inning to break a 5-5 tie and went on to a 12-5 win over Clinton in the quarter-finals of the Division 4 State Tournament. click for more
Amanda Pou was named the most valuable player of the regional final after striking out four and walking none in a complete-game effort in the circle. She also ripped a two-run double in Pittsfield’s four-run fourth-inning rally to break open a scoreless game. click for more