Dalton Select Board May Forgive Back Taxes for 463 High St.

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board voted last week to forgive about $8,000 in back taxes and fees for 463 High St. — but not without some stipulations.

If the receiver, Adam Oliveri, sends a letter of commitment to remain the receiver of the property, the board agrees to forgive the back taxes because it is under $10,000 and the costs are more than the assessed value of the property. 

A revised demolition quote of $52,975 is more than the land assessment of $46,400, so the waiving of the back taxes is the town's attempt to encourage the receiver not to back out. 

The single-family home has long-standing code violations that pose a serious risk to public health and is a safety hazard. 

It was considered abandoned by its owner and has been designated as unfit for human habitation for "violations of the State Sanitary Code including: lack of gas and electric utilities, unsafe roof structure and the property being filled with trash and debris blocking means of egress.'" 

An asbestos survey suggested by a Housing Court judge was not done because Oliveri was concerned about the safety of the architectural engineer.

"The architectural engineer would need to enter at their own risk," Health Agent Agnes Witkowski said in an email communication with environmental analyst emergency response asbestos inspector Joanne Flescher. 

Oliveri was appointed as the receiver of the property on Aug. 24, 2022, by the Attorney General's office. He has accumulated more than $15,000 in lawyer fees because he had to go back and forth to Housing Court and clean the outside of the property. 

Former Fire Chief James Peltier and building inspector visited the house last year and said they were concerned with the floors being unsafe, Witkowski said. 

It took many years to get this receiver and the Attorney General's Office said it was difficult and unlikely to get another one, she continued. If the receiver backs out the town will be responsible for the demolition. 

Based on the emails between the town and the receiver, it looks as though he has already made the decision to back out, Select Board Chair Joseph Diver said.  

Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson described the waiving of the back taxes is a "Hail Mary."

But the board was concerned that a decision like this would set a precedent.

But Hutcheson said since the circumstances are unusual and the nominal profit is less than the cost of  doing the demolition, that narrows the precedent to an acceptable policy.

"I feel like if it's a Hail Mary and it will set a precedent, maybe it is not the best move. There is no guarantee of the outcome," Select Board member Dan Esko said.

A letter of commitment made the decision acceptable to a majority of board members.


Tags: demolition,   

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Belchertown Stops Pittsfield Post 68

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Belchertown Post 239’s Cooper Beckwith set the tone when he crushed the game’s first pitch to left-center field for a double.
 
The visitors went on to pound out 14 more hits in a 9-1 win over Pittsfield Post 68 in American Legion Baseball action at Buddy Pellerin Field on Monday night.
 
Beckwith went 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice, and Chase Earle went five innings on the mound without allowing an earned run as Post 239 improved to 15-0 this summer and completed a regular-season sweep of Post 68 (12-4).
 
“He’s a good pitcher,” Post 68 coach Rick Amuso said. “Good velo[city], kept the ball down. We didn’t respond.”
 
Pittsfield did manage to scratch out a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, when it already trailed, 7-0.
 
Nick Brindle reached on an error to start the inning. He moved up on a single by Jack Reed (2-for-2) and scored on a single to left by Cam Zerbato.
 
That was half the hits allowed by Earle, who struck out three before giving the ball to Alex West, who gave up a leadoff walk in the sixth and retired the next six batters he faced.
 
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