As 2021 fades in the rear-view mirror, town officials in western Franklin County are looking ahead to the issues, concerns and celebrations anticipated in 2022.
Today’s look ahead covers the towns of Hawley, Heath, Shelburne and Rowe. See Monday’s edition for news about Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont and Colrain.
“I would say the biggest concern for the town is, as usual, going to be bringing the taxpayers a budget that’s workable and doesn’t reflect too high of an increase during these difficult times,” said Selectboard Chair Hussein Hamdan. “Costs have gone up over the past two years even as we’ve kept services level.”
Some of those costs are out of the town’s control, including the rising tab for health insurance and employee benefits.
“And there is, of course, the school budget, which is always a moving target,” Hamdan said.
He is also hopeful that the broadband project, which has already seen a significant rollout in Hawley, will be expanded to cover the remaining residents not covered yet.
“I’d call that a positive situation,” Hamdan said. “This has been a huge benefit for Hawley’s population.”
One big and potentially transforming project regards ambulance service. Hamdan said town officials are “looking to expand our relationships with other providers of ambulance service, since the relationship with Charlemont ended in the fall.”
“We have a very strong mutual aid arrangement with a number of providers and are involved in talks with a private entity, the Prime Semi Group, operating under auspices of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, which is interested in setting up a private ambulance service to serve the town and surrounding area,” he said.
The enterprise would not be an income-generator, nor would it cost the town money.
“This is a different kind of ambulance with an emphasis on data communications and infection control in response to the pandemic, but can also provide conventional ambulance service,” said Hamdan, adding that as part of the project officials are working to establish a testing and vaccination site in Hawley.
“We urge residents to stay safe and exercise common sense,” he said. In the coming weeks, emergency services personnel will offer COVID-19 test kits to families. Hamdan advises residents to monitor the town website for information and expect a phone call that will let folks know when they can pick up the kits.
In other news, the Fire Department received a $17,000 state grant to buy a new all-terrain vehicle for forest rescues. Officials are also starting to consider applying for grants to design and build an extension to the existing Fire Station, which was built in the 1980s and is “a lot smaller than current needs require,” according to Hamdan.
Finally, Hawley is seeing a personnel transition as longtime Town Clerk Pamela Shrimpton has stepped down due to moving out of town. Liz Billings has been appointed town clerk until the May election. Hamdan said the post of administrative assistant is also being reshuffled.
The town continues to determine some exact needs, but Town Coordinator Hilma Sumner noted that this year officials hope a bridge on the north end of Route 8A will be replaced. The town has been awarded a $500,000 state grant and design work is underway. However, due to inflated construction costs, estimates for the work now exceed the amount of the grant and the town will have to “come up with additional money or hope that bids come in lower than the estimates,” she said.
Heath also just reached an agreement for a long-term lease with Hilltown Youth Theatre for three rooms in the former Heath Elementary School building and shared use of the common spaces — a gymnasium, a stage and an atrium.
In addition, town offices will be relocated to the school building, where Sumner said “there is proper ventilation (and) enlarged space for work, storage and meeting with the public as needed.”
While Executive Secretary Janice Boudreau doesn’t see any one “big” issue in her town, a few “prominent” concerns come to mind.
“With an aging population, we see difficulties with having enough volunteers to serve on various boards and committees,” she said. “The complexity of mandates and requirements are intimidating potential volunteers. Contributing to the problem is the lack of available and affordable housing — affecting the ability of a younger population who can settle in the area, providing a pool of people who would be willing and able to serve.
“The training requirements for emergency services such as police, fire and EMTs are making it nearly impossible for small towns to comply financially,” she continued. “In my opinion, towns are going to work together to regionalize services in the coming years.”
In addition, Boudreau said, given the town’s remote location, “it is getting more challenging to service needs of the aging population as well and help them stay safely in their homes.”
“Some agencies will not come out this far,” she said. “There are not enough workers to provide services.”
Boudreau said, too, that “as always,” the cost to maintain roads for small towns due to increased costs of materials and travel “is an ongoing issue and one of the biggest.”
“We are working with the Finance Committee to address a long-term plan,” she said.
Selectboard member Andrew Baker looks forward to “a productive” year with many projects percolating.
Whether the Greater Shelburne Falls Area Business Association will be expanded or another organization formed to replace it remains a question.
A “visioning summit” is being planned this winter to draw people together as a follow-up to the Local Rapid Recovery Planning Program grant project and to “see what might emerge,” Baker said.
The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) has also applied for a grant that could help develop a new organization.
Another big project is whether the town can develop a “pocket park” on the former Singley building lot on Deerfield Avenue to create outdoor dining and entertainment options in the village.
Baker said town officials are working with site owners Josh Simpson, Catherine “Cady” Coleman, and Susan and John Stark “to put together a public-private partnership that might lease the lot to the town.”
FRCOG is applying for a “street furniture” grant that could be used for park improvements. Funds contributed through the 2021 filming of “Dexter: New Blood” could also be used to make improvements, Baker said. Any lease for the lot would need Town Meeting approval.
Meanwhile, Shelburne’s Energy Committee is working with Robin Pease, facilities and transportation director for the Mohawk Trail Regional School District, on two projects: designing and installing a major solar array on the school roof, and discovering whether Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School’s heating and cooling systems can become solar-powered in the coming years.
Shelburne and Buckland voters approved $175,000 in capital spending for the elementary school, including to replace the heating system.
“We are encouraging Mohawk to investigate the feasibility of using air-source heat pumps where appropriate or perhaps an electric boiler,” Baker said, adding that the Energy Committee has also applied for a grant to assist residents with energy-efficiency improvements.
Two votes will be needed to determine whether Shelburne voters approve adopting the Community Preservation Act, one at May Annual Town Meeting and one at the ballot box in November. A second public informational forum is set for Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. to discuss the issue via Zoom.
If approved at a level of 3% surcharge, the initiative would see Shelburne gain about $80,000 in local tax revenue, “which would have a very good chance of getting a 100% match from state CPA funds,” he said.
That money could be used to implement projects in four areas: open space, recreation, historic preservation and community housing.
Shelburne will also consider its roads and trees this year.
A major reconstruction of Little Mohawk Road via a $1 million state grant is expected, as is Phase 2 of the Bridge Street reconstruction project — involving new water lines, paving and sidewalk from Memorial Hall to Mechanic Street. Baker said the town will also plant new trees chosen by the Tree Committee.
Finally, plans are being made to develop a new online free monthly news bulletin to help residents stay informed and share news.