Colrain to explore increasing town clerk fees
COLRAIN — Voters may be asked to weigh in on bylaw changes that would allow the town to increase town clerk fees at May’s Annual Town Meeting.
Town Administrator Diana Parsons told the Selectboard last week that town clerk fees have not been increased since 1991, and the existing rates no longer allow the town to cover the cost of filing, recordkeeping and mailing that is associated with the tasks. Parsons said she is unsure the exact cost of the town clerk tasks, but that the town should look into finding out and updating the bylaw at the next Town Meeting.
“We need to look more holistically at the fees. Town clerk fees are in the bylaw and haven’t been raised since the ’90s,” Parsons said. “I don’t know exactly what the cost of issuing that stuff is now, but I don’t think it’s the same.”
Per Colrain’s general bylaws, issuing a marriage certificate costs $5, correcting errors in a birth or death certificate costs $10, and recording a deed or cemetery plot costs $5.
Buckland to increase Conservation Commission fees
BUCKLAND — The Selectboard has unanimously approved increasing the fee for Conservation Commission applications to $200.
Town Administrator Pam Guyette told the Selectboard last week that the Conservation Commission charges $100 for applications, but the cost to post legal notices is higher. To cover the full expense, she recommended increasing the fee to $200.
“It’s basically $100 to apply, and ads are coming in at over $175, so we’re losing money every time an RDA (request for determination of applicability) has to be advertised,” she said. “There’s also postage and fees for mailing out abutters lists and so forth and so on.”
Elementary school to continue playground replacement this summer
SHELBURNE FALLS — Having raised $139,000 already, Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School’s Parent-Teacher Organization is on track to continue upgrades and replacement of aging playground equipment at the school this summer.
PTO members Kate Conlin and Flannery Geier told the Mohawk Trail Regional School District School Committee last week that they had set a goal of raising between $176,000 and $206,000 to replace the playground that serves students in second grade through sixth grade. This past August, the PTO replaced the playground serving the school’s younger students. That equipment was estimated to be more than 30 years old.
They said they have secured a $100,000 state earmark, have $36,000 left from the project’s first phase and anticipate receiving a $3,000 donation from Greenfield Cooperative Bank. The PTO has applied for $45,000 from the Shelburne Community Preservation Fund and plans to ask Buckland for $45,000, too.
The PTO plans to continue seeking donations from community members and businesses, and hopes to have funding secured and equipment ordered for installation in August.
Talent show set for Jan. 23
SHELBURNE FALLS — Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School students will be showing off their skills at a talent show on Friday, Jan. 23.
Students will showcase their dancing, singing, etc. at the school, located at 75 Mechanic St. Curtains will rise at 6 p.m.
Potholes Pictures presents ‘WALL-E’
SHELBURNE FALLS — Residents are invited to enjoy a screening of the Disney Pixar film “WALL-E” on Friday, Jan. 30, and Saturday, Jan. 31.
The film, which follows the tale of a lonely robot on Earth and his journey into space to make friends and bring humanity back to Earth, will be shown as a Potholes Pictures fundraiser to support the Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School.
There will be showtimes at 7:30 p.m. both days, and on Saturday, there will be an additional matinee option at 2:30 p.m. Screenings will be held at the Shelburne Falls Theater at Memorial Hall on Bridge Street.
Before the show, attendees can enjoy live music by local musicians. On Friday, there will be a performance by James Smith and Lonesome Jenny beginning at 7 p.m. On Saturday at 2 p.m., students from The Academy at Charlemont will perform, and at 7 p.m., The Same Old Same Olds will take the stage.
Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children at the door.