“The retreat brings people together, builds community in the forest, gets participants outside and off their screens, and uses nature sustainably to heal and inspire minds and souls,” stated Great Mountain Forest Executive Director Michael Zafros. Retreat registration closes on July 30.
Reducing taxes on most of the homes in town is not going to reduce real estate values in a way that should concern anyone. It is going to make the town more affordable. My concern is with the families who live and work in town. The police officers, the firefighters, teachers and the people who plow and maintain our roads, the people who work in the shops and restaurants, in the hospital and the nursing homes — without them this town could not function.
In his letter to the editor, Selectboard member Ed Abrahams writes: "The citizens petitions all sound reasonable but every one of them proposes something that has already been done, is being done, or would require changes in state law or actions by another town that are beyond our power. They offer “solutions” to problems that don’t exist."
Contrary to what critics claim, the town’s budget over the last 7 years has only risen at the national inflation rate: about 2 percent. Even more surprising: in real terms -- controlling for inflation -- operating expenses have remained “essentially flat,” according to Finance Committee member Michael Wise.
A residential exemption would cut most property tax bills in town which includes the charge from the school district. Homeowners with homes assessed below around $470,000 would see a progressively lower tax rate, and three-quarters of residences in town fall below that “break-even value.
"Over the past year I’ve had a sense of growing mistrust among different small groups...and among people in town government, and things that are simply differences in opinions have grown into personal vendettas and accusations and ugliness that just doesn’t feel right to me."
-- Selectboard Chair Deborah Phillips
“In the face of the climate crisis Harvard is profiting from the same companies that are actively undermining the scientific knowledge being generated from within the Harvard community.”
-- Kelsey Wirth, co-founder of the group Mothers Out Front
Wednesday, April 22, 7 to 9 p.m., at Crissey Farm. The conversation will include opportunities to participate in small-group discussions with town officials and other residents, to explore the question, "What do we need to have in place, to support constructive participation in our local community self-governance? What's working well? What can we all do so that it works better?"
Affordability is the challenge. In relation to income, property taxes in Great Barrington are also higher than elsewhere in Berkshire County. Incomes in Great Barrington appear to be in the mid-range among its Berkshire County peers and neighbors, about equal to the state average and above the Berkshire County average.
Great Barrington — Both the Selectboard and Finance Committee last night (March 25) approved the proposed $10.9 million operating budget and recommended for voter...
“I do have a problem with anyone questioning the validity and accuracy of our numbers. We are meticulous, we have the highest credit rating that is enviable to any town. I strongly object to any incorrect implication about the accuracy of the numbers. We are following what we’re required to do from the Department of Revenue, which is not a private sector business, and we are also offering open books, full transparency.”
-- Great Barrington Town Manager Jennifer Tabakin
It is important “to tell everyone, including the taxpayers, that we have a liability, so they are aware of what the cost of doing business is."
-- Town Accountant/Financial Coordinator Lauren M. Sartori
For a minor fire [Housatonic’s] gallons per minute is adequate — for anything major, they’re not. It would require thousands of feet of hose and multiple engines, and a delayed response. It would require a lot of manpower and laying in from the [Housatonic] river.”
-- Great Barrington Fire Chief Charlie Burger
"In order to adopt [at the Annual Town Meeting] a formal requirement affecting a regional school district...an amendment of the applicable school district agreement would be required.”
-- Town Manager Jennifer Tabakin, reading from Town Counsel opinion
"We have to find a way to make it possible -- and attractive -- for families with children – young families – to come into town and settle here. That’s my first priority."
-- Bill Cooke, on one of the reasons he is seeking to run for the Great Barrington Selectboard
The original bylaw [defining the responsibilities of the Finance Committee] in the town charter, and adopted in 1974, assigns a budget advisory role to the committee. The new bylaw asks for more from the town and extends the role to the [regional] school district.
Planning Board Chairman Jonathan Hankin hopes the designation of volunteers as "Special Municipal Employee" will “encourage more volunteers to fill vacancies on town boards and committees and not prevent all volunteers from doing business in our town,” he wrote in an earlier email to the Selectboard. “We need to reward people who donate their time, energy and considerable expertise in serving the town, not punish them.”
