North Adams Revving Up for 1st Annual Motorama

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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Update Aug. 25: The North Adams Motorama scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 28, has been postponed until Sunday, Sept. 25, because a forecast for severe weather.


NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — If you've got something with a motor, it's likely to be welcomed at the 1st annual Motorama this coming Sunday, Aug. 28, in the downtown.

More than 200 vans, snowmobiles, antique tractors, semis and trucks, hot rods and classics, muscle cars, motorcycles and more will be on display along Main Street, Holden and Eagle streets from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"We want to get people from all over the region to come and participate. Each vehicle will have a driver as well as friends and family coming with it, so hopefully this event will introduce a new group of people to our city, in addition to introducing the city to a new type of event," said Joseph Dean of Dean's Quality Auto and one of the Motorama organizers.

Dean said some 3,000 brochures touting the Motorama have been handed out at regional car shows and the response has been very good.

The North Adams Office of Culture and Tourism in association with Develop North Adams are supporting the efforts of the Motorama volunteer committee. The North Adams Police Department's ROPES program is the charity partner and a donation will be made at the conclusion of the event.

"They've been going to shows and talking it up," said Veronica Bosley, the city's culture and tourism director, on Friday of the volunteer team of Dean, Glenn Maloney, Daryl Roy and Jeff Sylvester. Bosley said the hope is to grow the show into an annual event. "It's the first ... it's like a regional sort of outreach."

A big draw is that Motorama is open to pretty much everyone.

"It's all-inclusive. There's not a cutoff year," said Bosley. "Basically, any kind of vehicle you can showcase is included - vintage tractors, snowmobiles — anything with an engine you're proud of and want to show off."

There will be no vendors at the event but local restaurants and merchants are encouraged to open to take advantage of the crowds. There will be live entertainment on the street.

The event is free and open to the public; registration fee for participants is $10 the day of the event. Those registered will be entered for door prizes and goodie bags. The event runs rain or shine and pets and bikes are prohibited.

The committee could still use some help with donations to offset the cost of the event, for door prizes and small goods or services for goodie bags that will be given to the first 150 entries. Contact Joe Dean at 413-664-6378, Daryl Roy at 413-664-6378 or Jeff Sylvester at 413-663-0618 to find out how to help.

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Pittsfield Proposes 2.64 Tax Rate Hike

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The proposed tax rate for fiscal year 2027 is less than 40 cents per $1,000 valuation for residential properties and would increase the average property tax bill by about $146 per year. 

On Tuesday's City Council meeting agenda is a request from the mayor and Board of Assessors to use a residential factor of .8245 at a shift of 1.75, resulting in a residential tax rate of $17.88 and a commercial, industrial, and personal property tax rate of $37.95.

These matters are typically referred to the Committee of the Whole for deliberation. The proposed rates for residential and commercial are 38 cents and $1.05 more, respectively, from FY26. 

The average residential home, valued at $316,792 in FY27, has increased by about $1,500 from the previous fiscal year, and would pay $5,664.24 in yearly taxes.

This is a 2.64 percent, or $145.88, increase. 

The average commercial property worth $239,600 saw a $100 increase in value from the previous fiscal year, and would pay $9,092.82 in yearly taxes. This is a $255.27, or 2.89 percent, increase from the previous fiscal year. 

The FY27 tax levy of $124,468,317 is a $5.3 million increase from the previous year, or 4.45 percent. There is about  $388,000 in excess levy capacity, $2.3 million in new growth, and the levy limit is $124,856,412. 

According to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, 11 single-family homes were added to Pittsfield's housing stock this fiscal year, increasing the city's total assessed value by $19,987,600 to $3,592,737,600. 

The city lost five two-family homes in 2027, and that housing type decreased by $3.2 million in assessed value, now worth $384,620,400. 

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