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Town Assessor Donna MacDonald explains the evaluation process to the Maple Grove Civic Club.

Adams Club Honors Member, Talks Property Values

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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A chair dedicated to the late Austin Rogge will have a place of honor.

ADAMS, Mass. — The Maple Grove Civic Club took a moment on Sunday to remember founding member Austin Rogge, who died in June at the age of 96.

Rogge had been involved with a number of activities with the club during his half-century as a member and in his later years had helped out in the kitchen and presided over the swearing-in of the club's new officers each year.

Member and Selectman Joseph Nowak had spearheaded the dedication of an oak chair with a plaque in Rogge's memory.

The world War II veteran had attended the civic club's last meeting at the Polish National Alliance before the summer break in May, but had fallen ill and never recovered.

"It was really hard for him near the end, because I'd bring him down, but he wouldn't miss it for the world," said Nowak.

In a short ceremony during the meeting, Rogge's son, Joseph Rogge, expressed how much the club and its members had meant to his father.

"People would come around and make him feel warm and welcome," he said, pointing to three aspects in which the club embraced his father.

First, the volunteers in the kitchen involved him in the activity, having him test the coffee or set out plates; "the leadership of the club treated him with great respect"; and club members would greet and speak to him before each meeting.  

"He felt so special because of all the people here," said Rogge. "I just wish I could do as much as he did for other people because he cared about everyone and they knew that and cared back."    

The club also heard from Assessor Donna MacDonald, who had been invited to speak on how the town determines its tax rate.

MacDonald explained that her office reviews relevant house sales during the year and, using other factors, determines the value of the properties in town. She reviewed the figures with the Selectmen at the tax classification hearing held earlier this month.



The office is currently doing the 2014 evaluation. "There were over 200 sales but they're not all 'arm's length' sales so we have to analyze each and everyone of them for the statistics we have to do," she said.

So-called "arm's length" sales, usually considered ones between strangers or regular sales, are used to determine fair market value.

"There are a lot of sales that are well below the assessed prices but people are hurting so they're doing short sales or walking away from their homes," said MacDonald, and banks are selling for less than market value. "Values stabilized this year, but I think we are going to see them incrementally go up next year."

Property values have a determination on the tax rate, but MacDonald said the budget determines what has to be raised. She fielded several questions — and a number of complaints increase in taxes — but said her office is responsible for setting values, not tax rates.

This year's tax is being raised $1.70, so a home valued at $100,000 will see $170 extra on their tax bill. Twenty cents of that is for the general government and $1.50 for the school district, including payments on the school renovation.

"It has to support the town and the school, whatever it does," she said, but added that the bonding for the Hoosac Valley High School renovation will be at its highest the first three years, then begin to drop. This the first year of paying on the bond.

Values have did not change from the year before but if property owners have an issue with their assessment the office will review the issue. There are also spots available in the program that allows senior citizens to work part time at the library, senior center and other areas to reduce their property taxes by up to $500.

MacDonald later said the tax bills would be going out this week and she expected more than a few questions.

"We live in a great community and I know it's going to hurt for awhile," she told the members. "And let's hope the Red Sox are going to win the World Series."


Tags: assessors,   Maple Grove Civic Club,   recognition event,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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