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Adams Residential Tax Rate Up 3 Percent

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen set a fiscal 2021 residential tax rate of $22.62 and a commercial tax rate of $26.89 per $1,000 valuation. Both figures are up 3 percent over last year.
 
The board members approved a 115 percent split that represents a 74 cent increase on the residential side and a 90 increase on the commercial side of the tax rate at Wednesday's tax classification hearing.
 
"Everybody has to pay taxes, and I think we do very well in this community making our elderly feel at home," Selectman Joseph Nowak said. "I think we do well for our children, and this is a matter of everybody pitching in."
 
Last year, the Selectmen approved the same 115 percent shift that created a residential tax rate of $21.88 and a commercial rate of $25.99, or 
 
Assessor Donna MacDonald said the average home valuation in Adams is $140,000, so the average tax bill will increase around $100.
 
MacDonald laid out different scenarios and said a single tax rate would be $23.38. The Selectmen did not approach adopting a single rate.
 
Bookending this shift: A 110 percent shift would create a residential rate of $22.88 and a commercial rate of $26.19 and a 130 percent shift would create a residential rate of $21.86 and a commercial rate of $30.40.
 
Nowak did note that town meeting approved the use of $250,000 of free cash to offset the tax rate. 
 
MacDonald said the town's valuation increased by almost $7 million, of which $3.2 million is new growth. 
 
"That is a good trend; that is a good sign," she said. "So we are hoping for the best."
 
Nowak said he was happy to see so many new businesses coming to Adams, and he hoped this trend continued.
 
In other business, the town's search for a police chief continues as interim Chief Troy Bacon said he will not apply for the position. Bacon had indicated when hired that he was interested in taking the job permanently. 
 
"This is a disappointing announcement, but I do have to make it. The town of Adams will have to resume its search for a chief of police," Town Administrator Jay Green said. "... Interim Chief Bacon has advised me that he has been summoned back to Indiana and will not be able to apply for the permanent position." 
 
Green said the opening has been posted, and Bacon does plan to help with the search process.
 
"I am happy about that, but we will be going back to the application pool," Green said. 
 
Bacon was selected to replace retiring Police Chief Richard Tarsa this summer.
 
The board approved:
 
A pledge of inventory and other documents, transfer of all-alcohol package store license from O'Geary's Package Store to Aneeliquor Inc.
 
• The transfer of an all-alcohol license from the PNA to the Victory Street Lounge Inc.
 
• The hiring of Waste Water Treatment Plant Assistant Maintenance Mechanic Operator II Brian Marko.
 

Tags: fiscal 2021,   property taxes,   tax classification,   

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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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