Williamstown Community Chest Annual Fun Run

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williamstown Community Chest will hold its sixteenth Fun Run on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.  
 
This community event consists of two races, a 5K run and a 1-mile kids' run/family walk.  
 
The Fun Run races are open to everyone, veteran or first-time runners, and daily or occasional walkers.  Families with pets and strollers are also welcome to participate.  Both race events begin at 9:00 a.m. at the Williamstown Youth Center, 66 School Street.
 
Sign-in and registration begin at 8:15 a.m. on the day of the race.  Online registration is available at runsignup.com/Race/MA/Williamstown/CommunityChestAnnualRun .
 
The registration fee for the 5K race is $15.00 per runner and for the 1-mile walk/run $5.00 per participant; children age 5 and under may participate at no charge. Scholarships are available, made possible by underwriting from MountainOne.
 
For 97 years, the Williamstown Community Chest has provided funding to local human service agencies and organizations that serve northern Berkshire County.  Every dollar contributed to the Chest's annual fundraising campaign is distributed to its nineteen partner agencies.  Thanks to the generosity of the local business community and individual donors, $307,000 will be distributed in 2024-25.
 
For additional information or questions, call 413-458-2443 or visit www.williamstowncommunitychest.org.
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Williamstown Fire District Expects Slightly Lower Tax Rate

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A rise in operating expenses for the Williamstown Fire Department will be offset by lower debt service payments on the new fire station, resulting in a slightly smaller tax bill from the district, officials noted last week.
 
One week after the Prudential Committee, which oversees the district, reviewed the fiscal articles it will send to May's annual district meeting, the fire chief explained that while operational funding is up by by nearly $125,000 from the current fiscal year to FY27, a drop in principal and interest payments will make up the difference.
 
Currently, the tax rate for the district — a separate taxing entity apart from town government — is projected to be $1.15 per $1,000 of valuation in the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The current rate is $1.24.
 
In FY26, district taxpayers paid $1.9 million toward principal and interest for the Main Street fire station. The draft warrant for the May 26 annual district meeting calls for $1.7 million to be raised for that capital expense, a drop of just more than $198,000.
 
"The impact of the new debt and, indeed, the entire budget is offset by certain revenue items, particularly the $5.5 million in gifts from Williams College and the Clark [Art Institute]," Chief Jeffrey Dias wrote in an email discussing the proposed budget.
 
The $500,000 pledge from the Clark and the $5 million donated by Williams College are being utilized at the start of the payback period for the bonds that fund the station's construction — when those payments are higher.
 
Melissa Cragg, chair of the Fire District's Finance Committee, explained that the use of those gifts early in the process will not necessarily mean a sticker shock down the road.
 
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