WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — In addition to the various federal and state offices and statewide ballot initiatives on this fall's election ballot, Williamstown voters will decide whether to approve an initiative that already passed overwhelmingly at this May's annual town meeting.

 

Question 6 on the Nov. 5 ballot would finalize an exemption to the Community Preservation Act property tax surcharge for homeowners who meet either low-income or, for seniors, moderate-income standards.

 

All homes in town currently are subject to the CPA surcharge, which helps fund projects related to historic preservation, open space and recreation or affordable housing.

 

Residents pay 2 percent of their property tax toward the CPA, with the first $100,000 of home valuation exempted. In other words, if one owns a home valued at the median for the town, $439,100 in FY 2025, its property tax bill for the current fiscal year is $6,060.

 

But its CPA tax is based on what the tax bill would be for a $339,100 home, so instead of paying $121.20 (2 percent of $6,060), the owner pays $93.59 (2 percent of $4,679.58) toward the CPA fund.

 

Under the exemption enabled by town meeting in May, that tax bill would drop to $0 for all homeowners who make less than 80 percent of the area median income or seniors who make less than 100 percent of the AMI.

 

The CPA exemption was one of a number of four targeted tax relief efforts that the Select Board brought to town meeting for its approval — all of which were passed by meeting members. The change to the CPA differed in two respects: it also requires a vote in the general election and, rather than shifting taxation away from income-eligible seniors, it actually reduces the amount of money the town will raise through taxation.

 

Select Board Chair Jane Patton reminded residents of the local question on the Nov. 5 ballot at the board's bimonthly meeting Monday. 

 

She also took the time to remind residents of the town's early voting hours at Town Hall: 8:30 to 4:30 Monday through Friday through Nov. 1 plus 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26.

 

Polls will be open on Election Day, Nov, 5, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Williamstown Elementary School.

 

The main business of Monday's meeting was ratification of a winter road maintenance policy that the Select Board discussed at length at its Oct. 7 meeting.

 

Department of Public Works Director Craig Clough was back before the board to discuss the minor additions and clarifications that were added to the policy he first pitched earlier in the month.

 

The policy covers the town's existing practice of providing snow plow services on certain roads that are not actually owned by the municipality and addresses the standards to be considered for future "private ways" that request those services.

 

"Basically, everything stays the same," Clough said. "All the private ways we were plowing, there's no stoppage there. This just sets a guideline for the town to move forward with any future requests."

 

Patton sought to clarify for anyone watching the recordings of the meeting on the town's community access television station, Willinet, that the policy under discussion only addressed snow plowing. Acceptance of a private way as a public road is a different process with different standards that requires, among other things, approval of town meeting.

 

In other business on Monday, the Select Board voted to approve the "official" trick-or-treating hours for the town for the evening of Oct. 31. This year, the hours are set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; as usual, no mention was made of the fact that the town can't stop children from seeking candy from their neighbors outside the official time window.