CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Officials say a software glitch caused the third-quarter property tax bills to include interest through the fourth quarter. 

 

Treasurer/Tax Collector Kelly Haskins told the Select Board on Monday that revised bills with the correct amounts were mailed out and that homeowners should be receiving them this week. 

 

She said the issue had been with the third-party vendor and that revised bills include a statement explaining the calculation error and apologizing for the inconvenience. The correct amount is reflected for residents paying through UniPay on the town's website.

 

"We have followed up with our software vendor to assure that they address this issue so it will happen again," Haskins said in reading the statement to the board.

 

She responded to 37 voicemails on Monday and posted message's to the town's website and Facebook page.

 

"I have an auto response from the tax collector email just basically stating that same thing that I just read out really quick," Haskins said. "So just wanted to make you guys aware of that so people talk to you, you know that's being addressed and handled."

 

She also updated the board on status of tax collections, with a total of $2,213,831 in real estate bills for fiscal 2025.

 

"As of today, Jan. 5, the outstanding balance is $16,091," Haskins said. "That includes 14 parcels that are currently not in tax title. I do plan to do another taking sometime in February, if they remain unpaid. I'm hopeful some of these taxpayers will come in to pay it, as I've been in touch with many of them."

 

The taxes due on the 14 parcels are all under $2,800. An additional $25,530 is due in tax title accounts and the town has placed liens on those parcels. 

 

There are a total of 16 accounts in tax title, with a balance of $266,760 including interest and fees. Haskins said eight of those accounts are on payment plans, and two are "low value," or vacant lands. Two properties — one on Fieldwood Drive and another on River Road — are in the process of changing hands and will be paid by closing. The final four are in the foreclosure process, which may get the owners to pay. 

 

"A lot of them are really getting there. They've come down a lot from our initial taking," Haskins said. "So our residents are really working on it and working with me, and it's going pretty smooth."

 

In other business: 

 

• The board will send a registered letter to a Isaiah Clark of North Eagle Street whose dog has been running loose and being a nuisance. Animal Control Officer Diana Worth told the board she has repeatedly sent fines and letters and knocked on door with no results. Town Administrator Ronald Boucher will send a registered letter detailing possible repercussions and Clark will be asked to attend the Jan. 26 meeting. 

 

• The board delayed signing off on the transfer of a sliver of property above the Golden Eagle to the state at restaurant owner John Morris' request. Morris is involved with lawsuits against the state and Cumberland Farms over an explosion at the Hairpin Turn 40 years ago the contaminated the restaurant property with PFAS. 

 

The state asked for the case to be dismissed last month, he said, but at the same time, the Department of Environmental Protection tested 12 residents below on Daniels Road. 

 

"With all this litigation going on, they're trying to ... we think they're trying to minimize the amount of value that we have on our property," said Morris, noting his property abuts the quarter-acre parcel. "We're trying to get the state to do the proper thing and clean up that area, but if they get dismissed, there's gonna be no cleanup."

 

The town asked a representative from the Department of Conservation and Recreation to attend the Jan. 26 meeting. 

 

• Public Works Foreman Kyle Hurlbut told the board that a replacement line for homes on Southern View Drive will cost about $16,000. The town is working with the city of North Adams to remove the galvanized line and tap into a larger line. Homes on Southern View have been without water during the day since Thanksgiving. 

 

He recommended raising the maintenance fees another $5 a quarter to raise about $15,000 a year in anticipation of replacing more pipes. The property owners pay into the account for the water supplied by North Adams.