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Dave Watkins

Deerfield Finance Committee Approves 18-Hour Conservation Agent Position at $31,769

DEERFIELD -- March 2, 2026, Deerfield Finance Committee approves 18-hour conservation agent position after debate over benefits threshold. The committee voted 6-0 Monday to recommend $31,769 for a new part-time Conservation Agent, account 171-5110, trimmed from a departmental request of $42,357 for 24 hours per

Whately Giving Garden Committee names first treasurer, plans April seed workshop

Whately's Giving Garden Committee appointed its first treasurer and finalized an April 12 seed-starting workshop capped at 16 participants.

Whately boards review school, senior center budgets ahead of town meeting vote

Whately's joint Finance Committee and Select Board session tackled competing budget pressures totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars ahead of annual town meeting.

Whately Planning Board sets April 7 public hearing on battery storage bylaw

Whately Planning Board schedules April 7 public hearing on a draft battery energy storage bylaw.

Deerfield Energy Committee Votes to Pursue Solar Proposals, Eyes June Federal Deadline

DEERFIELD -- February 24, 2026, Deerfield Energy Conservation Committee hears solar pitch, votes to pursue site proposals before June federal incentive deadline. At the February 24 meeting, Chair David Gilbert Keith convened the committee to hear a presentation from Power Options, a Massachusetts nonprofit serving more than 830 municipal and nonprofit

Whately Energy Committee Backs Feasibility Study for Town Building Upgrades

Whately's Energy Committee agreed to pursue a state Green Communities technical assistance grant to fund a decarbonization feasibility study for the town offices and Whately Elementary School.

Shutesbury Finance Committee projects $543 average tax-bill increase for FY27

Shutesbury's Finance Committee warned Monday that the average single-family tax bill could rise by $543 in fiscal year 2027, down from a baseline projection of $851.

Deerfield Finance Committee Approves Seven Budget Lines Totaling More Than $347,000

DEERFIELD -- February 23, 2026, Deerfield Finance Committee approves seven municipal budget lines and hears $238 million Franklin Tech construction pitch. Meeting jointly with the Select Board via Zoom on February 23, the Finance Committee voted unanimously on most accounts, approving $6,000 for IT hardware, $271,597 for contracted services,

Shutesbury Finance Committee Eyes Cash Reserves to Blunt 12.6 Percent Tax Increase

Shutesbury Finance Committee works toward cutting projected $851 average tax hike before annual town meeting.

Whately Assessors Set Abatement Reporting Standards, Defer to Consultant on Inspections

Whately Board of Assessors agrees to formalize abatement reporting and prioritize a stalled ten-year inspection program.

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