Lake Honored As Commonwealth Heroine
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“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” — Charles Spurgeon Country JournalDevoted to the Needs of the Hilltowns Becket, Blandford, Chester, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Otis, Plainfield, Russell, Sandisfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg, Worthington A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com June 24, 2021 ❙ Vol. 43, No. 9 ❙ 75¢ www.countryjournal.turley.com GOSHEN SAND LOT Residents MIDDLEFIELD try to save Officials against historic lot Alt. Assessment By Peter Spotts By Shelby Macri Town officials are recommend- The Williams House ing against the alternative assessment was brought up by Bob for the fiscal 2022 Gateway Regional Labrie at the Annual Town School District Budget Assessment Meeting on Saturday, June when voters gather on Saturday, June 12, to get support from his 26, for Annual Town Meeting. fellow residents to save it. Middlefield voting the alternative The Williams House is assessment down will shift the district a historic building in town assessment method to statutory. Under and the Williams-Boltwood the statutory method, the town would Trust has been dedicated to save $115,974 compared to the alter- trying to save it for years. native. Labrie announced there was ASSESSMENT, page 7 an auction on the house held Friday, June 18, and The Huntington Recreation Committee has had new sand brought into the playground down asked residents at the ATM at Pettis Field. Hilltown Sand & Gravel generously donated and delivered the sand last week. CHESTER if they’d support saving the The Highway department spread the sand under the swing set and around the toddler area. A building at the auction and new toddler swing was also replaced. The committee is very grateful to all who helped in these HISTORIC, page 7 projects. Submitted photo Bylaw changes draw discussion WORTHINGTON By Peter Spotts An attempt to amend the town Lake honored as Commonwealth Heroine bylaws and require written permis- sion to hunt on any private property By Peter Spotts of Women’s 2021 class of Hall of Flags, which will everyone together at the state in town was met by stiff resistance Commonwealth Heroines take place virtually this year. house is you get to connect.” among voters at Annual Town Meeting Healthcare workers were member for her work during However, that didn’t stop Lake said she was hon- on Monday, June 14. among the important figures the pandemic. Blais from honoring Lake. ored to be recognized, but Moderator Melvyn Hook, speak- working on the frontlines State Rep. Natalie “This was an easy nom- also thanked Blais and the ing as a resident, said from his hunt- of the COVID-19 pandem- Blais, D-Sunderland, was ination Eliza’s just been legislature for their support ing experience, this amendment would ic over the past year and thrilled to present Lake doing so much for the com- during this difficult year. increase the deer population and lead Hilltown Community Health with the honor on Friday, munity through Covid,” “What kept me going to situations where an injured deer Center CEO Eliza Lake has June 18, outside the HCHC. Blais said. “It’s sad that we was knowing we were all crosses property lines and the hunter been named a Massachusetts Normally, all the heroines have to do it virtually. One working together,” Lake has to go get new written permission, Commission on the Status would be honored at the of the nice things is having said. “Without the support leaving it to possibly rot for over a HEROINE, page 10 BYLAW, page 6 BLANDFORD ATM approves budget increase By Mary Kronholm There were no surprises at Monday night’s Annual Town Meeting unless it was Don Brainerd’s request to amend the Transfer Station budget with a $1,500 increase. According to Brainerd, the employ- The Hilltown Community ees are paid for 4 ½ hours but actually Health Center planted a work 5 and his amendment will fund the additional half-hour, so the com- memorial to staff member pensation is truly for the actual time State Rep. Natalie Blais, right, presents Hilltown Community Health Center CEO Eliza Lake with a Gabrielle Sheridan and all worked. There were no objections; the commendation after being named a member of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of those lost year during the Women’s 2021 class of Commonwealth Heroines. Photos by Peter Spotts COVID-19 pandemic. BUDGET, page 6 Becket ............................8 Classifieds ....................15 Montgomery ...................3 Puzzle Page ..................13 Blandford ........................6 Goshen ...........................7 Obituaries .....................14 Russell............................3 Business Directory ..........2 Hilltowns ........................2 Opinion .......................4, 5 Westhampton ...............12 Chester ...........................6 Huntington ......................3 Otis .................................7 Williamsburg .................10 Chesterfield ....................6 Middlefield ......................7 Public Notices ...............14 Worthington ..............9, 10 PAGE 12 page 2 Country Journal • Thursday, June 24, 2021 HILLTOWNS More Covid relief money coming; How it will be used is TBD By Jonah Snowden to distribute funding quickly and effi- Rep. Jacob Oliveira also shared his ing at is, the president is talking about ciently to ensure those hard-hit by the thoughts on the proposal and said one a big manufacturing bill that should be As the Mass. Senate and House virus receive relief as quickly as possi- thing he would like to prioritize with the coming out shortly as well. I think for work to reconcile differences and craft ble.” funding is job training. the manufacturers in this area there will a new state budget to send on to Gov. It’s too early to specify how and “We should be making sure we be a lot of opportunities and some part- Charlie Baker, the Baker administration where the money will be used locally, but invest these onetime dollars in areas nerships, so I think we’re going to be in last week announced a plan to spread elected officials representing area towns where we can get people back to work great shape,” Gobi said. approximately $2.815 billion in direct in the legislature have some ideas of their and train people in order to invest in the Rep. Todd Smola said he would like federal aid among local municipalities own. Rep. Orlando Ramos, for example, areas that will further grow the work- to see some of the money spent on edu- to target communities that could use an said he would “like to see a more equi- force,” Oliveira said. “Another area in cation and for town-level officials to have economic boost. table distribution of resources to assist need of investment is community devel- a voice on how to target aid. “Key priorities” include housing and black and brown businesses across the opment. Investing in our communities “Making sure schools get what they homeownership, economic development, city of Springfield.” and their projects can help build the eco- need is a priority,” Smola said. local downtowns, job training, workforce Ramos contends that decades of nomic vitality of our regions.” “The idea is to have a partnership development, health care, and infrastruc- laws and policy positions put segments Oliveira also said the important between the state and local municipal- ture, Baker said. The money was doled of the populations, such as people of thing to know is the Baker administra- ities. The problems that Palmer has to out to states in response to the COVID- color, at a disadvantage, but if used cor- tion’s plan is currently an outline and he deal with are not the same problems 19 pandemic and the negative impact it rectly, targeted legislation could help and Ramos want to make sure they can Warren has to deal with. It’s not a one has had on local economies. mitigate the damage. help steer aid to communities they rep- size fits all approach,” he said. “Our proposal will immediately “In addition to that, I have been hav- resent. “For a lot of areas, I think unem- invest $2.8 billion toward key priorities ing conversations at the local and state “Bureaucrats in Boston don’t know ployment is still an issue and there’s a that will help jump-start our econom- level, about reserving a certain percent- the communities that we represent,” chain reaction with our local business- ic recovery, with a particular focus on age or a certain amount of money for Oliveira said. “The legislators, otherwise es. So, getting people back to work those hit hardest by COVID-19, such as entrepreneurs across the Commonwealth known as the people on the ground, know and getting them the support they need communities of color,” Baker said in a of Massachusetts,” Ramos said. exactly what our communities need.” while at the same time making sure statement. “There is an income gap that exists Sen. Anne Gobi said using some of that now the emergency has been lifted “With over four million people fully in the Commonwealth and across the the money to boost public projects and in Massachusetts, you have to get the vaccinated, Massachusetts is getting back country and part of the reason why that private manufacturing could benefit the wheels moving again. It takes time to get to normal and back to work, but it is exists is because of legislation laws that entire region by creating jobs and provid- the wheels moving again. It’s not an easy critical that we act now to make these disproportionately impact people of color ing greater mobility. thing to do.” critical investments to keep our recovery and laws from the past and continue to “There could be a lot of benefits, To learn more about the direct feder- moving. Our administration appreciates haunt us today. Because legislation is especially on the transportation side of al aid, go to mass.gov/orgs/office-of-the- the collaboration of the legislature and what got us into this wealth gap, we must things which seem like they will be quite governor/news.