The Hilltown Community Development Corporation (Hilltown CDC) is expanding its transportation services to better serve rural communities in Western Massachusetts. Initially focused on residents aged 60 and over, the program will now provide transportation to all in need, including low-income residents, individuals with disabilities, and those without personal vehicles. This expansion is made possible by a $50,000 grant from Transportation for Massachusetts and the donation of a disability-friendly van from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Hilltown CDC’s services include wheelchair-accessible vans and a driver pool program where certified drivers use personal vehicles to transport others in exchange for reimbursement.

For more information, you can read the full article at Hampshire Gazette, MassLive, or The Republican

Responsibilities: The Accounts Payable Clerk is responsible for the efficient review and processing of invoices, maintaining office supply inventory and coordinating occasional administrative projects. S/he will help staff with assorted clerical tasks. The Accounts Payable Clerk is supervised by the Finance Director and supports the work of all staff of Hilltown CDC.

Administrative Duties:

· Review invoices and ensure appropriate approval and coding. Process invoices and print checks in the accounting system. Maintain vendor records for the production of 1099s. Verify invoice accuracy as appropriate. Calculate Discounts as needed.

· Assist with program billing and payroll.

· Distribute payments to staff and mail as appropriate. Maintain files for all vendors. Communicate with vendors. Print reports as appropriate.

· Assist in the preparation of bank deposits.

· Update and maintain Excel spreadsheets for vacation accruals, benefits, and timesheet collection.

· Update and maintain agency databases (beneficiaries, funders, and others).

· Maintain board of directors and staff contact lists. Maintain agency documents as appropriate.

· Monitor postage supply and serve as postal clerk. Distribute and collect mail regularly.

· Maintain office supply inventory within the agency supply budget.

Miscellaneous:

· Other duties of similar complexity.

Supervised By: Finance Director

Qualifications: The Accounts Payable Clerk must be able to work independently and take full responsibility for the required job functions. Experience is needed with personal computers and MICROSOFT Operations software (including EXCEL, ACCESS, WORD, and OUTLOOK), phone and voice-mail systems, e-mail, and the internet. S/he must have at least two years of relevant experience.

Abilities: Strong, clear written and verbal communication skills are necessary. Self-direction and the ability to manage multiple demands is a must. The ability to work within established deadlines is essential. The Accounts Payable Clerk must be able to work with a wide variety of people and maintain a good public image for Hilltown CDC. S/he will have excellent follow-through and accomplish assignments with accuracy. Must be organized and detail-oriented. S/he must work well in a team approach to accomplish organizational goals.

Hours: Part-time, in-person, 21 hours per week. The work schedule is negotiable within normal business hours (M-F, 9:00 AM—4:30 PM).

Pay Range: $20.35 - $24.29

EOE/AA/Section 3: Applicants with handicaps and needing assistance will be accommodated. Among equally qualified candidates, low to moderate-income residents of the local region will be given preference.

If interested, please email your resume and cover letter to Saul at saula@hilltowncdc.org

Funds will support the expansion of rural and urban transit services, improve rider access, and support local advocacy on critical housing, transit and development issues

BOSTON – A statewide coalition tackling transportation justice, equity and affordability issues across the Commonwealth awarded $500,000 in grants to 13 groundbreaking projects today, with a special focus on Western Mass communities. 

Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) Impact Grants support community-driven initiatives that promote transportation access and social justice. By partnering with organizations and leaders from Western Massachusetts to Greater Boston, these grants prioritize equitable transportation solutions. More than 60% of funding is dedicated to projects outside Greater Boston, underscoring T4MA’s commitment to improving access and equity in Central and Western Massachusetts.

“We’re focused on supporting and uplifting work that addresses decades of inequitable transportation policies that are adversely impacting low-income, working class, Black, Indigenous, and communities of color,” said Reggie Ramos, Executive Director of T4MA. “Together, through these grants, we know our collective efforts can lead us to just and equitable transportation systems.”

“It’s wonderful that all regions of the Commonwealth will reap the benefits of these resources,” said Andrea Freeman, Public Health Institute of Western MA, T4MA Board Member. “The need is truly great, perhaps nowhere more so than in Western Massachusetts.”

Grantees are leading essential work to strengthen and improve the state’s transportation systems, and ensure that underserved communities are at the center of proposing and driving solutions on both the community and statewide level.

Awardees include:

• ACT Lawrence will enhance financial education and counseling for youth and adults, promoting financial independence.

• Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE) will support the youth-led T Riders Union in advocating for improved MBTA service in Greater Boston.

• Coalition for Social Justice will organize riders around transit justice and affordable housing, focusing on initiatives like Bus Riders United and the Zero Fare Coalition.

• Western MA Transportation Advocacy Network will invest in an annual transportation forum to secure funding and develop innovative solutions for rural transportation challenges.

• GreenRoots will hire new staff for multilingual outreach and lead the Chelsea Public Transit Task Force, addressing transit needs in car-limited communities such as Chelsea and East Boston.

• Groundwork Lawrence will support the Pa’lante task force in climate change education and the development of a city-wide pedestrian plan in Lawrence.

• Hilltown Community Development Corporation will expand flexible micro-transit in 10 rural towns by purchasing a van, recruiting drivers, and enhancing service marketing.

• MassBike will expand its coalition to address transportation needs in Environmental Justice communities and under-resourced areas.

• Neighbor to Neighbor MA will integrate transportation justice into its strategic plan, broadening advocacy from Lynn to Worcester and Springfield.

• New England United for Justice will launch the Squares and Streets planning process, advocating for improvements at the intersection of housing, development, and transit in Dorchester and Mattapan.

• Public Health Institute of Western MA will support the Healthy Air Network’s advocacy for clean air and transportation initiatives across Springfield, Holyoke, and regional partners.

• RTAG/Boston Center for Independent Living will establish a working group of bike, disability, and pedestrian advocates to collaborate on bike lane issues in Boston.

• WalkMassachusetts will lead advocacy efforts for walk and road safety audits, ensuring pedestrian and cyclist considerations in roadway design.

“Rural areas have been left out of transportation planning and investment and the Hilltowns are not immune from this national phenomenon,” said Joan Griswold, Hilltown Community Development Corporation Director of Community Programs. “There are no alternatives to transportation in our rural communities and funding from T4MA will expand the service area of the two microtransit programs we have built to provide vital transportation services for our Hilltown residents.”

New England United for Justice is using their grant to power the Squares and Streets planning process in Boston “to build awareness and create space for the community to advocate for local changes at the intersection of housing, development, and transit,” said New England United for Justice Executive Director Noemi “Mimi” Ramos. “We are also focused on rebuilding transit systems and development changes to Columbia Road in Dorchester. 

“This grant will support advancing the work of our community engagement group focusing on community education around climate change,” said Eddie Rosa, Groundwork Lawrence, which received a $46,000 Impact Grant. “It’s part of our ongoing efforts to increase accessibility in the city, which includes the development of a city-wide pedestrian plan.”

T4MA works towards a Commonwealth with transportation systems that connect people with their choice of housing, economic opportunities, healthcare, and accessible and reliable public transportation that benefits residents in all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.

Click here for more information

6th Annual Hilltown Open Studios Tour
Announces Live Art Demonstrations for
The Weekend of October 5th & 6th

Worthington, MA—The Hilltown Arts Alliance announced today the live art demonstrations that will be featured at its 6th annual event. The weekend of October 5th and 6th, from South Worthington north to Plainfield, guests can learn how to do everything from painting atmosphere in watercolors to throwing pot forms, all taught by local artists of national renown in their home studios. 

“One of the things that is so special about this event is that our artists are dedicated to teaching and explaining their process. This is a unique opportunity to learn from masters and hone your own skills or expand your understanding of art creation,” says tour organizer and watercolorist Kathryn Jensen. “A good example is ceramicist Mark Shapiro, a Smithsonian fellow and 19th century American pottery historian. He’s taking requests and will demonstrate what the audience is eager to learn how to create. Attendees will visit his studio and grounds, including two wood-fired kilns, all on the property of a famous 19th-century preacher, Russell Conwell.” 

The schedule on Saturday includes Emmett Leader demonstrating how to work with local clay and press molds (11:30 AM, Cummington); Valerianna Claff showing how to paint mist, fog, and atmosphere (1 PM, Chesterfield); Sergei Isupov discussing how he turned a massive 150-year-old downed tree into a public sculpture (2:30 PM, Cummington); and David Marshall showing how to paint from life with oils (4 PM, South Worthington). 

On Sunday, Mark Shapiro will take requests on various pot forms (11:30 AM, South Worthington); printmaker Lena Garcia will focus on yellow hues (1 PM, Worthington); and Sergei Isupov will reprise his talk from Saturday about turning a tree into public sculpture (Cummington, 2:30 PM). 

This year, the tour will be centered around Worthington, the highest town in the state, and it will be especially dramatic during leaf season. The Tour Hub and Artsfest will be in a recreated 19th-century schoolhouse with tall antique windows illuminating the eight featured artists. During the event, artists will give presentations every hour. Guests are welcome to take in the fall scenery on the lawn and enjoy a food truck. Worthington also features two restaurants (Liston’s Bar & Grill and The Goldenrod Country Inn) and a brewery in an old cow barn (Sena Farm). 

“Guests can expect to be inspired not just from the many demonstrations but from the restored barns and houses that Hilltowns artists live and work in,” says fiber artist and retired architect Kathy Ford, also president of the Hilltown Arts Alliance.  

Her creative space is a 28-square-foot post-and-beam house from the 1790s, while ceramicist Emmett Leader has turned a three-story barn into a large-scale studio where he sculpts his work inside what were cow stalls. On Saturday, Leader will also be firing an outdoor bread oven he created and serving bread from it while local Klezmer musicians entertain. 

The studio spaces are open 11 AM—5 PM each day, and the tour hub at 6 Williamsburg Road in Worthington will be open from 10:30 - 5 PM to offer printed maps and suggestions about studios to visit. 

Marcia Hayden Hendrick (painter), Emmett Leader (ceramicist), Lawrence Preston (painter), Angela Sciotti Vincent (painter), and Kate Wills (ceramicist) are new to the tour this year. 

Returning artists include Adrian Almquist (potter and fabric artist); Pleun Bouricius (photographer);  Alexandra Cherau (printmaker);  Valerianna Claff (watercolor); Olwen Dowling (printmaker and painter); Michael Falcone (painter);  Kathy Ford (fiber artist);  Leni Fried (printmaker);  Lena Garcia (painter); Laurie Israel (painter); Sergei Isupov (ceramicist); Kathryn Jensen (watercolor); David Marshall (painter); Guy Matsuda (potter); Jen Parrish-Hill (artisan jeweler); Kadri Parnamets (ceramicist); Greta Gnatek Redzko (painter); Mark Shapiro (ceramicist); Molly Smith (painter and sculptor); Cyndy Sperry (painter and ceramicist); Susanna White  (painter). 

Printed maps will be available at each studio stop on the tour and at the Tour Hub. An interactive tour map is located at  hilltownartsalliance.org/tour-map. For the most updated information on artists and events throughout the weekend, go to hilltownartsalliance.org 

The Open Studio Tour is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, both directly and through the Cummington Cultural District and the Cultural Councils of Plainfield, Cummington, Worthington, Chesterfield, and Westhampton, as well as support from the Hilltown Community Development Corporation. Local sponsors include John Thomas Plumbing and Heating, Florence Bank, George Propane, High Hopes Farm, Liston’s Bar & Grill, Sugarledge Stone Quarry, Salmon Falls Gallery, and Old Creamery Co-Op, among many others.

About the Hilltown Arts Alliance. The Hilltown Arts Alliance is a registered 501(c)(3) and is a volunteer-run nonprofit arts organization serving the beautiful hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. These lush rolling hills are home to an impressive number of accomplished artists. Our mission is to spread the word! The Hilltown Arts Alliance seeks to connect and support local Hilltown artists and makers in their creative endeavors.

The 2024 tour hub is located at 6 Williamsburg Rd in Worthington, the highest town in the state. This 19th-century schoolhouse is being turned into an art gallery with eight artists. (photo credit: Kathryn Koegel)

Potter Mark Shapiro will be demonstrating pot forms in his studio in South Worthington (photo credit Kathryn Koegel)

Ceramicist Emmett Leader turned a 19th-century three-story barn into his studio space. He recreated the edifice from a wooden synagogue of his grandfather’s Eastern European culture inside the barn to display his Judaica-inspired work. (photo credit Kathryn Koegel)

New Tour Hub & Arts-fest added for
6th Annual Hilltown Open Studios Tour
October 5 - 6th, 2024

Worthington, MA – The Hilltown Arts Alliance announced today that artists who have chosen the beautiful and historic Western Massachusetts Hilltowns as a place to live and work will be hosting visitors on October 5th and 6th, 2024 for the 6th annual Hilltown Open Studio Tour & Arts-fest. This year the tour will be centered around Worthington, which is the highest town in the state and one of the prettiest, especially in fall. The Tour Hub and Arts-fest will be in a 19th century schoolhouse with tall antique windows illuminating the eight artists featured there. Every hour on the hour during the event artists will be giving presentations. Guests are welcome to take in the fall scenery on the lawn and enjoy a food truck. Worthington also features two restaurants (Liston’s Bar & Grill and The Goldenrod Country Inn) and a brewery in an old cow barn (Sena Farm).

In addition to the eight artists at the Tour Hub, the weekend features work and demonstrations from 18 local artists in 12 locations around the Hilltowns from South Worthington north through Plainfield. Many of the studios are in centuries-old barns and historic buildings. The studio spaces are open 11AM - 5PM each day and the tour hub at 6 Williamsburg Road in Worthington will be open from 10:30 - 5PM to offer printed maps and suggestions about studios to visit.

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“The rural Hilltown region is a hidden gem just 30 minutes from either the Pioneer Valley or the Berkshires,” says artist Kathryn Jensen who is coordinating the event as well as showing at the Tour Hub. “Artists from around the world – and the US – are choosing to live and create here because of the beauty and quiet as well as availability of space. This rural region is close to renowned cultural institutions like the Clark, Mass MOCA and all the arts connected to the many colleges. We invite the community to come out, enjoy a fall drive on our Scenic Byways like Rts 112 and 143 and meet some artists.” 

Award-winning fiber artist Kathy Ford, who moved here after stints in New York City and Amherst, turned the ground floor of her 19th century house into a workspace for making large-scale “quilts” that resemble color-filled exploded landscapes. She lives just across picturesque Ireland Street from renowned, and widely collected, wood-fired potter Mark Shapiro. North on Main Street in Cummington, narrative ceramicists Kadri Parnamets and Sergei Isupov (from Estonia and Ukraine) have made their home and work in an old mill on the Wild & Scenic-designated Westfield River.

“The Hilltown Open Studio Tour is really a chance to see some extraordinary renovated and reused spaces that only artists could create,” says Ford, a Harvard-trained architect. Plus, it will be at nearly the peak of fall foliage. Attending the tour is the chance to enjoy both the art and scenery of the Hilltowns in one weekend.”

New to the tour this year are: Marcia Hayden Hendrick (painter); Emmett Leader (ceramicist); Lawrence Preston (painter); Angela Sciotti Vincent (painter) and Kate Wills (ceramicist). 

Returning artists include: Adrian Almquist (potter and fabric artist); Pleun Bouricius (photographer);  Alexandra Cherau (printmaker);  Valerianna Claff (watercolor); Olwen Dowling (printmaker and painter); Michael Falcone (painter);  Kathy Ford (fiber artist);  Leni Fried (printmaker);  Lena Garcia (painter); Laurie Israel (painter); Sergei Isupov (ceramicist); Kathryn Jensen (watercolor); David Marshall (painter); Guy Matsuda (potter); Jen Parrish-Hill (artisan jeweler); Kadri Parnamets (ceramicist); Greta Gnatek Redzko (painter); Mark Shapiro (ceramicist); Molly Smith (painter and sculptor); Cyndy Sperry (painter and ceramicist); Susanna White  (painter). 

Printed maps will be available at each studio stop on the tour as well as the Tour Hub. An interactive tour map is located at  hilltownartsalliance.org/tour-map. For the most updated information on artists and events throughout the weekend, go to hilltownartsalliance.org

The Open Studio Tour is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, both directly and through the Cummington Cultural District and the Cultural Councils of Plainfield, Cummington, Worthington, Chesterfield, and Westhampton as well as support from the Hilltown Community Development Corporation. Local sponsors include John Thomas Plumbing and Heating, Florence Bank, George Propane, High Field Farm, Liston’s Bar & Grill, Sugar-ledge Stone Quarry, Salmon Falls Gallery, and Old Creamery Co Op among many others.

About the Hilltown Arts Alliance. The Hilltown Arts Alliance is a registered 501(c)(3) and is a volunteer-run nonprofit arts organization serving the beautiful Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. These lush rolling hills are home to an impressive number of accomplished artists. Our mission is to spread the word! The Hilltown Arts Alliance seeks to connect and support local Hilltown artists and makers in their creative endeavors.

The 2024 tour hub is located at 6 Williamsburg Rd in Worthington, which is the highest town in the state. This 19th century schoolhouse is being turned into an art gallery with eight artists. (photo credit: Kathryn Koegel)

Lawrence Preston, a realist painter, is new to the tour and will be showing in his 19th century barn-turned studio in Plainfield. (photo credit: Lawrence Preston)

Fiber artist Kathy Ford will be showing from her studio in South Worthington which was a house built in the 1790s. (photo credit: Kathryn Koegel)

Addendum/Correction

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

GRANT PREPARATION & ADMINISTRATION

TOWN OF CHESTERFIELD FY25 CDBG FUNDED PROJECTS

As the lead community for a regional Community Development Block Grant application, the Chesterfield Selectboard, as the awarding entity, invites proposals for qualified grant application and administrative services. Potential towns to be included in the application are Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Peru, Plainfield, Westhampton Williamsburg, and Worthington. Programs and activities may include Housing Rehabilitation and Social Service Program Administration. Activities are detailed in the Request for Proposal (RFP).

The RFP will be available at the Chesterfield Town Administrator’s office August 19 – September 4, 2024 or by calling the Town at (413) 296-4771. RFPs are available electronically upon request at townadmin@townofchesterfieldma.com.

The Town must receive your organization’s response at their offices at Chesterfield Town Office Building, 422 Main Road, PO Box 299, Chesterfield, MA by 2:00 pm on September 5th, 2024.

The right is reserved to waive any irregularities, reject any and all bids or to accept the bid deemed to be in the best interest of the Town of Chesterfield.

The Town is an EOE/AA Employer. Section 3 qualified applicants are also encouraged. Accommodations will be made for those who require them.

Signed

Roger A. Fuller

Select Board Chair

NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

On or about September 10 ‘24 the Town of Chesterfield (Town) will submit a request to the Mass. Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) for the release of Community Development Block Grant funds under the Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended, to undertake a Housing Rehabilitation Program to provide housing rehabilitation grants of approximately $63,536 per unit to eligible low and moderate-income homeowners in the Towns of Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Peru, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington. Total CDBG funding for the Housing Rehabilitation activity is $936,826.60.

The proposed activity is categorically excluded under HUD regulations at section 24 CFR Part 58 from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for these projects are on file at Hilltown CDC, 387 Main Road, Chesterfield, MA 01012. Copies for examination may be requested weekdays from 9:00AM to 4:00PM.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the Town Selectboard. All comments received by September 9,‘24 will be considered prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds.

RELEASE OF FUNDS

The Town certifies to EOHLC that Patricia Colson-Montgomery in her capacity as a member of Selectboard consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. Ma EOHLC’s approval of the Certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Town of Chesterfield to use Program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO THE RELEASE OF FUNDS

EOHLC will accept objections to its release of funds and the Town of Chesterfield’s Certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a)the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the Town; (b) the Town has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c)the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD/EOHLC; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24CFR part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities at 100 Cambridge St., Boston, MA 02114. Potential objectors should contact HUD/EOHLC to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Patricia Colson-Montgomery

Chesterfield Selectboard

CHESTERFIELD, Mass. - State leaders gathered in Chesterfield on Thursday to unveil $12 million in grant funding for Community Development Corporations (CDCs) across Massachusetts and discuss potential enhancements to the funding model.

Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, Housing Secretary Ed Augustus, and representatives from the Massachusetts CDC convened to announce the latest round of the Community Investment Tax Credit Program. The program matches private donations to CDCs with a state tax credit, effectively doubling the contribution.

"It's really meaningful because it provides flexible resources for CDCs which are doing so much from housing to dealing with food security, and child care," Driscoll said.

The Hilltown CDC exemplifies the diverse operations supported by the program, offering food delivery, transportation, housing development, elder, and child care, and business empowerment initiatives.

Given the proven track record of CDCs in fostering community development from urban Boston to rural hill towns, legislators are considering expanding the tax credit program. The upcoming housing bond bill could make the program permanent and increase total funding from $12 million to $15 million annually.

"This tax credit is a real tool for organizations like CDCs that adapt to the unique circumstances of the communities they serve," Augustus stated.

Watch the coverage on 22 News Here!

PUBLIC HEARING  

Where: Town of Chesterfield Selectboard Room 

When: Monday, January 29th, 2024 at 5:00 pm 

(snow day: Feb 12th, 2024 ) 

Potential participating communities: Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Peru, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington 

• Planning for the CDBG FY24 grant 

Come share your input on potential projects: Housing Rehabilitation and Social Services which last year included: 

Hilltown Elder Network, Health Outreach Program for Elders, the Goshen Food Pantry, and other programs of interest to you. 

•  Implementation of the CDBG FY22.23 grant 

Share your input on how we have been doing with the above-listed programs. 

If you can’t come to the meeting but have comments, please submit written comments to beavh@hilltowncdc.org within 2 weeks of the hearing. 

Hilltown CDC, on behalf of the Town of Chesterfield, is seeking community input regarding potential projects to be included in the FY24 Community Development Block Grant application. 

Recent programs included are: Housing Rehab., Hilltown Elder Network, Health Outreach Program for Elders, and Hilltown Food Pantry. If there are new programs or activities you would like to have considered, please let us know! Your participation and input is greatly appreciated. 

If you have participated in any of the programs and would like to share success stories, or ways to improve the programs we want to hear from you as well!

Please share your support, feedback or ideas for improvement through our online survey.

Click here to complete a survey that helps demonstrate need in the Hilltowns.

Notice of Public Hearing

Nov. 6, 2023 5:00 PM

The Chesterfield Selectboard will hold a Public Hearing to discuss Mass. CDBG program tasks outlined below on Nov. 6, ‘23 at 5:00 PM in the Selectboard meeting room in the Town Office Building, 422 Main Road. The building is accessible to persons with disabilities. Contact the Town Administrator for public access via Zoom. Any persons needing special accommodations should email HCDC at least one week prior to the meeting. All persons or organizations wishing to be heard will be afforded the opportunity.

Public comment is invited on FY21 items: 

• Budget amendment to shift Housing Rehab funds from 4C to 4A.

• Budget amendment to shift ITAV funds to HEN and Food Pantry programs.

The public and representatives of participating towns and organizations with ideas or comments regarding these items should attend to present their views. The Town of Chesterfield, through its Selectboard, is the recipient of funds for this program. HCDC is the grant administrator responsible for oversight and implementation. For additional information or if you cannot attend the hearing, but have comments you would like to make, write Hilltown CDC, P.O. Box 17, Chesterfield, MA 01012, or email beavh@hilltowncdc.org

Hilltown Community Development Corporation is accepting resumes for an Associate Director to join our Management Team. This position will provide Program Management and oversee Hilltown CDC’s Housing Department and Community Development Block Grant program.  Excellent written and spoken communication skills are needed. As a member of the Management Team, this candidate will assist in the overall direction, vision, and mission of the agency.  As part of the team this candidate will assist in operationalizing diversity, equity and inclusion in our organization’s business practices.  Experience in Program Management required.  Experience in grant management, supervision, government programs and compliance with state and federal program regulations is desired.  Full Time, Competitive salary $65-$80k.

JOB DESCRIPTION - ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Responsibilities:  The Associate Director will oversee the functioning of Hilltown CDC’s Housing and CDBG funded programs.  S/He/They will work as a part of the Management Team at Hilltown CDC to develop, rehabilitate, manage and preserve real estate (primarily affordable housing) in the Hilltowns, and to oversee CDBG programs including the Housing Rehabilitation and Social Service programs, and the annual grant application process.   

Duties:

Oversight of Housing Programs:

1.      Provide day to day management and administration for housing programs, including housing and real estate development, property management, resident services, and housing rehabilitation. 

2.      Prepare and/or coordinate required reporting.

3.      Facilitate effective coordination and resource utilization among housing programs, to ensure efficient use of staff, consultant and monetary resources.

4.      Participate in financial planning for housing programs; responsible for management of project budgets in excess of $1,000,000.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Administration:

1.      Prepare and submit annual CDBG regional grant application with assistance from other staff members.

2.      Monitor CDBG program progress and supervise the monitoring of sub-recipient social service organizations.

3.      Supervise staff working under the CDBG fund including Housing Rehab Manager, Housing Rehab Specialist and Social Service Program Manager.

4.      Prepare and submit quarterly reports.

5.      Work with town Select Boards to identify eligible CDBD activities and grant priorities.

Real Estate Development:

1.      Coordinate the management, planning and implementation of residential and commercial development projects in Hilltown CDC’s service area.  When appropriate, collaborate with other Hilltown CDC staff in these efforts.

2.      Identify, research, and evaluate financial and operational feasibility of potential projects and sites for development.

3.      Coordinate site analysis by consultants: for example perc tests, wetlands delineation, and preliminary architectural and engineering work

4.      Obtain site control and secure predevelopment funding.

5.      Obtain necessary permits and approvals.

6.      Negotiate contracts with rehab specialists, architects, engineers, contractors, and other consultants and coordinate their efforts once selected.

7.      Prepare financing proposals, obtain financing commitments, negotiate loan documents, and manage closings with funders.

8.      Develop and manage project budgets with CFO and Executive Director

9.      Oversee construction and completion of projects.

10.  Oversee marketing and lease-up or sale of units.

11.  Oversee management of rental units and required followup on homeownership units.

12.  Staff Real Estate Committee of the Board.

13.  Assist Executive Director in making recommendations to the Board of Directors and implementing Board decisions.

Resource Development/ Public Relations:

1.      Identify and research available funding opportunities to address housing problems and issues in the Hilltowns

2.      Advocate for the housing and social service needs of constituent communities.

3.      Represent Hilltown CDC at meetings with funders, affiliate organizations, Town Boards, community groups and the community at large.

Staff Supervision:

1.      Supervise the Housing Rehabilitation Program Manager, Property Manager, Tenant Service Coordinator, and any staff and volunteers assigned to real estate development.  Conduct employee evaluations and recommend changes in compensation and job duties when necessary and appropriate.

2.      Provide program and project backup when regular staff are unavailable.

Management Team:

Participate in Hilltown CDC Management Team meetings to assist with overall organizational goal-setting, operating budget, program delivery and problem-solving.

Supervised By: Executive Director

Qualifications:

1.      Interest in working for a community-based development organization and commitment to community revitalization and affordable housing.

2.      Experience with Community Development Block grant or similar federal grants.

3.      Familiarity with residential design and construction.

4.      Demonstrated ability to initiate and complete projects.

5.      Ability to work independently and in teams.

6.      Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent work experience.

7.      Three to five years experience in real estate development and project management.

8.      Three to five years experience with supervision.

9.      Excellent administrative and communication skills, both spoken and written.

10.  Demonstrated ability to manage community process.

11.  Familiarity with public approval processes.

12.  Familiarity with public and private funding programs for affordable housing and economic development.

13.  Experience with contract management.

14.  Experience in project and organizational budgeting and management.

15.  Computer literacy with word processing and spreadsheet software.

16.  Familiarity with a broad range of housing programs.

17.  Position requires a high degree of physical activity including scouting potential development sites, attending on-site construction meetings and attending evening meetings with Town boards and committees.

Hours:  37.5 hours per week, generally Monday through Friday.  Evening and weekend hours are sometimes required.  Some work may be done remotely. 

EOE/AA/Section 3: Applicants with handicaps and needing assistance will be accommodated.  Among equally qualified candidates, low to moderate-income residents of the local region will be given preference.

Send resume and cover letter to:

Associate Director

HCDC

PO Box 17

Chesterfield, MA 01012

Or email to: davec@hilltowncdc.org

 

Hilltown Open Studios Tour Announces

Full Slate of Arts Demonstrations & Live Performances for the Open Studio Tour Weekend

Cummington, MA – The Hilltown Arts Alliance announced today their full slate of live artist demonstrations, talks and performances that punctuate the 5th annual Open Studio Tour. The public is invited to learn art techniques, meet with world-renowned artists and enjoy both music and dance performances as part of the weekend taking place September 30 - October 1st in the Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. All events are free. 

Thirty-two artists who make the scenic and historic Western Massachusetts Hilltowns their place to live and create will be opening their work spaces from 11AM to 5PM each day. During this weekend, the following live demonstrations and performances include:

Saturday

• 11am: What I see, I paint | Jeanne Johns at Cummington Community House Tour Hub

• 12pm: Relief prints using a copy press | Leni Fried  |  494 Stage Rd, Cummington

• 1pm: Throwing large pots with stacked sections | Mark Shapiro  | 42 Conwell Rd

• 1pm:  The Road to Cummington | Sergei Isupov at ProjectArt, Main Street, Cummington

• 2pm: Back to black: the role of value | Kathryn Jensen at Cummington Community House Tour Hub

• 3pm: You can paint a horse | Cyndy Sperry  | 257 Sugar Hill Rd

• 4pm: Creating character with theatrical make-up | Beckie Kravetz at Community House Tour Hub

• 5pm: Quartet jazz band | Lithia Quartet at Cummington Community House Tour Hub

• 5pm: folk singer | Jitensha at Sena Farm Brewery

Sunday

• 11am: Re-using old frames demonstration | Pleun Bouricius | 53 Old South St, Plainfield

• 12pm: Blueprints: making botanical cyanotypes | Madge Evers at Cummington Community House Tour Hub

• 1pm: The Road to Cummington | Sergei Isupov at ProjectArt, Main St, Cummington

• 1pm: Prints using photopolymer intaglio plate | Nancy Doniger | 91 North Rd, Westhampton

• 2pm: The alchemy of watercolor | Valerianna Claff  | 32 Munson Rd, Chesterfield 

• 3pm: When red and blue don’t make purple: color mixing | Lena Garcia  | 105 South Street, Chesterfield

• 4pm: Human Erratics: On and Off Screen Dance, with Doug Abrams, piano | Ellie Goudie-Averill  | Chesterfield Town Hall – 422 Main Road, Chesterfield

The tour has added more food options this year including Worthy-Que Smoke N’ BBQ at Sena Farm Brewery, Saturday and Sunday starting at 12 noon, and Holyoke Hummus at the Cummington Community House (Tour Hub), Saturday, starting at 11am.

“We’re very excited that so many of our artists will be not just opening their studios but giving the public a close up look at their process. Whether you have wanted to learn how to throw a pot or understand various printmaking techniques, there is so much to choose from,” says Hilltown Arts Alliance President and award-winning fabric artist Kathy Ford. 

“This year we wanted to broaden the representation of what is art in the Hilltowns and we are pleased to be including local musicians and dancers. We encourage the public to come, meet an artist and see how they live and work, then stay for the performances and local foods,” says Kathryn Jensen, watercolor artist and this year’s tour chairman.

A Tour Hub and gallery featuring representative works of each artist is being set up in Massachusetts newest designated cultural district: Cummington, MA. It will be held at the Community House at 33 Main St.  Printed maps will be available there and at each studio stop on the tour. An interactive tour map is located at: hilltownartsalliance.org/tour-map.

New to the tour this year are: Adrian Almquist, Nancy Doniger, Madge Evers, Greta Gnatek Redzko, Lena Garcia, Ellie Goudie-Averill, Marie Haas, Eric Jacobson. Barbara Konieczny and Molly Smith.

Returning artists include: Elena Allee, Ana Busto, Pleun Bouricius, Laura Bundeson, Valerianna Claff, Gloria Conwell, Michael Falcone, Leni Fried,  Alexandra Cherau, Sergei Isupov, Kathryn Jensen, Jeanne Johns, Beckie Kravetz, Guy Matsuda, Michael Melle, Kevin O’Connor, Olwen O’Herlihy Dowling, Jen Parrish-Hill, Kädri Parnamets, Mark Shapiro, Cyndy Sperry, John Walker, Jr. and Susanna White.

The Open Studio Tour is made possible with support from the Hilltown Community Development Corporation, Cummington Cultural District; Mass. Cultural Council, Hilltown Community Health Center. Florence Bank, George Propane, East Branch Studios, Cummington Supply, and Old Creamery Co Op.

For the most updated information on artists and events throughout the weekend, go to hilltownartsalliance.org

About the Hilltown Arts Alliance. The Hilltown Arts Alliance is applying to be a registered 501(c)(3) and is a volunteer-run nonprofit arts organization serving the beautiful hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. These lush rolling hills are home to an impressive number of accomplished artists. Our mission is to spread the word! The Hilltown Arts Alliance seeks to connect and support local Hilltown artists and makers in their creative endeavors.

A collaborative effort by the Hilltown Community Development Corporation, Hilltown (mobile) Market, and Hilltown Food Policy Council.

Free Food while supplies last.

Cash bar, so bring some bucks.

Reserve your tickets here

5th Annual Hilltown Open studios Tour set for 

September 30th - October 1st, 2023 

Tour hub and performances held in cummington,  
massachusetts’ newest cultural district 
 

Cummington, MA – The Hilltown Arts Alliance announced today that 32 artists who have chosen the beautiful and historic Western Massachusetts Hilltowns as a place to live and work will be opening their workspaces September 30 and October 1, 2023 for the 5th annual Open Studio Tour. The weekend features work and demonstrations from a global slate of artists in 23 locations. The studio spaces are open 11AM - 5PM each day. 

“The rural Hilltowns are increasingly where artists from around the US and the world are choosing to live and create,” says Hilltown Arts Alliance President and award-winning fabric artist Kathy Ford. “Artists on the tour are from Ukraine, Ireland, Estonia, Spain, the Netherlands, New York, Hawaii, Kansas, Florida, California, Montana, Illinois, Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma. While our influences and work are wildly diverse, we all come here to find the space to create. Artists in the Hilltowns reinvent 19th century barns and mills into light-filled creative spaces. Seeing how people live and work in such a beautiful rural area is the unique experience of the Hilltowns Open Studio Tour.” 

A Tour Hub and gallery featuring representative works of each artist is being set up in Massachusetts newest designated cultural district: Cummington, MA. It will be held at the Community House at 33 Main St.  Printed maps will be available there and at each studio stop on the tour. An interactive tour map is located at: hilltownartsalliance.org/tour-map. 

New to the tour this year are: Adrian Almquist, Nancy Doniger, Madge Evers, Greta Gnatek Redzko, Lena Garcia, Ellie Goudie-Averill, Marie Haas, Eric Jacobson. Barbara Konieczny and Molly Smith. 

Returning artists include: Elena Allee, Ana Busto, Pleun Bouricius, Laura Bundeson, Valerianna Claff, Gloria Conwell, Michael Falcone, Leni Fried,  Alexandra Cherau, Sergei Isupov, Kathryn Jensen, Jeanne Johns, Beckie Kravetz, Guy Matsuda, Michael Melle, Kevin O’Connor, Olwen O’Herlihy Dowling, Jen Parrish-Hill, Kädri Parnamets, Mark Shapiro, Cyndy Sperry, John Walker, Jr. and Susanna White. 

Attendees of the tour will wander Scenic Byways 112 and 143 from Huntington in the southern Hilltowns to Plainfield in the north during peak leaf season. The roads follow the Westfield River, which was designated Wild & Scenic by an act of Congress 30 years ago. Restaurants, a brewery and food trucks serving local fare are dotted throughout the area. Music and dance performances will take place in Worthington and Cummington in the late afternoons during the weekend. Attendees can come for the entire weekend – or just spend a few hours – getting to know the work of Hilltowns artists and the scenery that inspires them. 

The Open Studio Tour is made possible with support from the Hilltown Community Development Corporation, Cummington Cultural District; Mass. Cultural Council, Hilltown Community Health Center. Florence Bank, George Propane, East Branch Studios, Cummington Supply, and Old Creamery Co Op. 

For the most updated information on artists and events throughout the weekend, go to hilltownartsalliance.org 

About the Hilltown Arts Alliance. The Hilltown Arts Alliance is applying to be a registered 501(c)(3) and is a volunteer-run nonprofit arts organization serving the beautiful hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. These lush rolling hills are home to an impressive number of accomplished artists. Our mission is to spread the word! The Hilltown Arts Alliance seeks to connect and support local Hilltown artists and makers in their creative endeavors 

Notice of Public Hearing

June 26, 2023 1:00 PM

The Chesterfield Selectboard will hold a Public Hearing to discuss Mass. CDBG program tasks outlined below on June 26, ‘23 at 1:00 PM in the Selectboard meeting room in the Town Office Building, 422 Main Road. The building is accessible to persons with disabilities. Contact the Town Administrator for public access via Zoom. Any persons needing special accommodations should email HCDC at least one week prior to the meeting. All persons or organizations wishing to be heard will be afforded the opportunity.

Public comment is invited on FY21 items: 

• CDBG FY21 Budget amendment to shift Housing Rehab funds to up to three Public Social Service Programs

The public and representatives of participating towns and organizations with ideas or comments regarding this item should attend to present their views. The Town of Chesterfield, through its Selectboard, is the recipient of funds for this program. HCDC is the grant administrator responsible for oversight and implementation. For additional information or if you cannot attend the hearing, but have comments you would like to make, write Hilltown CDC, P.O. Box 17, Chesterfield, MA 01012, or email beavh@hilltowncdc.org

______________________________________________________________________________

Contact:         Bea von Hagke – CDBG Grants Manager

                        Hilltown CDC

                        P.O. Box 17

                        Chesterfield, MA 01012

                        beavh@hilltowncdc.org

Chesterfield, MA – Showing marked growth, Hilltown Community Development, the non-profit that seeks to improve the quality of life for Hilltown residents, ended 2022 with over $2 million in grants generated since the pandemic era. The organization has fostered several new initiatives to help increase the Hilltowns’ appeal as a place to live, work and recreate by addressing economic, housing, education, social and community needs.

“Throughout Covid, we helped our local businesses survive by offering small grants,” says Hilltown Community Development Director Dave Christopolis. “As the world has reopened, we shifted our work to launch a tourism program and increase food security while supporting small local farmers and taking the Hilltown Mobile Market online. We continue to support the many artists that call the Hilltowns home by helping them market themselves and the region. Housing remains at the core of our mission. We have developed, own and manage 68 units of affordable housing scattered across the Hilltowns.”

Housing:

In September of 2020, the organization purchased the former Chester High School building, which had been converted to affordable housing in 1987.  The building also houses the Chester's town library and a small museum, and is a contributing structure to the Chester Factory Village National Register Historic District.  Hilltown Community Development has been awarded over seven million dollars for the renovation of the building and will start construction on these improvements in 2023 preserving 15 housing subsidies.

Public Facilities

Hilltown Community Development is helping reimagine the elementary school in Cummington which was closed in 2016.  It will be a community space including a commercial kitchen available for food production.

Hilltown Community Development secured a $2 million earmark from Congressman Richard Neal for the construction of a Senior Center in Worthington. They will work with the Town of Worthington to raise the additional funds to construct a 5,000 square foot Senior Center.

The organization is assisting the Town of Chester in seeking funds to redesign and redevelop their vacant elementary school. They are also assisting the town of Hinsdale in redeveloping their public beach and park at Plunket Lake and making it ADA compliant.  

The Arts:

Hilltown Community Development supported a community group from Cummington in their bid to turn the downtown area into a state designated Cultural District. The designation is expected to come through in spring 2023. It will help the town produce more cultural programming and preserve and enrich the historic character of Main Street. In 2022, the street featured Reflections: a juried art show featuring installations by nine local artists. These installations invited participants to reflect on the cultural and natural history of the region while strolling down Main St.

The organization supplied marketing and PR support to the Hilltown Arts Alliance’s 4th Annual Open Studio Tour which was held on October 1st and 2nd. Art enthusiasts and art buyers from as far away as NYC and Boston came to the Hilltowns to meet with 23 artists, see their work and the unique Hilltown creative process. Nearly 40% of the visitors purchased art and 60% bought local foods, adding to the economic health of the region

Health:

Hilltown Community Development completed its work with local Councils on Aging and community volunteers to create walking maps for nine downtown areas. The initiative was designed to help seniors safely get out for exercise and socialization in their communities. You can view these maps here: Healthy Aging — Hilltown CDC Click on the town thumbnail to see the map. You can also obtain a printed copy from the COA of each of these towns. Any questions about these maps please reach out to Rural Health Project Manager Joan Griswold joang@hilltowncdc.org or (413) 296-4536 ext 102.

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health awarded Joan Griswold, The Rural Public Health Project Manager their Community Stars Award for the betterment of rural health in the Hilltowns. Ms Griswold, a long-time resident of Goshen, has educated local residents on CPR, coordinated vaccination drives and increased knowledge about Covid vaccines among the young. She built the healthy walking initiative and helps coordinate the Hilltown Mobile Market.

The organization coordinated a COVID vaccination clinic that took place at their offices in Cummington on October 31st, 2022. Forty-five locals were able to be vaccinated and boosted without prior reservations

Farming and Food Security:

The Hilltown Mobile Market successfully transitioned from four in person markets to weekly online pre-ordering with distribution throughout the Hilltowns to 18 locations. It operated from July through November. The program provided a local outlet for food from 20 producers. New producers this year included Pause Pivot Farm, a hydroponic greenhouse in Williamsburg, Cream of the Crop Farm in Russell, Foxtrot Herb Farm in Shelburne Falls, Grace Hill Dairy in Cummington, and Kinne Brook Farm in Worthington.  They diversified the offerings of the market with local beef, yogurt, eggs, cheese, microgreens and herbs. 

The program grew from an average of over 120 customers a week to over 300. Over $10,000 of healthy local food was given away to 72 low income families and more than $46,000 in revenue was generated for local farms. Look for more farmers and an even greater variety of produce next year. Farmers and local producers looking to join the program for 2023 should contact Hunt Chase at huntc@hilltowncdc.org.

Business Development:

After surveying over 170 local businesses, the Hilltown Community Development decided to transition the Hilltown Business Directory to an online product that now has content about the Hilltowns and encourages tourism. The site has nearly 5,000 active monthly users. Accompanying the online directory are a series of brochures that are being professionally distributed in the Hilltowns, the Berkshires and the Pioneer Valley. Twenty-thousand of the first brochure, focused on Fall Daytrips, were launched Labor Day and accompanied by a Facebook ad campaign. Brochures about Business Services, Health & Wellness, and Hilltown Living will launch in the new year. Businesses included are promoted online with custom Facebook and Instagram posts highlighting their events and goods offered. Since launching a dedicated Facebook presence in September, Hilltown Directory posts have reached over 100,000 people. Businesses looking to advertise in 2023 should contact Joan Griswold (joang@hilltowncdc.org or (413) 296-4536 ext 102).

Hilltown Community Development welcomes resident input on programs. Please reach out to Dave Christopolis at dave@hilltowncdc.org.

About Hilltown Community Development 

Hilltown Community Development is a private non-profit organization that seeks to improve the quality of life for Hilltown residents by addressing economic, housing, education, social and community needs while preserving the rural character of the area. Among their initiatives is the Hilltown Mobile Market, which distributes local produce, meat and dairy throughout the region and the Hilltown Directory which promotes local business and regional tourism.