You are invited to

Hilltown CDC‘s Annual Meeting

Please join us for this virtual event and hear from staff at Hilltown CDC
about all that has been accomplished this past year and how we navigated
our way through the pandemic. Learn about our plans for 2022.

You will also have an opportunity to hear from and engage our local legislators on issues important to the Hilltowns.

Please join us via zoom on
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 6-8:30pm

Agendas and link to meeting will be sent out after you RSVP on the link below.
 

Look forward to seeing you virtually.

This zoom meeting is limited to the first 100 people. 
Please RSVP to hold your spot.

RSVP NOW

Hilltown CDC is seeking a candidate for our Director of Community Programs.   This position will be a part of our Management Team. The ideal candidate will have experience writing and managing grants and have knowledge of the Hilltown communities, the needs of rural residents and the rural municipal services in the region.  As a member if 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.  This position seeks an individual who is comfortable engaging the community, speaking in public and organizing community members around rural initiatives.    Full Time, Competitive salary $51-$56k.

Submit resume and cover letter by Friday, November 19, 2021 to davec@hilltowncdc.org

or mail to Dave C., Hilltown CDC, PO Box 17 Chesterfield, MA  01012

Hilltown CDC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Please review the full job description here.

The Hilltown Open Studio Tour returns this year on Saturday and Sunday, October 2nd &3rd. The visually rich experience of seeing the artists - in their intimate studio settings – complements the beauty of Western Massachusetts’ rolling hills, farms, mountain streams, and autumn foliage. Enjoy 22 studios and 25 artists working in a variety of media on this self-guided tour from 11am to 5pm both days. You may begin at any studio (locations and map on www.hilltownartsalliance.org) or at the Cummington Community House, 33 Main Street, Cummington, MA.

The tour is fresh each year with several new artists – and returning artists presenting new works! COVID shutdown provided a long creative incubation time for each artist on the tour, and new perspectives and
approaches are an even greater part of the annual event after a year hiatus!

Learn more at: https://hilltownartsalliance.org/open-studio-tour/

“I spent the pandemic shutdown creating jewelry for an exhibition at the British Museum in London and a stylized oak tree design, both collections inspired by History, Nature and Architecture.” explains artist Jen Parrish-Hill. “Being surrounded by nature means you want to help preserve it, so I donate a percentage of each website sale to an organization that brings light to issues threatening our wildlife, our environment, our earth.” Peaceful, but not isolated, Parrish-Hill also states that her Hilltown setting is rich in creative sharing amongst artists and looks forward to the return of the studio tour. “For solitary creators, having people visit (even just once a year) can be very rewarding - the conversations, meeting neighbors and the joy of being part of a talented community of artists.”

Painter Cyndy Sperry looked to history during the pandemic for perspective. “Well now, Picasso and Matisse painted through two world wars,” she points out. One special COVID project she completed was a rework of Emmanuel Leutze’s “Washington Crossing the Delaware” done through a Zoom collaboration with art partners.

Another highlight this year is a Raku firing at Project Art, a live work artist residency program specializing in contemporary ceramics. Internationally known artists, Kadri Pärnamets and Sergei Isupov will be doing a dramatic Raku firing over the two days – works will be glazed, loaded, fired and then removed from the kiln while red hot, placed into flammable materials which starve the piece of oxygen, blacken the clay surface and produce colorful highlights in the glazes and rapidly cooled in buckets of water. The drama comes from the carefully managed fire, smoke, steam and high anticipation of the many variables that create an unpredictable, but always beautiful, outcome.

Normally Sergei and Kadri spend their daughter Roois's school year in Cummington and summers in
their homeland, Estonia. Throughout the pandemic year, Roosi attended school from home and clay
work was part of her new curriculum while working side by side with her parents in the studio and when possible, joined by masked-up friends from the neighborhood and classmates. Due to its immediacy and outdoor process, these special firing events were popular with both kids and their parents during the pandemic year. Other recent works by Sergei and Kadri will be on view in the building's gallery run by Ferrin Contemporary during HOST.
 

Please check the website for any updated COVID information and be prepared to wear a mask inside the studios.
 

Visit our Facebook page
Hilltown Open Studio Tour

Hilltown CDC is excited to offer a great line-up of free virtual classes to help your small business grow and thrive this fall! Check out all the new listings at our new business directory website, hilltowndirectory.com. There you will also find a searchable database of hundreds of small businesses in, by and for the hilltowns!

Class topics include:

-Business Tax Basics: What to keep and why

-Quickbooks tutorials: Intro, Beyond the Basics, and Business Accounting and Taxes

-Email Newsletters: Staying in Contact with your clients

-Content planning for a new year

In addition, HCDC offers free, confidential business assistance to Hilltown residents. So if you are thinking of starting or growing your business, we can help. And thanks to a  generous grant from the MGCC, all of our business assistance is free of charge.

We have experts  in a wide range of areas that can help get you on your feet, including website help, social media marketing, business tax and accounting, legal assistance, and more.  For more information, email Hilltown CDC Economic Development Director Michele Kenney at MicheleK@Hilltowncdc.org, or call 413-354-1055.

The Hilltown Mobile Market received a grant through the Startup Circle of the Hampshire County Food Policy Council, in partnership with Cooley Dickinson Hospital, to offer a Veggie Rx prescription program.

Starting in August, prescriptions will be available in $10 vouchers to shop at the Hilltown Mobile Market and four other Hilltown farm stands. The prescriptions are being distributed through the Hilltown Community Health Center’s Community Health Worker program, targeting families who are food insecure or individuals managing a diet-related disease.

To learn more about the program please reach out to Kim Savery, Director of Community Programs and Family Support, at ksavery@hchcweb.org

The Hilltown Mobile Market is a different kind of grocery store. Every week the market gathers fresh and affordable Hilltown-grown produce from our neighbor farms. Everyone can shop for produce from the colorful veggie van at one of our four weekly stops in Blandford, Cummington, Huntington and Worthington. Purchases with SNAP, HIP, WIC and Senior Coupons are welcomed!

Our 2021 weekly market schedule:

THURDSAY

WORTHINGTON: 2:00-3:30PM
Congregational Church
156 Huntington Road

CUMMINGTON: 4:30-6:00PM
Kingman Tavern
41 Main Street

FRIDAY

BLANDFORD: 2:00-3:30PM
Post Office
102 Main Street

HUNTINGTON: 4:30-6:00PM
Town Green
24 Russell Road

PUBLIC HEARING

Where: Town of Chesterfield Selectboard Room

When: Monday, July 19th, 2021 at 5:30 pm

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

·      Planning for the CDBG FY21 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,

It Takes a Village, Hilltown Food Pantry or other programs of interest to you.

·       Implementation of the CDBG FY20 grant

Come share your input on how we have been doing with the above listed programs, as well as the Worthington Senior Center design activity.

·      CDBG-CV budget amendment

Share your input regarding moving unused funds from the Food Bucks program to the Micro-enterprise program.

If you can’t come to the meeting but have comments, please submit written comments to beavh@hilltowncdc.org by July 26th 2021.

Got a few seconds?

Each year, Hilltown CDC applies for federal funding through the Community Development Block Grant to fund vital programs such as the Hilltown Elder Network (HEN), HOPE, Housing Rehab, It Takes A Village and the Hilltown Food Pantry. It is time to apply for next year's grant and we need your input for a strong application! Please demonstrate your support in two easy ways:

1) Sign Your Name (10 seconds)

2) Take the Survey (5 minutes)

If you, or someone you know, has participated in, or could benefit from participating in any of these programs and you would like to share support, success stories, or ways to improve the programs please contact Bea at beavh@hilltowncdc.org or 296-4536, ext. 11. Additionally, if there are new programs/activities you would like to have considered for future CDBG funding, please let us know!

Looking to get into the field of Public Health? The Southern Hilltown Adult Education Center has partnered with Holyoke Community College and BHN (Behavioral Health Network) to support Hilltowners to prepare for and succeed in the Community Health Worker Apprenticeship Program. The CHW program training course work will prepare students to work with children, youth, and families who have been impacted by opioid and substance abuse.

The training program consists of 9 college credits in the first year- free of charge, along with a $5000 sti-pend. The second year consists of a paid full-time apprenticeship, with an additional $7500 to the paid position. The 6 credit fall 2021 course will be fully virtual.

In person info session: June 21, 6pm at the Village Enterprise Center, 26 Main St, Chester. Virtual option also available. Call 413-354-1055 for more information.

Visit the SHAEC website for additional details about starting a new career in public health.

Leaky roof? Drafty windows? Soggy septic?

Now Accepting Applications for Housing Rehab!

Hilltown CDC received new funding for the FY20 Housing Rehab Program for the towns of Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Peru, Plainfield, Williamsburg and Worthington, and we are currently applying for the FY21 grant that may also include Westhampton. Income eligible homeowners who live in these towns are encouraged to apply now if you need help with your housing repairs.

The Housing Rehab Program is designed to address health and safety hazards such as:

• Siding

• Roofs and Chimneys

• Windows and Doors

• Floor Joists,

• Flooring Insulation,

• Walls,

• Ceilings

• Handicap Accessibility

• Septic Systems and Sewer Tie-ins

• Plumbing and Electrical Updates

• Wells, Pumps, and Hot Water Tanks

• Porches, Decks, and Stairs

• Lead Paint Removal

• Asbestos Removal

These NO Interest/NO payment loans may be entirely forgiven, and all work is completed by a licensed contractor of your choice. Please don’t delay, funding is available, and you may be surprised to find out you qualify! Please contact our Housing Rehab Program at (413) 296-4536, ext. 123.

Household Size	Maximum Gross Annual Income
1	$47,150
2	$53,850
3	$60,600
4	$67,300
5	$72,700
6	$78,100
7	$83,500

Funding is provided by the US Dept. of HUD/DHCD and MA CDBG Programs to the Town of Chesterfield.

The Hilltown Arts Alliance, with support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, will be hosting a in-person Pop-Up art preview on June 20, 2021 from 2-4PM at the Rabbit Hole Restaurant in Worthington. Come and celebrate the re-opening of the arts in the hilltowns!

Come Meet The Artists That Make The Hills Their Home

CELEBRATE and share in the re-opening of Arts & Culture in the Hilltowns

SEE what our Hilltown Artists have been creating during the shutdown

VISIT outdoor & banquet room installations

DINE on delicious appetizers & cash bar

PREVIEW art destinations featured in our big event, now scheduled for the weekend of October 2nd & 3rd

Hilltown Mobile Market: Fresh & Local!

We are back for our third season in 2021! Visit our website to sign up for farm shares, view our market schedule and find out more about our amazing farm producers!

The Hilltown Mobile Market is a different kind of grocery store.  We carry produce grown by the farmers you know in the Hilltown places you love. We gather fresh and affordable Hilltown-grown produce from our neighbor farms each week for our mobile market. Everyone can shop for produce from our colorful veggie van at one of our four weekly stops in Blandford, Cummington, Huntington and Worthington. Purchases with SNAP, HIP, WIC and Senior FNMP Coupons are welcomed!

Our popular Hilltown Community Farm Share is a convenient and affordable way to enjoy fresh food grown on neighbor farms. Each share contains 5 items of produce, perfect for senior and small households. You get to choose the items in your share each week.  It's easy, fun, and delicious! 

The full value of a share is $180 worth of fresh vegetables - or approximately $15 per week. We understand this amount may not fit everyone’s budget. Thanks to grant funding and donations, we are able to offer additional reduced payment options. 

• Low-Income Share: $60 ($5 per week)

• Moderate-Income Share: $120 ($10 per week)

• Fair Share: $180 ($15 per week)

• Helping Hand Share: $240 ($20 per week)

 Please choose the option that best reflects your household’s ability to pay.  For more guidance, check out our sliding scale guidelines.  If you qualify for SNAP (food stamps) the cost will be fully reimbursed by the HIP program!  If you are able to afford a little more, our Helping Hand Share covers the cost of your share plus a Low-Income Share for another family in town.

 The share pickups are weekly for 12 weeks starting July 22-October 8. You can pick up your share at any of our market locations: Blandford, Cummington, Huntington or Worthington. Shares are limited so be sure to sign up early!

Sign up for the Hilltown Community Farm Share!

Our market opens on July 22, 2021 and end on October 8, 2021. Last year, we distributed over 80 farm shares, more than half of which went to low-income families. The “veggie van” moved over $20,000 of locally grown produce from 9 participating Hilltown farms. And 39% of customers reported an increase in their weekly fresh food consumption. Learn more to support our work or get involved!

Hilltown Community Development is looking for two qualified candidates committed to the Hilltowns to join our team!

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HOUSING REHABILITATION MANAGER (FT)

Hilltown CDC is accepting applications for a Full-time Housing Rehabilitation Manager.   This position works directly with the Housing Rehab Specialist to provide services to low to moderate income households in the Hilltown region.  Responsibilities include outreach to potentially eligible homeowners, retention of local contractors to bid on work and management of each housing rehab project.  The program completes about twelve rehabs a year.  HR Manager must have experience in managing and complying with CDBG or comparable federal grants.  General knowledge of CDBG and the Hilltown community preferred.

Hours:  37.5 hours per week, generally Monday through Friday.  Occasional evening and weekend hours are required.

Compensation:  Salary range is $42,000-$48,000 per year, plus benefits.

Terms:  This is a grant-funded position.  The continuation of the position is subject to status of future funding.

EEO/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.

How to Apply:  View the full job description here. Submit resume and cover letter by Friday, April 16, 2021 to Dave Christopolis, davec@hilltowncdc.org or mail to Hilltown CDC, PO Box 17 Chesterfield, MA 01012

 Hilltown CDC is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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HILLTOWN MOBILE MARKET OPERATOR (PT)

Hilltown CDC is hiring a Part-time Mobile Market Operator for the Hilltown Mobile Market, a collaborative initiative to increase the accessibility and affordability of Hilltown-grown produce.  The Market aggregates fresh local produce from Hilltown farms and sets up a weekly “pop-up” farmers market in four locations from mid-July through mid-October.  The Operator is responsible for communicating weekly with the Mobile Market Coordinator, driving the Mobile Market van, picking up produce from local farms, setting up four market sites each week on Thursdays and Fridays (with assistance from volunteers/interns), distributing shares and selling produce to customers, and delivering any leftover produce to the food pantry or community kitchen. The Operator must have excellent customer service skills, professionalism when working with local farmers and vendors, ability to drive a cargo van and lift boxes of produce up to 50lbs, familiarity with Microsoft Office and social media platforms and willing to train on POS software. Experience working in retail produce or at a farmer’s market, expressed enthusiasm for promoting and increasing the consumption of healthy, local foods and familiarity with the Hilltowns preferred.

Days/Hours: Training – 15-20 flexible hours starting June 15th. Market runs from July 19th – Oct 8th. Thursdays and Fridays on site – about eight hours per market day, plus 2 remote hours advance planning for a total of 18 hours a week.

Compensation:  From $15 to $19 an hour. 

Terms: This is a temporary part-time grant funded position

Supervised By:  Director of Community Programs

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.

How to Apply:  To request job description, contact Kate Bavelock or kateb@hilltowncdc.org. Submit resume and cover letter by Friday, April 30, 2021.  Hilltown CDC, PO Box 17 Chesterfield, MA 01012

Hilltown CDC is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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HILLTOWN MOBILE MARKET INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES (2)

The Community Engagement Intern will support the implementation of the Hilltown Mobile Market, a collaborative initiative to increase the accessibility and affordability of Hilltown-grown produce.  The intern will work closely with the Mobile Market Coordinator and Mobile Market Operator to support outreach and recruitment of program participants, assist with marketing and communications, and provide hands-on assistance on market days (Thursdays & Fridays, 2-6pm). Strong communication skills, experience working in a retail produce or farmers’ market setting, basic literacy in social media and marketing software, a passion for equity, food access and community food systems, and familiarity with the Hilltowns preferred.

The HIP Summer Intern will promote the use of the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program benefit at the Hilltown Mobile Market, a collaborative initiative to increase the accessibility and affordability of Hilltown-grown produce.  The intern will educate and advocate for customers to utilize their full monthly benefit at HIP-eligible vendors including the Hilltown Mobile Market, and work closely with the Mobile Market Coordinator and Mobile Market Operator to support the market in flexible ways. Strong communication skills, basic literacy in social media and marketing software, a passion for equity, food access and community food systems, and familiarity with the Hilltowns preferred.

Supervised By:  Kate Bavelock, Director of Community Programs

Days/Hours: Flexible, 10-12 hours per week including up to 8 hours per week staffing the market

Compensation: This is an unpaid internship, but we are happy to support students in applying for funding or obtaining course credit.

How to Apply: Send your resume and cover letter to kateb@hilltowncdc.org by April 30th, 2021

The arrival of the pandemic greatly impacted our social service programs at Hilltown CDC and we have worked tirelessly to find ways to continue to provide to assistance and support to low income families and individuals in the towns we serve. Our programs have adapted in ways we could not have predicted previously and we are pleased to report that our networks of support remain as strong as ever. 

The HEN Program continues to serve eligible elder households in 8 towns with services necessary to enable continued independent and safer living conditions. While elder participant levels have lowered slightly due to fears of caregivers visiting regularly, and caregiver availability has diminished somewhat in response to pandemic pressures, the program remains serving nearly as many individuals as before. Additionally, HEN has been able to offer enhanced services to many participants. Each town served has a HEN Coordinator who may be contacted for further information.

 The HOPE Program brings specialized geriatric nursing services to many home bound eligible elders throughout the hilltown region. This wonderful program operated by the Hilltown Community Health Center has been helping eligible elders with age related and health maintenance issues in their homes during the entirety of the Pandemic period.  Information concerning HOPE may be obtained by calling 413-238-5511 and following the phone menu to the HOPE office extension

 The Hilltown Food Pantry Program has managed to provide the regular distribution of supplementary foods to as many participants as ever in the past and has experienced greater that average demand for foods during the past year. Eligible individuals and households may attend weekly supplementary distributions to obtain the extra foods needed to provide healthy home meals. The Goshen site is operated by the Northampton Survival Center and information concerning foods and distributions maybe gained through calling 413 586-6564

 If you or someone you know are in need of assistance please reach out to one of our coordinators to see what services we may be able to offer or direct you to. Our communities are only as strong as each individual within them - and strongest when we all work together!

Businesses, nonprofits, artists, and farmers in the Hilltowns may now apply for small grants up to $15,000 for suffering a financial impact of any kind due to COVID.

The Hilltown COVID Relief Fund is available to businesses, nonprofits, artists, and farmers in the towns of: Blandford, Chester, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Granville, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Plainfield, Russell, Williamsburg, Worthington.  

Due to a high volume of applications, the application window has closed as of Friday March 19, 2021 at 5PM. Thank you.

For more information, contact Michele Kenney at michelek@hilltowncdc.org

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Senator Adam Hinds worked with Dave Christopolis, Executive Director at Hilltown CDC to secure $250,000 in the State budget to provide additional support for the rural Hilltowns of Massachusetts.  Due to Senator Hind’s advocacy, Hilltown CDC received $250,000 to provide much needed financial relief to the region.  $150,000 of the fund will be administered by Hilltown CDC and $100,000 of the funding will be administered by the Greater Shelburne Falls Area Business Association.

Grants are available for a wide range of needs and will be awarded on a first come, first eligible, completed application basis, subject to the availability of funding. Applicants must be a registered business or organization and must certify that this funding is not a duplication of any benefits collected through The Paycheck Protection Program, Unemployment compensation benefits, Insurance claims/proceeds, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds, Small Business Administration funds, other Federal, State or local funding, or any other nonprofit, private sector, or charitable funding.

The Housing Rehab Program got a delayed start in 2020 with the onset of the Covid-19 virus.  All housing rehab work was put on hold until a clear definition emerged from the State and local governments regarding safety protocols.  Once these guidelines were established, exterior work was permitted for the first four months of the year, then interior was approved only after every local Board of Health was contacted to review our safety protocols and obtain authorization for this work.  Since these safety protocols have been put in place, the Housing Rehab Program has successfully undertaken 15 projects to date with no virus contamination for the homeowners or contractors.

Considering the difficult start for the program, Housing Rehab is currently experiencing good success.  There were four projects that had very serious repairs which were completely restored to acceptable living conditions with new roofs, siding, windows, two heating systems, and two septic systems. A total of 15 projects received funding under the the FY19 Grant, with two additional projects pending review.

Senior households served:  10 households / 16 beneficiaries
Households receiving lead paint remediation:  4
Households receiving septic repair assistance:  5
Households receiving handicap accessibility assistance:  3
Households receiving heating systems:  5

Applications for 2021 are now being accepted - Apply Today! Eligible applicants are low-moderate income households in Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Peru, Plainfield, Williamsburg, or Worthington. Typical services include replacement roofs, siding, windows/doors, updating electrical and plumbing, installing handicap accessible ramps and baths, replacing failed wells, septic systems, and remediating lead paint hazards. 

BEFORE: Wood siding deteriorated

AFTER: New vinyl siding installed to protect the home and provide greater insulation.

VIRTUAL PUBLIC HEARING 

CDBG FY19 and FY20 Grant Review and Budget Amendment

 Where: Town of Chesterfield Selectboard Meeting Room – Virtual meeting 

When: Monday, March 15th, 2021 at 5:00 pm.

Contact the Town Administrator for log in information

Items regarding Chesterfield CDBG grants including the towns of Cummington, Goshen, Peru, Plainfield and Worthington (plus Ashfield, Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Middlefield and Montgomery for the CDBG-CV grant) will be discussed:

· CDBG-19: A review of the Housing Rehabilitation, HEN, HOPE, Food Pantry, It Takes A Village and Food Bucks programs.

· CDBG FY20 Budget Amendment: Shift of Program Income funds to the FY20 Housing Rehab. Program.

· CDBG–CV: A review of the Micro-enterprise Relief and Food Bucks programs with possible budget amendment to add the Town of Westhampton.

Anyone interested in sharing ideas or comments regarding these programs is welcome and encouraged to attend. If you are unable to attend but would like to provide feedback, please email beavh@hilltowncdc.org or mail your comments to Hilltown CDC, PO Box 17, Chesterfield, 01012

Dear Hilltowners,

I don’t know about you, but I sure am ready for spring.  As I start to plan out my planting strategy this year, I am beginning to get seeds ready for indoor starters.   I can’t wait to clean out the barn for the ducks and chickens and as soon as the ground thaws get back to completing our fencing for new goats to arrive this year.  Early in the COVID pandemic, we pruned our apple trees and blueberry bushes and expanded our growing capacity. I feel very grateful that I have the privilege of living the Hilltowns where we can grow our own food and make many of our own products for living.

I am also grateful for all the hard-working people in the Hilltowns who have helped our community through possibly one of the toughest years in our lifetimes.   Hilltown neighbors helped neighbors with food and transportation, checking in and staying connected.

Like all communities, not all of us are as fortunate as others.  Hilltown CDC has been in operation since 1981 and I am proud to be an employee at such an important organization. Mainly because the mission of the CDC is to look out for those in our community who may be experiencing a difficult time or struggle to make ends meet.

Because Hilltown CDC has been a successful organization in delivering on its mission, it was positioned to provide assistance to those who need it during this state of emergency.  Hilltown CDC prioritized food assistance and small business assistance as ways to help people get through the pandemic.   We continued to offer all our services with staff primarily working from home.  We have been following the Governor’s orders regarding COVID safety protocols and use of our office which is not open to the public yet.

Some things you may not know:  We purchased the old high school in Chester and have plans to renovate the building preserving 15 units of affordable housing.   We continue to operate a Mobile Market in the summer, selling food from local farms.  Stay tuned for this year’s market.  During COVID, we received a 5-year Public Health grant that we are using to engage 13 Hilltowns in healthy aging initiatives.  They include safe walking and recreating among other things.

We will continue to provide small business assistance and grants to do what we can to ensure local Hilltown businesses can make it through this economic downturn.   We will also continue to build from our advocacy efforts to demand more rural resources from our state government as the Hilltowns continue to evolve in the twenty-first century. 

I look forward to seeing people as the weather warms up.

Dave

The Cummington Cultural District’s I Love Cummington Photo Contest during the first three weeks of February encouraged Cummington residents to submit photos of their favorite local scenes and tell the Cummington Cultural District planning committee what they loved about the town, as well as their vision for more arts and cultural offerings they would like to see in Cummington. Online public voting resulted in favorite photos in five age categories.

The Cummington Cultural District is pleased to announce the winners:  Lysander Woodard, Potash Hill Farmstead (0-12 age group), Fionnghuala Reagan, sunset (12-16 age group), Joanna Jarcz, Night Skies (17-19 age group), Katy Eiseman, Sheep (40-59 age group), Paula Zindler, Cummington Clouds (60+ age group).

Congratulations!  And, thank you to everyone who participated by submitting a photo or voting.  Thank you also to prize donors:  Alice’s Kitchen, Old Creamery Coop, A2Z Science & Learning Toys, A Wing & A Prayer Nursery, Cummington water color artist June Ferrin, and the Cummington Fair.

 The Cultural District Committee is in the process of exploring a Massachusetts Cultural Council designation as a Cultural District – a distinct area known as a vibrant place with creative people and events -  which makes the district eligible for state recognition and arts and culture support.  The proposed district would give existing programs and events such as Friday Night Café, Hilltown Bash, Kingman Tavern Museum, the Cummington Fair and Project Art contemporary ceramics a new way to cross-promote events and build support for arts and culture in Cummington.

 The photo contest was part of the community engagement process for the application by which the committee asks for public input on priorities and the proposed program of work for the district.

Potash Hill Farmstead

By Lysander Woodard

Sunset

By Fionnghuala Reagan

Night

By Joanna Jaracz

Sheep

By Katy Eiseman

Cummington Clouds

By Paula Zindler

Age Category                  Winner                  Prizes                                                                                      

0-12                       Lysander Woodard, Potash Hill Farmstead        

$10 Gift Certificate to Old Creamery Coop, Cummington, $25 Gift Certificate to A2Z Science & Learning Toys, Northampton, Tickets to the Cummington Fair (2022) 

12-16                     Fionnghuala Reagan, sunset      

$10 Gift Certificate to Old Creamery Coop, Cummington, $25 Gift Certificate to A2Z Science & Learning Toys, Northampton, Tickets to the Cummington Fair (2022) 

17-19                     Joanna Jaracz, Night Skies                    

$10 Gift Certificate to Old Creamery Coop, Cummington, $25 Gift Certificate to A2Z Science & Learning Toys, Northampton, Tickets to the Cummington Fair (2022) 

20-39                     None 

40-59                     Katy Eiseman, Sheep                    

$50 Gift Certificate to Alice’s Kitchen, Cummington                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

60+                         Paula Zindler, Cummington Clouds                    

Watercolor painting from Cummington artist June Ferrin, $50 Gift Certificate to Wing & a Prayer Nursery, Cummington

We sat down with Housing Director Paul Lischetti to learn more about the recent addition of the Chester Commons Building to our Housing program.

How did we come across the Chester building? ​Chester Commons is the former Chester High School building. It was converted to affordable housing for people over the age of 55 or who have disabilities in 1987. The Chester Library (the Hamilton Memorial Library) and the town's mineral museum are also located in the building. We had heard that the previous owner of the building was interested in retiring.

Why did we decide to purchase the building? ​Hilltown CDC wanted to make sure that if the building was sold, it would continue to serve the community as affordable housing.

What funding sources/agencies helped in purchasing the building? ​We obtained two loans from the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), a Boston-based agency that provides loans and technical assistance for affordable housing work. One loan was to purchase the building. The other loan is used to pay for pre-development expenses including an appraisal, architecture and engineering, legal expenses, and environmental compliance.

What are some of the challenges of managing this new property? ​The building is in need of improvements including replacement of the flat roof and repairs to the sloping slate roof, brick and masonry repairs, window repairs and replacements, a new boiler and other energy conservation improvements, and handicapped accessibility improvements to meet current standards. We are also interested in adding an elevator if adequate funding can be identified, to improve access to the second and third floors for the building's elderly and disabled residents. Chester Commons is a contributing structure to the Chester Factory Village National Register Historic District and historic features of the building must be preserved as improvements are made.

What are our future renovation plans? ​Hilltown CDC has received funding awards from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and the State Historic Tax Credit program. Federal Historic Tax Credits are also being applied for. We have also submitted an application for funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the needed improvements. The process of applying for funds is competitive and usually takes more than a year to complete. Once funding has been lined up, the work can proceed.

For additional questions related to this project, please contact Paul Lischetti at paull@hilltowncc.org. To apply for housing in the Chester Commons or any other HCDC property, please contact Kristepher Severy at kristephers@hilltowncdc.org

Equal Housing Opportunity