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Rural Policy Advisory Commission Plans Dec. 6 Meeting in Pittsfield
By Stephen Dravis, iBerkshires Staff
01:32AM / Monday, November 26, 2018
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A graphic generated by the Massachusetts Rural Policy Advisory Commission shows how cost of living pressure is particularly acute for residents in rural communities.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The commonwealth's rural towns have older populations, smaller tax bases and poorer infrastructure than the rest of Massachusetts.
 
They also have greater numbers than a lot of people realize.
 
According to one definition of "rural," i.e. communities with population density of less than 500 people per square mile, nearly half of all Massachusetts municipalities are rural — including all but two, North Adams and Pittsfield, in Berkshire County.
 
In 2015, an act of the Legislature created the commonwealth's Rural Policy Advisory Commission, which began formal study of the problems facing low-density towns in June of this year.
 
On Thursday, Dec. 6, the RPAC will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. at the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission office on Fenn Street in Pittsfield.
 
Williamstown Select Board member Andrew Hogeland works with the RPAC through his involvement with the Massachusetts Selectmen's Association, which has supported the commission, along with the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
 
At a recent Select Board meeting, Hogeland apprised his colleagues of the commission's work and encouraged them to attend the public meeting.
 
"The idea of having a rural policy for all of Massachusetts, which goes to Cape Cod and the North Shore, is motivated by the idea that a lot of towns are worse off than Williamstown in terms of tax base, the ability to hire staff, being able to finance [government]," Hogeland said. "As you go around the state, the challenges to rural towns are pretty significant, and this is a good way of getting focused attention on the issues.
 
"What the plan would be is to make sure government and the Legislature understand the problems and recommend particular changes."
 
The commission plans to use the Dec. 6 session in Pittsfield — one of many regional meetings around the state — to "confirm the correct focus areas and solicit ideas."
 
The commission itself has identified six major focus areas: infrastructure, economic development, municipal government capacity, housing, public health and education and workforce development.
 
Within those categories, it has identified several areas for action. For example, the infrastructure piece is broken down to include broadband, water, sewer and transportation; public health includes a shortage of access to doctors and rural impacts of the opioid crisis.
 
Hogeland pointed out that not all the problems endemic to rural communities are not necessarily unique to rural communities and that the solutions developed could benefit more densely-populated municipalities.
 
"If we make it easier to staff ambulances for small towns, the same regulation helps cities, for example," Hogeland said. "For me, the small towns are the motivating factors, but the consequences can help all municipalities."
 
But those rural towns alone represent 830,000 Massachusetts residents — 13 percent of the commonwealth's population. Eighty-four of the 170 rural towns are in the four Western Massachusetts counties, and the 170 towns represent 59 percent of Massachusetts' land area.
 
Hogeland said the commission hopes to have action steps to recommend to the governor's office and legislature, where state Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, co-chairs the Legislative Rural Caucus.
 
"On the administration's side, the Rural Policy Advisory Commission has someone from the Department of Housing and Community Development, and she briefs the governor's office," Hogeland said. "There's a rural health office in the Department of Public Health, which is engaged.
 
"I expect the reception [to the commission's report] will be welcoming, but I'm not sure what the result will be because some of this takes money."
 
In other action, the Select Board approved a renewal of Berkshire Housing Development Corporation's option to develop affordable housing at 330 Cole Ave., the former Photech mill site.
 
The board also approved the application of a resident at 701 Hopper Road to store up to 3,250 gallons of propane. Kyle George of H.A. George and Sons Fuel explained that three 1,000-gallon tanks will be stored below ground with one 250-gallon tank sited above ground for use during special events at the property.
 
Town Manager Jason Hoch also reported to the board that the town continues to develop an inter-municipal agreement to share assessing services with the Town of New Ashford.
 
"The Department of Revenue has a list of additions to our standard inter-municipal agreement boilerplate," Hoch said. "We have a Board of Assessors that oversees the work [Town Assessor] Bill Barkin does. … Most likely, we will be providing both the assessor and the Board of Assessors.
 
"They don't have a board right now. The challenge is that in order to be on a Board of Assessors, you have to be certified by the state. I think it's a multi-day, on-site course. It's not a casual afternoon online course."
 
In answer to a question from the board, Hoch said that Barkin and the Board of Assessors have the capacity to take on assessing work for the town of fewer than 250 residents.
 
"The overall number of parcels is small," Hoch said. "The number of abatement requests will be smaller. This year for Williamstown, we had 16 [abatement requests]. At a similar ratio, we could see two or three [from New Ashford]."
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