SU FYI

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

Massachusetts Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) is a federally funded, competitive grant program designed to help small cities and towns meet a broad range of community development needs.

CDBG awards grants to communities throughout the Commonwealth. This program helps eligible cities and towns to meet a broad range of community development needs in housing, infrastructure, revitalization, economic development, and public social services. It supports CDBG eligible activities and encourages applicants to develop coordinated, integrated, and creative solutions to local problems.

Stockbridge is eligible and the grants are awarded to both programs and individuals.

New Covid Shot Recommended

Expected to be available at the end of September. Call Community Health Programs 413-243-0536 to check availability and make an appointment.

Cemetery Volunteer Opportunity

From Candace Currie, Acting Chair, Cemetery Commission

Our experts from Preservation Inc. are coming back. A multi-year project is underway to restore/clean the old headstones in the Stockbridge Cemetery at the corner of Main and Church Streets. The public (including children aged 12 and up) is invited to come and participate. No experience is necessary. Instructions will be given on site, and supplies will be provided. No sign-up is necessary but emailing intention to participate to ccurrie@stockbridge-ma.gov would be helpful.

Cleaning sessions for 2023 have been scheduled as follows: September 11-14, September 18-21, September 25-28, and October 2-5. The hours will be 10am to 4pm each day, weather permitting. Stay for all or part of a day!

On the date and time of your choice, go to the Stockbridge Cemetery Main Street entrance for assignment. Work attire and gloves are recommended. Thank you in advance for helping preserve old Stockbridge history!

The Stockbridge Affordable Housing Trust Survey

AHT is preparing a Housing Production Plan (HPP). The active engagement of the community is a key component of the planning process.

The new HPP builds upon prior efforts such as the Planning Committee's Visioning Report and the Town's Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Report. The completed HPP will provide guidance for the Town's future housing agenda.

AHT is planning several opportunities to obtain detailed input from the community on housing challenges, goals, and priority actions. One is the Community Housing Survey. The Survey is designed to be easy to complete and will only take a few minutes.

You can access the Survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5L3YVYS or obtain a hard copy at the Town Clerk's Office, 50 Main Street, Stockbridge MA 01262.

Responses to this survey are due no later than September 15, 2023.

Please submit your response electronically or return the completed survey to the Town Clerk's Office by September 15, 2023.

Contracts

Currently the Town of Stockbridge is in contract negotiations with the Department of Highway, Water and Sewer, and the Stockbridge Police Department.

The new contracts will be for July 2024.

Editor's query: Michael Buffoni, Tony Campetti, and Hugh Page are the Superintendents of Water, Sewer, and Highway respectively. They do a great job. Stockbridge is lucky to have them. In the current negotiations, they are both managers and union members. If the managers were not in the union, is it possible that both the workers and the managers would benefit financially? How does that work?

Tom LaBelle cleaning a tombstone. Photo: Karen Marshall