Woodland Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts Municipal Financial Sustainability Committee Meeting - Apr. 11th, 2024

This is a virtual meeting. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to Kate Conlin to request a Zoom link: [email protected]

Agenda

1. Call to order
2. Review & approval of February 13, 2024 minutes
3. Discussion of Sen. Mark’s attendance at last meeting and next steps
4. Discussion of Committee goals and priorities – focusing on Ten-Year Plan for guidance and specifically Section 5 – the immediate purpose being to inform the Committee Chair’s message/asks at the upcoming joint Committee Chair/Executive Committee hybrid meeting on April 16, 2024 and to guide future efforts of the Committee – possible topics include:
   • PILOT; Ch. 90; public safety; promotion of community service
   • Polling towns to be more directly responsible for/aware of their needs and barriers
   • Involvement with Mass Municipal Association, Selectman’s Association, Rural Policy Advisory Committee, legislative delegation, Anne Gobi, and others, to discuss issues such as grant management, shared services, state aid, town capacity
   • Need for an executive director
   • Assessment of the public safety capacity of the 21 towns especially in light of existing and future tourism demands – an assessment which could also serve to inform a possible National Heritage Area Feasibility Study and open possibilities for future grants
   • Reform with grant disbursement to take into account possible burdens of town infrastructure and provide necessary funds
   • Economic development initiatives (partnering with Natural Resource Based Economic Development Committee)
5. Items not anticipated within 48 hours
6. Schedule next meeting
7. Public Comment   
8. Adjourn

Municipal Financial Sustainability Committee members: Sam Haupt—Peru (chair); Ron Bosley—Florida; Alice Houghtaling—Monroe; Liz Kidder—Leyden; Mark Phelps—New Ashford; Art Schwenger—Heath

*On Oct. 11, 2022, the Board of the public body created in 2018 voted unanimously to change its name from the “Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership” in its bylaws to operating as the “Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts” and requested the state legislature and USDA Forest Service to officially establish and recognize the new name.