Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The Great Barrington Select Board convened a joint meeting with the Board of Assessors and the Fire District Credential Committee on November 17, 2025, to set the FY26 tax rates and address other municipal business. Key actions included approving a single tax rate of $13.24 for the town and $1.51 for the fire district, recommending unanimous denial of a 12-acre commercial solar facility in an R2 zone, and directing a letter of concern to state officials regarding the planned closure of the Green Center mental health facility. The board also authorized a study into a Residential Tax Exemption, approved seasonal bridge decorations, and heard extensive public comment on tax burdens, trust policies, and infrastructure.
Okay, I'm gonna call the meeting to order. Pursuant to MGL 7C38 selection 20. After notifying the chair of the public body, any person may make a video audio recording of an open session of a meeting of a public body or may transfer the meeting for any medium. Beginning of a meeting, the chair shall inform other attendees of any such recordings. This meeting is being recorded by the town of Great Barrington. And CTSB. Any member of the public wishing to speak at the meeting must receive permission of the chair. The listings of agenda items of those reasonably anticipated by the chair, which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed that we discussed other items not listed, maybe brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. So first we'll do a roll call vote because we have one member here virtually. So let's bill here, Ben. Garfield here. Eric here and present. So I'm gonna call the board of the select board of fire district credential committee joint meeting. The tax classification hearing to the German FY26 property debts and tax credit for the town of Great Barrington and the Great Barrington Fire District. So we'll motion on a second. We'll call Ben. Bill I barmel and I, Mr. Sherman. Um meeting order. Um call I only had three here out of the funds. Okay, thank you. Introduce yourselves. Welcome. Good evening. My name is Emily Filling. I'm the new assessor for the town of Great Barrington, and I'm here tonight to present the tax off stage outfit. Okay. Okay, state logic fires that a comprehensive review of all properties be assessed annually and recertified by the DOR every five years. Municipalities are responsible for developing a reasonable and realistic program to achieve the fair cash valuation of all properties. This program includes a review, an analysis of existing property values, and verification of existing property record information. All properties are revalued in accordance with law and DOR guidelines. For fiscal year 2026, the date of assessment is January 1st, 2025. Assessments are reflective of calendar year 2024 sales, incoming expense forms, and forms of list. This is the town's four classes and the total values to the town. The town of Great Barrington has a total value of 2,309 million 91,365. The residential class makes up 84% of Great Barrington's total value, and commercial industrial and personal property class or CIP makes up 16% of Great Barrington's total value. As you can see, residential is up 124.9 million dollars. Commercial is up 7.8 million dollars, industrial is up 1.5 million dollars, and personal property has decreased due to mean of paper LLC closing. This bus look this business was worth 3.8 million dollars. In Great Barrington, we have 391 second homes, which adds 8.6 million dollars to the personal property class.