2020 - Page 35 of 46 - BusinessWest

Real Estate Transactions

By BusinessWest Staff March 31, 2020

Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BUCKLAND

43 Green St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Matthew Dougherty
Seller: Clinton W. Phillips
Date: 03/10/20

COLRAIN

25 Stranahan Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Kylie R. Brunner
Seller: Sasha J. Rasid
Date: 02/28/20

CONWAY

731 Shelburne Falls Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Amy E. Lashley
Seller: Gabrielle T. Sabella
Date: 02/28/20

DEERFIELD

119 Old Main St.
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $1,120,000
Buyer: 1302 Conti LLC
Seller: Hadley Palmer
Date: 02/27/20

ERVING

26 Lillians Way
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Nikita T. Shamrock
Seller: Arsenault, Paul A., (Estate)
Date: 02/28/20

GREENFIELD

46 Adams Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Nicholas W. Lacoy
Seller: Howard N. Stone
Date: 03/02/20

17-1/2 Congress St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: PRB LLC
Seller: Timothy F. Washburn
Date: 02/28/20

73 Crescent St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Jared B. Sharpe
Seller: Ann L. Hamilton
Date: 03/06/20

69 Hastings St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Ramesh J. Rajballie
Seller: Carol C. Wandeloski
Date: 02/28/20

142 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jessica A. Pearlman
Seller: Angela T. Ruggeri
Date: 02/28/20

7 Wunsch Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: James E. Clark
Seller: Michael N. Skawski
Date: 03/10/20

HEATH

11 Ledge Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Chelsea B. Jordan-Makely
Seller: Andrew J. Royer
Date: 02/28/20

LEVERETT

475 Long Plain Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Hong T. Cai
Seller: Joseph Williams
Date: 02/28/20

295 Shutesbury Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: Frederic P. Hartwell
Seller: Barbara J. Raymond
Date: 03/10/20

LEYDEN

646 Greenfield Road
Leyden, MA 01301
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Marie M. Gens
Seller: Natacha E. Casale
Date: 03/10/20

MONTAGUE

69 Dell St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $221,500
Buyer: Christie A. Lemerise
Seller: Michelle C. Cloutier
Date: 03/02/20

ORANGE

110 Drew Blvd.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Kasey E. Teixeira
Seller: Adam Stacey
Date: 02/28/20

77 Royalston Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: Kevin E. Smith
Seller: Thompson, Stephen G., (Estate)
Date: 03/03/20

147 Walnut Hill Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Joseph O. Paoletti
Seller: Maria C. Paoletti
Date: 03/04/20

SHUTESBURY

409 West Pelham Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Bradford Spry
Seller: Weaver, Elaine J., (Estate)
Date: 02/26/20

WHATELY

297 Haydenville Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Stephanie Sanderson
Seller: Virginia L. Cowles
Date: 03/02/20

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

49 Barney St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Christopher Greany
Seller: Christopher Malloy
Date: 02/28/20

71 Federal Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Gerald W. Novick
Seller: Maryann Majewski
Date: 02/28/20

33 High St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $122,850
Buyer: Agawam Rentals LLC
Seller: US Bank
Date: 02/27/20

64 Line St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Kyle A. Perry
Seller: Elina O’Ganyan
Date: 02/28/20

118 School St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Gilroy Property Renewal
Seller: Benoit, Claire B., (Estate)
Date: 02/26/20

256 South Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $248,400
Buyer: Josue E. Diaz
Seller: Gary Wickland
Date: 02/27/20

1260 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Ameco-Jar LLC
Seller: 1260 Suffield Inc.
Date: 02/28/20

1347-1349 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Satter Ahmed
Seller: Eduardo Santaniello
Date: 03/06/20

30 Tom St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $172,749
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Norman St.Pierre
Date: 03/02/20

204 Valley Brook Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Steven Ewing
Seller: Garry W. Meyers
Date: 03/06/20

BRIMFIELD

126 Haynes Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Geoffrey Steil
Seller: Citibank
Date: 03/03/20

294 Warren Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: James M. Korman
Seller: Cynthia Niemczyk-Hodges
Date: 03/10/20

CHESTER

20 William St.
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Dillon Serrao-Durrence
Seller: Luke Casebolt
Date: 02/26/20

CHICOPEE

22 Austin St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Elzbieta Kalisz
Seller: Bonnie Lemanski
Date: 03/04/20

33 Beesley Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Joanne Pease
Seller: Sandra J. Podolak
Date: 02/28/20

42 Casey Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Richard Negrin
Seller: Karen M. Genetelli
Date: 03/06/20

138 Cobb Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Patrick M. Letendre
Seller: Jane A. Sosnicki
Date: 02/26/20

138 Delaney Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $192,500
Buyer: Nikiah O. Stadtlander
Seller: Kevin M. Candon
Date: 02/26/20

68 Dunn St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Christos Tsandilas
Seller: John Tsandilas
Date: 03/06/20

220 Exchange St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Shiva RT
Seller: Emery Street LLC
Date: 02/27/20

28 Frontenac St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Christian Thompson
Seller: Juan Santana
Date: 02/28/20

599 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Bethany York-Rudzik
Seller: Josephine Mercik
Date: 03/06/20

17 High St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jeremy G. Dion
Seller: Shannon M. Dion
Date: 03/06/20

51 Irene St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Christopher Culpepper
Seller: Carol S. Ingram
Date: 03/05/20

44 Kowal Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jonathan P. Veillette
Seller: Eugene J. Przybylowicz
Date: 02/28/20

45 Lombard St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Jason L. Pride
Seller: Stella P. Doray
Date: 03/05/20

390 Montcalm St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: HCP Group LLC
Seller: Ashley K. Brodeur
Date: 03/04/20

405 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Susan Keenan
Seller: Jeremy A. Keough
Date: 03/06/20

22 Mount Vernon Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Kimberly M. Melendez
Seller: Phillip E. Russ
Date: 03/06/20

225 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $180,200
Buyer: Rafael Nazario
Seller: Mark E. Hiersche
Date: 02/26/20

741 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Jean C. Santiago-Reyes
Seller: Samantha Britt
Date: 03/09/20

25 Providence St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Damian J. Santiago
Seller: Charles A. Bennis
Date: 02/28/20

63 Ruskin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Jesus Martinez
Seller: David A. Corliss
Date: 02/27/20

40 Shirley St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Peter D. Marcotte
Seller: Marsha Henry
Date: 03/03/20

39 Stockbridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01103
Amount: $377,700
Buyer: Daniel L. Desjeans
Seller: Waycon Inc.
Date: 03/02/20

EAST LONGMEADOW

Bella Vista Dr. #11
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Grace McCarthy
Seller: Bella Vista Holdings RT
Date: 02/27/20

389 Elm St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: JJJ 17 LLC
Seller: Robert C. Harris
Date: 03/06/20

22 Fairview St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Erik M. Wellhoff
Seller: CIG 4 LLC
Date: 02/26/20

126 Gates Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Trevor C. Kirk
Seller: Jonathan Schroeder
Date: 02/28/20

9 North St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Christopher Davis
Seller: Scott F. Davis
Date: 02/27/20

120 Old Farm Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Laura A. Stevens
Seller: Louis A. Aveyard
Date: 02/27/20

HAMPDEN

556 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Michael Sienkiewicz
Seller: Mitchell J. Drozdowski
Date: 02/28/20

160 Mill Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $344,000
Buyer: Gary R. Barnett
Seller: Robert H. Wogatske
Date: 02/27/20

84 Oak Knoll Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $297,500
Buyer: Matthew R. Galica
Seller: Michael A. Ciecko
Date: 03/02/20

15 Wehr Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Jacob J. Boudreau
Seller: James J. Pisarcik
Date: 02/28/20

HOLLAND

11 Old Acres Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $125,659
Buyer: Melonie J. Pitisci
Seller: USA VA
Date: 03/06/20

HOLYOKE

5 Appleton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,130,000
Buyer: Mao Moon LLC
Seller: Benz Holdings LLC
Date: 02/28/20

348 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $116,355
Buyer: Vivian G. Rodriguez
Seller: Moises Ortiz
Date: 02/28/20

22 Holly Meadow Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Teresa Donnelly
Seller: Alan C. Lesiege
Date: 03/04/20

1632 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: WTF Realty LLC
Seller: Galieo Way LLC
Date: 02/28/20

99 Saint James Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Bina M. Batchelder
Seller: Ronny Sinn
Date: 03/04/20

16 Willow St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: David J. Bones-Estrada
Seller: G&H Homes LLC
Date: 02/27/20

LONGMEADOW

40 Barbara Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Valerie E. Oksendahl
Seller: Michael P. Leavitt
Date: 02/26/20

25 Chatham Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Silvia I. Scott
Seller: Julius S. Brecht
Date: 03/04/20

128 Meadowbrook Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $321,400
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Chris C. Decker
Date: 03/02/20

260 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Rachael A. Lamson
Seller: Diolinda Dasilva
Date: 03/05/20

LUDLOW

38 Barna St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $187,400
Buyer: Leda A. Adams
Seller: Frances Prescott
Date: 03/06/20

36 Hampden St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Shamina M. Evans
Seller: MNB Builders LLC
Date: 03/06/20

Jerad Dr. #18
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Ana H. Borges
Seller: Ralph E. Connelly
Date: 03/09/20

Jerad Dr. #119
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Ana H. Borges
Seller: Ralph E. Connelly
Date: 03/09/20

33 Lazarz St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Jessica M. Vazquez
Seller: Amy Maschi
Date: 03/06/20

154 Stevens St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Gail Carneiro
Seller: Joaquim A. Carneiro
Date: 03/06/20

27 Watson Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Walid Fathi-Ahmed
Seller: Daniel J. Pires
Date: 02/28/20

554 Winsor St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Robert S. Duffy
Seller: Dianne Fabrocini
Date: 03/06/20

MONSON

227 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $164,900
Buyer: Noelle R. Venne
Seller: Timothy E. Wells
Date: 03/10/20

129 Stafford Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $183,577
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Zoe A. Riley
Date: 03/02/20

MONTGOMERY

78 Pomeroy Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Renee Kiendzior
Seller: Frank A. Demarinis
Date: 03/06/20

PALMER

21 Commercial St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Nicholas Strange
Seller: Jennifer M. Toelken
Date: 03/05/20

2041-2043 High St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Xing G. Wang
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 03/04/20

2042 Pleasant St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $157,300
Buyer: Frederick M. Dyer
Seller: WMass Residential LLC
Date: 02/28/20

4011 School St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $166,650
Buyer: Dawn J. Campelo
Seller: Deborah Lawrie
Date: 02/28/20

127 Springfield St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Justin K. Cordeiro
Seller: Desmarais, Monica, (Estate)
Date: 03/02/20

RUSSELL

90 Highland Ave.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Craig R. Maryea
Seller: Joan M. Deacon
Date: 03/03/20

42 West Main St.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Peyton J. O’Connor
Seller: Alan J. Kochanek
Date: 02/28/20

52 West Main St.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Abigail Tompkins
Seller: William S. Russell
Date: 03/02/20

SPRINGFIELD

22 Albee St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $135,500
Buyer: Anthony Santaniello
Seller: DLJ Mortgage Capital Inc.
Date: 02/26/20

145 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Onix Ocasio
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 03/05/20

136 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Sasha M. McCann
Seller: Campagnari Construction
Date: 02/26/20

252 Arcadia Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Sean J. Kavanagh
Seller: Patricia A. Mineo
Date: 02/28/20

66 Aspen Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Sabrina Santiago
Seller: Lachenauer LLC
Date: 03/06/20

1 Bairdcrest Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Chandra Nepal
Seller: Gabriela V. Rivero
Date: 03/03/20

139 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: BRVSSA Associates LLC
Seller: Wei Q. Ni
Date: 02/28/20

40 Bissell St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $155,599
Buyer: Paul L. Gauthier
Seller: Flagstar Bank
Date: 02/27/20

1465 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: NPN Realty LLC
Seller: Donald W. Obitz
Date: 02/27/20

60 Braddock St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: HSBC Bank
Seller: Gladys E. Gaskin
Date: 02/27/20

41-43 Bryant St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Paula Dominguez
Seller: Aida I. Lisboa
Date: 02/28/20

26-28 Calhoun St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: BRVSSA Associates LLC
Seller: MEI Management LLC
Date: 02/28/20

60 Carew Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $116,500
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Ken C. Supersad
Date: 03/02/20

42 Carroll St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Deborah Cary
Seller: Roberta L. Federici
Date: 02/28/20

85 Castle St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Bruce Dimm
Seller: Elba M. Mendez
Date: 03/04/20

81 Clearbrook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Peter Trase
Seller: Nicholas L. Connors
Date: 02/28/20

112 College St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Josue M. Muniz
Seller: Joseph O. Garcia
Date: 02/26/20

44 Colorado St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Timothy A. Raimer
Seller: David M. Trehey
Date: 03/05/20

669 Cooley St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Tamara Betancourt
Seller: Minerva Rivera
Date: 02/28/20

17-19 Crown St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Helen Al-Mahrwuth
Seller: Mohammed Alkhabi
Date: 03/06/20

83 Dartmouth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Michelle L. Brown
Seller: Victor A. Deangelo
Date: 03/05/20

305 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $158,340
Buyer: Citizens Bank
Seller: Nilda M. Colon
Date: 03/05/20

88 Duggan Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Olivia A. Pepe
Seller: Pepe, Patrick J., (Estate)
Date: 03/10/20

43-45 Eagle St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Selwyn R. Maraj
Seller: Steven Al-Husseini
Date: 02/27/20

24 Elizabeth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $126,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Darrell L. Smith
Date: 02/28/20

8 Ellery St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Pedro L. Morales
Seller: Malynda M. Torres
Date: 02/28/20

104 Farnsworth St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Sashoy P. Bailey
Seller: RT Property Management
Date: 02/28/20

253 Forest Hills Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Nicolas A. Napolitano
Seller: Gabrielle M. Morgan
Date: 02/27/20

59-61 Forest Park Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $166,500
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Okey U. Ikewibe
Date: 03/02/20

12-14 Foster St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: BRVSSA Associates LLC
Seller: MEI Management LLC
Date: 02/28/20

107 Front St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $643,000
Buyer: NPN Realty LLC
Seller: Orchard Realty Inc.
Date: 02/27/20

110 Gardens Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $178,500
Buyer: Yesenia Gorham
Seller: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Date: 03/09/20

91 Gary Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Carmen E. Pizarro
Seller: Podworski, Searyn A., (Estate)
Date: 02/28/20

90-92 Grover St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Emtay Inc.
Seller: Pedro J. Cruz
Date: 03/09/20

71 Hadley St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Ryan McDowell
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 02/26/20

44 Holly Hill Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Sandra A. Snape
Seller: Lukas J. Baudin
Date: 02/28/20

37 Inglewood Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Simone A. Macario-Rosa
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 02/28/20

58 Johnson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Sarah Stoddard
Seller: K&S Holdings LLC
Date: 03/09/20

18 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $164,500
Buyer: Kenneth Narvaez
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 03/03/20

29 Kenwood Park
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $135,300
Buyer: Citimortgage Inc.
Seller: Ethlyn Williams
Date: 03/05/20

17 Lakevilla Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Jezouit
Seller: Tameka W. Daley
Date: 02/28/20

15 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $144,000
Buyer: Debora Colon
Seller: Jennifer Bennett
Date: 03/05/20

99 Lehigh St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Abdel Dejesus-Cortes
Seller: Castle Headquarters Inc.
Date: 02/28/20

42-44 Longhill St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Yanira Rentas-Maldonado
Seller: Angel M. Fernandez
Date: 02/27/20

28 Lyndale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Darwin Calderon
Seller: Fernando Collazo
Date: 02/28/20

78-80 Maryland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: John T. Riley
Seller: Bernard J. Drewnowski
Date: 02/28/20

139-141 Moxon St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $129,150
Buyer: Manuel A. Cardona
Seller: US Bank
Date: 03/02/20

28-30 Nelson Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: BRVSSA Associates LLC
Seller: NI Management LLC
Date: 02/28/20

60 Newhall St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Zenaida Rodriguez
Seller: Paul L. Blanton
Date: 02/28/20

91-93 Noel St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Rafael Mendrell
Seller: JJJ 17 LLC
Date: 03/04/20

20 Norman St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Carlos A. Fuentes
Seller: Norma Maldonado
Date: 02/28/20

56 Norman St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $214,900
Buyer: April Menard
Seller: Feliciano Associates LLC
Date: 02/28/20

87 Oak Grove Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: BRVSSA Associates LLC
Seller: MEI Management LLC
Date: 02/28/20

207 Oak Hollow Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Karin E. Willett
Seller: Michael M. Hastie
Date: 03/03/20

79 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: BRVSSA Associates LLC
Seller: MEI Management LLC
Date: 02/28/20

295 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: BRVSSA Associates LLC
Seller: MEI Management LLC
Date: 02/28/20

35 Orpheum Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Aida I. Lisboa
Seller: Dylan McDonald
Date: 02/28/20

110 Pasadena St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Guilherme DeSouza-Sales
Seller: K&S Holdings LLC
Date: 02/28/20

57 Pelham St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $166,500
Buyer: Mariah Miller
Seller: Rachel M. Craig
Date: 03/04/20

30-32 Pembroke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Justin Robles
Seller: Jodi Shaw
Date: 02/28/20

140 Pendleton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Alex Roque
Seller: Jose R. Abreu
Date: 03/10/20

40 Powell Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Erudite RT
Seller: Home Point Financial Corp.
Date: 02/26/20

35 Quincy St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Green Apple Manor Properties
Seller: Anhs Inc.
Date: 03/10/20

95 Rhinebeck Ave.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Kevin A. Nunes
Seller: Richard E. Laflamme
Date: 03/06/20

176 Savoy Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Jose M. Guzman
Seller: Good Homes LLC
Date: 02/27/20

17 Skyridge Lane
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Jason Pressey
Seller: Rosanna Greening
Date: 03/02/20

447-451 State St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Napolitano Investments
Seller: Chris Kozaczka
Date: 02/27/20

535 State St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Colvest & State Street LLC
Seller: Sparkle 3 LP
Date: 03/04/20

52 Stratford Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Delsie Parker
Seller: Fumi Realty Inc.
Date: 03/05/20

68-70 Suffolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: BRVSSA Associates LLC
Seller: MEI Management LLC
Date: 02/28/20

24 Vincent St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Humboldt Realty LLC
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 03/09/20

100-102 Wait St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Joel Gonzalez
Seller: David Givans
Date: 02/28/20

292 Walnut St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $133,900
Buyer: Candida Santos
Seller: Aquarius Real Estate LLC
Date: 02/27/20

79 Westbank Court
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Mayshell C. Mora-Cyrus
Seller: Green Light Homes LLC
Date: 02/28/20

163 Winterset Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Basile Realty LLC
Seller: Loretta A. Tupek
Date: 03/04/20

81 Woodrow St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $334,900
Buyer: Ram K. Sanyasi
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 03/02/20

536-542 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: 536 Worthington St LLC
Seller: Ale House Inc.
Date: 03/06/20

SOUTHWICK

41 Birchwood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: C. W. Vedovelli-Peterson
Seller: George E. Whitty
Date: 02/27/20

44 Buckingham Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Andrea N. Prokop
Seller: John T. Rock
Date: 03/06/20

14 Castle St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Eric A. Jackson
Seller: Robert J. Goulette
Date: 03/02/20

35 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Michael G. McIntyre
Seller: Michael F. Albro
Date: 03/05/20

15 Gargon Ter.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: James Joubert
Seller: James Y. Joubert
Date: 03/06/20

12 Matthews Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $243,500
Buyer: Sarah M. Herbert
Seller: John Devine
Date: 03/09/20

10 Woodside Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Thurston Properties LLC
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 03/06/20

WESTFIELD

7 Birch Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Robert Bellamy
Seller: Cinda S. McKinney
Date: 03/03/20

Breighly Way #12M
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Settle
Seller: DDLP Development LLC
Date: 03/04/20

15 City View Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Martha B. Halperin TR
Seller: Brian M. Torpey
Date: 03/02/20

42 Daniel Ridge
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Jay D. Beaulieu
Seller: Heather L. Ankstitus
Date: 02/28/20

1062 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Aimee-Jeanne Welch
Seller: Ryan A. Lawson
Date: 03/02/20

51 Furrowtown Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Genevieve M. Broderick
Seller: G&F Custom Built Homes
Date: 03/09/20

17 Gold St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Charlene M. Leinonen
Seller: Joanne M. Sampson
Date: 03/03/20

21 Gold St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Charlene M. Leinonen
Seller: Joanne M. Sampson
Date: 03/03/20

4 King St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $159,016
Buyer: Assemblies Of God
Seller: Christ Church New Jerusalem
Date: 03/09/20

6 King St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $159,016
Buyer: Assemblies Of God
Seller: Christ Church New Jerusalem
Date: 03/09/20

438 Little River Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $262,500
Buyer: Tabitha C. Dintzner
Seller: Puskey, Nancy A., (Estate)
Date: 02/26/20

126 Long Pond Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: John R. Holton
Seller: Edward J. Robitaille
Date: 03/06/20

567 Loomis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $302,000
Buyer: Derek M. Stevens
Seller: Craig R. Maryea
Date: 03/03/20

155 Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $196,500
Buyer: Aleksandr Kozodoy
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 02/28/20

11 Maple Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $214,900
Buyer: Danielle Pioggia
Seller: Anthony J. Collins
Date: 02/28/20

138 Meadow St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Benjamin M. Abert
Seller: C&K Blue Sky Properties
Date: 02/28/20

7 Meadowbrook Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Robert M. Rickson
Seller: Tallage Adams LLC
Date: 02/28/20

18 Mill St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,664
Buyer: Yun Zheng
Seller: Hugh G. Cullen
Date: 02/26/20

481 North Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $436,500
Buyer: Pedro L. Colon
Seller: James A. Angelos
Date: 03/09/20

81 Overlook Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $395,900
Buyer: Sharon Delaine-Francis
Seller: Robert Bellamy
Date: 03/03/20

5 Princeton St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 03/05/20

91 Riverside Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Kevin F. Grimsley
Seller: Daniel J. Coffey
Date: 02/28/20

73 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Jesus Maldonado
Seller: Ernesta O. Taylor
Date: 02/26/20

403 West Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Marcus Rhatigan
Seller: Mark J. Strasfeld
Date: 03/09/20

WILBRAHAM

12 Blacksmith Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Nicholas L. Connors
Seller: Custom Homes Development Group
Date: 02/28/20

9 Butler Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Robert Jackson
Seller: Antonio Pereira
Date: 02/28/20

2 Evangeline Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $229,900
Buyer: Piotr Rakowski
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 03/05/20

5 Evergreen Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Kendra Howard
Seller: BGRS Relocation Inc.
Date: 03/06/20

15 Leemond St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Sean P. Garvey
Seller: Anthony Rossi
Date: 02/27/20

455 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: VPR Capital Partners LLC
Seller: NEP LLC
Date: 02/28/20

78 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $124,100
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Mark W. Gallagher
Date: 03/10/20

56 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Dana L. Delaunay
Seller: Jennifer Lacasse
Date: 03/06/20

WEST SPRINGFIELD

37 Beacon Hill Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Theodore J. Pinkerman
Seller: Kathleen A. Collins
Date: 02/28/20

75 Birnie Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $242,900
Buyer: James W. Connor
Seller: William M. Gray
Date: 03/03/20

454 Birnie Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $288,500
Buyer: Chad W. Chapman
Seller: Hey Lama LLC
Date: 03/06/20

15 Cottage St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Sai Aye
Seller: Vladimir Sergeychik
Date: 02/28/20

40-42 Gay Ter.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: JMW Realty LLC
Seller: Pari L. Hoxha
Date: 02/27/20

56 Jeffrey Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Jared M. Longley
Seller: Michael Martone
Date: 02/28/20

600 Kings Hwy.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $170,010
Buyer: Kaydoke RT
Seller: Raymond R. Marquis
Date: 03/03/20

137 Lancaster Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $203,922
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Lawrence E. Bergeron
Date: 03/06/20

186 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: David J. Lane
Seller: Henry Tenzar
Date: 02/28/20

618 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Kelly Kadlewicz
Seller: Brett A. Smith
Date: 02/28/20

1067 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Daniba LLC
Seller: Donald W. Obitz
Date: 02/27/20

28 Talcott Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Mario C. Sotolotto
Seller: US Bank
Date: 02/27/20

63 Worthen St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Mikhail Titar
Seller: Victor Titar
Date: 02/27/20

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

11 Allen St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: 11 Allen Street LLC
Seller: Natalie E. Drake
Date: 03/10/20

East Leverett Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $638,000
Buyer: Town Of Amherst
Seller: W. D. Cowls Inc.
Date: 02/27/20

64 Greenwich Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: David B. Ruderman
Seller: Ferguson, Jeffrey D., (Estate)
Date: 03/06/20

48 Longmeadow Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Sylvia C. Torres
Seller: Berkshire Land Co. LLC
Date: 02/26/20

Market Hill Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $638,000
Buyer: Town Of Amherst
Seller: W. D. Cowls Inc.
Date: 02/27/20

320 Potwine Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: Zlogar FT
Seller: Simpkins, David J., (Estate)
Date: 02/28/20

38 South Orchard Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $447,900
Buyer: Risha Hess
Seller: Jason G. Irizarry
Date: 02/28/20

Vista Ter. #8
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Colleen Osten
Seller: Apple Brook West LLC
Date: 02/28/20

BELCHERTOWN

128 Boardman St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Yuyan Jiang
Seller: Constance A. Canuel
Date: 03/06/20

685 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $153,800
Buyer: GJL RNL NT
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 03/04/20

22 Meadow Pond Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: David T. Stanton
Seller: Amanda K. Kuzontkoski
Date: 03/10/20

11 Metacomet St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $362,000
Buyer: Huiping Lian
Seller: Robert L. Buehler
Date: 03/06/20

271 Stebbins St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Antonelli
Seller: Evan M. Iannoli
Date: 03/10/20

325 Turkey Hill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $393,000
Buyer: Cheryl Metz
Seller: Gavoni, Nancy J., (Estate)
Date: 02/28/20

CUMMINGTON

84 Berkshire Trail
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: Aaron M. Loux
Seller: Scout Properties LLP
Date: 02/28/20

EASTHAMPTON

100-106 Cottage St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Elena Candelario
Seller: Sangar Realty LLC
Date: 03/09/20

40 East Green St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Kristen A. Richardson RET
Seller: Lawrence G. Paquette
Date: 03/10/20

55 Garfield Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Nicholas D. Duprey
Seller: Gary F. Vincent
Date: 02/28/20

7 Knight Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Gilson S. Hogan
Seller: Joseph A. Baron
Date: 03/05/20

5-7 Liberty St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Christopher Thompson
Seller: Bixby, Thomas P., (Estate)
Date: 02/27/20

8 Louise Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Christie S. Peterson
Seller: 8 Louise Avenue LLC
Date: 02/28/20

35 Lovefield St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Jayohm Inc.
Seller: D&H Property Management
Date: 02/28/20

93 Pomeroy St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Starcun
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 02/28/20

6 Rabideau Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Kellie A. Hutton
Seller: Daniel J. Costigan
Date: 03/05/20

1 Westview Ter.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $274,000
Buyer: Peter A. Elsea
Seller: Eric D. Althoff
Date: 02/28/20

HADLEY

15 Morning Star Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $343,500
Buyer: Alan Vieu
Seller: Valley Building Co. Inc.
Date: 02/28/20

42 North St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $347,000
Buyer: Robert Wilson
Seller: RFP 42 North LLC
Date: 03/10/20

35 Pantry Road
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $254,000
Buyer: Coligny Baldwin
Seller: USA VA
Date: 03/06/20

HUNTINGTON

24 Allen Coit Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $197,345
Buyer: USA HUD
Seller: Paulson, Barbara C., (Estate)
Date: 03/05/20

46 Basket St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $119,000
Buyer: Robert Osterman
Seller: US Bank
Date: 03/04/20

10 Lowell Lane
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $312,308
Buyer: Stephen C. Trombulak
Seller: Richard V. Hendricks
Date: 02/28/20

14 Sampson Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Warren P. Donnelly
Seller: FNMA
Date: 03/09/20

MIDDLEFIELD

69 Chipman Road
Middlefield, MA 01243
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Daniel E. Boudreau
Seller: Joaquim M. Henriques
Date: 03/03/20

NORTHAMPTON

70 Birch Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $522,000
Buyer: Kevin E. Boucher
Seller: June A. Gardner
Date: 03/02/20

15 Brierwood Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Timothy Nguyen
Seller: SA Capital Group LLC
Date: 02/28/20

Burts Pit Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Tamara J. Bourgeois
Seller: Myette, Claire, (Estate)
Date: 02/28/20

1300 Burts Pit Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Kaitlyn E. Dorman
Seller: Mark A. Blais
Date: 03/02/20

26 Corticelli St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Angie Hauser
Seller: S. Kelton-Roberts
Date: 03/04/20

190 Crescent St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $432,000
Buyer: Liza M. Styles
Seller: Flora C. Majumder
Date: 02/28/20

90 Fox Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $293,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Stephen Kaplan
Date: 03/06/20

52 Longview Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Cheryl A. Tofuri
Seller: Virginia M. Kelly
Date: 03/09/20

61 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01039
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: John T. Geryk
Seller: 61 Main Street RET
Date: 03/05/20

91 North Main St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Emily Dodge-Goodwin
Seller: Michele A. McHale
Date: 03/02/20

Old Wilson Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: City Of Northampton
Seller: Gil F. Verrillo
Date: 02/28/20

6 Service Center Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Jo Landers
Seller: Perry Smith
Date: 03/04/20

46 Sovereign Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $815,000
Buyer: Brian W. Smith
Seller: Amanda L. Wilson
Date: 02/28/20

67 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $293,000
Buyer: Andrew Hahn
Seller: Harold M. Portner
Date: 03/05/20

19 Winchester Ter.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Tamara J. Bourgeois
Seller: Myette, Claire, (Estate)
Date: 02/28/20

PELHAM

120 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $224,250
Buyer: Alexander Schimelpfenig
Seller: Biederman RT
Date: 02/28/20

SOUTH HADLEY

60 Old Lyman Road
South Hadley, MA 01020
Amount: $403,500
Buyer: Edward S. Wolowicz
Seller: Premier Home Builders Inc.
Date: 02/28/20

68 School St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Melanie Navarro
Seller: Laurels RT
Date: 03/06/20

SOUTHAMPTON

1 Beccari Lane
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $563,563
Buyer: Steven L. Webb
Seller: Demelbauer, Leonhard, (Estate)
Date: 03/09/20

55 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: James F. Boyle
Seller: John Gwosch
Date: 03/05/20

20 Thomas Circle
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $282,000
Buyer: Nathan A. Boutilier
Seller: Audrey M. Dodge LT
Date: 02/28/20

WARE

120 Bacon Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Deborah A. Terrien
Seller: Douglas J. Fry
Date: 02/27/20

6 Prospect St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Nicholas A. King
Seller: Derek R. Remy
Date: 02/28/20

20 Spring St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Greg Miner
Seller: Mary E. Harder
Date: 02/28/20

WESTHAMPTON

326 Northwest Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Michael J. Burke
Seller: Grygorcewicz, Joseph P., (Estate)
Date: 03/06/20

WILLIAMSBURG

26 South Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Justin M. Prairie
Seller: Doris J. Shallcross RET
Date: 02/28/20

WORTHINGTON

14 Fisk Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Kimberly Levesque
Seller: James A. Ryan
Date: 02/28/20

Building Permits

By BusinessWest Staff March 31, 2020

Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of March 2020.

AMHERST

Bell Atlantic Mobile of Massachusetts
531 Pulpit Hill Road
$90,000 — Addition of wireless telecommunication antennas and radios

UDrive, LLC
40 University Dr.
$8,900 — Install fire-alarm system

CHICOPEE

City of Chicopee
725 Front St.
$72,700 — Extend wet and dry sprinkler system into renovation area

Dino Facente
520 East St.
$56,000 — Building repairs, alterations, and Massachusetts code upgrades for food sales; transform bike shop into bakery

Fandave, LLC
1514 Memorial Dr.
$9,458 — Replace 12 windows

Solenis, LLC
1111 Grattan St.
$21,450 — Roofing

LEE

Paul Abderhalden
360 East St.
$12,200 — Roofing

Robert Healey Jr., Olga Healey
199 Main St.
$30,000 — Roofing

South Lee Assoc., LLC
501 Pleasant St.
$1,325 — Replace painted sprinkler heads

LENOX

Church Street Inn, LLC
16 Church St.
$52,000 — Install fire-alarm system

MRG CRW Holdings, LLC
Lee Road
$12,000 — Remove wall between entrance and coatroom, remove two wing walls, other cosmetic improvements

MRG CRW Holdings, LLC
Lee Road
$10,100 — Minor renovations to men’s locker room, document-storage room, and liquor-storage room; new finishes, fixtures, and insulation

Trinity Church
88 Walker St.
$150,000 — Install new handicap-accessible egress

PALMER

Wellman Realty
250 Shearer St.
$1,580 — Sign for Palmer Healthcare

SPRINGFIELD

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$58,000 — Alter existing covered Emergency Department drop-off area for temporary use as emergency triage containment area

Keino Henry
32 Beaumont Terrace
$9,000 — Commercial grid-tied roof-mounted solar power system

McDonald’s Corp.
386 Main St.
$10,000 — Install fire-alarm system

MGM Springfield Redevelopment, LLC
1028 Main St.
$1,541,000 — Alter space for complete fit-out of new Wahlburgers restaurant

Poly-Metal Finishing Inc.
1 Allen St.
$35,000 — Remove and replace three roof-mounted antennas and nine remote radio units, remove three remote radio units and install three diplexers

Stavros Center for Independent Living Inc.
227 Berkshire Ave.
$183,398 — Alter space for use as additional office space

As an Economic Shutdown Deepens, Some Relief Emerges

By BusinessWest Staff March 30, 2020

Coronavirus Sections Special Coverage

A New Reality

The massive federal stimulus that took shape last week brought some clarity to how the government would address troubling impact of COVID-19 and the large-scale economic shutdown that has emerged in response to this public-health crisis. Other efforts on the state and local levels aim to help businesses and families struggling with job loss and the suspension of livelihoods. Of course, the true relief will come when this viral threat subsides and businesses ramp back up. But no one knows exactly when that will be.

The news came in quickly — and landed hard.

Last Thursday morning, the Department of Labor issued its first unemployment-claims report since much of the country began implementing, in various ways and at various speeds, some form of economic shutdown to slow the spread of coronavirus and the respiratory illness it causes, known as COVID-19.

The news was not good. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits skyrocketed to a record-breaking 3.28 million for the week ended March 21 — nearly doubling expectations of 1.64 million claims. The previous record was 695,000 claims filed during October 1982.

It’s a big problem — and sometimes, big problems require big solutions. Which is why lawmakers in Washington spent much of last week hammering out a $2 trillion stimulus package aimed at helping families facing sudden job loss, small-business owners trying to survive, and entire battered industries ride out what is increasingly looking like a severe disruption to America’s economic way of life.

“Business owners … will be receiving a lifeline from the federal government that is unprecedented in scope, speed, and breadth,” Scott Foster, a partner with Bulkley Richardson, said the morning after details of the stimulus became known.

Among its many provisions, the Keeping American Workers Paid and Employed Act appears to apply to every for-profit business with fewer than 500 employees, including sole proprietors, Foster noted. The act would allow these businesses to obtain a loan — at 4% interest with a 10-year repayment term — to cover payroll costs, including healthcare premiums and paid time off, rent, utilities, mortgage payments (interest, not principal), and interest on other pre-existing loans for any eight-week period falling between Feb. 15 and June 30.

“To summarize, if you are a business and are willing to keep your employees on the payroll, pay your rent or mortgage, and stay in business, the federal government is prepared to pay your rent, your utilities, and your payroll — for employees making under $100,000 annually — for eight weeks, and the payment is tax-free,” Foster said. “It sounds too good to be true, but the public policy is sound — the easiest and best way to get financial support to the most Americans is through their employers.”

Unlike most other loans, this one will be forgiven in an amount equal to the sum of payroll costs, payments of interest on any covered mortgage, payments on any covered rent obligations, and covered utility payments. And to encourage businesses to retain their employees, the amount to be forgiven would be reduced if the business reduces its workforce.

“Business owners … will be receiving a lifeline from the federal government that is unprecedented in scope, speed, and breadth.”

Families will receive a simpler but shorter-term fix — a tax rebate totaling $1,200 for most adults and $500 for each child — which will be distributed as checks in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, states will get help in the form of a $150 billion grant fund, to be distributed proportional to population size, with a minimum of $1.25 billion for states with the smallest populations.

For many of the impacted, it’s a start, at a time of unprecedented anxiety — after all, the country has never voluntarily shut down activity on a massive scale due to a health threat, or for any other reason. This issue of BusinessWest details many of the ways businesses and families are coping, and plenty of advice from local professionals on the best ways to do so. It’s a story that changes by the day, but read on for a snapshot of where we are now.

Targeted Assistance

For many, the COVID-19 threat really hit home the morning — March 23, to be exact — when Gov. Charlie Baker issued an emergency order requiring all businesses and organizations that do not provide “COVID-19 essential services” to close their physical workplaces and facilities to workers, customers, and the public at least until April 7, while continuing to operate remotely when possible.

Those ‘essential’ businesses include healthcare and public health; law enforcement, public safety, and first responders; food and agriculture; critical manufacturing; transportation; energy; water and wastewater; public works; communications and information technology; financial services; defense industry base; chemical manufacturing and hazardous materials; and news media.

Everyone else is being asked to work at home, and most area companies were already moving in that direction before Baker’s mandate. The Springfield Regional Chamber polled its members last week about how the order impacted their operations. Almost two-thirds — 62% — said their employees were already working remotely, 27% said they began remote work after March 23, and 11% said they temporarily closed all operations because they cannot work remotely.

The threat of a longer shutdown looms, and may be foreshadowed by the governor’s order last week to keep all schools and most childcare programs closed at least until May 4, while requesting that educators gear up for the long haul by developing and enhancing online-learning capabilities.

“It sounds too good to be true, but the public policy is sound — the easiest and best way to get financial support to the most Americans is through their employers.”

In the meantime, a number of relief efforts have popped up at the federal, state, and local levels. For example, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will offer low-interest federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans for working capital to Massachusetts small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of COVID-19. Applicants may apply online at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

This week, the Baker-Polito administration also announced economic support for Massachusetts small businesses with the Small Business Recovery Loan Fund, a $10 million fund that will provide emergency capital up to $75,000 to Massachusetts-based businesses impacted by COVID-19 with under 50 full- and part-time employees, including nonprofits. The application is at empoweringsmallbusiness.org.

Meanwhile, Common Capital offers a Fast Track Loan Program to address the needs of local businesses that need quick access to capital. Applicants seeking funding from the program to help mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic can contact Kim Gaughan, loan fund manager, at (413) 233-1684 or [email protected] for more information.

The Baker-Polito administration also announced steps last week to keep vulnerable families in their homes, preserve the health and safety of low-income renters and homeowners, and prevent homelessness due to reduced or lost income. Specifically, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will temporarily suspend terminations of federal and state rental vouchers under its purview, while MassHousing is transferring $5 million to the DHCD for a COVID-19 Rental Assistance for Families in Transition fund to assist families facing rent insecurity.

In addition, the state Division of Banks has issued new guidance to financial institutions and lenders urging them to provide relief for borrowers — several banks have already committed to do so — and will advocate for a 60-day stay on behalf of all homeowners facing imminent foreclosure on their homes. Finally, affordable-housing operators are being urged to suspend non-essential evictions for loss of income or employment circumstances resulting in a tenant’s inability to make rent.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts will delay the collection of sales tax, meals tax, and room-occupancy taxes in the restaurant and hospitality sector for up to three months, while waiving all penalties and interest. And, of course, the IRS has informed all taxpayers that this year’s filing deadline has been moved forward three months to July 15.

Nonprofits are being squeezed by the crisis as well. In response, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) established the COVID-19 Response Fund for the Pioneer Valley with a lead gift of $1 million from MassMutual and contributions from a number of area businesses. The fund will provide resources to Pioneer Valley nonprofits serving populations most impacted by the crisis, such as the elderly, those without stable housing, families needing food, and those with health vulnerabilities. To make a gift, visit communityfoundation.org/coronavirus-donations or e-mail [email protected].

Meanwhile, Berkshire United Way and Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation have established the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund for Berkshire County to rapidly deploy resources to community-based organizations as they respond to the impact of the coronavirus in Berkshire County. Numerous corporate funders have already emerged. To donate, visit berkshireunitedway.org/donate. Nonprofits can request funds at berkshireunitedway.org.

Finally, to help individuals in need, the United Way of Pioneer Valley established the COVID-19 Recovery and Relief Fund to provide aid and resources to those affected by the current public-health emergency. Funds collected will help families and individuals impacted by the pandemic to meet their basic, childcare, housing and financial needs. Visit www.uwpv.org for more information.

Hunkering Down

Resources such as these are critical because there’s really no telling when the region and country can return to some semblance of economic normalcy. Judging by what the medical community knows about how aggressively coronavirus spreads, the health costs of emerging from this collective cocoon too soon are too great — the healthcare system would simply be overrun. That’s why ‘flattening the curve; has become the watchword of the day.

Unfortunately, many businesses feel overrun in a different way. The Springfield Regional Chamber conducted a different poll recently, asking members what level of impact they expect the COVID-19 crisis have on their business.

More than four-fifths have major concerns; 34% say the crisis may put them out of business, while 47% say it will significantly impact their financials. Another 15% say they’ll be impacted financially but expect to weather the storm, while 4% say it’s too early to know.

In many ways, it’s too early to predict many things related to COVID-19 and its impact. Meanwhile, a nation increasingly shelters in place, seeking relief and solutions where they can find them, and hoping for the best.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

5 Ways to Do Smart & Responsible Marketing During COVID-19

By BusinessWest Staff March 30, 2020

Marketing Tips Uncategorized

Courtesy of https://www.business2community.com/

In everything we do as brands, context matters. Beyond the basic actions taken to protect employees and businesses during a crisis, brands can either help or hinder our collective experience. So when a cultural moment shifts as dramatically as it has in the face of COVID-19, it’s important that brands address the issue with tact, empathy, and mindful marketing.

That said, when it comes to current and planned campaigns, marketing teams face unique challenges during a crisis. While it’s still early in the quarantine, we’ve already been asked to help our clients adjust their communication approaches. Thus, we thought it might be useful to share some of our general guidelines for marketing protocol during these challenging times.

How to Do Empathetic Marketing During a Crisis
Here, we’ve assembled our top tips for addressing your marketing approach during a crisis.

While every brand is different, we see this as a basic action plan that can help brands of all sizes make the right choices and avoid serious mistakes.

Of course, we’re always open to more ideas about how to address sensitive times thoughtfully. If you have more tips or thoughts, please share them in the comments. Otherwise, we hope you find these tips helpful.

Community Foundation Makes Grants of $700,000 Through COVID-19 Response Fund

By BusinessWest Staff March 30, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the release of its first grants, totaling $700,000, to community organizations and nonprofits from its recently-established COVID-19 Response Fund for the Pioneer Valley.

The fund has raised $2,480,000 from local philanthropic and business organizations and over 50 individuals. The first round of funding to support local response to the crisis includes $190,000 to distribute food through the region’s system of food pantries; $120,000 to address the needs of vulnerable elders, including home-delivered meals; $120,000 to provide critical health services and outreach through the Valley’s federally designated Community Health Centers; $150,000 to provide shelter for those without homes and those impacted by domestic violence; and $120,000 to provide flexible supports to the region’s lowest-income families and individuals.

Organizations receiving funding include Caring Health Center, Catholic Charities Agency – Diocese of Springfield, Center for Human Development, Community Action Pioneer Valley, Community Health Center of Franklin County, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Friends of the Homeless (Clinical & Support Options), Greater Springfield Senior Services, Highland Valley Elder Services, Hilltown Community Health Center, Holyoke Health Center, LifePath, New England Learning Center for Women in Transition, Safe Passage, ServiceNet, Springfield Partners for Community Action, Springfield Rescue Mission, Valley Opportunity Council, WestMass ElderCare, Womanshelter Companeras, and YWCA of Western Massachusetts.

According to Katie Allan Zobel, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, more grants are expected to be announced and released this week to respond to emerging needs.

“These initial grants will support urgent and immediate needs of those most vulnerable and adversely affected by this unprecedented crisis and those who have been most impacted by inequity,” she said. “Through the generosity of our community and the establishment of this response fund, we are helping those in need living in the 69 cities and towns that make up Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties.”

Zobel said next week’s round of grants will likely include health services to organizations serving those with particular health vulnerabilities due to factors such as mental illness, compromised immune systems, or addiction.

Given the long-term impact of the crisis and the evolving community needs, CFWM and its partners will continue to raise funds and make grants over the next several months. “We are encouraging our business community and individuals to consider contributing to the fund as the urgent needs for support continues to grow,” Zobel said.

Entities contributing to the fund thus far include bankESB; Berkshire Bank; Beveridge Family Foundation; Big Y; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts; Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation; Dietz & Co. Architects; Greenfield Cooperative Bank/Northampton Cooperative Bank; Keady, Foard, Montemagni, UBS Wealth Management; MassMutual; PeoplesBank; TD Charitable Foundation; and Westfield Bank.

In subsequent phases, grants will be made to address needs of nonprofit organizations that have been financially impacted by the crisis.

The Community Foundation welcomes additional donations to the COVID-19 Response Fund for the Pioneer Valley. Gifts can be made online at communityfoundation.org/coronavirus-donations.

“The COVID-19 Response Fund for the Pioneer Valley is designed to pool community giving and apply the Community Foundation’s expertise and experience to make grants that help our community effectively respond to the crisis” Zobel said. “During this time, we also encourage our community members to give directly to those nonprofits you know and trust that are being impacted now or that are responding to the COVID-19 crisis.”

Elms College Welcomes Antoinette Candia-Bailey

By BusinessWest Staff March 30, 2020

Daily News

CHICOPEE — Elms College has named accomplished higher-education executive Antoinette Candia-Bailey the college’s first vice president of Student Affairs and chief Diversity officer. Reporting directly to the president, Candia-Bailey, who will join Elms College on April 1, will be responsible for the strategic oversight and management of the college’s Student Affairs and Diversity and Inclusion offices.

Candia-Bailey is joining Elms from the University of Wisconsin Madison (UWM), where she currently serves as senior project coordinator to the deputy vice chancellor for Diversity & Inclusion. Prior to that, she was associate dean of students and Student Life at UWM.

Abiding by the college’s social-distancing policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, she will be working remotely at the start of her tenure.

“I am excited to welcome Dr. Candia-Bailey to Elms College,” said Elms College President Harry Dumay. “The fact that she is joining the college in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic highlights the strategic importance of this position to the college. She brings a wealth of experience in both student-affairs administration and diversity and inclusion, and has served in multiple roles within each discipline. I look forward to having her join my cabinet and collaborating with her on the strategic direction of the college.”

The position of vice president of Student Affairs and chief Diversity officer is a new one for the college. Candia-Bailey will be responsible for providing leadership, management, and supervision to the director of Diversity and Inclusion, the dean of students, the director of Campus Ministry, and the director of Athletics. She will advise the president and other members of the executive leadership team on all student-affairs and diversity matters.

Candia-Bailey has more than 20 years of progressive experience in student affairs and diversity and inclusion at higher-education institutions, including North Carolina State University, Towson University in Maryland, and North Carolina A&T State University. She holds a doctoral degree in leadership studies from North Carolina A&T State University, a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and disability studies from Michigan State University, and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Lincoln University in Missouri.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to join the Elms College Cabinet, led by President Harry E. Dumay,” Candia-Bailey said. “I look forward to playing a role in promoting and advocating the success of all of our students. I am excited to contribute to the strategic goals, mission, and vision by being a student-centered advocate.”

JGS Lifecare Praises LPN Caleb Poirier as He Reports to New York with U.S. Army Reserves

By BusinessWest Staff March 30, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

LONGMEADOW — Caleb Poirier, an LPN who spends his evenings caring for frail elders at the Leavitt Family Jewish Home at JGS Lifecare in Longmeadow, is a consummate team member — in more than one way.

After serving in Afghanistan, Poirier continued his military commitment in the U.S. Army Reserves. With his unit, he has been called to duty to support the medical teams in New York during the COVID-19 crisis. Once again, he is on the front lines in support of our country.

“Caleb has compassion, kindness, excellent attention to detail, and a quirky sense of humor, four qualities that are imperative as a nurse,” said Shannon Wesson, director of Nursing at JGS Lifecare. “He will be an amazing asset to his team.”

Wesson called Poirier “a true healthcare hero, as are all the others in healthcare who report to work daily and care for our sick and frail. We will welcome him back home post-deployment and celebrate his dedication, when we can all be together post-COVID-19.”

JGS Lifecare joins the local community in thanking Poirier and many other healthcare heroes for caring for the sick and frail at their greatest time of need, and wishes him and his unit safe travels and a safe return home.

When We Get to the Other Side, Things Will Look Much Different

By George O'Brien March 30, 2020

Coronavirus

By George O’Brien

By most accounts, this region is still in the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the experts are saying it will several months before things will return to something approaching ‘normal.’

But while we have a long way to go, it’s certainly not too early to begin speculating about what ‘normal’ will be, whenever we get there. And it’s fair to say that ‘normal’ won’t look like it does now. In fact, it could look much different because of what we’re all experiencing — and what we’re all learning — during these unprecedented times.

Some questions come to mind even as we’re only about a week into the state’s shutdown of non-essential businesses. In no particular order:

• Will men ever wear ties again?

• Will anyone ever print out a document again?

• Will anyone ever go into a bank branch again?

• Will anyone visit a car dealership again?

• Will companies ever again lease out all the space they’re leasing out now?

• Will we still need college campuses?

• Will we ever need to meet anyone in person again?

The answer to all these questions is ‘yes.’ But the more accurate answer, when we examine things closely, is probably ‘yes, but certainly not as much.’

OK, maybe guys will go back to wearing ties as much as they used to, but … then again, maybe not. Probably not. A good number of them had decided they no longer needed to long before this crisis, and now, this club, if that’s what you want to call it, is certain to get bigger. Maybe much bigger.

As for the rest of those questions, life with COVID-19 has certainly changed how we do things, and maybe for the rest of time, not just until we get that signal that it’s safe to go back in the water, whenever that might be.

Let’s start with paper. Most offices were at least trying to use less paper, but many weren’t exactly fully committed to the task. Now, as offices are relying on other forms of communication, and in many cases, they can’t hit the ‘print’ button, many are learning that it’s OK not to have a print copy of everything. And when the smaller bill comes in from the office-supply company, it’s a good bet that things won’t go back to the way they were.

As for leasing office space, some companies will go back to the same footprint. But it’s safe to say many will find that having employees work at home when they can isn’t just for snowstorms and pandemics. Not everyone wants to work at home, certainly, but if the spouse and the children are not at home at the same time as you are when you’re working — unlike now — it begins to look more doable and more attractive.

Yes, there are limitations, and some people have already found that working at home is like being retired in that you lose track of the day and date. Meanwhile, it can be lonely, and many are finding they need to be around others and just hear the sound of a human voice. But now that some are doing it, they find they can do it.

Bank branches? Some young people can boast that they’ve never been in one. And now, many who are not so young are joining those ranks. People who were intimidated by new banking technology found themselves without a choice — and many have now found themselves saying ‘that wasn’t so bad’ or even ‘that’s pretty cool.’ And, by that way, the same goes for office technology as well.

As for meeting people face to face, this will probably stage some kind of comeback. Skype, Zoom, and all those other platforms are fine, but there’s nothing like sitting across the desk or the coffee-shop table from someone. Although … many people are starting to think those aforementioned options are almost as effective, and they save time, gas, and money. They’ve been around for a while, but now that people have a need to use them, they are.

This doesn’t mean auto dealers, bankers, college presidents, and insurance agents won’t ever meet as a group or an association again. But technology is now showing us that there are other ways to meet collectively.

As noted, we’re still in the beginning stages of this crisis, but we’re already learning things. We’re learning that the technology we were afraid to use for some reason is nothing to be afraid of. We’re also learning new and different ways to do things, and it’s likely we’ll keep doing them that way when this crisis is over.

That’s why things on the other side will certainly look much different.

George O’Brien is the editor of BusinessWest.

Some Light in These Dark Times

By Editorial March 28, 2020

Coronavirus Opinion

Opinion

By George O’Brien

Remember that classic scene in Young Frankenstein (even you Millennials have seen it, I’m sure) when Gene Wilder (Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, pronounced Frankensteeen), and Marty Feldman (Igor) are in the graveyard digging up the corpse that will become the monster. Wilder says, “what a filthy job!” Feldman says, “it could be worse.” Wilder asks, “how could it possibly be worse?” Feldman says, “could be raining.”

And then it starts pouring.

Life has felt like that these past few weeks. Someone will say, ‘how could it be worse?’ And it starts raining, in a proverbial sense. People have lost their jobs. Businesses have lost some, most, or all of their revenue streams. People are running out of toilet paper — or they’re really, really afraid that they will. We lost Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers! (The who?) People stuck at home are losing their patience, if not their minds, and we’re just really getting started with this pandemic. And then it snowed on Monday!

There are no sports! How many times can we watch the Patriots beat the Falcons in replays of Super Bowl LII? We know how it ends! The Masters has been postponed if not cancelled. Golf courses are apparently not on the ‘essential’ businesses list put out by the governor’s office. How can golf courses not be on the essential businesses list?

If anyone says ‘it could be worse,’ our immediate temptation is to say, ‘no, it can’t.’

To borrow from Dickens, these really are the worst of times. This is worse than any downturn in the economy, worse than 9/11, worse than the Great Recession. It’s worse because there is so much uncertainty — about today, tomorrow, three months from now, and a year from now.

Not only that, but life is different now. Everything is weird. If we’re actually out on the sidewalk walking and we approach other people, we avoid them like a game of Frogger. If we’re out at the store, we look at everyone as if they might have the virus, and the look isn’t a good one.

Everyone is on edge about their jobs, their life savings, their 401(k), their health, the health of their loved ones. You can see it in their faces, and if you’re talking to them on the phone (which we all are), you can hear in their voices. You can also hear them yawn, because people are not sleeping, by and large. Who could sleep with all this going on?

If we’re actually out on the sidewalk walking and we approach other people, we avoid them like a game of Frogger.

And yet, there is something else, something far more powerful and positive going on, and it’s worth noting.

Yes, there are now security guards and even off-duty police in the toilet-paper aisle in many supermarkets. And yes, sales of guns and ammo are skyrocketing. And yes, we’re already starting to see a rise in reported instances of domestic violence. But despite all this, it’s abundantly clear to me that people are caring more about each other.

And it’s about time.

People don’t just put their initials at the end of an e-mail anymore. They say ‘be well,’ ‘stay well,’ or ‘take care of yourself.’ And they mean it. People are bringing food and coffee to those who are shut in (and that’s most people now). Co-workers are being nicer to each other. When I dropped off the golf cart at a club in Connecticut last Saturday, I walked over to the attendant who was parking it — someone who would likely be unemployed in about 27 hours — and said (from six feet away), “good luck to you — hope you get through this OK.” And I meant it.

You’re seeing a lot more of that these days, and this, more than anything else, will get us to the other side — whenever and whatever that happens to be.

Yes, it could be worse. It could be raining. It seems like it’s already raining — pouring, in fact. But there’s a little sunlight trickling in.

And it might be just enough.

George O’Brien is the editor of BusinessWest.

Small Business Marketing Tips During the COVID-19 Pandemic

By BusinessWest Staff March 27, 2020

Marketing Tips

Courtesy of https://www.mainstreetroi.com/

It’s a scary time for small businesses during this COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the coronavirus, many businesses have been forced to close, many others have lost a significant percentage of customers, and most have been reduced to skeleton crews and/or a 100% remote workforce.

And if you’re like me, then you’re now forced to work from home while also homeschooling your children. For me, that means my days are spent teaching my daughter 1st-grade math, writing, reading, music, gym, and theater, while also keeping my preschool 5-year old son engaged with activities. Oh, and don’t forget cooking, doing dishes, cleaning, and laundry. That doesn’t leave much time for work…

In other words, it’s a nightmare!

That’s the bad news…

Advice from UMassFIVE Commercial Services Division

By Contributor March 27, 2020

Custom Content

Why Monitoring Your Cash Flow is Critical Right Now

UMass Research Shows Face Masks Can Be Safely Reused by Pandemic Medical Workers

By BusinessWest Staff March 27, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

AMHERST — Medical face masks, which have fallen into short supply during the COVID-19 pandemic, endangering both front-line healthcare workers and their patients, may be safely reused after sterilization, according to initial results from urgent research conducted this week by a UMass Amherst environmental health scientist.

Richard Peltier, a School of Public Health and Health Sciences professor, partnered with Dr. Brian Hollenbeck, chief of Infectious Disease at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston, to test in his lab whether used N95 face masks were still effective at blocking infectious particles after sterilization.

This critical research aimed to address the worldwide shortage of N95 masks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “As environmental health scientists, we are always looking for opportunities to improve public health,” Peltier says. “These results show that there is no real difference in filtration between a new mask and one that has been sterilized.”

N95 face masks are worn over the mouth and nose and capture particulates in the air. They are designed to be worn once and then discarded. When new, they are very effective at protecting a person from particulates, including droplets that carry infectious agents like COVID-19.

“While these are ordinarily disposable protective devices for medical workers, these are not ordinary times,” he said, “and this science shows that sterilized face masks will protect our healthcare providers who are working under extraordinary conditions.”

Peltier used state-of-the-art pollution instruments and a mannequin head wearing a face mask to measure whether microscopic particles can pass through the mask after it’s sterilized. He carried out the testing in a small chamber, in which he affixed the masks to a mannequin that had a small pipe extending from its mouth. The chamber was flooded with pollution, and air was collected through the mask as if the mannequin were breathing inside a room filled with pollutants.

The air was delivered to analyzers that used lasers to both count and estimate the size of millions of microscopic particles. Peltier switched between measuring the air from the chamber and the air from behind the mask to calculate how many particles passed through each mask type. He tested both a new mask, as well as one that had been sterilized with hydrogen peroxide.

While there was concern that sterilization might substantially degrade the filter material, causing it to function improperly, this turned out not to be the case. “They work just as well after sterilization,” he said.

Ordinarily, Peltier would repeat the test dozens of times, but the hospital in Boston could not spare additional masks, which, once tested, were unusable. “We are no longer under ordinary circumstances, and we have to improvise as best we can,” he noted.

Because the particulates blocked by the face mask are retained by the mask, they must be sterilized if not thrown away, he explained. “A used mask could have COVID-19 on it, so reusing it without sterilization poses a danger to the wearer or to another patient.”

How the Families First Coronavirus Response Act May Affect Your Business

By Contributor March 27, 2020

Coronavirus

Novel Solutions

By John S. Gannon, Esq. and Erica E. Flores, Esq.

It has only been a few weeks since the novel coronavirus made its way to our shores, but life as we know it has changed completely and will, perhaps, never be quite the same again. After a near-record-low unemployment rate in February, nearly 3.3 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, a figure that shattered the previous record of about 700,000 set back in 1982. The report confirms what the plunging securities markets have foreshadowed for the past few weeks — that the coronavirus is killing more than just those who are losing their lives to the disease; it is killing businesses and livelihoods as well.

How long this crisis will continue is impossible to predict. Health experts warn against lifting stay-at-home orders, opening non-essential businesses, and loosening social-distancing recommendations too early; economists worry that the economic consequences will be worse for Americans than the actual disease. But however long this new normal persists, the country has borne witness to another unbelievable sight, a welcome bright spot amid so much uncertainty — a sharply divided Congress coming together to try to mitigate the crisis.

Its first emergency measure? Legislation called the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA). It imposes significant new obligations on all private employers with fewer than 500 employees. Below is a summary of this unprecedented new law.

What new rights does the FFCRA provide to employees? The FFCRA requires covered employers to provide the following to all employees:

• Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave at the employee’s regular rate of pay if the employee is unable to work or telework because the employee (1) has been quarantined (either by government order or on the advice of a healthcare provider) and/or (2) is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis. Employees will be paid their full wages, up to a maximum of $511 per day ($5,110 total) for these sick-leave reasons; and

• Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay if the employee is unable to work or telework because the employee (1) must care for someone who has been quarantined (again, either by government order or on the advice of a healthcare provider), (2) must care for a minor child whose school or childcare provider is closed or unavailable due to the virus, and/or (3) is experiencing a “substantially similar condition,” which has yet to be defined but will be the subject of regulations to be issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. Employees will be paid two-thirds of their wages up to a maximum of $200 per day ($2,000 total) for these sick-leave reasons.

• Employees who have been employed by a covered employer for at least 30 days may also take an additional 10 weeks of paid leave at two-thirds their wages to continue to provide care for a minor child whose school or childcare provider remains closed or unavailable due to the virus. This also caps out at $200 per day.

How are we going to pay for this? Important question! Qualified employers that pay sick leave will receive a dollar-for-dollar reimbursement through tax credits for all qualifying wages paid under the FFCRA, up to the appropriate daily and aggregate payment caps. Here’s how the IRS explained it will work:

• If an eligible employer paid $5,000 in sick leave and is otherwise required to deposit $8,000 in payroll taxes, including taxes withheld from all its employees, the employer could use up to $5,000 of the $8,000 in taxes it was going to deposit for making qualified leave payments. The employer would only be required under the law to deposit the remaining $3,000 on its next regular deposit date.

• If an eligible employer paid $10,000 in sick leave and was required to deposit $8,000 in taxes, the employer could use the entire $8,000 of taxes in order to make qualified leave payments and file a request for an accelerated credit for the remaining $2,000.

In its guidance, the IRS also stated that “reimbursement will be quick and easy to obtain. An immediate, dollar-for-dollar tax offset against payroll taxes will be provided. Where a refund is owed, the IRS will send the refund as quickly as possible.” Let’s hope this rings true.

Which employers are covered by the FFCRA? The FFCRA covers certain public employers and all private employers with fewer than 500 employees. For purposes of this count, employers must include all full-time and part-time employees in the U.S. (or any U.S. territory or possession), including any employees who are on leave, as well as temporary employees and day laborers supplied by an agency (with limited exceptions). Independent contractors need not be counted, but employers who may be a joint employer with another business or are owned even in part by another entity should consider consulting an employment attorney for additional guidance.

Are any employers exempt from the FFCRA? Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees may qualify for exemption from the requirement to provide sick time or FMLA leave due to school closings or the unavailability of childcare if doing so would “jeopardize the viability of the business as a going concern.” Regulations outlining this exemption are expected to be published by the Department of Labor in April.

When does this go into effect, will this leave be available forever, and do we need to notify employees? The law is effective April 1, 2020, and expires on December 31, 2020. And, yes, employers are required to post a notice in the workplace on the FFCRA requirements in a conspicuous place.

We are facing an extraordinary crisis. While this law will certainly be a challenge for employers to grapple with, it is important legislation that helps keep workplaces safe by encouraging sick employees to stay home. It also provides much-needed job and financial protection to employees who are home with their children because schools and daycares are closed. One piece of advice: don’t wait until the sick-leave requests start coming to get your questions answered. Our firm has been working around-the-clock with businesses and organizations that understand they need to plan now for the impact of this historic legislation. Be as prepared as possible, and stay safe.

John S. Gannon and Erica E. Flores are attorneys at the law firm Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. in Springfield; (413) 737-4753; [email protected]; [email protected]

PeoplesBank Announces Key Appointments and Promotion

By BusinessWest Staff March 27, 2020

Daily News

HOLYOKE — PeoplesBank announced the appointments and promotion of several key associates.

Eric Coutinho has been appointed mortgage consultant for Hartford and Tolland counties. In his new position, he assists homebuyers with finding the right mortgage option as well as guiding them through the application process. Coutinho has a history of volunteer service that includes serving on the fundraising committee for Longmeadow Knights Cheerleading.

Aieshya Jackson has been appointed Westfield Banking Center manager. She has more than 10 years of financial services and banking experience. In her new position, she oversees and manages all aspects of a full-service banking center, including staffing, sales, lending, operations, business development, and community relations. Jackson earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bay Path University. Her volunteer service includes serving as an executive member of the board of directors of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services, where she serves as chair of the financial committee. She also serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts.

Daniel Malkin has been appointed East Granby Banking Center manager. He has more than eight years of financial services and banking experience. In his new position, he oversees sales and operational success of the banking center. Malkin is a member of the board of directors for the Bradley Chamber of Commerce and Kent Memorial Library in Suffield.

Sara Roberts has been promoted to Sixteen Acres Banking Center manager. She has more than 10 years of financial-services and banking experience. In her new position, she aims to ensure the banking center meets and exceeds service and sales goals, provides excellent customer service, operates according to all bank policies and procedures, and serves as a leader within the community. She previously served as the assistant Banking Center manager in Holyoke. Roberts has a history of volunteer service that includes providing financial-literacy instruction for Credit for Life and at the Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center.

State Announces Federal Disaster Request and Other COVID-19 Response Efforts

By BusinessWest Staff March 27, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration today announced a new request to the federal government for a major disaster declaration, in addition to other actions to sustain the Commonwealth’s response to COVID-19.

If approved, this declaration would provide the Commonwealth additional federal assistance beyond what was included in the emergency declaration declared by President Trump on March 13. The disaster declaration request includes a request for FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, which would make financial assistance available to cities and towns, state agencies, and certain nonprofits statewide. The disaster declaration request also requests FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program, including Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Crisis Counseling Assistance, to help support residents in need during this unprecedented incident.

In addition, the Department of Public health has issued three emergency orders to support the healthcare system’s response to COVID-19:

• Pharmacy Practice: To ensure pharmacists are able to fully support the healthcare system’s response to COVID-19, this emergency order makes several changes regarding pharmacy practice, including expedited approval for pharmacists licensed in other states to practice in Massachusetts, and allowing the remote processing of prescriptions by pharmacy technicians.

• Determination of Need: This emergency order exempts healthcare facilities from the requirement that they submit a notice of determination of need for certain activities that will support their response to COVID-19.

• Nurse Staffing: To ensure hospitals have the flexibility they need to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, this emergency order exempts hospitals from certain nurse-staffing requirements, while requiring that they must ensure that staffing levels remain adequate to meet patients’ needs, and that staff is trained and competent to meet the needs of their patients.

In other COVID-19-related actions, Baker is issuing an emergency order that provides that a permit will not expire or lapse during the state of emergency for most permits issued by agencies within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. The order also pauses deadlines for these agencies to decide or hold hearings on permit applications. The clock on those deadlines will resume 45 days after the end of the emergency. It also ensures that no permit is automatically issued because an agency is unable to make a decision on a permit application during the emergency.

The administration also worked with the advocacy community and union partners to implement solutions to ensure access to personal-care attendant (PCA) services for individuals with disabilities and older adults during this public-health emergency. MassHealth created a hotline through MassOptions for MassHealth members to call if they are in need of services, and updated its policies to streamline the hiring process and allow more flexibility for PCAs to work more hours.

Baker-Polito Administration Temporarily Prohibits Utility Shutoffs to Protect Ratepayers

By BusinessWest Staff March 27, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration announced further action to support ratepayers during the COVID-19 outbreak, directing the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to issue an order prohibiting investor-owned utility companies from shutting off gas, electric, and water utility service to any customers for failure to pay a bill or a portion of a bill until the state of emergency is lifted or the DPU determines otherwise.

The announcement builds on the DPU’s March 13 moratorium requesting utility companies refrain from shutting off gas and electric service to residents across the Commonwealth. The new order will expand the moratorium to include any investor-owned utility customers, including industrial, commercial, and small-business customers, during the state of emergency.

“Protecting the health and safety of Massachusetts residents remains the Baker-Polito administration’s highest priority, and this order will ensure the continued availability of gas, electric, and water service to all ratepayers during the state of emergency,” DPU Chairman Matthew Nelson said. “Today’s action will also protect residents and businesses from added economic pressure during these difficult and uncertain times.”

The order also prohibits investor-owned utility companies from sending communications that threaten to shut off gas, electric, or water service to any of their customers for failure to pay a bill or any portion of a bill issued to a customer. Any company that fails to comply with these orders may be assessed penalties of up to $1 million per violation.

Additionally, on March 13, the DPU formally requested that that residential competitive electricity suppliers and licensed electricity brokers cease door-to-door marketing activities to ensure that proper risk-management protocols have been taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, prioritizing the health and safety of both consumers and any agents conducting marketing efforts.

Federal Act Will Help Keep Workers Employed and Paid

By Contributor March 26, 2020

Coronavirus

Bold Response to a Crisis

By Scott Foster

The CoronaCrisis has been a roller coaster for business owners. Starting almost a month ago, the rumblings of disruption began and have now erupted into complete and utter chaos. Business owners have been forced to make stark decisions — restaurant owners laying off their entire workforce; ‘non-essential’ businesses shutting down on 36 hours notice; whether and how to support employees facing three, then six weeks of cancelled school; supply-chain disruptions; canceled orders; canceled events; and more. Business owners have openly wondered, ‘how will my business survive?’

Fortunately, once the legislation pending in the U.S. Senate becomes law, which is widely expected, business owners — including sole proprietors and gig-economy workers — will be receiving a lifeline from the federal government that is unprecedented in scope, speed, and breadth.

Coined the Keeping American Workers Paid and Employed Act, the proposed provisions would appear to apply to every for-profit business with fewer than 500 employees (again, including sole proprietors). The act would allow these businesses (whether a corporation, LLC, partnership, or some other form of entity) to obtain a loan to cover payroll costs, including healthcare premiums and paid time off, rent, utilities, mortgage payments (interest, not principal), and interest on other pre-existing loans for an eight-week period falling between Feb. 15 and June 30, with a maximum loan amount of $10 million. The loan would be non-recourse, require no security or personal guarantees, and bear interest of only 4% with a repayment period of 10 years.

But this is not like any other loan ever offered. This loan would be forgiven in an amount equal to the sum of payroll costs, payments of interest on any covered mortgage, payments on any covered rent obligations, and covered utility payments. The amount to be forgiven would be reduced if the business reduced its workforce, and the forgiveness would not apply to payroll costs of any employees who were paid more than $100,000 in 2019. And the best part, unlike other debt that is forgiven by the lender, any amount forgiven under this program will be excluded from gross income.

To summarize, if you are a business and are willing to keep your employees on the payroll, pay your rent or mortgage, and stay in business, the federal government is prepared to pay your rent, your utilities, and your payroll (for employees making under $100,000 annually) for eight weeks, and the payment is tax-free. It sounds too good to be true, but the public policy is sound — the easiest and best way to get financial support to the most Americans is through their employers (especially in this time of historically low unemployment).

We would expect loans under this program to start being processed by late April or early May, with funding happening as soon as the loans can be closed. The program is relying on banks and commercial lenders to aggressively participate as the primary lenders under the program, so you should be able to continue working with your current bank.

Given the tight timeframe and the unprecedented scope of this program, Bulkley Richardson is preparing for an unusually high level of lending in the local market and will be prepared to help our clients navigate this new program, get the necessary loans, and submit the backup needed to qualify for the forgiveness.

Scott Foster is a partner at Bulkley Richardson.

Working from Home: What You Need to Know About Insurance Coverage

By BusinessWest Staff March 26, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

AMHERST — During these unprecedented times, the everyday norm is shifting for most Americans. Commutes have become a simple walk down to the coffee maker instead of the usual 15- to 30-minute drive from home.

With much of the workforce working remotely, likely from a home office, it is important that you are protected from further unexpected exposures, says Tracey Benison, president of Encharter Insurance in Amherst. Most homeowner and renter insurance policies limit coverage, so discussing business exposures with your agent to ensure proper coverage is in place is a must.

When chatting with your agent, she said, consider the following:

1. Do you have clients and/or employees visiting the home, and how often?

2. Do you have equipment or protected information in your care, custody, or control?

3. Are you delivering products with your own vehicle?

4. Do you have more, fewer, or no employees now?

The answers to these questions will determine if you need business owners, workers’ compensation, business auto, or cyber insurance coverage.

“In many situations, if you are an employee, your employer will have insurance coverage in place to protect you,” Benison said. “These policies should provide you with coverage that you need, but you need to ask your employer to be sure.
If you are the business owner, you need to be sure you are properly covered for these evolving exposures. This is the time to do a fresh review of your insurance coverage with your agent to ensure you are adequately protected.”

If you have any questions, call Encharter Insurance at (413) 549-4971.

Link to Libraries, MGM Provide Books to Springfield Students Learning from Home

By BusinessWest Staff March 26, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Link to Libraries and MGM Springfield announced a partnership to promote learning and literacy in support of Springfield students who are out of the classroom and learning from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Link to Libraries and MGM Springfield donated more than 1,000 books to children ranging from kindergarten through high school. The books were distributed to families through the 15 schools designated as lunch pickup sites.

“Link to Libraries is committed to helping ensure that students have the tools they need to continue learning during this time of uncertainty,” said Laurie Flynn, the organization’s president and CEO. “We are so very grateful to MGM Springfield for partnering with us so that we can get books into the hands of the children who need them most.

“We know that increasing a child’s access to books dramatically improves their chances of becoming a proficient reader, and, sadly, a significant number of the children we serve live in homes with no books,” she added. “Together with MGM Springfield and our donors and volunteers, we will continue to ensure that the children of Springfield have the tools they need to succeed, even during these challenging times.”

Elms College Reschedules Executive Leadership Breakfast to Sept. 22

By BusinessWest Staff March 26, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

CHICOPEE — Elms College has rescheduled its third annual Executive Leadership Breakfast to Tuesday, Sept. 22 due to state-mandated caution regarding large crowds and coronavirus.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal is still slated to be the keynote speaker for the event, which was originally scheduled for April 9. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold, the college will announce more details as necessary.

This annual event features talks by the region’s leaders on topics of relevance that impact all sectors of business and the economy in Western Mass. Speakers at past events have included Dennis Duquette, head of Community Responsibility at MassMutual and president of the MassMutual Foundation, and Regina Noonan Hitchery, retired vice president of Human Resources at Alcoa.

STCC Donates Personal Protective Equipment to Area Hospitals

By BusinessWest Staff March 26, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Responding to an urgent call for supplies, Springfield Technical Community College’s (STCC) School of Health and Patient Simulation is donating personal protective equipment to area hospitals and medical centers.

The equipment, which includes surgical masks, isolation gowns, and exam gloves, will serve as a first line of defense for healthcare professionals and reduce their risk of contracting COVID-19 while treating patients.

“We recognize there is a critical need for personal protective equipment at hospitals and medical centers,” said Christopher Scott, dean of the School of Health and Patient Simulation at STCC. “By donating our supplies, we are doing what we can to protect the healthcare workers who are running short on masks and other protective equipment. The community needs to work together to ensure we defeat this pandemic.”

The equipment will be donated to Baystate Health, Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health Of New England, Holyoke Medical Center, and Cooley Dickinson Hospital. In addition, STCC will donate supplies to the West Springfield Fire Department, which provides emergency medical services.

A Roundtable — COVID-19 Style

By George O'Brien March 25, 2020

Coronavirus

Participants Say It’s Anything but Business as Usual

By George O’Brien

If you call the Employers Assoc. of the Northeast these days, the person at the other end of the line will likely ask you if you want the agency’s hotline.

Almost everyone does.

“We’re getting inundated — we’re getting more calls in a day than we would get in a week or two,” said Meredith Wise, EANE’s executive director, who told BusinessWest the calls vary in nature, but the vast majority of them have to do with workforce issues — whether to lay off people in the wake of this virus or furlough them (we’ll explain the difference in a minute), and how to somehow keep them if they are laid off. But there are other matters as well, especially the many evolving layers of support on the state and federal levels.

“People don’t know what to do, and they’re looking for help — they’re looking for answers, because there’s so much uncertainty, and the picture seems to change every day and even every hour,” said Wise, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging businesses of all sizes as they have probably never been challenged before.

Wise was one of several area business leaders who took part in a roundtable on this virus and the many ways it is impacting the business community — a different kind of roundtable, to be sure. Indeed, there was no actual table, round or otherwise; this was all done via a conference call and some subsequent follow-up interviews as the scene changed. (Editor’s Note: that scene continues to change, and this story will be updated as needed at businesswest.com.)

Through these discussions, we learned what should seem obvious — that, at this time, it isn’t ‘business as usual’ for anyone, and for many, there is no business at all. But we also learned that, in some cases, there is something approaching business as usual, as legal transactions and real-estate deals, both commercial and residential, move forward. Meanwhile, the marketing expert we spoke with had a simple message for businesses of all kinds — “don’t stop communicating.”

Here are the highlights from this COVID-19-style roundtable:

At the EANE

Wise told BusinessWest that, understandably, employers are on edge as they see revenue sources dry up and cash flow interrupted. A good number of calls to the hotline concern what to do with employees — lay them off, furlough them, or try somehow to keep them on, especially if the stimulus package currently being debated includes provisions that provide small businesses access to private bank loans equal to several months of expenses (payroll, rent, utilities, etc.) that would be covered by the federal government if they stayed open, maintained their workforce, and paid their bills.

“People are at wit’s end — do they lay off everyone, do they furlough people, do they shut down this operation, do they keep with that operation?” she told BusinessWest, adding that ‘lay off’ and ‘furlough’ are technical terms with specific definitions, and they are not the same thing.

“With a furlough, you’re still considered an employee — people are not going to get paid, but they’re still on the payroll, and they’re still eligible for benefits — all that stays in place,” she explained. “If you lay people off, they’re no longer an employee. They may get a call-back date, but in essence the business is parting company with that employee.”

And, with a layoff, a company has to pay all accrued paid time off and give the employee a check for that amount on their last day.

Wise said some manufacturers, concerned that business will dry up for a longer term, are laying off people (especially recent hires), while others, especially those with sizable investments in the people they’ve hired, are taking the furlough route with the hope that business will soon pick up or help from a stimulus package of some form will arrive.

“But people just don’t know when this is going to end — will it be by April 1, April 14, or are we going to the end of April or into May?” she said. “I’ve heard people say this could go on for three months and that they can’t keep their workforce going for three months.”

Meanwhile, with regard to the governor’s order to close non-essential businesses, Wise said it will certainly be unpopular with small-business owners not on the ‘essential’ list, but it might help bring a form of normalcy and routine that will replace the daily uncertainty that was annoying, to say the least.

“Let’s just do it and get it over with,” she said as the order was coming down. “This constant drip, drip, drip of changes every day is driving everyone crazy, and it doesn’t let you focus on anything.”

Developments of Note

Jeff Sullivan noted that it’s not business as usual for the region’s banks, and it won’t be for quite some time. But there will be a good deal of business, especially if, as expected, banks play a key role in funneling federal stimulus money to small businesses in the form of what will amount to bridge loans.

In the meantime, banks are keeping busy enough — with everything from customers who want some cash in their pockets during these uncertain times (and that’s many people) to businesses seeking lines of credit, or larger lines, to get through the crisis, to homeowners looking to take advantage of the recent drop in interest rates to refinance. And, again, that’s many people.

“It’s a little strange here … we had a large backlog of loans that were closing during the month of March, so we’ve tried to stay somewhat business as usual with those,” said Sullivan, president and CEO of Springfield-based New Valley Bank & Trust. “Most of those are happening, and part of the reason we want to get through that is because the nature of the loan requests we’re going to get are going to change dramatically, from the normal buy, sell, refinance-my-building kind of stuff to building up piles of working capital to get through the downturn.

“I think I’ve heard more of the ‘we need to do whatever we can to keep the doors open’ type of conversations from people,” he went on. “But we’re also hearing about people wanting to refinance their free and clear property so they’ll have a lot of cash because they think there will be some opportunities down the road — there’s a little of that going on, too.”

Meanwhile, there’s a lot of refinancing on the residential side of the equation as homeowners look to capitalize on those interest rates, he said, adding that there is also commercial activity and a limited amount of business expansion happening.

Things should change dramatically with the stimulus package and its likely provision for forgivable loans that will, as he put it, essentially put everyone on unemployment for three months.

“People are on pins and needles waiting to see what happens,” he said as the bill was still being hammered out. “If something doesn’t happen, there will be another wave of layoffs.”

Case in Point

Scott Foster, an attorney with Springfield-based Bulkley Richardson, said his firm’s phones might not be as busy as EANE’s, but they are ringing constantly. And many of those who are calling are looking for the same kinds of answers.

“I’m as busy as ever — the phones are ringing off the hook; people are working and getting things done while they still can,” he said just prior to the governor’s order to shut down non-essential businesses. “It’s mostly about contingency planning, looking at federal aid that’s already passed or is coming down the pike and how it’s going to help them, or staffing decisions — whether to furlough people, lay them off, or keep them on the payroll.

“All these questions are coming, and there’s a lot of uncertainty, a lot of unknowns,” he went on. “But this is business — people have to make decisions; you don’t get to not make decisions, or the decision gets made for you. So we’re very active.”

Foster said that deals — everything from real-estate acquisitions to business transactions — are still taking place, albeit at a slower pace in some cases.

“I have some real deals … they’re not closing tomorrow, but they’re still going,” he explained. “I haven’t had anyone pull the plug on any deal I’m working on; next week might be a different story, but right now, they’re all charging forth.”

As for the general tone of those in the business community, while many are understandably anxious, there’s also discernable optimism, he said, especially regarding some provisions of the stimulus bill being debated — ones that would essentially ‘mothball’ businesses until the crisis is over, with funds provided by the government to pay people and pay other expenses as well.

“Big sections of the economy are going to go on pause,” he explained. “And if the federal aid is sufficient and businesses reopen in a few months and the economy restarts … there’s a lot of optimism I’m hearing from business owners about what things are going to look like on the other side of this. It might be misplaced optimism, but it’s there.”

Overall, he said most business owners are “keeping their heads on,” as he put it, and not panicking.

“And the main reason they’re not panicking is because everyone is going through this,” he said. “It’s not one business or one sector, it’s hitting everyone, and you’re seeing some people growing — Amazon’s hiring, Walmart is hiring, Domino’s is hiring, online delivery services are hiring … there are some positive things happening.”

‘Cover’ Story

Dave Griffin has been in the insurance business for decades now and has certainly seen almost everything in the course of his career. But the COVID-19 pandemic has been different — in all kinds of ways.

That assessment refers to everything from the volume of the phone calls to the very difficult nature of the conversations with the people on the other end of the line.

“It’s been a tough few weeks, obviously,” said Griffin, vice president of Holyoke-based Dowd Insurance. “I’ve been doing this for 11 years here, and you develop a strong relationship with your clients. There have been a lot of hard conversations here this week with people just trying to do whatever they can to keep their business open. They have a real passion for what they do, and it’s heartbreaking to hear that they have to lay off employees and talk about the business like it might not be around.”

While talk of stimulus packages continues, business owners, especially those hit immediately by the crisis — restaurants, hotels, clubs, banquet facilities, and retail establishments — have been dealing with the moment, said Griffin, and most come forward with the obvious question: ‘does my business-interruption policy cover this deadly virus?’

And the answer he has had to give, unfortunately, is ‘no,’ and, as noted, he’s given it to a large number of people.

There is hope that this answer may change, just as it did after 9/11 — terrorist attacks were not covered in most all business-interruption policies, but that law was changed — but for now, the answer remains ‘no.’

If there is any good news for most insurance customers, it is that their payments are generally based on annual sales volume, and as those numbers go down as the pandemic continues, so do those payments. Meanwhile, many insurance carriers are responding to the crisis by providing flexibility on payments and commitments not to cancel policies if payments cannot be made.

While answering questions about policies and listening to his clients, Griffin also offered some perspective on the situation in the form of hope — and expectation — that most of those business owners he’s had these hard conversations with find a way to persevere and come out on the other side.

“Hopefully, we can come out of this sooner rather than later,” he said. “And I have no doubt that this region will rally behind the local businesses.”

And Now, a Word, or Two, or Three, About Marketing

John Garvey, president of Garvey Communication Associates Inc., told BusinessWest that, while every sector, and almost every business, has its own unique situation with regard to the virus and its impact, there are some common threads, or thoughts, when it comes to marketing in these difficult times.

To explain it, he summoned three words — actually, one word repeated three times — that was essentially the mantra of Doug Bowen, the now-retired president and CEO of Holyoke-based PeoplesBank, a long-time client.

“Communicate, communicate, communicate — that’s what he used to say, and I think that’s practical advice for everyone right now,” he said. “You need to be talking to your employees, and you need to be talking to your customers.”

As for the messages to be conveyed, he said they generally fall into several categories — from informing the public about what’s happening with a specific company during this crisis to speaking directly to employees. In both cases, the messages are generally about reassuring the intended audience.

“You really want to reach out to employees from the standpoint of appreciation and thank them for their efforts,” Garvey explained. “There is a lot of insecurity out there, and anything organizations can do to placate or resolve that is really important right now.”

Such efforts to reassure and thank people become more difficult and more complicated when a company is also laying off or furloughing employees, he acknowledged, but this shouldn’t stop businesses from heeding Bowen’s mantra.

Meanwhile, as for marketing and communicating in general, this is a perilous time, but it’s also a time when your message can be heard, he went on, because people are listening, and they’re looking for information.

“Your whole audience, your whole customer base, is pretty much sitting at home right now,” he noted. “They’re on social media, they’re reading things online, etc., etc. — you have their attention; never have people been more focused.”

That said, advertisers need to send messages that are important or interesting, or they won’t keep that audience’s attention, Garvey went on, and people need to send messages that are sensitive to the times.

Overall, he said many businesses have been so caught up in the day to day of coping with the crisis that they have become “frozen” when it comes to marketing. The “thaw,” as he called it, should come now, or very soon, as something approaching a new sense of normalcy prevails.

“And then,” he said, “the responsibility is to communicate, communicate, communicate.”

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

AIM Expresses Support for Administration Steps to Control COVID-19

By BusinessWest Staff March 25, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

BOSTON — Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) expressed support for Gov. Charlie Baker’s order closing non-essential workplaces, even while acknowledging the economic burden that the order is placing on the organization’s 3,500 members and their employees.

The order, which took effect on March 24, requires all businesses and organizations that do not provide ‘COVID-19 essential services’ to close their physical workplaces and facilities to workers, customers, and the public until Tuesday, April 7 at noon.

AIM praised Baker and his administration for a measured and transparent approach to containing COVID-19, which has affected 777 Massachusetts residents and taken the lives of nine people.

“Believe me, the last thing that a business association like AIM wants to see is an order requiring many good companies around the Commonwealth to close,” AIM President and CEO John Regan said. “But those of us with friends and colleagues who have been hit by this virus understand that social distancing represents our best chance to limit the pandemic and begin a movement back toward normalcy.”

AIM commended the work of hundreds of administration officials, including Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Michael Kennealy, and Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalyn Acosta. AIM noted that the administration moved swiftly to get the U.S. Small Business Assoc. Economic Injury Disaster Loan program open in Massachusetts.

The administration has also established a Manufacturing Emergency Response Team to help companies retool their production operations to make much-needed medical equipment.

“We are grateful to the Baker administration for maintaining a free flow of information to employers and the public,” said Brooke Thomson, executive vice president of Government Affairs. “The Massachusetts business community understands that the COVID-19 pandemic is a unique situation that requires unfortunate but necessary steps to keep our employees and their families healthy. We look forward to emerging as an even stronger and more resilient economy once the crisis is over.”

The Gray House Meets Increased Demands During COVID-19 Pandemic

By BusinessWest Staff March 25, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Gray House, a community service agency in the North End of Springfield, has quickly adapted to meet the increased need for food to low-income households due to COVID-19. While the Gray House’s adult education and youth programming are currently closed, the space that is usually utilized for this programming has been taken over by its food operations. During its first ‘no-contact’ curbside food distribution on March 19, the Gray House served 253 families with groceries in a three-hour period — a 69% increase from its normal numbers.

“Our food-assistance program is considered an essential service, and not only are we staying open during this pandemic, we’re serving more people than ever,” said Teresa Liberti, executive director. “Only volunteers and staff essential to our food-assistance program are allowed inside the building. Volunteers are spread out among other rooms in the house that are typically used for classrooms so that we can maintain social distancing. All of the volunteers and staff coming in must complete mandatory training to ensure everyone understands the policies and procedures we’ve put in place to protect them and those we are serving. We need everyone to understand the severity of this, and that following these protocols is essential to our ability to remain open during this time.”

The Gray House is maintaining its normal distribution hours, which are Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon and on the second and fourth Fridays of the month from 4 to 6 p.m. Households with a vehicle are instructed to remain in their car at all times. They can enter Sheldon Street from Main Street and pull up to the first tent in front of the Gray House, where they will be assisted. Anyone who does not have a vehicle can walk up to the Gray House and wait in line on the sidewalk to be served. There will be markers on the sidewalk so that those waiting can maintain a six-foot distance from others at all times.

In addition to the impact this pandemic has had on the need for food, the Gray House also had to cancel its most profitable fundraiser of the year, the annual Spaghetti Supper, which typically nets over $20,000 and hosts more than 400 individuals. “We had to get creative,” Liberti said. “Rather than postponing or canceling the event altogether, we decided to host it virtually.”

The ‘No Show’ Spaghetti Supper will utilize social media to encourage people to donate online (click here) in lieu of buying a ticket and encourages them to have their own spaghetti dinner at home. Supporters will also be able to participate in a raffle, and the winners will be pulled on Facebook Live around 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 26. Raffle tickets can be purchased online (click here) or by mailing a check to the Gray House at 22 Sheldon St., Springfield, MA 01107. Donation or raffle ticket checks can be made payable to the Gray House. Event sponsor Freedom Credit Union, platinum sponsors PeoplesBank and the Springfield Chapter of UNICO, and many other sponsors generously committed to allowing the Gray House to retain the sponsorship money as a donation.

HCC Donates Personal Protection Equipment from College Programs

By BusinessWest Staff March 25, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

HOLYOKE — In response to requests from area hospitals experiencing shortages of supplies, Holyoke Community College (HCC) is preparing to donate surgical masks, isolation gowns, exam gloves, and other personal protection equipment from its health-science programs to help front-line medical professionals as they battle conoravirus.

HCC’s Emergency Response Team has been coordinating with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) on the collection of supplies from the college’s Health Sciences division and its division of Business & Workforce Development.

Late last week, the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts sent out a list of personal protection equipment (PPE) for which Baystate Medical Center and other area hospitals have a desperate need.

“I know we have all been looking for meaningful ways to help out during these stressful times of COVID-19,” said the message, which was sent out on behalf of EDC President and CEO Rick Sullivan. “Our front-line medical professionals and first responderss need our help.”

The items HCC has been collecting include boxes of isolation gowns, exam gloves, masks, goggles, hand sanitizer, and microbial wipes from its nursing, radiological technology, veterinary technician, biology, forensic science, and certified nursing assistant programs.

HCC Police Captain Dale Brown spent Tuesday afternoon conducting an inventory of the PPE supplies at the Campus Police station. He said he expected that a representative from MEMA would be picking up the items on campus sometime today, March 24. MEMA will then in turn coordinate delivery to area hospitals.

Girls Inc. of the Valley Takes Its Tagline Seriously During a Difficult Time

By BusinessWest Staff March 25, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

HOLYOKE — Be “strong, smart, and bold” is as much a clarion call to the 800 girls served by Girls Inc. of the Valley as it is to the organization’s staff and mentors, Executive Director Suzanne Parker said.

“In a time when social distancing is becoming more and more important, we recognize the urgent need to maintain a sense of community, support, and love for our girls, who, naturally, will be feeling added anxiety and stress. And so our staff is being strong smart and bold, investigating new ways to deliver creative, safe, and engaging learning to girls,” Parker said.

“As we ramp up, girls and their families can tune in virtually,” she continued. “We are encouraging all students to follow and engage in learning activities offered on Facebook and other platforms. And we are adding learning activities to social media and seeking to add new opportunities for girls to connect with their peers and Girls Inc. facilitators. We want the girls to have the opportunity to stay connected and stay supported during what we all know can be an overwhelming time.

“Many local girls, most coming from already economically stretched households, need all the love and support that they deserve, along with a small sense of normalcy,” Parker concluded. “We are so thankful to our supportive Valley community.”

Banks to Remain Open, While Consumers Encouraged to Bank Electronically

By BusinessWest Staff March 24, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. (MBA) announced that banks throughout the Commonwealth will remain open while keeping their customers and employees safe. According to Gov. Charlie Baker’s order Monday to close most businesses, financial institutions such as banks are considered essential services and will not be subject to the closure.

“While we strongly encourage all Massachusetts residents to heed the governor’s stay-at-home advisory and use online or mobile banking, consumers will continue to have access to banking services during the mandatory non-essential business closure,” said Daniel Forte, MBA president and CEO. “The safest place for your money right now is in your local bank where it is insured up to $250,000 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Many Massachusetts banks also have excess insurance to protect your funds.”

Consumers needing access to banking services should check with their institution, as many banks have closed branch lobbies, reduced hours, or shifted to drive-through only at some locations in an effort to protect their customers and employees. However, bank staff are available to serve customers and answer questions. In addition, access to funds through online and mobile banking, ATMs, and point-of-sale transactions remains available during this time.

Square One Responds to Keep Children, Families Safe and Healthy

By BusinessWest Staff March 24, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — As one of the region’s largest providers of childcare and family-support services, Square One is continuing to provide essential services to support the children and families who rely on them.

“This is a very unsettling time for everyone,” said Joan Kagan, president and CEO. “But for families who rely on us, and other social-services agencies, to meet their basic needs, the stress and fear they are experiencing is heightened. It is critical that they know where to go to access what they need. Most importantly, we want to make sure they do not feel isolated.”

The large majority of Square One families come from situations involving poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, incarceration, substance abuse, domestic violence, or other significant issues, Kagan explained.

Square One’s case workers and home visitors remain connected with the 1,500 families in its family-support programs virtually and over the phone on a regular basis. The agency is regularly providing families with resources and tools, such as food availability, homeschooling support, and emergency supplies of diapers and baby formula.

Programs such as support groups for parents in addiction recovery are being held virtually. The agency’s therapists and social workers are also holding virtual or phone appointments to support their continued social emotional health and well-being.

Square One’s preschool and school-age teachers are personally communicating with all 500 children and families in its learning programs, while the early learning centers and family childcare providers remain closed. They will be performing virtual story readings, fitness demonstrations, and other lessons that the organization will be sharing via social media.

For families who work in essential job functions, such as hospitals, grocery stores, and others, and who may be in need of emergency drop-in childcare services, childcare providers approved by the state Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) are available to provide emergency care for children. The list of providers can be found on the EEC website. Square One’s team is available to help families navigate that list and the rules surrounding these emergency services.

“We are grateful to everyone who has reached out to us to see how they can be supportive to the families we are serving,” Kagan said. “What we need most are cash donations, so that we can continue to provide our families with the programs and services they need right now. This is particularly important as some of our anticipated funding streams have been postponed or canceled altogether.”

To make a donation, visit www.startatsquareone.org or contact Kris Allard at [email protected] or by calling (508) 942-3147. Those in need of emergency support can call Square One’s emergency on-call number at (413) 478-5197.

Big Y Announces Support for Five Food Banks

By BusinessWest Staff March 24, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — On March 16, Big Y World Class Markets donated $125,000 to three Massachusetts food banks and two in Connecticut in order to help them respond to the challenges they face in helping to feed others during these challenging times. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the Greater Boston Food Bank, the Worcester County Food Bank, Foodshare, and the Connecticut Food Bank will each receive an immediate donation of $25,000. All Big Y stores also now have collection boxes to allow customers to make food donations for local pantries and shelters.

As part of its recent 10th annual Sack Hunger/Care to Share program, Big Y also provided more than $11.5 million in food to area food banks, which amounts to a total of 5.7 million meals to help those in need throughout the region. In addition to Sack Hunger, it donates healthy food to these food banks six days a week throughout the year. Two-thirds of those 5.7 million meals include donations of meat and fresh produce, while bakery, non-perishable grocery items, frozen food, and dairy products account for the rest. In fact, these almost-daily donations have become a routine part of Big Y’s operations. These food banks depend upon this steady flow of food to feed those in need.

Big Y also encourages support in any amount for area food banks right now. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts estimates that every dollar donated will provide four meals for those in need. Visit foodbankwma.org for more information.

Additionally, Big Y donated $50,000 to the COVID-19 Response Fund hosted by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. The fund will provide flexible resources to Pioneer Valley nonprofit organizations serving populations most impacted by the crisis, such as the elderly, those without stable housing, families needing food, and those with particular health vulnerabilities.

MBK Assembles Tax, Financial, and Business Planning Toolkit for COVID-19

By BusinessWest Staff March 24, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

HOLYOKE — As the outbreak of COVID-19 has escalated and caused unprecedented reactions such as school closings, cancelling professional sports, social distancing, and government-issued stay-at-home orders, many people understandably have growing concerns for the financial health of their organizations, people, and families.

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) has assembled a toolbox of resources to help clients and the community during this unprecedented time. These include MBK operations, tax resources, financial resources, and business-planning resources. The firm will continue to keep this page (www.mbkcpa.com/covid-19-updates-and-toolkit) updated daily as new information and resources become available.

MGM Joins Thunderbirds, Hotels, Restaurants to Feed Healthcare Providers, First Responders

By BusinessWest Staff March 24, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

SPRINGIELD — As Western Mass. continues to mobilize in response to the COVID-19 crisis, MGM Springfield has brought together a group of local partners and stakeholders to help feed the men and women on the pandemic’s front lines.

“This is a close-knit community, and we wanted to find some simple ways to say ‘thank you’ to those friends, neighbors, and family members working tirelessly to serve and protect us during this challenging time,” said Chris Kelley, president of MGM Springfield.

In partnership with the Springfield Thunderbirds, Sheraton Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, and Uno Pizzeria & Grill, MGM Springfield is leading an effort to prepare and deliver hot meals to healthcare workers and first responders across the city over the coming week.

The food deliveries will begin today, March 24 at 8 p.m., when volunteers from MGM and the Thunderbirds drop off hundreds of cooked meals to emergency-room workers at Baystate Medical Center.

Subsequent deliveries will take place on Wednesday, March 25 at the headquarters of the Springfield Police Department, Springfield Fire Department, and American Medical Response.

“The Thunderbirds are proud to partner with MGM Springfield, Sheraton, and Hilton Garden Inn to show our appreciation for these true hometown heroes,” said Paul Picknelly, managing partner of the Springfield Thunderbirds. “Perhaps now more than ever, our community must pull together to help each other through these uncertain times, and that starts with supporting those men and women on the front lines of this crisis.”

These meal deliveries follow last week’s donation by MGM Springfield of 12,000 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and partner agencies like Open Pantry.

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to place unprecedented demand on the region’s public-health system, MGM Springfield will remain engaged with the local community to support those frontline workers, organizations, and residents most impacted, Kelley said.

Gov. Baker Orders All Non-essential Businesses to Close for Two Weeks

By BusinessWest Staff March 23, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker issued an emergency order this morning requiring all businesses and organizations that do not provide “COVID-19 essential services” to close their physical workplaces and facilities to workers, customers, and the public from Tuesday, March 24 at noon until Tuesday, April 7 at noon. These businesses are encouraged to continue operations remotely.

The Baker-Polito administration issued a list of designated businesses and other organizations that provide essential services and workforces related to COVID-19 that may continue to operate brick-and-mortar facilities during this two-week time period. This list — based on federal guidance and amended to reflect the needs of Massachusetts’ unique economy — includes healthcare and public health; law enforcement, public safety, and first responders; food and agriculture; critical manufacturing; transportation; energy; water and wastewater; public works; communications and information technology; financial services; defense industry base; chemical manufacturing and hazardous materials; news media; and other designated community-based essential function and government operations. While these businesses are designated as essential, they are urged to follow social-distancing protocols for workers in accordance with guidance from the Department of Public Health.

Businesses and organizations not on the list of essential services are encouraged to continue operations through remote means that do not require workers, customers, or the public to enter or appear at the brick-and-mortar premises closed by the order.

Restaurants, bars, and other establishments that sell food and beverage products to the public are encouraged to continue to offer food for takeout and by delivery if they follow the social-distancing protocols set forth in Department of Public Health guidance. On-premises consumption of food or drink is prohibited.

Due to evolving spread of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, Baker has directed the Department of Public Health to issue a stay-at-home advisory outlining self-isolation and social-distancing protocols. Residents are advised to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel and other unnecessary activities during this two-week time period. Residents over age 70 or with underlying health conditions, who are considered at high risk when exposed to COVID-19, should limit social interactions with other people as much as possible.

The Baker-Polito administration does not believe Massachusetts residents can be confined to their homes and does not support home confinement for public-health reasons. However, the administration’s order limits gatherings to 10 people during the state of emergency, a reduction from the 25-person limit established in an earlier order. This includes community, civic, public, leisure, faith-based, and any other event or activity that brings together more than 10 people in any confined space. The order does not prohibit gatherings of more than 10 people in an outdoor space, like a park or athletic field.

United Way of Pioneer Valley Mobilizes Volunteer Community

By BusinessWest Staff March 23, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — In these challenging times, United Way of Pioneer Valley is continuing its mission to connect nonprofits with its community of dedicated, hard-working volunteers. With the area’s college students returning home and many seniors opting to stay in their homes, the need for volunteers in Western Mass. has never been greater.

“Nothing matters more to us than the health and safety of our community,” the organization noted. “We are working diligently to ensure agencies are taking the appropriate and necessary precautions for volunteers’ well-being. These include heightened sanitation protocols, physical distancing, and modification of their operations to lower the risk to all involved. There will also be remote tasks available for those who wish to remain in their homes.”

People interested in volunteering or agencies in need of volunteers can contact Jennifer Kinsman, director of Community Impact, at (413) 693-0212.

STCC Unveils Fire Investigation Transfer Program

By BusinessWest Staff March 23, 2020

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has a hot new program. Starting this fall, the college will offer a new option in the Fire Protection and Safety Technology department: fire investigation transfer. Students who choose this option will study fire behavior, fire operations, prevention, investigations, and criminal law through courses in fire science and criminal justice.

“We’re thrilled to offer this option, which will prepare students to continue their education toward a bachelor’s degree in fire investigation, homeland security, or fire science, based on their desired area of interest,” said Julian “Skip” Tenczar, chair of the Fire Protection and Safety Technology department.

Fire investigators often work for local, state, and federal agencies, but also pursue opportunities in the private sector.

According to Tenczar, fire investigators need a sharp eye, dedicated commitment to discovering the truth, and professional integrity to follow their findings through the legal system.

“The Fire Investigation program at STCC can open doors to this exciting field where you can make a difference,” he said, adding that the program is offered in the evening only, which will give students who work more flexibility.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for fire inspectors and investigators are expected to grow by 8% between 2018 and 2028. The median pay in 2018 was $60,200.

Students who successfully complete the two-year program will receive an associate of science degree in fire protection and safety technology.

“This new fire investigation transfer option is another wonderful example of how the college creates pathways for students who are seeking educational and career opportunities,” said Christopher Scott, dean of the School of Health and Patient Simulation. “If you have an interest in fire investigation, we believe STCC is a terrific place to get started.”

To learn more about the program and to apply for the fall, visit stcc.edu/explore/programs/fitr.as. Individuals with questions may contact Tenczar at [email protected] or call (413) 755-4596.

Amherst Area Tip Jar Launched

By BusinessWest Staff March 23, 2020

COVID-19 Daily News

AMHERST — The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce and the Amherst Business Improvement District (BID) have launched the Amherst Area Tip Jar.

Many locals would regularly be patronizing their favorite restaurants, bars, salons, coffeehouses, and other businesses that have been ordered closed or have shifted to take-out only, depending on the type of business, due to the COVID-19 crisis and related health and safety restrictions.

The Tip Jar, first established in Pittsburgh, allows people to support local service industry staff and businesses. It allows them to send a ‘tip’ to their favorite business, which will share it with their staff — bartenders, servers, kitchen staff, stylists, aestheticians, mechanics, etc. The Amherst Area Tip Jar offers an option for these businesses and individuals to post their Venmo or PayPal information so that customers, family members, neighbors, and community members, near and far, can continue to support them using this open-source concept — a way to maximize social distancing while supporting these workers and small businesses.

“Like all of us, our concerned members have been forwarding ideas to help our small businesses, and this is the one that stuck,” says Claudia Pazmany, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce. “We saw organizations galvanizing to support our nonprofit members and some small-business solutions — not nearly enough — but we recognized a void here and felt this was a population that was vulnerable that needed to be provided for.”

Gabrielle Gould, executive director of the Amherst BID, added that “this virtual tip jar is for local people who work at our businesses. This is a way we might be able to help our businesses help their laid-off staff. It’s not the solution, but it is an idea that has been used in other communities to help connect people to the businesses they care about and support.”

Chamber and BID member Shalini Bahl Milne of Downtown Mindfulness expressed the essence of the Tip Jar by posting on Facebook, “not a complete solution, but every dollar and thought counts. It lets our businesses know that we care! I know that kindness is contagious.”

E-mail Claudia Pazmany, the chamber’s executive director, at [email protected] or Gould at [email protected] with any inquiries.

Improv Master Is Improvising — and Becoming a Role Model of Sorts

By George O'Brien March 23, 2020

Coronavirus

The Power of Positive Thinking

By George O’Brien

On one hand, Pam Victor would seem like the perfect person to turn to for advice on how to stay positive and maintain morale during this time of extreme crisis — when everyone’s life and work has been seemingly turned on its ear and nothing seems safe anymore.

After all, she started Happier Valley Comedy with a simple mission — to bring laughter, joy, and ease to Western Massachusetts (and the world), and she uses improv to help others achieve any number of goals, including one she calls the ability to “disempower failure.”

But, on the other hand … the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted, or eliminated, every revenue stream at her disposal. Indeed, Happier Valley carried out its unique mission through classes in improvisation, comedy shows staged at the playhouse she and business partner Scott Braidman built in Hadley (and other venues), and through team visits to area companies and institutions — the so-called ‘Through Laughter’ program — during which those client companies would undertake interactive exercises designed to bolster everything from confidence levels to communication. Victor would also do a lot of motivational speaking in front of audiences large and small.

You can’t do any of that in the middle of a pandemic when people have been asked, and increasingly ordered, to socially distance themselves from one another. Or so Victor thought as the crisis unfolded and escalated over the past few weeks.

“We’re on pause, as we call it — no shows, no classes — and we were in the middle of a session of nine different classes with hundreds of students — and we’ve lost or at least postponed a great deal of our professional-development programs,” she explained. “So, basically, almost every revenue stream has dried up.”

But like so many other business owners and managers in these precarious times, Victor is, well, improvising (you knew that was coming) and finding ways to not only make some kind of living, but also stay upbeat, as difficult as that is.

She gave a ‘virtual’ keynote address for the recent Nerd Summit, the partners recently conducted their first virtual stand-up show, they’re looking into ways to teach improv online, and they’re finding ways to stay connected with clients and the rest of the world through ‘happiness tips’ on Instagram and a host of other initiatives.

“We’re trying to think creatively,” Victor said in a voice that conveyed that she and Braidman have no other option if they want to survive this pandemic. And she used that virtual keynote address as an example.

“At first, I was thinking, ‘oh my God, I do an interactive talk — of course I can’t do it virtually,’” she explained. “But that was just my first fearful thought, and then I … figured it out.”

“We’re on pause, as we call it — no shows, no classes — and we were in the middle of a session of nine different classes with hundreds of students — and we’ve lost or at least postponed a great deal of our professional-development programs. So, basically, almost every revenue stream has dried up.”

Elaborating, she said she changed the subject of her planned talk and instead discussed the need to improvise in these dire and uncertain times, and how improv can help with that assignment.

“I’m very grateful that I’m an improvisor,” she told BusinessWest. “Because it has been absolutely essential to just stay afloat.”

And while improvising, Victor has thoughts on how others can try to stay positive and maintain morale in their businesses in these uncertain times. And, as with most things in business, she says it starts at the top.

“Be mindful of your tone,” she advised managers. “You could be Eeyore [the Winnie-the-Pooh character] and be the voice of gloom and doom, or you can be a role model of positivity. We’re seeing a little of both from most people because we just don’t know what’s going to happen, but it’s far more helpful to be a voice of positivity and say, ‘we’re in this together, and we’re going to get through this together.’”

Elaborating, she said that, like a Little League coach or a parent, managers should be thinking about praising employees when they can and phrasing thoughts in a positive manner.

“Instead of ‘this is the worst thing that ever happened,’ they should look for a positive, more helpful refrain, like ‘we are going to become stronger as a group,’” she said. “And this becomes a mantra: ‘if we can get through this, we can get through anything,’ and ‘now I know I can count on this team because we’re getting through this together.’”

Beyond that, she said managers, and employees at all levels, for that matter, need to accept the situation and move forward. Many, she believes, haven’t yet been able to do that.

“So many of us are still stuck in ‘I wish things were different,’ or ‘I’m just so mad that this is the situation we’re in’ or fear, like I had, that I’m not going to have a company to go back to, or I’m not going to be able to pay people,” she explained. “What improv helps us with, and what I teach a lot, is how to quiet that critic and that internal voice of fear, because it’s unhelpful, and once we have that voice quieted down, we can focus on problem solving and innovative thinking, and all that important collaborative work that we need to do.”

When asked how one quiets that voice, she said she spent an hour explaining it all during her Nerd Summit keynote. Hitting the highlights, she said the most important thing for people to remember is that this voice — she named it the ‘evil mind meanie’ — is “a big fat liar” and needs to be quieted.

“This thought that I’m having, that my company is going to go out of business … I don’t know how this story is going to end. It’s just a belief, it’s just a fear at the moment,” she explained. “For me to go down the rabbit hole and follow that fear is not helpful or productive to solving the problem of how to keep my company afloat.

“When everything went down, my first reflexive thought was ‘this is it — everything we’ve worked so hard for is lost,’” she went on, recalling those hard days as steps put in place to limit the spread of the virus robbed the company of almost all its revenue streams. “And then, you remember that this is just a belief, and you don’t know how the story is going to turn out, and my job is to be of service to my community and move forward with positivity.”

Beyond all this, Victor recommends that companies, and individuals in general, find ways to stay connected. She suggests everything from Zoom happy hours (“booze optional, everyone pours their own drink”) and Netflix parties to companies sending food or treats to employees’ homes to show appreciation, and even virtual karaoke, something she heard one company was trying.

“You have to find opportunities for fun,” she said in conclusion, “because, when we laugh together, that stimulates a relaxation response and a connection response in humans. And we need that right now — we need to feel normal, even if it’s just for half an hour.”

Victor told BusinessWest that she recently bought a bottle of champagne and put it on ice. There it will stay until the crisis is over.

Needless to say, like everyone else in this region and this country, she’s really looking forward to that day when she can pop that cork. In the meantime, she’s going to go on improvising and finding ways to laugh.

And she suggests that everyone else do the same.

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

A Primer on Effective Business Disaster Planning

By Contributor March 23, 2020

Coronavirus

How to Survive in a Down Economy

By Nicholas LaPier, CPA

Businesses, and especially small businesses, are dealing with a situation that is in many ways unprecedented in both nature and scope: coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indeed, this crisis has impacted almost every industry sector and each specific business, except for supermarkets and online-delivery specialists such as Amazon. No one really knows how long this crisis will last or what the economy will look like on the proverbial ‘other side’ of the pandemic.

Despite the unique aspects of this crisis and the depth of the disruption to the economy in general, there are basic rules, or guidelines, when it comes to business disaster planning, and they apply to the COVID-19 pandemic as well.

Here is a quick checklist of items that I use when talking with clients about this crisis — and any down-economy situation.

• For starters, if you don’t have a disaster-recovery plan, create one. If you do have one, take it out of the drawer and review it. Also, modify the plan over the next few months based on actual experience, and create one as you go by documenting decisions and results.

• Consult your most respected business advisors for advice. This list includes your CPA, bankers, and peers.

• Conserve business assets, both cash (cash flow is tantamount to survival in times of disaster) and investments (don’t sell underperforming investments unless necessary).

• Review current operating costs as compared to expected revenues. And if your costs far exceed the projected revenues, first determine how long the shortage is and how the short term can be funded. Options, and there are many, can include:

– Contribute additional owner capital;

– Access your currently available business line of credit;

– Utilize your existing cash reserves;

– Start reviewing all SBA and state lending programs in place now because of COVID-19. You may even want to start the application early — as of this writing, the initial Massachusetts emergency loan program has already been exhausted;

– Review your commercial insurance policies for business-interruption coverage and how to submit a claim;

– Take a reduced owner compensation. Not only will this help cash flow for the business, you will reap some payroll tax savings as a result;

– Assess where a reduction in workforce makes sense;

– Make a careful assessment before incurring new costs and expenses;

– Accelerate collection efforts on unpaid receivables;

– Enhance your selling efforts — increase your social media posts and other media outlets, while staying the course with advertising and marketing campaigns; and

– Consider closing for a short period to curtail as many costs as possible.

• While addressing the short term, business owners must be focused on how the long term can be funded as well. Options here include:

– Additional owner capital/resources;

– Longer-term reduction of owner compensation;

– Continued reduction of workforce;

– Identification of other cost-saving measures;

– Enhanced sales and collection efforts;

– Obtaining SBA, state, or traditional lending programs; and

– Additional loans from non-traditional sources, such as leasing companies and non-equity partners.

As noted earlier, the COVID-19 pandemic is in many ways unique when it comes to business disasters. It is unlike a natural disaster, a recession, or a terrorist attack like 9/11.

But it is like all those others in that it is a situation that requires careful planning — and execution of a plan.

Nicholas LaPier, CPA is president of West Springfield-based Nicholas LaPier PC CPA; (413) 732-0200; [email protected]

Opinion: Invoking the Spirit of World War II

By BusinessWest Staff March 20, 2020

Coronavirus

As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic deepens, we’re hearing more and more references to the past — and with good reason.

Part of it is an attempt to put this crisis in perspective, and for perspective, you have to look to the past and things to compare this to. That’s why we’re hearing and reading references to 2008 and 2009 — the Great Recession — as well as 9/11, 1987 (the great stock-market nosedive), and, increasingly, the Great Depression of the 1930s, especially as the estimates for unemployment come in; indeed, some of the latest projections are for 20% or more, numbers not seen since 1932.

But we’re also hearing references to World War II, for reasons that involve not so much perspective (although there’s some of that) as inspiration. We’re hearing and reading references to everything from the Manhattan Project (which produced the atomic bomb) to the arsenal of democracy, the phrase coined by Franklin Roosevelt to describe what the United States should — and did — become as the war became a global conflict.

These references and comparisons are essentially spot on. What this country needs right now is a response similar to the one perhaps last seen during World War II — and on all kinds of levels.

Like the arsenal of democracy. In very short order, the U.S. economy went from a struggling peacetime economy — yes, the Great Depression lasted, in most all respects, into the early ’40s — into a thriving wartime economy where manufacturers retooled and produced items needed for the war effort. Examples abound, but the best known is Ford shifting gears — literally and figuratively — and producing B-24 Liberator bombers instead of cars at its famous Willow Run plant (where ‘Rosie the Riveter’ worked). In fact, at peak production, it was rolling out a new bomber every hour.

As the COVID-19 crisis deepens, it’s clear that we need what amounts to a different kind of wartime production — the war against this virus. Just as Ford made bombers, Caterpillar made tanks, Packard manufactured aircraft engines, and Studebaker produced trucks during World War II, today’s manufacturers need to step up, retool, and make surgical masks, respirators, and other items desperately needed in hospitals across the country.

And some are already volunteering to do just that, including Ford, GM, and Tesla. Meanwhile, cruise lines have proposed converting some of their ships into hospital ships, perhaps to care for those who need care but do not have COVID-19, and hotel owners have suggested perhaps converting their facilities into hospitals during this crisis.

These are the kinds of things that happened during World War II, and they need to happen now.

Meanwhile, on the home front during that war, there was sacrifice and a willingness to pitch in and do what was necessary, with drives to collect everything from rubber to aluminum for the war effort. Not everyone was happy with the rationing of many products, but they coped.

Contrast those images with those of people hording toilet paper and partying on the beaches of Florida during spring break, and it’s easy to see that the current generations can learn a lot from the Greatest Generation.

But there are many, many signs of generosity and caring being seen today — everything from MGM Springfield and other venues donating food items to food pantries to the Community Foundation’s creation of the COVID-19 Response Fund for the Pioneer Valley, to NBA players donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to help arena workers who are now among the unemployed.

To get through this, we’re going to need a lot more stepping up, sacrificing, and using all our talents and imagination to help in this new war effort.

For inspiration, all we have to do is turn the clock back 75 years.

The Food Bank Needs Your Help in This Time of Crisis

By Contributor March 20, 2020

Coronavirus

By Andrew Morehouse

We’ve all been to the supermarkets. Households are stocking up on food in response to coronavirus (COVID-19). But let’s not forget there are tens of thousands of individuals across Western Mass. who can’t even get to a supermarket — elders, people with disabilities, and households who must rely on unreliable public transportation. Others can, but they can’t even afford to buy enough food to feed their families, much less stock up for two weeks’ worth as suggested by public officials.

To make matters worse, many of these households have children whose schools are now closed and are not providing essential school breakfasts and lunches that so many families rely on to feed their children day in and day out. Some but not all schools are preparing meals for children to pick up at schools or at ‘summer’ meal sites (check out www.meals4kids.org/summer).

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and its network of 174 local feeding partners across all four counties — Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden — continue to operate as we do year in and year out, providing healthy food to the most vulnerable in our communities. We are all establishing measures to prevent transmission of coronavirus, such as social distancing, hand washing, and wearing protective gloves to ensure that our visitors can receive healthy food safely.

Many food pantries are now pre-packaging food to hand out, often outdoors, in order to minimize contact. Most, if not all, of the meal sites are now making meals to go, which patrons can pick up and take with them. If you are in need of food assistance, visit our website, www.foodbankwma.org/get-help, for a listing of all local feeding sites, and be sure to call prior to visiting to make sure they are open.

We’ve instituted similar safety measures at our biweekly and monthly Mobile Food Bank.
Twenty-one of the 26 sites continue to operate in ‘food deserts’ where access to healthy food is nonexistent. We’ve instituted similar safety measures at senior centers where volunteers distribute bags of groceries to thousands of elders monthly at our 51 brown-bag sites. Many remain open, and we are also working with those that have closed to seek permission to continue to distribute food in their parking lots.

Right now, we have enough food to distribute through our vast regional emergency food network. This is likely to change as the coronavirus persists. You can help by donating — every dollar you give provides four meals. We also have enough volunteers, but this is also likely to change. Please visit www.foodbankwma.org/volunteer for updates.

In addition to distributing food, we are working with our partners across the Commonwealth and nationally to advocate for public food assistance. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) continues to have the greatest impact in nourishing those who receive this federal benefit. Most SNAP recipients are children, elders, people with disabilities, and individuals working part-time and on minimum-wage incomes. SNAP provides nine meals for every meal provided by food banks. And SNAP is proven to be the single most powerful economic stimulus. This is no time to be cutting SNAP benefits; in fact, we should be increasing them.

Now is the time for all of us to band together as a community to ensure the health and food security of everyone.

Andrew Morehouse is executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Inc. in Hatfield.

Communicating With Your Clients Around COVID-19

By Contributor March 20, 2020

Coronavirus

Don’t Lose Touch

By Meghan Rothschild

The last two weeks have been an unprecedented storm of chaos for anyone managing a business, small or large. Effectively communicating changes in event plans, services, and fundraising strategies is no small feat and requires consistency and strategy. Staying in touch with your clients and customers has never been more challenging, yet more important.

We at Chikmedia have been navigating these communications challenges not only for clients, but for ourselves as well. Remaining calm, proofreading before you click ‘post,’ and applying a strategy are your best bets. We’ve drafted some go-to tips and tricks for ensuring your business looks polished and communicative during this time.

Identify your primary team/spokesperson during this time. As is true with any crisis, you must put together your decision-making team. Your primary spokesperson should not be the president or business owner, as you need a buffer for filtering information between the key decision maker and your primary audiences.

Outline and implement compliance strategies. Explain what you are doing to comply with CDC recommendations, such as, social distancing, hand washing, hand sanitizing, and encouraging staff to work remotely.

Write your plan down. Make sure you have committed to compliance policies that work for you and your business. Don’t say you’re offering hand sanitizer if you don’t have it in house yet.

Ensure your entire team is up to date. Your staff should be well-versed in what the plan is moving forward. Arm them with the copy points they need to communicate effectively to the public, your customers, and other important constituents.

Make a public statement. If you haven’t done this already, you should, immediately. Even if you are not currently operating or client facing, you must acknowledge what is happening in the world; otherwise, you appear reckless and out of touch. Include information on how it will impact your customers and your business.

Use all of your channels when communicating. Use e-news, social media, signage, your website — whatever you currently use to communicate to clients.

Continue to post. Even when you do not have an update, you must continue to acknowledge and keep your customers informed. They will want to hear from you regularly.

Navigate the official updates from the CDC. Make sure everything you post has been confirmed by two sources and is factual. Do not share content that is not confirmed, not vetted, or from unreliable sources.

Continue to produce regular content. Don’t make it all about COVID-19. Do not stop posting or let your social channels go dormant, as algorithms will penalize you. It may feel awkward to post regular content, but it’s important to maintain some consistent messaging and normalcy on behalf of the business.

Start developing your post-virus plan now. How are you going to get people back through the door when this is all over? Will it be through an event or a major sale? What about a big contest or giveaway? Be thinking about how you will re-engage your audience when the competition will be at its highest. Do not wait: have the plan prepared and ready to go for when the world begins to spin again.

Should you have questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to shoot us a note at [email protected]. You can also visit our website, www.chikmedia.us, for more information.

Meghan Rothschild is president of Chikmedia.

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